In this Issue. VIRTUS JUNXIT, MORS NON SEPARABIT (Virtue has united and death shall not separate) 2015, Volume 1 Issue 1 Feb

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1 VIRTUS JUNXIT, MORS NON SEPARABIT (Virtue has united and death shall not separate) VALLEY OF HUNTSVILLE SCOTTISH RITE NEWSLETTER 2015, Volume 1 Issue 1 Feb In this Issue Page Thoughts from the PR... 1 Valley Membership Achievement Project 2 Secretary's Corner 3 Lodge of Perfection 5 Huntsville AASR Reunion 6 Knights of St. Andrews 6 Thoughts from the PR It is with a great deal of pleasure that I can announce that the Huntsville Scottish Rite Bodies have purchased a piece of property, (2.44 acres +/-) on US 431 south at the Flint River. If You wish to look at the property it is the very last lot on the left before crossing the Flint River bridge, traveling from Huntsville to Guntersville. (On the hill overlooking the river.) We have no idea when a building will be started because we will sell our present location prior to any construction work being started. When you read this, the contract will be signed to put it on the market. We certainly hope for a quick sale but we will not be pressured to do so at a lower return. Huntsville AASR Calendar 7 Obituaries 7 Now let s talk about the number one problem in the Scottish Rite and in all of the appendant bodies of Masonry, Membership creation and retention. Brothers if each member reading this would print a petition off our web-site, get it filled out with the $175. Fee for the spring Reunion on March 21 st & 28 th, we would have a great class. We have approx 30 brothers on our suspension list and they are being contacted in an effort to save their membership. We have a 7.2% increase this year but the loss of 30 members would negate that increase, so we must work in both areas. If you are a signer on one of these brother s petitions, you will be requested to make a personal contact to save the suspension. If we work together in harmony we can accomplish much. Please remember these words from your EA degree: Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

Page 2 Thoughts from the PR (continued) I d like to take this opportunity to wish each and every Brother a Happy and Prosperous New Year, May God Richly Bless both You and The Scottish Rite!

2 Page 2 Thoughts from the PR (continued) I d like to take this opportunity to wish each and every Brother a Happy and Prosperous New Year, May God Richly Bless both You and The Scottish Rite! The Valley of Huntsville Scottish Rite Newsletter is the official publication of the Huntsville Scottish Rite Bodies for the Southern Jurisdiction, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Masonry. This newsletter is published quarterly at: 314 Bob Wallace Ave. Huntsville, AL (256) Office hours Mon Thur, 8:30-2:30 Eddie Brown 33 Editor Richard Shrader 32 Graphics/ Layout Current Ranking Officers: Lodge of Perfection John W. Peak, 32 KCCH Chapter Rose Croix Dwayne E. Smith, 32, KCCH Council of Kadosh David W. Whitaker, 32 KCCH Consistory Jimmy B. Haywood, 33 If anyone has a question that I can answer for you, please do not hesitate to ask, there is nothing that we are doing that I will not share with you. It is your right to know and I will share it when I know it. My phone # is and my is ballard2@centurytel.net. Many Thanks for your support. Illustrious Brother Clairence Ballard 33 Personal Representative of the Sovereign Grand Inspector General Valley Membership Achievement Project The Valley of Huntsville has elected to participate in the VALLEY MEMBERSHIP ACHIEVEMENT PROJECT (VMAP). The intent of VMAP is to help each Valley carry out its service to the Scottish Rite by providing the very best experience for its members. VMAP requirements are broken into the following 10 specific subject Areas which cover the full scope of the Scottish Rite experience: Membership Recruitment New Member Engagement Degree Conferral Proficiency Reunion Experience Scottish Rite Education for Candidates Scottish Rite Education for Members Officer Responsibilities & Engagement Philanthropy & Public Image Membership Retention Valley Organization

3 Valley Membership Achievement Project (Cont.) Page 3 This is an exciting new program that will hopefully increase member participation and involvement in the Scottish Rite and our Valley. I have been appointed by our PR to coordinate the implementation of the tasks within each subject Area and see the VMAP effort through to a successful completion. To assist me in this effort I have chosen Brethren who will be responsible for each subject Area above. They, in turn, will be asking for your help, counsel and ideas to achieve the required tasks. Successful completion of VMAP will result in the awarding of a certificate to the Valley as well as lapel pins for the members. Please be ready, willing, and able to assist the Area leaders if you are called upon. THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT! Illustrious Brother George Marshall, Jr., 33 Assistant Personal Representative of the Sovereign Grand Inspector General Secretary's Corner Thanks to all of you who paid 2015 dues on time. We still have 117 members in arrears. Please take a moment to check your dues cards and, if the 2015 sticker is not attached, send your payment to the Scottish Rite Office. Remember that the new card is plastic and each year you will receive a small sticker to cover up last year s date. Please remember also that a replacement card is $5.00. On Monday, December 1 st, the Scottish Rite voted to purchase land located on US 431 on the West side of the Flint River and build a new Temple. We are excited with the prospect of having a one-floor building with a modern kitchen. Building a new Temple presupposes we sell our existing property on Bob Wallace Avenue was a good year for membership. For the first time in many years our membership numbers grew. The Spring Reunion brought 51 candidates, 39 of whom were initiated in March. In October we gained an additional 11 members; overall for the year we had an increase of 50 members. Welcome to Bro. James L. Lollar of Wills Point Texas, who re-instated membership with our Valley.

