Hello, My Brothers!

Congratulations to the seventeen Master Masons who over the weekend of the 13th and 14th of October completed their attendance at our fall reunion and were schooled in the 29 additional degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite that were conferred or communicated to them.  They left that weekend, late Sunday afternoon as Masters of The Royal Secret.  Welcome to you all and I hope that you will heed the words that were shared with you that Freemasonry, and particularly, the A.A.S.R., requires your participation to obtain and benefit from the additional light you were seeking.

Membership is the backbone of any organization and ours is no different.  If we realize membership loss of existing members to death, a natural part of the life cycle; or allow them to slip away because we are not fulfilling their expectations, we will continue to see a decline in membership, which is not the direction we are looking to travel.  Below are some data points of where we are as a Valley currently.  Please review them.

Count % of Total Orient
Wide Avg.		 Jurisdiction
Wide Avg.
Active Members with Dues Paid in Full: 363 20.1% 20.4% 24.9%
Active Members with Current Dues Balance: 483 26.8% 29.8% 34.5%
Active Members with Arrears Dues Balance: 227 12.6% 10% 12.4%
Active Members that are Dues Exempt (A, L, R): 183 10.1% 9.9% 8.3%
Active Paid Life Members (E): 548 30.4% 30% 19.9%
Total 1804 100%

In addition to the above data points below are some membership adjustments that have already taken place this year.  In summary, we have seen an increase of 39 members and a loss of 67, with the deaths being 84% of the decreases.

Initiations: 33
Affiliations: 2
Reinstatements: 4
Deaths: 56
De-missions: 6
Suspensions (Non-payment): 0
Suspensions (Other reasons): 4
Expulsions: 1
Current Consistory Membership 1804

We need to continue throughout the year introduce the Scottish Rite to brother Master Masons who have not yet made the advance into the Rite and started realizing the rights, light, and benefits that can be found within.  A more detailed overview will be provided, as I usually do, early next year.  Our membership and financial position for 2018 will be shared at that time.  I have three requests for you:

  1. If you have not signed and submitted the petition of a Master Mason who you know is looking for more like and would enjoy the Scottish Rite, please make that your mission in 2019.
  2. If you haven’t paid your dues (past or present) please do so.
  3. But my most important request is – PARTICIPATE!  Your participation at reunions, in degrees, at meetings, serving as an officer in one of the four bodies, and intellectually as a student, studying the lessons and philosophies of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is requested.

One last item to share with all – we are excited this year to do something special during December to celebrate, and this year we will be hosting a “Holiday Steak Dinner” on the second Friday the 14th of December.  There is a flyer with details in this edition of eNews and will also be in future editions.  Please note that it is a ticket only event, with tickets not being sold at the door. Please contact Keith at the Valley office or purchase your tickets at the November meeting.  Please remember to purchase your tickets by November 30.

Until next time, remember the many things for which you are thankful! Be safe in your travels; “whisper wise counsel in the ear of an erring brother;” and respect the dignity of all, as it makes you and our fraternity stronger one action at a time. Thanks for your continued support and participation; and may the “Spirit of Fraternity” reign supreme within our “Valley of Orlando!”

Fraternally,
Ill:. Chester A. “Chet” King, 33°
Personal Representative

“People forget what you say, and forget what you do, but forever remember how you made them feel!”