THE PHOENIX SISTARS PHOENIX CHAPTER #96 ORDER OF EASTERN STAR 1295 CURTIS ST. AKRON, OH 44301 VOLUME 2 APRIL 2014 Sis. Joanne C. Ray Worthy Matron Bro. Larry Ivery Worthy Patron Sis. Arlina Faye Ivery Associate Matron Bro. Ronald Taylor Associate Patron Sis. Anna D. Davis Secretary Sis Eloise Thompson Treasurer Sis. Janice Davis Financial Secretary Sis. Sandra Miller Conductress Sis. Ferrah Brewer Associate Conductress I give thanks to my Lord for He is good; His love and mercy endures forever. Psalm 107:1 I hope that you are enjoying the change in seasons and the beautiful warm weather we are experiencing right now. It is good to get out and see all the beautiful flowers and everything in bloom. It reminds us of our great Creator and the beauty of nature. We got off to a slow start this year because of the storms, but we are in full swing now accomplishing most of our goals. We thank you for your hard work and dedication that you continually give to this Order. I hope that you enjoyed the workshops and other activities that were held this year. Please keep in mind upcoming dates and calendar of events. We also want to hear about the important events that are happening in your life so don t forget to send the Secretary pictures from your events to post in our newsletter and on the website too. We want people to see what a great job we are doing in Phoenix Chapter Take care and God Bless, Sis. Joanne C. Ray
PAGE 2 THE PHOENIX SISTARS PHOENIX CHAPTER #96 The Art Of Listening The word Listen contains the same le ers as the word: Silent. When did we hear the word and learn the value of the word Listen? When we were young children; don t you remember your parents preaching to you you must listen to me, don t touch that, stop hi ng your sister, stop making a mess, etc. Children were deemed faithful when they listened to their parents. Christ is the living word: The Bible is the word of God: God creates through the spoken word: Let there be light and there was light: (Genesis 1:3). Therefore, listening to words, listening to communica on properly is an integral part of our Salva on: Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). How important is it to be a good listener? A scripture from the Holy Bible at James Chapter 1, Verse 19; it reads: Be swi about hearing, slow about speaking. Listening is an essen al part of communica on; Being a good listener not only helps you solve problems, but it helps you to see the world through the eyes of others, there- by, opening your understanding and enhancing your capacity for empathy. First we must start by removing all distrac ons: Turn off cell phones; Pay full a en on; Quiet your mind and open your self to Listen to what the person is saying; Stop talking and try to be silent; I m speaking and you re not listening; Do not interrupt; Do not hold side bar conversa ons while others are speaking; Keep an open mind, and a pa- ent EAR; Think of the Golden Rule stop what you are doing this shows love and respect for the speaker, and finally; Visualize the situa on, or scene, with respect to the Five Heroines of the Eastern Star Rites. I. Adah - Jephthah s Daughter Jephthah won the ba le with the Lord s help because the Lord listened to Jephthah, but he paid a price for it. Just imagine the look on Jephthah s face when he returned home from ba le and the first person that came to greet him was his daughter. We all know how the story ended. II. Ruth was a worshiper of idols and her first husband be- fore he died, taught her the teaching of God and she listened to him. Ruth saw the benefits of worshiping the true God and converted to the true religion. Ruth met Boaz and they engaged in several dialogues by listening to each other, which led to a happy ending for Ruth. III. Esther, a beau ful Jewish Maiden, married a King and she became a Queen. When she heard about the planned destruc on of all the Jews of the Persian Empire, Queen Esther communicated with her husband, the King, and he listened to her. Thereby, Esther saved her people from ex rpa on. IV. Martha was oppressed with grief at the loss of her only brother, Lazarus. Martha had a talk with Jesus who listened a en vely and Jesus said to Martha, thy brother will rise again. I am the resurrec on, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. (John11:25) V. Electa a good and kind charitable person towards the poor. She was an idol worshiper who converted to the doctrines of Christ and save others who repented of their sins. Electa refuse to recant her faith in Jesus and in the end was put to death. I also think that God o en feels like no one ever listens to him. God wanted the disciples to know that they needed to learn the art of listening. So God said Listen Up! This is my Son whom I have chosen; Listen to Him
VOLUME 2 PAGE 3 SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH May is Lupus Awareness Month No vision and you perish Your heart must ever cherish Some faith at any cost. Some hope, some dream, to cling to, Some rainbow in the sky; Some goal for us to work for, Some service that is high Age does not discriminate when it comes to health matters. Take an opportunity at your Chapter or other meeting gatherings to share information on a health topic Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body especially the skin, joint, blood, and kidneys. It is a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better). Research estimates that at least 1.5 million Americans have lupus. Lupus strikes mostly women of child-bearing age (15-44). However, men, children and teenagers develop lupus too. Women of color are 2-3 times more likely to develop lupus. More than 16,000 new cases are reported annually around the country. For most people with lupus, proper treatment can minimize symptoms, reduce inflammation and pain, and stop the development of serious organ damage. visit www.lupus.org for more information LOVE ONE ANOTHER; TEACH ONE ANOTHER; HELP ONE ANOTHER The Order of the Eastern Star is a voluntary association of women and men. We are proud to proclaim that our Fraternity is bound together by bonds of Sisterly love and affection, universally applicable throughout the world. Our Order teaches love and kindness in the home; honesty and fairness in business or occupation; courtesy in social contacts; help for the weak and un- fortunate; resistance to evil doing; trust and confidence in good men; forgive- ness toward the penitent; love toward one another, and above all reverence for the Supreme Being
PAGE 4 THE PHOENIX SISTARS PHOENIX CHAPTER #96 SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT Ten Attitudes & Basic Ingredients for Growth DESIRE: We have to want our Chapter to grow. It s not going to take place accidentally. We have to really believe in it and be wiling to pay the price. VISION: We need to be able to have a dream and goal to shoot at. ATMOSPHERE: We must be mood makers. The life of our Chapter will be determined largely by the kind of mood we set. The spirit of friendliness and enthusiasm are critical. STRONG LEADERSHIP: We cannot build a great organization with weak leadership. Our organization s influence should broaden, year after year. There is a definite link between strong leadership and the growth in any organization. ACTION ORIENTATION: People have to be involved. Diversities of talents make a healthy organization. PLANNING & SETTING GOALS: We must be realistic, and, we must start with the basics. With definite goals in mind, we then need to outline procedures to reach those goals. It is very easy to drift into discord, so we need to plan our work, and work our plan! UNITY: Unity is absolutely essential! It is imperative to convince the Chapter that the need is there and we will be doing something about it. DELEGATION: We multiply ourselves by delegating responsibility. No delegation = stagnation. PRAISE: If someone has done a good job, praise will boost them to even greater service. PERSISTENCE: We must stay on it, without giving up.