4 Page 4 Secretary's Corner (Cont.) Bro. Bruce Niemeyer accepted the appointment as Director of Work late last year. He is seeking members to fill our Degree Casts and DUKS group. We need your help not everyone is a Hollywood Star, but what we do is necessary and needed. Our new PR, Ill. Bro. Clairence Ballard initiated several programs this year to generate revenue; he conducted a successful BAR giveaway and two Pancake Breakfast fund raisers. Hon. Bro. Charles D. Brown initiated a plan to allow Huntsville High School Students to park in our lots at a nominal maintenance fee. All three of these fund raisers have been successful. We thank all who were involved. You can be proud of the Testing Program sponsored by the Scottish Rite Foundation. We have funded 500 tests during 2014 and are planning more for next year. Although testing for dyslexia is important, there are facets of our efforts that are not apparent. Dr. Denise Gibbs is involved in educating teachers across Alabama to recognize reading problems in their students and corrective actions which are available. We have a Lending Library wherein parents can borrow a series of tapes or discs to train dyslexic children to read. We appreciate your donations for this cause. We have seven members who will have served 50 years in the Scottish Rite by the end of We congratulate these Golden members. They are: Paul Edward Drinnon, Douglas Lamar Grindle, George Orville Morton, Melvin Ronald Pizitz, Braxton Franklin Smith, Bertie Wesley Wigington, Jr. and George Washington York. We welcome you to come to our monthly meetings and participate in planning the new Temple. Ill. Brother Eddie E. Brown, 33

5 Page 5 To All Scottish Rite Brethren, Lodge of Perfection As Venerable Master of the Lodge Of Perfection I'd like to invite everyone to come be with us every first Monday, at our regular meeting. I invite you to join us and get involved in Scottish Rite during a very pivotal time in our Valley. It's an extremely exciting time for the Valley Of Huntsville as we embark on the great undertaking of building a new Temple! I know I'm very excited and proud to be involved, as I feel this is a great opportunity to positively propel Scottish Rite Freemasonry into the future for generations to come. It's a way to re-energize our membership and our mission to the Dyslexia Foundation, by exposure to the public and let them know that we are here, we are alive, and we have a purpose. Come see what we're all about. I encourage everyone to get involved and make our Valley prosperous and the pride of the Scottish Rite. I look forward to seeing you all at our next meeting. Fraternally, Hon. Brother David Whitaker 32 KCCH Venerable Master, Lodge Of Perfection

6 Page 6 Huntsville AASR Reunion Brethren, I'm looking forward to another exciting year as your Director of Work. We are planning on a two day Spring Reunion this year on March 21st and 28th. So, Degree Masters start prepping as the time is drawing near. Make sure to coordinate with our Valley General Secretary to ensure the Lodge room is available for your practice. We could use some help in the DUCKS and Degree Teams. If you would like to help out, please feel free to contact me and I'd be more than happy to point you in the right direction! Many hands make light work and if we all pitch in the load will be lightened. Greetings Sir Knights, Fraternally and Respectfully, Bruce E. Niemeyer Brother Bruce Niemeyer, 32 Director of Work, Huntsville Valley Scottish Rite bro.niemeyer@gmail.com Knights of Saint Andrews After our Fall Reunion we had a Knighting Ceremony and welcomed six new Sir Knights! How wonderful is that! It's awesome! We are in the process of planning a Night of Merriment, so keep your eye on the website as we will post details there! We are also planning another Knighting Ceremony after the Spring Reunion. If you were/are planning on joining please see the Valley General Secretary for a petition. We would like to invite and encourage you to join. We are a service organization that supports the Valley of Huntsville, and the Valley needs us desperately. Fraternally and Respectfully, Bruce E. Niemeyer Sir Knight Bruce Niemeyer, 32 1 st Knight of the Council, Huntsville Valley Knights of Saint Andrew bro.niemeyer@gmail.com

7 Huntsville AASR Masonic Calendar 2015 EVENT DATE, TIME Page 7 Regular Meetings 1st Monday of every month; 7:00 p.m. Temple Corp. Meetings 3rd Monday of every month, 6:00 p.m. Valley Executive Committee 3rd Monday, following Temple Corp. Apollo Lodge No Each Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. Huntsville Council of Honor Men 3rd Thursdays in Jan., Apr., Sept., Nov., 7 p.m. (Dinner at 6:30 p.m.) Scottish Rite Ring Ceremony TBD (After Fall Reunion) Red Cross of Constantine Holy 2nd Friday in March, June, Sept., Dec., 7:00 p.m. Sepulcher Conclave, Int'l Order of Rainbow for Girls 1st & 3rd Saturdays; 10:00 a.m. Order of DeMolay 1 st & 3rd Sundays, 2:00 p.m. Spring Reunion March 21 st & 28 th :00 a.m. Maundy Thursday / Easter Ceremonial April 2, :00 p.m. Bar-B-Q Chicken Dinner Sale Fund Raiser (Cahaba Shrine Grounds) T.B.D., Honors Day September 19 th, 2015 Fall Reunion October 10 and 17, :00 A.M. Presentation of Officer Slate and Operating November 2, :00 p.m. Budget for Year 2015 Election of Officers December 7, :00 p.m. Installation of Officers December 21, :00 p.m. Summer Yard Sale T.B.D. Feast of Tishri Observance October 2, :00 p.m. Rose Croix Lodge of Sorrow October 5, :00 p.m. Annual Christmas Party (Consistory) December - TBD Wayne Sims ( ) Obituaries Deaths reported since our last Newsletter Good and Faithful Brothers Virtue has united and death shall not separate

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