RITE LITE LIGHT RETURNS

Transcription

1 LIGHT RETURNS RITE LITE A 32 Masonic Publication of Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron, Akron, Ohio Volume 53, No. 5 September & October 2017 Instituted December 13, Date of Charter, September 23, 1959

2 APPEAL FOR RELIEF: TEXAS (HURRICANE HARVEY) BY CHRISTOPHER ROONEY, MASONIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION AUGUST, A message on behalf of the Masonic Service Association of North America: The entire Gulf Coast of Texas was deluged with high winds and rain from Hurricane Harvey, setting records for rainfall from any single storm anywhere in the continental United States. Extensive building and property damage, electrical outages, unhealthy conditions caused by flooding, and widespread disruption of normal living conditions has occurred. The Grand Lodge of Texas has requested this Disaster Appeal, to assist their many brethren who have been injured or who have received extensive damage to their homes from Hurricane Harvey. Donations can be made online at When remitting by check, please mark clearly that you wish the funds to go to the Texas Disaster Appeal. Please forward any donations you feel appropriate to help our devastated Brothers and their families in this stricken jurisdiction to MSA. Please make checks payable to MSA Disaster Relief Fund and send to 3905 National Drive, STE 280, Burtonsville, MD MSA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, contact Simon R. LaPlace, the Executive Secretary for the Masonic Service Association at (301) Harold J. Leach, CLU, ChFC, CFP, CASL Certified Financial Planner TM Certified Advisor for Senior Living TM Serving the needs of the Masonic Community since N. Main St., Suite C Rittman, Ohio Please support these Rite Lite sponsors... September & october Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 2

3 HOSPITALER S REPORT Please call Hospitaler Bill Murphy at to report ill and deceased Brethren. Also, please notify him when you come home from the hospital or if you go to a nursing home. Your cooperation will help us to keep our records up-to-date. (Nursing homes will not give us any information.) Your cooperation will help keep our records up-to-date. Updated August 29, ~ IN ASSISTED LIVING AND NURSING HOMES ~ Charles Billow, Rockynol, 1150 W. Market St., Akron OH William Bond, Western Reserve Masonic Community Nettleton Rd. Medina, OH William M. Glazier. Gables of Kent Ridge Sunnybrook Rd., Apt. #C18, Kent, OH Earl Hall. Bath Creek Estates, 186 W. Bath Rd., Room #122, Cuyahoga Falls, OH Dale Mortimer, 33º. Masonic Home W. National Rd., #YR424. Springfield, OH Robert Nettle. Inn at Coalridge Coalridge Pkwy #506. Wadsworth, OH Paul Swain. Western Reserve Masonic Community Netttleton Rd. Medina, OH Harold Wright. Bath Creek Estates. 186 W. Bath Rd. Rm #437. Cuyahoga Falls, OH ~ AT HOME ~ Charles Alt Stonebridge Crossing. Stow, OH Warren G. Carden Basswood Dr. Kent, OH George L. Jackson. P.O. Box 28. Pahrump, NV Russell Jones, MSA. Please call before visiting: Eugene Billy Keller. 930 Crestline Dr., Akron OH James L. Sendelbach Kent Rd. Apt. 203C. Stow, OH Glenn E. Smith Highbridge Rd. Cuyahoga Falls, OH ~ RECOVERING BATTLING MEDICAL ISSUES ~ Richard Amlung, MSA Marvin Bud Hardy, 33º Everett V. Gainer James McDonald, MSA Richard McMasters, 33º Roy Turner, 33º, MSA Carl Thornton Spencer Bud Marston IN MEMORIAM Well Done, Good & Faithful Servants: Robert DeBaun 17 August 2017 Otis Hower 5 August 2015 Erwin R. McKinley 20 June 2017 Arthur W. Hicks 1 July 2017 May they rest in peace. September & october 2017 Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 3

