Calendar
May 2020
The Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse is closed until further notice. We must abide by the Grand Master’s Proclamation issued April 2, 2020 cancelling all Masonic gatherings thru May 15, 2020. We will reopen when those who govern our actions approve.
As result of the COVID – 19 virus Pandemic all of the regularly scheduled events scheduled in the Valley of Syracuse for the month of MAY 2020 are cancelled or postponed.
Degree conferrals scheduled for April and May 2020 will be rescheduled into the Fall of 2020. (Plan for September and October)
A proposal to conduct the Guard’s Club Meeting and Dinner, Four Bodies Annual Meeting and installation of the 2020-2021 all in one evening in either May or June 2020 is being discussed with the Executive committee with an announcement forthcoming when appropriate.
June 2020
Scheduled events to be announced
Watch for the June 2020 WORD
Consistory
Greetings,
What an unexpected turn of events for our Nation and the World in general.
As many of you already know all Masonic activities in the jurisdiction or The Grand Lodge of the State of New York have been postponed by proclamation of the M:. W:. William Sardone through May 15th 2020. It is possible that this could be extended further, only time will tell.
Scottish Rite events in the N.M.J. are also postponed until further notice.
I had the opportunity to read T.P.M. Terry Byards article before it went to print. Terry could not have been more eloquent in his heartfelt message which I hope we all will take the time and reflect on the things that are most important to us during this time of uncertainty.
I wish I could announce when the Valley of Syracuse will resume its activities, but at the time this article will be sent to print I am unable.
I hope our Masonic Families are able to endure this time in our history and we can meet again soon. I am wishing you all good health to you and your families. If anyone is in need of essential food or supplies and cannot get out to the store please contact me at the numbers listed below or e-mail me.
May the Great Architect of the Universe Bless and protect you.
Fraternally,
D.B. Lawrence W. Egnaczyk, 32° MSA
Commander in Chief
Chapter
No News Received
Henry R. Havener, 32° DSA
Most Wise Master
Council
Greetings Sovereign Princes.
With everything going on there are obviously no events to be writing about at this time. What I would like to do is make a suggestion and that is that while you are quarantined at home why not reach out to some of your Brothers via email or phone and let them know you are thinking about them? Sometimes a sincere “hi, how you doing?” can make a person’s day. Being shut in does not mean being alone.
In that spirit I would like to let each of you reading this know that if you need anything, even if it is just to talk, get a hold of me and I will be glad to help. My Brothers, I want you all, and all of your loved ones, to be safe so that when we get back to meeting again we can all see each other, smile and say “it’s good to see you”. You are all in my prayers every day.
God bless you all, Freemasons, our military and this great country.
James McNeal, 32º DSA
Sovereign Prince
Lodge
Greetings Princes.
Wow, how the world has changed since my last writing!!! The officers of the Lodge of Perfection and I truly wish the very best of health and perseverance to you and your families. May the hands of the Great Architect be upon us all in these trying times!!
Many of us are out of work, feeling isolated, practicing social distancing and worried about the health of ourselves and Families. In addition, we are unable to meet in our Lodges and Valleys to enjoy face to face interaction with our Brethren. It can become truly overwhelming with despair ……………if we let it!
Although struggling like all of us, I choose to focus on the positive! For me it has been a time of great reflection on my life, Family and the beauty of our beloved Fraternity. Home isolation has allowed me to deeply contemplate the many blessings the fraternity and the power of the Great Architect has bestowed upon me. It has allowed me to spend more quality time with my wife and video chat with kids and grandkids while reflecting on the blessing of family. Spend more time reading and reflecting on Masonic Literature. I have seen and participated in true acts of kindness, compassion, and concern for the health and welfare of elderly members of the Fraternity. I have seen the blessing of Leadership in our Fraternity, abiding by governmental guidance, adapting to an ever changing and stressful environment that threatens our way of life. The blessings of Great innovation in Social Media and other means of keeping in touch with each other. I know that by these and the glory of God all great struggles make us stronger and more resilient.
I have faith, my Brethren, that by the time this is published we will be thru the worst of COVID19, my prayers are that we WILL make it thru these trying times, get back to our Masonic way of life and maybe be better Masons in the process.
Terry A. Byard, 32° DSA
Thrice Potent Master
Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY
We do appear to have a totally different view of ourselves and the world these days. I thank goodness for our faith and the support of all of you who share in this wonderful “brotherhood of man” (and woman).
