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Calendar
May 2019 May 11 (Saturday) Conferals of 4° (V), 12° (V), 20° (V), 22° and 32° 9:00 a.m. Register 9:30 a.m. Open 10: 00 a.m. LOP Confer 4° (V) “Master Traveler”, 12° (V) “Master of Mercy”; Consistory Confer 20° (V) “Master ad Vitam”, 22° Prince of Libanus” 12:00 Noon Luncheon 1:30 p.m. Consistory Confer 32° “Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret”(L) May 13 157th Annual Reunion Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. May 20 Guard’s Club Dinner & Annual Meeting 6:15 p.m. Four Bodies Annual Meeting & Election of Officers 7:30 p.m. June 2019 June 03 Officers Public Installation Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Install 7:30 p.m. June 10 Valley Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Consistory Well here we come into May and we have had many changes to our schedule out of respect for our brothers in Syracuse and Utica so they could attend the memorial service for our departed Brother, Frank Rice, C.I.C. Valley of Utica. We had to change the one day class scheduled on April 6th to May 11th with the same times. The rest of the schedule has been moved as follows: Reunion Dinner will be May 13 th with Social at 6:00 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm and program at 7:30 pm. Come on out to welcome our new 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Masons. May 29th will be the Guards Club dinner and meeting at 6:15 pm and the Annual Meeting at 7:30 pm. June 3rd will be the Installation of Officers with Social at 6:00 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm and installation at 7:30 pm. Remember to mark your calendars for July 20th our Annual Masonic Picnic. There will be a lot of fun at this event. Watch the word and your mail for more information. My time as your Commander in Chief is coming quickly to an end. I have had a lot of fun over the past 2 years. We have increased attendance in meetings and have a great Class of new members this year. Let’s finish this term strong. I look forward to seeing you in Lodge. D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Dear Brethren, As we conclude the Feast of the Paschal Lamb and our Spring Reunion 2019, I hope you have all had a pleasant holiday and find yourself with strength anew. At my home, we cooked a leg of lamb in celebration of the holidays which is a tradition for the L’offrande Paschale or Pâques in the Mediterranean, a tradition we continue to keep that is also customary amongst Scottish Rite brethren who eat lamb with other brethren at this time. In May, working in the garden and outdoors is one of my favorite things to do. I await planting the herb garden and flowers with family. In conclusion, I hope to see all whom can attend the various Scottish Rite events remaining and give a special thanks to my mentor Bob Tyrrell, my line officers Hank Havener and Gary Hamburg, Secretary Swan and our office administration, Commander and Chief Visconti and the Consistory for keeping me on top of the schedule and various duties of Most Wise Master. I wish all the new officers to be inducted my fraternal regards and best wishes for their tenure. Also shout out to all my Konosioni 950 brothers whose foundational blue lodge work helped me prepare for the lessons of Scottish Rite NMJ. Keep up the great work. Good luck to you all and G-d bless you. As recently my familial duties increase you may see less of me but you all are always in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely & Fraternally, Caleb Haines, 32° Most Wise Master Council Greetings Princes, I hope this communication finds you well and rejuvenated with warmer weather and budding trees. I had the sad duty to attend a funeral service for a friend of mine. While there I met his nephew, a 25 year old man who is currently serving as the Junior Warden in his Lodge. What was uplifting about meeting him was the enthusiasm he felt toward the craft, and his desire to expand his membership to Scottish Rite. He had been influenced by older gentlemen who were actively involved in New Jersey’s Scottish Rite, and because of his respect and friendship with them, his desire to work beside them and meet others in Masonry outside his Craft Lodge, he will be joining the next class available to him. I understand that in our busy lives it can be difficult to find the time to join in with concordant bodies. Time is a commodity, and should be spent wisely, as we won’t get back our time once it is spent. Time invested in Scottish Rite can pay dividends though. I have met so many good men and Masons through this organization and have found them and others as I have joined other bodies. It builds our network of brotherhood, and it broadens us in our knowledge of the Craft. I hope that those who are not yet members of our Valley give thought to joining us. It is rewarding to learn more lessons we can apply to a life well lived, and gives us a means to expand our sphere of companionship. It gives us another means of spreading the cement of brotherly love, be it through our labors or leisure. It also gives our special people in our lives an opportunity to meet and grow in friendship through dinners and programs our Ancient Craft offers that are open to family and friends. This friendship may not change the world around us, at least not directly, but it will change OUR world, our communities, and through the bonds we have with upright men and Masons, we can influence others who are of like mind. I hope to see you at our events, I hope if you are not a member of the Valley that you consider becoming one. Fraternally, James A. Nelson, 32º Sovereign Prince Lodge Welcome back brethren! First and foremost I would like to point out several important schedule changes. First, the Lodge of Perfection is presenting the 4th degree and 12th degree via video on 11 May 2019. The Valley of Syracuse is also presenting the 20th and 22nd degrees via video and a live presentation of the 32nd degree all on the same day. Mark your calendars as May 11th will be a busy day full of glorious Scottish Rite Degrees!! Second, The Annual Reunion dinner is now scheduled for 13 May 2019. Please, if you are newly