4 September & october 2017 Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 4 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT BRETHREN: THE TRUSTEES HAVE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CURRENT DUES OF $93.50 BE INCREASED TO $100, EFFECTIVE WITH THE 2018 DUES BILLING CYCLE. THIS MATTER WILL BE VOTED UPON AT THE SEPTEMBER 21, 2017 STATED MEETING. VALLEY CALENDAR AND TRESTLE BOARD SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16: JENKINS-STAUFFER OUTDOOR LODGE, FEATURING MM DEGREE. LUNCHEON 11:30-12:30. DEGREE 1 PM, RAIN OR SHINE. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21. STATED MEETING. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7. WORKERS DINNER. BARBERTON MASONIC TEMPLE. 6 PM: DINNER AND PRESENTATIONS. ENTERTAINMENT FOLLOWS. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13: DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR THE FINAL NEWSLETTER OF THE YEAR, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER ISSUE: GMAIL.COM. OCTOBER 14, DVD DEGREE DAY AT WAYFARER LODGE # AM. COFFEE AND DONUTS. SEE PAGE 6 FOR DETAILS. NOVEMBER 11, VETERANS OBSERVANCE DINNER. CUYAHOGA FALLS MASONIC TEMPLE. SPOUSES, GUESTS, AND VETERANS WELCOME. NOVEMBER 16, STATED MEETING. ONE THING TO KNOW 33rd ANNUAL JENKINS-STAUFFER OUTDOOR LODGE: SATURDAY, SEPT P.M., RAIN OR SHINE. CRAFTSMAN PARK. ALL MASTER MASONS ARE INVITED. WE. NEED. PHOTOS. Your Rite Lite newsletter looks best when if features more photographs. If you take pictures at any Valley event, please share some with the editor: dxferris@gmail.com. Valley of Akron Thrice Potent Master: Marc A. Osborne Sovereign Prince: Ronald O. Donner Most Wise Master: Mark S. (Dutch) Chancey Commander in Chief: Douglas K. McIe Our vision: We will strive to be a fraternity that fulfills our Masonic Obligation to care for our members

5 To What Degree... Are You Interested in Serving the Valley? Spring Reunion Schedule: Volunteers Needed Brethren: The Spring Reunion, date to be determined, will feature the following degrees: 4th, on DVD: Master Traveler 13th, live: Master of the Ninth Arch 15th, live: Knight of the East 18th, live: Knight of the Rose Croix 32nd, live: Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret This one-day reunion will feature a breakfast (eggs, bacon, sausage, sausage gravy and biscuits). Follwing will be the 4th, 13th, and 15th degrees. Then lunch. Followed by the 18th and 32nd. Likely start time for breakfast is 7:30 a.m., with the degrees starting at 8:30. To volunteer, contact an officer or Ill. Brother Tilden, 33º. Regards, Want to be in a degree at the Spring reunion? Contact an officer. Marc A Osborne, Thrice Potent Master Valley of Akron Chairman of Trustees: Kenneth E. Gang, 33 Vice-Chair: Jeffery L. Burton, MSA Trustees: Marc A. Osborne; Ronald O. Donner; Mark S. (Dutch) Chauncey; Douglas McIe; Terry L. Regnos, MSA; Kevin L. Tanner; George E. Tilden, 33 Secretary: George A. Seabeck, 33 Hospitaler: William E. Murphy September & october 2017 Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 5

6 September & october Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 6 Secretary s Corner by George Seabeck, 33 O Well, vacation is over for those who have to attend school. It is just starting for the parents. It doesn t take any time at all to realize the traffic patterns have changed and travel times are a little longer. Also, the buses are followed by local police, sheriff and the highway patrol. Take it easy, save time and money. That s my safety message for this issue. Workers Dinner is for October 7, 2017 at the Barberton Masonic Temple. The time is 6:00 p.m. for dinner. After dinner and the presentations, we will have entertainment. Illustrious Brother Tilden has a very enjoyable evening planned for all. Reservation cards with reply will be mailed shortly. On October 14th, a DVD Day will be at Wayfarer Lodge in Portage Lakes. The 4th (Master Traveler), 22nd (Prince of Libanus), 24th (Brother of the Forest), and 26th (Friend and Brother Eternal) degrees will be shown. Coffee and donuts are at 8:00 a.m. Plan on attending and don t forget your passport. This is an opportunity to have a good friend and Brother Master Mason become a Scottish Rite Mason. Our Valley has under 900 members, and we are not getting any younger. It is hard to imagine that each and every one of you who read this newsletter doesn t know of at least one Mason who would not enjoy the Scottish Rite experience. On November 11, we will have a Veteran s Day Observance Dinner at the Cuyahoga Falls Masonic Temple. That would be an excellent time for you to bring a Brother and his spouse or guest who has served in the military and honor them for their service. We hope to see you at these events.