Nothing is normal for us at the Center. Immediately after the GALA we “shut down” when the schools closed. Gineal and I were initially planning on getting things cleaned and sorted (hundreds of old files and children’s folders await) and made plans to work at the Center Tues. and Thurs. and from home the rest of the time. We are making it a point to connect by email and letter with all of our families and tutors every week to let them know that we are still here and thinking of them. We try to keep them updated with new educational on-line opportunities and encourage them to help their child keep up with the skill they have learned at the Center.
You may have heard that Lexington has afforded us the opportunity to do On-Line tutoring which half of our tutors and families have chosen to take advantage of. To be honest- I am working more hours per day than ever before. I am not the most computer savvy person, but I am doing my best to bring myself up-to-speed on the new technology and how we can use it for our children.
Should the world be able to return to ‘more normal’ we will go back to tutoring at the Center, but until then, it is a “Whole New World.” We are in hopes of initiating our program this coming week, having given the children time to be settled in their home- schooling routines and us to get more proficient. We have 5 tutors and 10 children participating in the on-line program. That us about half of each from our “normal” numbers.
We send our best to you and yours and Thank You for your continued support – all prayers grateful accepted. Stay Safe, Stay Well, Stay Sane.
Linda L. Martin, Director
Email- [email protected]
Phone- (315) 736-0574
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
PO Box 638
Oriskany, NY 13424
Feast of the Paschal Lamb
During these very difficult times Central City Bodies AASR took the extraordinary steps to close the office while continuing to provide Scottish Rite information to our Valley Officers and Members from my home.
The decision to cancel the 2020 Feast of the Paschal Lamb Ceremony scheduled for Saturday April 4, 2020 was a very difficult decision to make. This annual service is a special remembrance for our recently departed Scottish Rite members who have laid down their “Working Tools” of life and entered that “House not built with hands eternal to the Lord.”
The Valley Office received notice during the period March 2019 thru February 2020 that the following members of Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. passed away. May we all pause to reflect upon the memory and our thoughts of each of these loyal Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret,
32° Scottish Rite Masons:
Frank W. Allen
Wallace V. Auser
Duane E. Bailey
Richard K. Barber
Homer R. Conine
Richard M. DenBleyker
David B. Dibble
Alan P. Farrington
William A. Gessler
Richard E. Green
Robert E. Gustke
Richard Heckathorn
Fritz Hess
Milton T. Jefferson
Guenther Kolb
Joseph Levinson
Frank E. Lowther
John P. Maurer
Richard W. Moore
William C. Pharoah
Efrain “Frank” Rosa
Ralph Rushworth
George J. Schunck
Christian E. Spaeth
Theodore H. Tennant
A. Graham Watts
Kenneth C. Wheeler, Jr.
23 Psalm:
The lord is my Shepherd; I Shall now want
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside the still Waters
He restoreth my soul;
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me in all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever
Rest well my Princes secure in the knowledge that you lived the good life; served your Family and the Craft well; and your memory will forever be in our thoughts and minds.
From the desk of Ill∴ James D. Swan, Jr., 33°, Valley Secretary
Knights of St. Andrew’s Bannockburn Banquet
COVID-19 NOTE: The following is reposted with the hope that we see a dramatic turn around from the situation we are experiencing in early April, when I write. My thinking is that, even if things improve, we may not be ready to resume activities by early June. Stay tuned...
The Syracuse Knights of St. Andrew will hold its 2020 Bannockburn Banquet on Saturday, June 6th at the Brae Loch Inn, 5 Albany St, Cazenovia, NY 13035.
The Bannockburn Banquet commemorates the Battle of Bannockburn of June 1314. It was a Scottish victory by King of Scots, Robert the Bruce, against the army of King Edward II of England in the First War of Scottish Independence. Legend has it that a band of Knights Templar assisted the Bruce in achieving this victory.
Last year's Inaugural Banquet was a great success and the 2020 event should prove to be as well.
Social Time will begin at 5:00 PM with the Whisky Tasting. Dinner will follow at 6:00 PM. Wives/significant others/guests are invited. This event is open to all! Make your reservations now! Cost is $45 per person. Reservations due by May 23rd, 2020.
The Brae Loch Inn has rooms set aside for people coming to our event, there are not many so if interested, call the Brae Loch at (315) 655-3431, tell them that you are coming to the Scottish Rite/Knights of St. Andrew Dinner on June 6th and would like to reserve a room if any are left. Visit their website to see the rooms - https://www.braelochinn.com/
If interested in attending, please email Rick Powell ([email protected]) for a reservation form. Once you receive it, fill it out and mail your check as described on the form.
We hope that we will be able to welcome everyone to one of the Knights of St. Andrew's premier events and the unique Scottish atmosphere of the Brae Loch Inn. Stay safe...