made Scottish Rite Mason, join us for a nice evening of fellowship and dinner. And lastly, the Guards Club dinner and meeting is slated for 20 May 2019, followed immediately by the Valley Annual 4 body meeting. Thank you for the continued support and all the challenges and fellowship that comes along with it! Hope to see you all soon! Fraternally, Ken Sterling, 32° Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY Spring is Really, Really Here!!!! We at the Center share in the sadness of all for the loss of Commander Frank Rice of the Utica Valley. He will be greatly missed. On a brighter note, what a wonderful time was had at our 5 th Annual GALA- We raised a great deal of money for which we are very grateful- We owe Gary’s Restaurant on Oneida Lake a ‘mia culpe’ as we did not get their name in the program for Table Sponsor. Next year we will be adding some guidelines as the large ‘last minute rush’ became a bit difficult this year (especially since Gineal and I still have all the Center duties to attend to). We will try to streamline things for everyone as we were so thrilled to have so many attend (our highest number), so many baskets (our highest number) and so many door prizes to give out (our highest number). Our delight at the success of the GALA was a bit overshadowed by news of an assessment made to the Centers starting this year. A new policy was put in place by Lexington this March that involves an assessment of 10% of our annual payroll to be taken by Lexington at the beginning of the fiscal year. I am not privy to all details but assume that this is done across the board and not just for the Centers who qualify for matching funds as all Centers receive the same support benefits form Lexington. In my naïve status, I assumed this would begin to impact our Center starting next year-, taking 10% of this year’s salary, allowing time to work out a way to raise the necessary funds. Sadly, the assessment will be taken this September 1st , based on last year’s salary. We are in a bit of a conundrum as we cannot serve the children if we do not have the tutors available. We do all we can each year to recruit a class of scholars who work with first year children while training in an unpaid status. (If you know someone interested in our training program, please have them contact us.) Our second-year children require Certified tutors and while we have a limited number of volunteers, most are paid (if minimally). As we work on our 2019-2020 budget, we are trying to figure how we can streamline what we do at the Center to allow us to still serve as many children as possible with the generous support you give and still meet all the “requests” for monies sent to Lexington. I know we will make it happen, but the getting there may be a bit stressful. If you have a good idea for a fundraiser or major sponsor, please let our Board know. I apologize for the ‘not so cheery’ content of this epistle – I am always eternally grateful for all the support you give, whether in word or monetarily- It means the world to me and all at the Center! I also want to remind you of our Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, June 11th in the Pavilion at the OES Campus at 6:30. We plan to have the pleasure of having one of our former children (and possibly two) speak at this event. We would love to have you come- just let us know. Wishing you all the beautiful things that Spring can bring. Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 IMPORTANT NOTICE EVENT DATE CHANGES!! To all- I trust everyone supports the recent actions taken by your Valley Leadership to support our Scottish Rite brothers in the Valley of Utica as they work their way through the after shock caused by the sudden passing of D. B. Frank S. Rice, 32° MSA, their Commander-In-Chief. The sincere sympathy and condolences are extended to Allicia and Amanda Rice at this time. Memorial services for Frank were conducted April 6 in Dolgeville and April 13, in New Jersey. These events caused the need for the Valley of Syracuse to reschedule several events in April, May, and June. Notices detailing the schedule changes are located below. Anyone having any questions regarding these necessary changes is requested to contact the Valley of Syracuse Office 315-452-7976. Every one of our members has or will be personally contacted with notification of scheduling changes for each event. The new date for each impacted event is published in the Scottish Rite page. The following events are re-scheduled as result of this event cancellation change. NEW DATES: Saturday May 11, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center Degree Meeting to confer 4th , 12th , 20th , 22nd , and 32nd Degrees Register 9:00 a.m. / Open 9:30 a.m. / Degrees 10:00 a.m. / Lunch 12:00 Noon / Degree 1:30 p.m. Monday May 13, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center 157th Annual Reunion Banquet Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Monday May 20, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center Guard’s Club Dinner and Four Body Annual Meeting and Election of 2019-2020 Valley Officers Guard’s Club Dinner & Meeting 6:15 p.m. / Four Bodies Annual Meeting and Election 7:30 p.m. Monday June 3, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center Public Installation of Valley Officers Social 6:00 p.m./ Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Installation 7:30 p.m. Monday June 10, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center Trustees Organization Meeting 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee Meeting 7:30 p.m. IMPORTANT NOTICE!!
