RECENT HAPPENINGS: Check our Web Site: www.palatineyorkrite.org Lots
of good information and historical newsletters. If you want to add
anything contact our Webmaster, Jim Newby. jamesn.newby@gmail.com Palatine Chapter #206, R.A.M., conferred the Mark Master and Past Master Degrees on five candidates on April 20, 2016. Three were Palatine candidates, one was a Loyal L Munn candidate, and the fifth was a Euclid Chapter #13 candidate from Naperville. As usual we had a combined Slate of officers for the Degrees. All went well. On May 4th, we conferred the Most Excellent Master Degree on the three Palatine #206 candidates and the on the one Loyal L Munn #96 candidate. We were fortunate to have the Palatine York Rite Brass Band in attendance to help with the songs for the Most Excellent Master Degree. I think the Brass Band may work up a rendition to assist with the Mark Master Degree, as well. We will see what the future brings. We are scheduled to confer the Royal Arch Degree on May 18th on our three candidates, plus the one Loyal L Munn candidate. Our Annual Convocation is set for May 18th. Our new Officers will be elected. The Installation of Officers will be at our Annual Steak Fry on June 15th. Then in July, on the 14th, will be the Annual Convocation of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter. That is always a good time and it will be back in Normal, IL, again this year. Loyal
L Munn Chapter #96, R.A.M., participated with Palatine Chapter, as
detailed above, in the three Chapter Degrees we recently conferred. All
three went fine and we are proud that we can confer all the Work
without outside help. The Royal Arch Degree is coming up on the 18th of
May, and we now have a Principal Sojourner of our own. Ben Gates, a
member of Loyal L Munn Chapter, has learned the part. A couple years
ago, Ken Stortz, a member of Palatine Chapter, learned the High Priest
part for the Royal Arch Degree. So, we are covered. Loyal L Munn
Chapter #96 had its Annual Convocation on the 4th of May. We will
report on all the Elected and Appointed Officers when all four Bodies
are done Electing, on June 1st. Loyal L Munn Officers will be Installed
the same time as Palatine Chapter Officers, at our Annual Steak Fry inn
the 15th of June. Cryptic
Council #46, C.M., will have its next Stated Assembly and Annual
Assembly on June 1, 2016. We are also scheduled to confer the Royal and
Select Master Degrees on three of our four recent candidates. One has
already had the Degrees. We will Elect Officers for the next year and
the incoming Thrice Illustrious Master is to bring fresh strawberries
for the meeting. That will be the high point of the evening, I am sure.
I think we had better remind him, just in case. I would hate to miss
those strawberries. Our Installation of Officers will be at our Annual
Steak Fry on June 15th. Fun evening, for all. Ladies welcome, of
course. The Annual Assembly of the Grand Council will be on Friday,
July 15th, at Normal, IL. The Grand Council is back with the other two
York Rite Bodies for a combined session, after three years of being on
their own. Welcome back! Bethel
Commandery #36, K.T., has been allocating our meetings to the Chapters
for their Work recently. When that is done we will have four more
candidates waiting for the Commandery Orders. In addition, we have
three that we still have to get caught up. That makes seven. We may
get a few this Spring, and then hold the rest for the Fall when our next
Annual Inspection will occur (I hope). The seven who are in waiting
are: Jason Kicinski, Don Miller, Mike Geiman, Devin Steiner, Christian
Lara, James Trafford, and Dale Costello. Bethel Commandery's Annual
Conclave will be on June 1st, when we will elect our new Officers and
hear how the year went. Our Annual Steak Fry and Installation of
Officers will be on June 15th. The Steak Fry is always a good time and
our Ladies and Friends are most welcome. The Annual Conclave of the
Grand Commandery will be on Saturday, July 16th, at Normal, IL. Fun
weekend. I
cannot talk enough about how the Officers and Sir Knights of Bethel
Commandery #36 have demonstrated our principals and beliefs as we have
supported our noble Order. God Bless all of you! Several
of us from Bethel Commandery attended the Deputy Grand Commander's
Inspection at St. Elmo #64 on April 23rd. Present were: Gary Berenger,
Andrew Michyeta, Russell Schlosser, Louis Sands, Ralph Palmer, and
Bradley Baker. Attending the Grand Commander's Inspection at Elwood
Commandery #6, in Springfield, were: Andrew Michyeta and Bradley Baker. We
are all enjoying the new 10 man Opening for Commandery. We did it in
Templar Uniform (as we all should have been doing forever). The key to
this is that we can open with 10 men (or 9 if necessary). The Grand
Encampment Full Form Opening takes about 16-18 Sir Knights to
accomplish. Most Commanderies do not have that many at their conclaves.