May 2020
The Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse is closed until further notice. We must abide by the Grand Master’s Proclamation issued April 2, 2020 cancelling all Masonic gatherings thru May 15, 2020. We will reopen when those who govern our actions approve.
As result of the COVID – 19 virus Pandemic all of the regularly scheduled events scheduled in the Valley of Syracuse for the month of MAY 2020 are cancelled or postponed.
Degree conferrals scheduled for April and May 2020 will be rescheduled into the Fall of 2020. (Plan for September and October)
A proposal to conduct the Guard’s Club Meeting and Dinner, Four Bodies Annual Meeting and installation of the 2020-2021 all in one evening in either May or June 2020 is being discussed with the Executive committee with an announcement forthcoming when appropriate.
June 2020
Scheduled events to be announced
Watch for the June 2020 WORD
Consistory
Greetings,
What an unexpected turn of events for our Nation and the World in general.
As many of you already know all Masonic activities in the jurisdiction or The Grand Lodge of the State of New York have been postponed by proclamation of the M:. W:. William Sardone through May 15th 2020. It is possible that this could be extended further, only time will tell.
Scottish Rite events in the N.M.J. are also postponed until further notice.
I had the opportunity to read T.P.M. Terry Byards article before it went to print. Terry could not have been more eloquent in his heartfelt message which I hope we all will take the time and reflect on the things that are most important to us during this time of uncertainty.
I wish I could announce when the Valley of Syracuse will resume its activities, but at the time this article will be sent to print I am unable.
I hope our Masonic Families are able to endure this time in our history and we can meet again soon. I am wishing you all good health to you and your families. If anyone is in need of essential food or supplies and cannot get out to the store please contact me at the numbers listed below or e-mail me.
May the Great Architect of the Universe Bless and protect you.
Fraternally,
D.B. Lawrence W. Egnaczyk, 32° MSA
Commander in Chief
Chapter
No News Received
Henry R. Havener, 32° DSA
Most Wise Master
Council
Greetings Sovereign Princes.
With everything going on there are obviously no events to be writing about at this time. What I would like to do is make a suggestion and that is that while you are quarantined at home why not reach out to some of your Brothers via email or phone and let them know you are thinking about them? Sometimes a sincere “hi, how you doing?” can make a person’s day. Being shut in does not mean being alone.
In that spirit I would like to let each of you reading this know that if you need anything, even if it is just to talk, get a hold of me and I will be glad to help. My Brothers, I want you all, and all of your loved ones, to be safe so that when we get back to meeting again we can all see each other, smile and say “it’s good to see you”. You are all in my prayers every day.
God bless you all, Freemasons, our military and this great country.
James McNeal, 32º DSA
Sovereign Prince
Lodge
Greetings Princes.
Wow, how the world has changed since my last writing!!! The officers of the Lodge of Perfection and I truly wish the very best of health and perseverance to you and your families. May the hands of the Great Architect be upon us all in these trying times!!
Many of us are out of work, feeling isolated, practicing social distancing and worried about the health of ourselves and Families. In addition, we are unable to meet in our Lodges and Valleys to enjoy face to face interaction with our Brethren. It can become truly overwhelming with despair ……………if we let it!
Although struggling like all of us, I choose to focus on the positive! For me it has been a time of great reflection on my life, Family and the beauty of our beloved Fraternity. Home isolation has allowed me to deeply contemplate the many blessings the fraternity and the power of the Great Architect has bestowed upon me. It has allowed me to spend more quality time with my wife and video chat with kids and grandkids while reflecting on the blessing of family. Spend more time reading and reflecting on Masonic Literature. I have seen and participated in true acts of kindness, compassion, and concern for the health and welfare of elderly members of the Fraternity. I have seen the blessing of Leadership in our Fraternity, abiding by governmental guidance, adapting to an ever changing and stressful environment that threatens our way of life. The blessings of Great innovation in Social Media and other means of keeping in touch with each other. I know that by these and the glory of God all great struggles make us stronger and more resilient.
I have faith, my Brethren, that by the time this is published we will be thru the worst of COVID19, my prayers are that we WILL make it thru these trying times, get back to our Masonic way of life and maybe be better Masons in the process.
Terry A. Byard, 32° DSA
Thrice Potent Master
Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY
We do appear to have a totally different view of ourselves and the world these days. I thank goodness for our faith and the support of all of you who share in this wonderful “brotherhood of man” (and woman).