Degrees scheduled for April 6, 2019 are cancelled due to the Memorial Service for D. B. Frank S. Rice, 32° MSA, Valley of Utica Commander-In-Chief who passed away Thursday March 28, 2019. April 6, 2019 Meeting and degrees conferral Cancelled. The following events are re-scheduled as result of this event cancellation change. NEW DATES: Saturday May 11, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center Degree Meeting to confer 4th, 12th, 20th, 22nd, and 32nd Degrees Register 9:00 a.m. Open 9:30 a.m. Degrees 10:00 a.m. Lunch 12:00 Noon Degree 1:30 p.m. Monday May 13, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center 157th Annual Reunion Banquet Social 6:00 p.m. Dinner 6:30 p.m. Program 7:30 p.m. Monday May 20, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center Guard’s Club Dinner and Four Body Annual Meeting and Election of 2019-2020 Valley Officers Guard’s Club Dinner & meeting 6:15 p.m. Four Bodies Annual meeting and Election 7:30 p.m. Monday June 3, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center Public Installation of Valley Officers Social 6:00 p.m. Dinner 6:30 p.m. Installation 7:30 p.m. Monday June 10, 2019 Masonic Memorial Center Trustees Organization Meeting 6:15 p.m. Executive Committee Meeting 7:30 p.m. PLEASE CONTACT THE VALLEY OFFICE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS 315-452-7976 On Monday, February 18, 2019, The Valley of Syracuse presented its Ill. John S. Curtis, 33° Annual Caregiver Award to Stephanie Piston. Stephanie has been surrounded by the Masonic Fraternity for most of her life. From her time in the Order of Triangles & DeMolay as a youth to her time as an adult leader in those same organizations, she has given much of herself to these organizations and has gone above and beyond many times. She has taken in more than one DeMolay or Triangle into her home and treated them as her own. In addition to her exemplary example of leadership to the Masonic youth, let's not forget her care of her own family during their times of health issues and growing pains. Through it all, she maintains a sense of composure and humor. Congratulations Stephanie! Calendar
March 2019 Mar 04 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Mar 11 Confer 14° Live 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to Follow Mar 16 (Saturday) Confer 15° & 18° Register 9:00 a.m. Open 9:30 a.m. CPJ Confer 15° “Knight of the East” Live 10:00 a.m. Lunch 11:30 a.m. CRC Confer 18° “Knight of the Rose Croix of H.R.D.M.” 1:00 p.m. Mar 25 32° Rehearsal 7:30 p.m. April 2019 Apr 01 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Apr 06 (Saturday) Conferals of 4° (V), 12° (V), 20° (V), 22° and 32° 9:00 a.m. Register 9:30 a.m. Open 10: 00 a.m. LOP Confer 4° (V) “Master Traveler”, 12° (V) “Master of Mercy”; Consistory Confer 20° (V) “Master ad Vitam”, 22° Prince of Libanus” 12:00 Noon Luncheon 1:30 p.m. Consistory Confer 32° “Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret”(L) Apr 08 CRC Rehearsal Feast 7:00 p.m. Apr 13 (Saturday) Feast of the Paschal Lamb at 2:30 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Buffet Apr 15 157th Annual Reunion Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Apr 29 Valley Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Consistory Well as we move into March we are coming to the end of another Masonic year. Spring is just around the corner and good weather is ahead. There is not much going on in the Consistory for the month, but we have several Degrees for the other bodies. We are continuing with the meetings for the Masonic Picnic. This is going to be a great event and open to all Masons. There are games for the children and adults alike. We will also have a dunk tank where the proceeds will go to the Dyslexia Center. So, come on out and have a great time on July 20th . Looking down the road we will have a Degree day on April 6 th with 4 video Degrees and the live 32nd Degree. This will allow anyone who wants to join can come in that day. I look forward to seeing you all in Lodge. D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Dear Brethren, I hope you are all well as our winter season continues and safe in your travels. February sure was cold! On Monday, February 18 th the Chapter of Rose Croix hosted the Caregiver Program continuing the honor our Valley bestows upon caring individuals whose charity and selfless service to others is noteworthy as a token of grace and thanks. Thank you to all who came and helped make it happen. I hope you enjoyed your time. The next Rose Croix event will be the conferral of the 18 ˚ degree on Saturday, March 16th with registration at 9:00 a.m. I look forward to the class attending and ask that if within the length of your cable-tow to please attend as the 18˚, for upon reception and when revisited it has great value. The 18˚ is a hallmark degree for many reasons. In the Chapter, we continue seeking the True Word amongst the chaos and tumult of the world, we learn that the Knights Rose Croix of Heredom (Heredom is often explained as meaning the inheritors of a holy house, lordship, or mountain) are not only inheritors in a literal or material sense, but that we also inherit the spirit of justice, equality, harmony, communication, tolerance, and unity. We learn of Noblesse Oblige and to be prepared as caretakers, considerate as neighbors and about responsibility and duty to others. We learn of the great martyrs of the past who fought for liberty, justice, and truth. We learn to be at peace when the war is waged from within and the valuable lesson that freedom is not free. Indeed, the aforementioned constitutes noble conduct; They are lessons which the Rose Croix builds from the teachings in the Ineffable Degrees. And it should be noted, that in Chapter we are reborn, for it is here where we find the True Word, a living word, an action, which unifies, rectifies and creates love, harmony and continuity. It is here where we amplify our Blue lodge lessons and in further light learn to enact making positive choices for the future while being considerate and honor the past. It is our chain of union and where in this way we as Knights of the Rose Croix face the woe and calamity of this world. For what we do presage is riot in grosse, For we are brethren of the Rosie Crosse; We have the Mason Word and second sight, Things for to come we can foretell aright. — Henry Adamson, The Muses’ Threnodie (1638) Sincerely & Fraternally, Caleb Haines, 32° Most Wise Master Council Greetings Princes, This month we will be doing the 15th Degree. The degree has many elements to it that apply to our Masonic teachings and understanding, but one of the principle examples is of fidelity to the obligation in spite of highly tempting incentives. Integrity is a cornerstone of our fraternity. Seeing this