7 Freemasons: Are We the Men in Black? If your Lodge is like mine, you could use a few new members. We might be missing our best opporunities to tell interested parties who we are. To that end... You may recall Men in Black, a humorous science fiction/action movie from In the film, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones play secret agents who keep the earth safe. They are the Men in Black. Dressed in dark suits, they make their way through an unseen world, agents of order with esoteric knowledge and a higher mission. When civilians cross their path and witness their secret realm, these agents shine a red light in their eyes, which erases all memory of meeting the Men in Black. And the outsiders go on their way, oblivious to who the men were and what they did. Sometimes we Freemasons function like Men in Black. I recently attened a funeral for a 50-year brother. As the Masonic funeral service began, our deceased brother had 17 friends and family in attendance. Then 17 Masons entered the room. The Fraternity doubled the size of the crowd. That is an impressive turnout. I think it made a good impression. Momentarily. Before we entered the room, the good staff of the funeral home did introduce us and explain the ceremony. Some interaction occured. Then, once we were gone, I m not sure the bereaved attendees knew who we were. We were Men in Black. Literally. We were a group of men in dark suits. We entered. We conducted an arcane (though clearly religious) ritual. Then we dispersed. When friends, family, civilians, strangers and loved ones witness us in action at a funeral, a fundraiser, an installation, a public Lodge function do they have any idea who we are? They know they witnessed something. In their eyes, are we just some guys doing some odd thing? Have we told them who we are and what we do? Or were we simply there, working in a relatively mute fashion? Did we make an installation audience sit through an hour-long ceremony, and not take five minutes to explain what they were witnessing, and what it means for us? Did we serve 500 meals and not hang a banner? Do people walk through our buidling every day and not see a flyer that reveals when we meet? Masonic membership, as you know, is receding. In many communities, we no longer enjoy the prominence we once did. We cannot assume people know who and what we are. Consider that secretive mode. Then contrast it with this local professional and how he interacts with his community: When this business owner makes his way through the world and shows up at a job, he communicates some kind of information about who he is and what he does. His truck says, Summit Excavating. Septic system installation. Septic tank pumping That mobile ad is not big, and it is it not detailed. But in about ten words, he identifies who he is, what he does, and how you can find him. At many Masonic events that are open to the public funerals, fundraisers, installations we tend to complete the work at hand, and that s all; we re busy, we re stretched thin, we re often understaffed. So when we don t say who are, what we re doing, and what it means... If this business owner drove to a job in a mysterious, plain truck, would people know who he was? Would they know what was in the truck? Would strangers call and offer him jobs? Probably not. Similarly Our existence creates questions for the curious: What goes on in these Lodge buildings? Who are the guys who wear that G symbol in the what is that, a triangle? Who are those men in black, and what do they do? Communicating: We do it... sometimes. We should do it more. And, obviously, a funeral is no place for a hard sell. And we do not recruit, strictly speaking. But from time to time, if we say a few words about our Lodge and our mission, maybe the people we meet will want to know more. Maybe they ll tell some friends. When strangers and guests watch us work unexplained, more often than not, we drift out of their world, and their memory of us fades. As I heard at the Grandmaster s convention a few years ago, We cannot keep our light under a bushel. So as we enter installation season and next year s busy fundraising season let s remember to make an extra effort: Tell people who you are and what you came to do. Let them know who these men in black or food-service aprons are. If you have an audience, tell a story. Let em know who you are and what you re about. What are you doing, and how did you get here? What s going on? Keep it short. Make it good. Don t be The Men in Black; be communicative men in black. Dave Ferris Past Master, Meridian Sun #69 Editor, Valley of Akron Rite Lite September & october 2017 Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 7

8 Illustrious Brother Murphy Valley of Akron Hospitaler William Murphy received his 33rd Degree at Supreme Council in Rochester, NY. Brother Murphy, left, renders a well-deserved smile with his proud wife, Dorothy. National Sojourners Resurrected in Dayton This summer the Dayton No. 67 chapter of the National Sojourners was brought back to life with the election of officers and initiation of ten members. The new club will meet quarterly on the Springfield Masonic Community campus. (See photo below.) I see this pulling together both residents and nonresidents both on and off campus as a unified group to promote brotherhood and Americanism, said Jesse Pertee, President, Dayton No. 67. It s about spirit de corps and fellowship. Quick Facts: What: National Sojourners Who can join: Master Masons in good standing, who have served or are serving in the military are eligible. If you are deeply patriotic this organization is for you. Our ladies are welcome to attendl. Community Outreach: Creating or participating in patriotic events such as parades, memorial services, flag presentations, Junior ROTC award recognition and more. Meeting Frequency: Quarterly To Join Dayton No. 67: Contact Jesse Pertee at jpertee@ohiomasonichome.org or Dan Shirk at dshirk@ohiomasonichome.org September & october Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 8