Nothing is normal for us at the Center. Immediately after the GALA we “shut down” when the schools closed. Gineal and I were initially planning on getting things cleaned and sorted (hundreds of old files and children’s folders await) and made plans to work at the Center Tues. and Thurs. and from home the rest of the time. We are making it a point to connect by email and letter with all of our families and tutors every week to let them know that we are still here and thinking of them. We try to keep them updated with new educational on-line opportunities and encourage them to help their child keep up with the skill they have learned at the Center.
You may have heard that Lexington has afforded us the opportunity to do On-Line tutoring which half of our tutors and families have chosen to take advantage of. To be honest- I am working more hours per day than ever before. I am not the most computer savvy person, but I am doing my best to bring myself up-to-speed on the new technology and how we can use it for our children.
Should the world be able to return to ‘more normal’ we will go back to tutoring at the Center, but until then, it is a “Whole New World.” We are in hopes of initiating our program this coming week, having given the children time to be settled in their home- schooling routines and us to get more proficient. We have 5 tutors and 10 children participating in the on-line program. That us about half of each from our “normal” numbers.
We send our best to you and yours and Thank You for your continued support – all prayers grateful accepted. Stay Safe, Stay Well, Stay Sane.
Linda L. Martin, Director
Email- [email protected]
Phone- (315) 736-0574
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
PO Box 638
Oriskany, NY 13424
Feast of the Paschal Lamb
During these very difficult times Central City Bodies AASR took the extraordinary steps to close the office while continuing to provide Scottish Rite information to our Valley Officers and Members from my home.
The decision to cancel the 2020 Feast of the Paschal Lamb Ceremony scheduled for Saturday April 4, 2020 was a very difficult decision to make. This annual service is a special remembrance for our recently departed Scottish Rite members who have laid down their “Working Tools” of life and entered that “House not built with hands eternal to the Lord.”
The Valley Office received notice during the period March 2019 thru February 2020 that the following members of Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. passed away. May we all pause to reflect upon the memory and our thoughts of each of these loyal Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret,
32° Scottish Rite Masons:
Frank W. Allen
Wallace V. Auser
Duane E. Bailey
Richard K. Barber
Homer R. Conine
Richard M. DenBleyker
David B. Dibble
Alan P. Farrington
William A. Gessler
Richard E. Green
Robert E. Gustke
Richard Heckathorn
Fritz Hess
Milton T. Jefferson
Guenther Kolb
Joseph Levinson
Frank E. Lowther
John P. Maurer
Richard W. Moore
William C. Pharoah
Efrain “Frank” Rosa
Ralph Rushworth
George J. Schunck
Christian E. Spaeth
Theodore H. Tennant
A. Graham Watts
Kenneth C. Wheeler, Jr.
23 Psalm:
The lord is my Shepherd; I Shall now want
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside the still Waters
He restoreth my soul;
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me in all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever
Rest well my Princes secure in the knowledge that you lived the good life; served your Family and the Craft well; and your memory will forever be in our thoughts and minds.
From the desk of Ill∴ James D. Swan, Jr., 33°, Valley Secretary
Knights of St. Andrew’s Bannockburn Banquet
COVID-19 NOTE: The following is reposted with the hope that we see a dramatic turn around from the situation we are experiencing in early April, when I write. My thinking is that, even if things improve, we may not be ready to resume activities by early June. Stay tuned...
The Syracuse Knights of St. Andrew will hold its 2020 Bannockburn Banquet on Saturday, June 6th at the Brae Loch Inn, 5 Albany St, Cazenovia, NY 13035.
The Bannockburn Banquet commemorates the Battle of Bannockburn of June 1314. It was a Scottish victory by King of Scots, Robert the Bruce, against the army of King Edward II of England in the First War of Scottish Independence. Legend has it that a band of Knights Templar assisted the Bruce in achieving this victory.
Last year's Inaugural Banquet was a great success and the 2020 event should prove to be as well.
Social Time will begin at 5:00 PM with the Whisky Tasting. Dinner will follow at 6:00 PM. Wives/significant others/guests are invited. This event is open to all! Make your reservations now! Cost is $45 per person. Reservations due by May 23rd, 2020.
The Brae Loch Inn has rooms set aside for people coming to our event, there are not many so if interested, call the Brae Loch at (315) 655-3431, tell them that you are coming to the Scottish Rite/Knights of St. Andrew Dinner on June 6th and would like to reserve a room if any are left. Visit their website to see the rooms - https://www.braelochinn.com/
If interested in attending, please email Rick Powell ([email protected]) for a reservation form. Once you receive it, fill it out and mail your check as described on the form.
We hope that we will be able to welcome everyone to one of the Knights of St. Andrew's premier events and the unique Scottish atmosphere of the Brae Loch Inn. Stay safe...