This is a workable way to get back to the basics of our chivalric
fraternity. It is our understanding that this Opening will be used
again this year. It is being slightly revised and updated and will be
labelled 10-Man Opening 2015. The latest Version is dated 11-15-15.
However, it was pointed out by the Grand Commander this year, that if
we have enough Sir Knights at an Inspection, we should do the Full Form
opening. My two cents, practicing both types of Opening, plus the Order
of the Temple, becomes a little much to practice. But, it can be done.
We will see what next year brings. The
Grand Commandery has come out with a new award, called the Cross and
Crown Award. This is available to a Commander who performs certain
functions and reaches certain goals during the year. It is our
understanding that this Award will be available in 2015/2016, as well.
This past year our own Gary Berenger won that Award. The only
recipient in the State of Illinois. Congratulations, Gary! Bethel Commandery has come out with another belt buckle for sale for benefit of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. This one is a Royal Arch Chapter buckle, with the triple tau, and with the infamous words "Holiness to the Lord" emblazoned thereon. This buckle has been commissioned in honor of Brother, Companion, and Sir Knight David P. Miller, Past Grand High Priest and member of the Palatine York Rite. It will sell for $50, just as the Knights Templar buckle did last year. We also we able to obtain a few more Knights Templar buckles since we had more orders than we could fill. Let me know if you are interested. Our
loyal Companion and Sir Knight Jim Newby had volunteered some time ago
to coordinate the Degree work. I really did not give him what he needed
to get started on this. However, I will work on getting that done.
Jim will be going out of the office of Commander in a couple months.
He will need something to do and I will give him what he needs to do
that. So Mote it Be! The York Rite offers many opportunities for us to serve our fellow man and our communities. Each of the Bodies has a charity or several charities that we support. Membership in our York Rite Bodies allows us to fulfill our Obligations and Vows to help those who are less fortunate. Let us keep this in our minds as we go about our daily endeavors. There is a cloud surrounding us, that has been built up over the centuries, that we are a secret organization. Now is the time to let those on the outside know who we are. We should not keep our lamps under the bushel, but should let our Light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father, which is in Heaven. Palatine Chapter currently has about 176 members. L L Munn has about 56 members. Cryptic Council about 200 members. Bethel Commandery now has 198 members. Of these, 94 are life members and 13 are 50-year members and are exempt from Dues. As a reminder, the new Palatine Masonic Temple is all on one floor and at ground level. Therefore it is wheelchair accessible. No ramp or chair lift needed. Our backlog of work is: Palatine Chapter #206-3; Loyal L. Munn Chapter #96-1; Cryptic Council #46-4; Bethel Commandery #36-7. Let's get those Petitions in. Sickness and Distress: 1. Nothing new reported, however Lou Sands is recovering and so is Richard (Pineapple) Pugh. UPCOMING EVENTS: 1.
6-1-16 Palatine York Rite. Dinner at 6:30 PM. #46 Opens. Annual
Assembly of Cryptic Council #46 and Annual Conclave of Bethel Commandery
#36. Royal and Select Master Degree Work. 2. 6-15-16 Palatine York Rite. #36 Opens. Annual Steak Fry and Installation of Officers. No Degree Work. 3. 7-14/17-16 Grand York Rite Session in Normal, IL. 4.
9-7-16 Palatine York Rite starts meeting again after a Dark Summer.
Hopefully we will be conferring the Orders of Red Cross and Malta. Fraternally, Bradley L. Baker, PHP, TIPM, PC, Correspondent |