VOLUME 2 Watch INSIDE STORY As HEADLINE We Spread Our Wings PAGE 5 GIRL S ASSEMBLY Support Our Girls Assembly Meetings on 2nd and 4th Saturday 11:00 am Christine Powers #42
CALENDAR 2014 JANUARY 7 - Stated Meeting Queen of South Proficiency 10 - Practice Night - 6:30 pm 21 - Ritualistic Work Night FEBRUARY Fundraiser - Gas Card (Sis. Janice Davis) 4 - Stated Meeting Amaranth Proficiency 14 - Practice Night 6:30 pm 18 - Ritualistic Work Night Grand Deputy Visit Al Kaf Social 1625 Frederick Boulevard 44320 MARCH 4 - Stated Meeting 9 - District No. 1 - Junior Past Worthy Matron/Worthy Patron Recognition Doubletree Hotel Quarry Road Cleveland, OH 14 Practice Night for Amaranth Degree 18 -Ritualistic Work Night Amaranth Degree 23 Church Visit with Worthy Matron at St. John CME Church 10:30 AM 1233 S. Hawkins Avenue 44320 28-30 -GRAND GIRLS ASSEMBLY/ Debutante Ball in Columbus, OH APRIL 1 -Stated Meeting 11 -Practice Night 12 -OES Workshop and District Mtg. 9:00 AM Doubletree Hotel Columbus, OH 15 Ritualistic Work Night/ Presentation of OES of the Year 2012/2013 / Phoenix #112 Visit to #96 17 -Phoenix #96 Visit to #112 20 - Sunrise Service 6:00 am Mt. Haven Baptist Church 545 Noble Avenue 44320 12-17 - York Rite Grand Week 20 - Ritualistic Work Night MAY ** May Money Madness Month Fundraiser (PM Fannie Lamb/PM Emma Benson) 6 - Stated Meeting (6 month reports Secretary/Treasurer) 9 - Practice Night 10 - Akron Canton Food Bank 9:30am 12:30pm 350 Opportunity Park Akron, Ohio 44307 12-17 - York Rite Grand Week 20 - Ritualistic Work Night
JUNE 3 - Stated Meeting 13 Practice Night 17 - Ritualistic Work Night 22 Prince Hall - St. John the Baptist Day (10:00 am) - Annual Charity Punch Party 4:00 pm Mt. Zion Baptist Church 327 Cuyahoga Street 44310 JULY 1 - Stated Meeting 11 - Practice Night 15 - Ritualistic Work Night AUGUST (Darkness) 2 5 Grand Amaranth - Cincinnati, OH 24 - Free Cuts and Fancy Mani s SEPTEMBER 2 -Stated Meeting 12 -Practice Meeting 14 - Prince Hall Americanism Day 16 Ritualistic Work Night 27 -Past Matron/Past Patron Awards Luncheon 12 PM Akron Urban League 440 Vernon Odom Boulevard 44307 OCTOBER COMMUNITY SOUPER SUPPER/ SARAH S HOUSE 7 -Stated Meeting 10 -Practice Night 21 -Ritualistic Work Night / -OES Degree NOVEMBER 4 - Stated Meeting End of Year Reports due- Secretary, Treasurer, Sick and Distress 14 Practice Night 18 - Ritualistic Work Night Chapter of Sorrow Degree DECEMBER HAPPY HOLIDAYS and A BLESSED NEW YEAR 2 - Stated Meeting Audit Report and Elections) 12 -Practice Night 21 -Prince Hall St John the Evangelist Day
THE MEMBER WHO NEVER CAME BACK It amuses me now to think that your organization spends so much time looking for new members when I was there all the time. Do you remember me? I m the one who came to every meeting, but nobody paid attention to me. I tried several times to be friendly, but everyone seemed to have her own friends to talk to and sit with. I sat down among some unfamiliar faces several times, but they didn t pay much attention to me. I hoped somebody would ask me to join one of the committees or somehow participate and contribute, but no one did. Finally, because of illness, I missed a meeting. The next month, no one asked where I had been. I guess it didn t matter very much whether I was there or not. On the next meeting date, I decided to stay home and watch a good television program. When I attended the next meeting, no one asked me where I was the month before. You might say I m a good person, that I hold down a responsible job and love my community. You know who else I am? I am the member who never came back. SISTERS AND BROTHERS remember to make our new members and visitors welcome. DISCLAIMER: Occasionally, there will be an error in these documents. Your job is to find it! Good Luck