in this context gives us an example of how we might face our own temptations and understand where higher loyalty and fidelity should be placed. I hope you join us on March 16 th as we put on this Degree for you. I recently watched the movie First Man. It was a movie about the journey of Neil Armstrong in his becoming the first to set foot on the moon. One scene had Neil talking about why we go into space, and while it is in part the adventure of accomplishing something great, in the sense of conquering the highest mountains, he said it was really because it allowed us to change our perspective. Changing out view of things from a new angle that we were never before able to would bring about new ways of thinking and new understanding of things. Our Degrees, and the degrees and ceremonies of the various concordant bodies, operate in a similar way. Our time in Lodge, from the outer courts to being raised as a Master Mason, these give us the principles of our time honored institution. The Degrees help illustrate these principles from a different perspective, which helps us understand or brings to light aspects of our teachings which we only saw dimly. I look forward to seeing you all at our next meeting. Fraternally, James A. Nelson, 32º Sovereign Prince Lodge Welcome back brethren! As the snow and ice have been hit or miss, more hit lately than miss this winter. I hope everyone has been safe and warm as they progress through the stages of snow and ice removal. In March, the Lodge of Perfection is putting on our signature degree, the 14th degree, on 11 March 2019. The Valley of Syracuse is also conferring the 15th degree and 18th degree on Saturday, March 16th , 2019 beginning at 9:30 am. Thank you for the continued support and all the challenges and fellowship that comes along with it! Hope to see you all soon! Fraternally, Ken Sterling, 32° Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY Wow- what a roller coaster we have been on since returning from our Christmas Break. The weather has not been our friend- (Last week we were in the minus teens – this week we are in the 60’s) and we have spent a great deal of time re-scheduling mid- year assessments and meetings. Normally they would be all done by now but hopefully by Mid-February we will have them all completed. All the children and tutors continue to move forward despite school closings and viral flus- always an ongoing challenge in the winter. Glenn and his family were victims of both of these, and he is ‘rescheduled’ for his mid-year assessment this week so I will bring you an update next month. We also continue to receive applications and calls for information about our program, both for children and tutor-trainees. This is another ongoing challenge - to try and meet the needs of all those contacting us. Your support and help are so appreciated as we face these issues and attempt to find better solutions. In mid-December one of our new young ladies decided she was not going to participate during her sessions or, at times, even come in for her sessions. These incidents involved full blown temper tantrums and power struggles between this fourth grader and her mother. On the third such display, I instructed the young lady that she would have to participate willingly or her spot would be given to another child wanting to come to the program. She chose to leave and we prepared to call the next family- we had the new file in hand when the unhappy young lady reappeared at the door asking to be allowed to continue her sessions. I led her to her tutoring room, reminding her that there would be no other opportunities for the previous behavior. Since that time, the young lady has willing come to and participated in her sessions. Today we had her mid-year assessment meeting. She had done very well on her assessment and was very pleased with herself. She wanted her mother to show us her school report card showing that she is doing better in school and that her reading has gone up one grade level (from a first grade level to a second grade level) since she has been in the program {the school has yet to classify her as having a major reading problem- despite the fact that she has been consistently 3 grades below her reading level). How nice to see Mom and daughter both smiling and proud of her accomplishments. GALA preparations continue to be part of our daily routine as we can fit them in. The committee has met several times, coming in before the Center opens to work on whatever can be done. News Flash- we will have a Photo Booth- Should be fun for all. We have received so much wonderful support from your members and look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at Hart’s Hill in on March 9 th . By now you will have all received your invitations, but you should feel free to contact the Center with any questions (Remember- we will be closed for President’s Week, starting Feb. 18th.) Thank you again for all the support that allows this to happen! Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 2019 – 2020 Scholarship Applications Available Applications to apply for 2019 – 2020 Academic Year Supreme Council, AASR Leon M. Abbott Scholarships and New York State Council of Deliberation Scholarship Aid are now available for pick up at the Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Office (315) 452-7976, mailed to you from the Valley Office, or online. Go to the Valley of Syracuse Web site www.syr-aasr.org for the links to obtain the information on line. Application titled “Application for Scottish Rite Scholarship Aid Leon M. Abbott and/or NYS Council of Deliberation” To all applicants: The deadline date to submit your completed applications to the Valley of Syracuse is Monday April 1, 2019. That means in the office by close of business Monday April 1, 2019. Applications received after 4:00 p.m. Monday April 1, 2019 will not be considered. New Applications must be used. There is one combined Application for 2019- 2020. The Combined Application must be used. Graduating High School Seniors may apply again this year. The members of our Youth Groups; Triangle, Rainbow, and DeMolay; are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Students who complete the program at the Children’s Dyslexia Centers in New York State may also apply. Nine applicants from the Valley of Syracuse received financial assistance from this program for the 2018-2019 scholastic year. Congratulations and best wishes to them. Please contact the Valley Office at (315) 452-7976 if you have any questions or require assistance and information. Despite a snow storm that forced us to postpone our Knights of St. Andrew Burns Supper to six days later, we still had a great turnout. Enjoy the photos... Calendar
