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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., met on May 16th, 2018.  The night was used for the Order of the Temple by the Commandery.  We are getting set for Chapter Degrees most likely starting in the Fall.  Bring those Petitions in.  Our new Officers will be reported in the next issue of Temple Topics.  Our Installation of Officers will be on June 20th at our Annual Steak Fry.

Loyal L Munn Chapter #96, R.A.M., met on May 2, 2018.  We will report on our new Officers in the next issue of Temple Topics.  We are getting set for more Chapter Work in the Fall.  Let's get some Petitions in!.  Our next Convocation will be on June 6, 2018.  We are getting set to sell Vidalia Onions again this year.  Good fund-raiser for us.  Our Installation of Officers will be on June 20, 2018, at our Annual Steak Fry.

Cryptic Council #46, C.M., had a stated Assembly on May 2, 2018.  It was the Annual Convocation of Loyal L Munn Chapter.  We still have a couple candidates that need the Work.  Hopefully we can get that done before the summer.  Our Annual Assembly will be on June 6, 2018.  D-Day.  Also my grand daughter's Birthday.  Our Installation of Officers will be on June 20, 2018, at our Annual Steak Fry.

Bethel Commandery #36, K.T. met on May 16, 2018.  We conferred the Order of the Temple on James Michael Geiman.  He has been a candidate for many years and his work has kept him too busy to come out.  Looks like we finally got it done.  Good for Mike and good for us!  However, we still have six candidates in waiting for the Order of the Temple.  So, I guess the heat is not really off.  There is no reason we cannot confer some Orders in May and June, 2018.  Annual Meetings do not have to take a long time.  Our Annual Conclave is June 6, 2018.  Our Steak Fry and Installation of Officers is June 20, 2018.

Silangan Commandery #93, in Chicago, will be conferring the Order of the Temple on four candidates on Saturday, May 26, 2018, at the Mont Clare Temple.  They will need some help.  This will be a good opportunity for us to be present and help.

Our Annual Sessions will be on:  Council July 12, 2018; Commandery July 13, 2018; Chapter July 14, 2018.  Start making plans.

We congratulate Mark Nokes in being Installed as Worshipful Master of Palatine Lodge #314.  Also congratulate Frank Del Giudice on completing his year as Worshipful Master of Palatine Lodge #314.  Good going, guys!

Our own Andrew Michyeta is the Grand Commandery Membership Chairman for the year for the state of Illinois.  We wish him well in his endeavors.

I cannot talk enough about how the Officers and Sir Knights of Bethel Commandery #36 have demonstrated our principles and beliefs as we have supported our noble Order.  God Bless all of you!

It might be nice, sometime in the Summer or Fall, on a Saturday, to have a York Rite Day at Palatine.  Something to think about.

I am repeating this because it will be the same for this year, we are told.  Last year we were 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.  Well, as an addendum, we are told that we will be expected to do the Regular Full Form Opening at our Inspection.

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 2016/2017, as well.  Two years ago 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.

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 315 members.  L L Munn has 52 members.  Cryptic Council has 315 members.  Bethel Commandery now has 368 members.  There will be some minor adjustments as we deal with plural members from the mergers.


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 #206-0;
Loyal L. Munn Chapter #96-0; Cryptic Council #46; 3
Bethel Commandery #36-6.  Let's get those Petitions
in.

Sickness and Distress:   Received a call from Marcus Harris that his mother, Maryann Harris, passed away on May 8, 2018, at the Illinois Knights Templar Home at Paxton, IL.  Maryann was the wife of Sir Knight Max Harris who was a very active member of the Palatine York Rite Bodies for decades.  Maryann travelled with Max to Commandery Inspections and other events for years.  She was 88 years old.  There will be a Memorial Service in late July at their church in Elgin.  Will keep you posted on that.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

1.  5-26-18  Order ion the Temple at Silangan Commandery #93 in Chicago.

2.  6-6-18  Dinner at 6:30 and Annual Meetings of Cryptic Council and Bethel Commandery.

4.  6-20-18  Steak Fry and Installation of Officers.

5.  7-12/14-2018  Grand York Rite Session in Normal, IL.  Council, then Commandery, then Chapter.

Bradley L. Baker