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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