February 2019 Feb 04 Valley Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Feb 11 Lodge of Perfection Confer 4° “Master Traveler” 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to follow Feb 17 (Sunday) LoP 14° Rehearsal 4:00 p.m. Feb 18 Sweetheart Program at MMC With the Ladies Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. March 2019 Mar 04 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Mar 11 Confer 14° Live 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to Follow Mar 16 (Saturday) Confer 15° & 18° Register 9:00 a.m. Open 9:30 a.m. CPJ Confer 15° “Knight of the East” Live 10:00 a.m. Lunch 11:30 a.m. CRC Confer 18° “Knight of the Rose Croix of H.R.D.M.” 1:00 p.m. Mar 25 32° Rehearsal 7:30 p.m. Consistory Well as we move into February there is not much going on with the Consistory. There has been a schedule change for the Live 4th Degree on February 11th at 7:30pm. We also have our Sweetheart dinner and program on February 18 th so please plan to attend. As we go into our spring program time there is still time to bring in new members. Right now, we have a Class of 11 new members and can always use more. We have been losing more members expiring in the past few years than we have made new members. What can we do to get more members to attend and attract new members? In the past few years we have scheduled new Degrees to change things up. Just let me know what you would like to see. We are currently working on our 2019 – 2020 Officer list. If you are interested in becoming a Valley Officer, please let one of the Presiding Officers or the Secretary know. There are both elected and appoint positions available. Come on out and get involved with your Valley. Our July 20, 2019 Family Picnic is coming together. We are having monthly meetings to get things all set. We will have games for the children and adults. This is going to be a lot of fun so see the ad we have in the Word and more will be posted. We are making this event affordable for all that attend so not to break the bank. It is also open to all Masonic Families not just Scottish Rite members. Please plan to attend and invite your other Brothers. We are also planning more Family events so watch for them in the future. I hope to see you in Lodge D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Dear Brethren, I hope you all have had a blessed Holiday and a Happy New Year 2019! I look forward to seeing all who can attend the Sweetheart Program February 18th and the conferral of the 18th degree on March 16th. Also I wish to thank my line officers Hank Havener, Gary Hamburg and past Most Wise Masters Lawrence Egnaczyk and Rick Powell for all their help in preparing the Rose Croix activities. May this new year bring you health and prosperity. Sincerely & Fraternally, Caleb Haines, 32° Most Wise Master Council Greetings Princes, We will be doing the 15th Degree along with the 18th Degree on Saturday March 16th. Preparations are being made to have this a meaningful day, and for those who have already seen this Degree it has been a while since we last put it on in our Valley. We hope to see you Saturday morning for fellowship and sharing of light. It is important that our new class of brothers in Scottish Rite see brothers who have passed this way before, yet still find it important and meaningful to participate in our Degrees. Putting on a Degree entails a number of brothers coming together for a common purpose. The Cast Director kicks off the work on each Degree, getting all the parts filled and sharing the dates of the Degree rehearsals and conferral date. The individual brothers who have been selected as having a part in the Degree then get to work on learning lines and becoming familiar with their own parts as well as those they interact with. Even those who have done these parts before need to brush up on the parts, and in some cases relearn the part due to changes that were accepted in the Degrees. Rehearsal periods are done under the direction of the Degree Director, who should have spent time going over the full degree, understanding the key points of the degree and how it might be best staged to convey those messages and lessons. Our Seneschal will spend time at the rehearsal and prior to the Degree conferral to have all the props, costumes, and scene layout ready to go. Frequently, during rehearsals of degrees we have not done for a while, many questions are asked about how various parts should enter the room, where they should stand to best present themselves for the class while not ignoring the rest of the audience. Entrances and exits are always a key consideration that ties to the whole production, and changes are sometimes made to make transitions from one scene to the next go smoother. The other important aspect I have seen with putting on these degrees, for whichever part or role the cast or directors or those who are acting as stage management, is there grows tighter bonds between the brothers as we work toward the common goal of presenting a meaningful and well run degree for EVERY participant. Do you have a desire to be a part of the Degree Team? As you read above, there are many parts that need to be filled, and not all of them require you to be “on stage”. New perspective can bring out aspects of our Degrees which might not have been noticed before. Each new crew or cast member brings their own unique self to the whole, and it is what helps make our live Degrees an important part of our work. Additionally, many brothers have been doing many of these same parts and roles for a while, and might enjoy knowing they leave the work in good hands of new brothers who will fill those roles. Most degrees have walk on parts