9 July & August 2017 Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 9 Deputy s Representative. James F. Easterling, Jr., 33º, PGM, Grand Lodge of Ohio, F & AM Brethren, As we start back and resume our labors, we have new leadership at Supreme Council: Ill. David A. Glatty, 33º, has been installed as our new Sovereign Grand Commander of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. His emphasis in the upcoming months and years will be on membership and how Scottish Rite can help our Blue Lodges in attracting members. I look forward to his thoughts, as well as looking forward to accomplishing some of his goals for our Valley. With your help and a new vision, I m confident that our Valley will succeed. With the 2017 Supreme Council session having been completed in Rochester, New York, I would like to again congratulate William Murphy on receiving the 33rd degree. Our Blue Lodges will be looking to elect and install new officers this fall and I hope you will also support them. Please keep all of the flood and hurricane damaged folks in the South in your thoughts and Prayers. I look forward to seeing you sometime soon. Fraternally, James F. Easterling, Jr. This panoramic view of the partial solar eclipse was taken from the roof of the aircraft hangar at NASA s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The eclipse in Hampton was about 85 percent of totality. Credit: NASA Langley/Harlen Capen and George Homich. Caption: Bob Allen. Cover image: NASA and MWB James F. Easterling, 33º.

10 YOUR VALLEY HAS A NEW WEBSITE! GIVE IT A FREE TEST DRIVE: MASON BOOK by Brethren you know BOOK SPOILER: IT ENDS WITH YOUR LODGE IN PRODUCTIVE HARMONY... The new book The Successful Lodge: Best Practices in Freemasonry collects battle-tested advice from 70 Brethren in Ohio s 21st District. This handy Mason s manual collects a diverse array of tips and techniques to keep a Lodge productive and harmonious. 196 pages 5x8 31 images $14.95 paperback $5.99 e-book The Successful Lodge paperbacks and e-books are available online exclusively at Amazon.com. But twice as much money goes to the scholarship fund when you buy directly from MW Brother Easterling. Or contact Easterling at jimjr1137@neo.rr.com or ADVERTISMENT Do you have a business or service that is available to the public? Do your Masonic brethren, their families and friends know about you, your company and the services that you provide? Why not place a tax deductible advertisement in the Rite Lite? Advertising in the Rite Lite would be a nice way to reach out to your brethren and friends. The Rite Lite can print your business card size advertisement, as the example shown on page 3, for a nominal fee. The Rite Lite is published by the Valley of Akron at least six times per year with a circulation of approximately 1,000 members. There is an additional distribution of several hundred copies by . All Rite Lite issues are presently being posted on the Valley of Akron s web site at < All advertisement must be of good taste and approved by the Rite Lite Editor. All fees paid for ads are utilized by the Valley of Akron to help underwrite the cost of publication and distribution of the Rite Lite. The fee for a business card size is $50.00 for a single issue or $175.00, for one year. Other advertisement sizes and rates are available upon request. A photo ready copy of each advertisement is required. Anyone interested in placing an ad in the Rite Lite, should request a form. A form is attached to the version of the Rite Lite. Anyone, who is interested in placing an ad in the Rite Lite should contact: Valley of Akron Secretary, Tel: <secretary@valleyofakron.com> David Ferris, 32, Editor Tel: <dxferris@yahoo.com> September & october 2017 Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 10

11 A perigee full moon, or supermoon, is seen behind the Washington Monument during a total lunar eclipse on Sunday, September 27, 2015, in Washington, DC. The combination of a supermoon and total lunar eclipse last occurred in 1982 and will not happen again until Photo Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani. Caption: Sarah Loff. SEptember & October 2017 Rite Lite Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Akron Page 11

12 RITE LITE A.A.S.R. Valley of Akron 150 Springside Drive, Suite B-210 Akron, OH CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED PRESORT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID AKRON, OH PERMIT #11 UNDER GOD WILL YOU BE MOVING? Your Valley wastes money every month by sending mail to bad addresses. Not only do we waste postage, but we are charged for the returned mail. PLEASE, if you are moving, or if you have already moved, please send or call the Valley Office with your updated mailing address. Please telephone the Valley of Akron Secretary at with all new information or changes. fbcx The Rite Lite is published by the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (A.A.S.R.) Valley of Akron 150 Springside Drive, Suite B-210 Akron, Ohio Office Hours: 9:00 AM to noon Monday - Friday and by appointment A.A.S.R. Tel.: A.A.S.R. Fax: Secretary@valleyofakron.com Committee Chairman / Editor David Ferris, 32 Tel: dxferris@yahoo.com YOUR VALLEY ON THE WEB Find us on Facebook Scottish rite is the fraternity of choice