with no lines, or just a line or two. It is an easy way to ease your way into doing a more active role in these Degrees. Fraternally, James A. Nelson, 32º Sovereign Prince Lodge No news received… Fraternally, Ken Sterling, 32° Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY Have you booked your spot at our GALA? Our GALA fundraiser which will take place on Saturday, March 9th at Hart’s Hill in Whitesboro. Our theme this year is Unmasking Dyslexia. We will hold a Masquerade dinner with our DJ and a magician. Patron Level tickets are $50 each or $90 per couple. Being a Table Patron for $250 will get you 2 dinner tickets and signage at your table. Partners in Reading Level ($1000) will get you 2 dinner tickets, a Silver Leaf and signage at your table. Sponsor a Scholar Level ($2500) will get you 4 dinner tickets, a Gold Leaf and signage at your table. Sponsor a Child for $5000 and you will get you 8 dinner tickets, a Gold Leaf and signage at your table. FYI, $25 of each dinner ticket is tax deductible. We are also taking donations of baskets for the Family Sponsored Basket Raffle as well as other prizes for raffles. Please consider donating if you can’t attend. For more information, please call us. As always, we invite you to visit Monday through Thursday, from 1 to 6PM. We have children from 3-6 every day. Just give us a call. Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 2019 – 2020 Scholarship Applications Available Applications to apply for 2019 – 2020 Academic Year Supreme Council, AASR Leon M. Abbott Scholarships and New York State Council of Deliberation Scholarship Aid are now available for pick up at the Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Office (315) 452-7976, mailed to you from the Valley Office, or online. Go to the Valley of Syracuse Web site www.syr-aasr.org for the links to obtain the information on line. Application titled “Application for Scottish Rite Scholarship Aid Leon M. Abbott and/or NYS Council of Deliberation” To all applicants: The deadline date to submit your completed applications to the Valley of Syracuse is Monday April 1, 2019. That means in the office by close of business Monday April 1, 2019. Applications received after 4:00 p.m. Monday April 1, 2019 will not be considered. New Applications must be used. There is one combined Application for 2019- 2020. The Combined Application must be used. Graduating High School Seniors may apply again this year. The members of our Youth Groups; Triangle, Rainbow, and DeMolay; are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Students who complete the program at the Children’s Dyslexia Centers in New York State may also apply. Nine applicants from the Valley of Syracuse received financial assistance from this program for the 2018-2019 scholastic year. Congratulations and best wishes to them. Please contact the Valley Office at (315) 452-7976 if you have any questions or require assistance and information. 2019 Member’s Dues Payment is Due Your Valley office has worked diligently over the past several weeks to review each Supreme Council issued Member’s Dues Payment invoice to make certain each invoice requesting payment of your Member’s Annual Dues is correct. We thank each member who has paid their 2019 Member’s Dues for the very timely and positive response we have received. The Valley has received approximately 40.4% of the 2019 Member’s Annual Dues payments owed to date. Please contact the Valley Office if you have any questions regarding your 2019 Member’s Dues invoice. Also, I am reminding everyone that you have a permanent Supreme Council issued Member’s Card and do not receive a new Member’s Dues card each year. If you have lost or misplaced your Member’s Card please call the office to obtain a new and current one. Jim Swan Valley Secretary (315) 452-7976  Due to concerns over the extreme weather predicted to begin late tomorrow afternoon, a decision has been made to postpone the Burns Supper scheduled for Saturday, January 19th at Coleman's Irish Pub.
After polling as many as I could get ahold of, we have rescheduled it for next Friday evening on January 25th with a 6:00 PM start time. Apologies to any who can not make this date but it was the one date that the majority agreed upon. Every attempt will be made to find someone to take your spot so you can get a full refund. If you had a reservation, you need to RESPOND to the email sent to you - let Rick Powell know that you have seen the rescheduled date & time AND let him know if you can make it on the 25th (even if you previously stated that you could not - please confirm that is still the case). This has been a difficult decision as I know it is a major disruption of everyone's plans but your safety to & from the Burns Supper is something that weighs on my mind and I want everyone to have a good time and be safe. Rescheduled Date: Friday, January 25, 2019 Start Time: 6:00 PM Calendar
January 2019 Jan 07 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Jan 14 Spring Membership Night w/ Ladies & Guests Night Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Jan 19 Knights of St. Andrew Burns Supper 5:00 p.m. @ Coleman’s Restaurant Jan 21 LoP 4° Rehearsal 7:00 p.m. Jan 28 Knights of St. Andrew Rededication & Consistory Viewing of 29° 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to Follow February 2019 Feb 04 Valley Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Feb 11 Lodge of Perfection Confer 4° “Master Traveler” 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to follow Feb 17 (Sunday) LoP 14° Rehearsal 4:00 p.m. Feb 18 Sweetheart Program at MMC With the Ladies Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Consistory Well here we are starting off a New Year and I hope that everyone has a memorable and prosperous 2019. Just a few items that we have going on in January. January 7th will be the Executive committee at 7:00pm and all are welcome to attend but only members can vote. January 14th we will have our Spring Membership Night with our ladies. This will be the time to bring in some prospective members to see what our Bodies can offer them. It will be a scallop potatoes and ham dinner with some good entertainment. 6:00 pm social, 6:30pm dinner and 7:30pm program. January 28th we will have a Knights of St Andrews meeting at 7:30pm. This group is open to all Scottish Rite members from the 4th Degree up. I have been asked to also open the Consistory to show the video of the 29th Degree which is a Knights of St Andrews Degree. This will also help anyone who needs this Degree in their Passports. Come on out for a great time of fellowship. As this Masonic year winds down, we are also starting to look for Officers for all our Bodies. If you would like to be considered for moving up and join a line, please contact me or the office soon. I look forward to seeing you in Lodge. D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Dear Brethren, I hope you all are in good health and high spirits as November has ended and we enter further into the winter and holiday season. I ask all to remember, as we enjoy our meals, discussion and meetings filled with camaraderie, healthy dialogue, Scottish Rite news and fellowship those whom are less fortunate, impoverished, sick and those who serve and assist the poor no matter whom they are. In this reflection, I am increasingly grateful and in admiration of all of you going above and beyond. By the time you are reading this we will have had a wonderful holiday meal cooked by our Eastern Stars and entertainment provided by Brother Jim Nelson MSA. Thank you, Brother Nelson, for making the holiday event such a special time with your music and for the ceaseless industry of our Commanding officers and Secretary who make the Valley such an enjoyable experience for both members and officers, for without your guidance none of this would be possible. In conclusion, I wish you all happy holidays, new year and hope that you stay safe and warm. In the words of Charles Dicken's beloved Tiny Tim, “G-d bless us, everyone.” Peace! Sincerely & Fraternally, Caleb Haines, 32° Most Wise Master Council Greetings Princes, I hope this very young New Year is finding you all well, and that your various Holiday celebrations brought you joy shared with family and friends. The Council Princes of Jerusalem are deep in our preparations for the 15th Degree which will be held on March 23rd – a Saturday, along with the 18th Degree. Please put it on your calendars and join us and our newest Scottish Rite brothers for this Saturday morning get together. Start time is 9:30. In thinking of this new year, this opportunity to renew our bonds of brotherhood in Scottish Rite and our Fraternity, I am reminded of the wise words of Brotherhood from various people. “You cannot contribute anything to the ideal condition of mind and heart known as Brotherhood, however much you preach, posture, or agree, unless you live it” Faith Baldwin, “Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man’s survival” Carlos P. Romulo, “All men were made by the Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers” Chief Joseph, “The more man knows of man, the better for the common brotherhood among men” Charles Dickens, “The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession” Mark Twain. We see in these quotes that brotherhood, our ties that bind us in our work, is needed in this world. It recognizes that we are indeed, all brothers, and as such, through living it, recognizing that it is as precious as our gift of life, we can affect a change for the good among our fraternal ties. Through our fraternal ties and principles, we then expand our hearts to those in our communities, our homes, and thus we create a better world for everyone. If you make only one resolution this new year, may it be to extend your brotherly hand to others in our fraternity, cementing our bonds and spreading brotherly love. I wish you all peace and harmony through this next trip around the sun, and thank you for being my brothers in this great fraternity. Fraternally, James A. Nelson, 32º Sovereign Prince Lodge Welcome back brethren! As the snow has undoubtedly set in, I would like to remind everyone of the importance of winter weather safety. If you are shoveling snow, ensure that you are well hydrated and take adequate breaks to get inside and get warm as needed. Also, if you use space heaters, ensure they are away from anything that is flammable to help prevent fires, and if you use generators or kerosene heaters, ensure they are use in a very well ventilated space. I hope everyone had a blessed and safe holiday and new year. I would like to congratulate Brother Terry Byard for being awarded the Dedicated Service Award, or Blue Hat, in the Valley of Syracuse. Brother Byard is one of the biggest reasons the Lodge of Perfection has run as smoothly as it has. He has been my right hand man for two years now and I couldn’t have succeeded without him. So please, if you see Brother Byard in your travels, congratulate him. January means more snow and cold weather. It is also a relatively slow month for the Lodge of Perfection. So slow in fact, we don’t really have very much going on. The Valley of Syracuse is having a Spring Membership Kickoff on January 14, 2019 and a Knights of St. Andrew meeting on January 28, 2019. And that’s pretty much it. I will be unavailable to make any meetings in January and February because of work, but I am leaving the Lodge in the hands of Brother Terry Byard. He has my full support and utmost respect for the job that he has done as my Deputy. The lodge is in great hands. Thank you for the continued support and all the challenges and fellowship that comes along with it! Hope to see you all soon! Fraternally, Ken Sterling, 32° Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY Happy New Year to All! It seems that time marches on no matter what has been happening. The idea that 2019 is looming seems incredulous as we try to do as much for the Children at the Center as possible in the two hours we see them each week. This is the time of year that many of our parents are wondering what is happening with their child at school and at the Center. It seemed incredulous that we started this year with several bouts of flu and even a school closing. Winter is fully upon us and we are forging ahead. The process at the Center is challenging for our children, our tutors and the families. It seems there are never enough hours to deal with all the needs of 23 children, 11 tutors and multiple family members. We continue to meet the requirements of Lexington and IMSLEC to maintain our certification as well as fielding multiple inquiries about our services (the latest from the NYC area) and processing applications. You are helping to support and provide an invaluable service for families and educators in our State. Our latest form of outreach was to contact School Board representatives in the Central New York area to make sure they are aware of our program and the educational opportunities we can provide to their teachers. It will be interesting to see where this goes. I have more exciting news about Glenn. As I told you last, his tutor noted that Glenn is taking ownership of almost 1/3 of the alphabet and can sound out some one syllable words on his own. His mother told me last week that he is making great strides in school with the help of the accommodations he now receives and that he is a much happier young man. They are extremely grateful for all that you have offered Glenn through this program. Another thing that we have very busy with is preparing for the GALA fundraiser which will take place on Saturday, March 9 th at Hart’s Hill in Whitesboro. Our theme this year is Unmasking Dyslexia. We will hold a Masquerade dinner with our DJ and a magician. We will have more information available for you next month, but you can feel free to call the Center if you wish. As always, we invite you to visit Monday through Thursday, from 1 to 6PM. We have children from 3-6 every day. Just give us a call. Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 2019 – 2020 Scholarship Applications Available Applications to apply for 2019 – 2020 Academic Year Supreme Council, AASR Leon M. Abbott Scholarships and New York State Council of Deliberation Scholarship Aid are now available for pick up at the Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Office (315) 452-7976, mailed to you from the Valley Office, or online. Go to the Valley of Syracuse Web site www.syr-aasr.org for the links to obtain the information on line. Application titled “Application for Scottish Rite Scholarship Aid Leon M. Abbott and/or NYS Council of Deliberation” To all applicants: The deadline date to submit your completed applications to the Valley of Syracuse is Monday April 1, 2019. That means in the office by close of business Monday April 1, 2019. Applications received after 4:00 p.m. Monday April 1, 2019 will not be considered. New Applications must be used. There is one combined Application for 2019- 2020. The Combined Application must be used. Graduating High School Seniors may apply again this year. The members of our Youth Groups; Triangle, Rainbow, and DeMolay; are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Students who complete the program at the Children’s Dyslexia Centers in New York State may also apply. Nine applicants from the Valley of Syracuse received financial assistance from this program for the 2018-2019 scholastic year. Congratulations and best wishes to them. Please contact the Valley Office at (315) 452-7976 if you have any questions or require assistance and information. Schedule Updates Please take note of several date changes in the schedule of events for months of January and February 2019. Lodge of Perfection has scheduled a special 4° “Master Traveler” live cast degree conferral on member of the 2018-2019 G. Michael Morris Class Monday February 11, 2019. As an event included in the January 28, 2019 Knights of St. Andrew meeting the Consistory will present the 29° “Knight of St. Andrew” video degree. Reception of new KOSA members is also scheduled. The Valley office will send mailed and e-mail notices with details of the schedule changes. Please contact the Valley office if you have any questions. 315-452-7976 or email at adminny017@twcny.rr.com Knights of St. Andrew Rededication 1/28/2019 The Knights of St. Andrew is a service club within the Valley of Syracuse. Its mission is to assist the Presiding Officers of the four Central City Bodies in the events and degrees of the Valley…and to have fun. If you are a member of the Scottish Rite, this is a chance for you to get involved in a casual way. Only 32° Masons may be active members. MSAs or 33° Brothers may join as Emeritus members. We fall under the direct supervision of the Executive Committee so we will be at the forefront of what is happening around the Valley. We feel everybody needs to be involved in something to whatever extent is appropriate for their needs and abilities. The Knights train 32° Masons in the structure and philosophy of the Syracuse Scottish Rite bodies. We especially want to enlist the new member soon after receiving the Scottish Rite degrees. We will quickly expose him to as many opportunities in conjunction with his interests and where he wants to concentrate his efforts. We will help new members get a better “feel” for what the Scottish Rite is all about. We meet several times during the year and around Reunion time with stated meetings as called. Some of the meetings will be formal, but others may be called to handle some important item of business in a timely fashion. Initiation Ceremonies will be open to the public because we want the candidate's family to observe and take part in his initiation. On Monday, January 28th, 2019, the Syracuse Chapter will be rededicated and membership will again be open to all Scottish Rite Brethren. Regular membership will be available to all members of the Valley and Emeritus membership will be available to MSAs & 33rds. Members prior to 2019 may rejoin with the Initiation Fee waived. In addition to service to the Valley, new benefits of membership will include early notices for Chapter sponsored events such as the Burns Supper as well as a discounted cost for those events. Please join us on Monday, January 28th, 2019 for our Rededication. Applications will be accepted then or in advance by sending to the Valley of Syracuse Office. Additionally, for all Scottish Riters, the Consistory will open on this evening for the viewing of the 29° video, Knight of St. Andrew, so bring your passports! |
