NOVEMBER 2018 OUR HONORED GUEST Ill. William J. Oehme, 33 The Valley is pleased to recognize Illustrious Brother William J. Oehme, 33, at our Fall Reunion. Illustrious Brother Oehme was raised a Master Mason in Manheim Lodge No. 587 on March 18, 1991 and served as Worshipful Master in 1995. He was Knighted a Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret, 32 Scottish Rite Mason in Reading Consistory on May 18, 1991. On August 27, 2007, he was coroneted a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33, Honorary Member of the Scottish Rite Supreme Council in Washington, D.C. He is also a member and past High Priest in York Rite, as well as a member of Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Rajah Shrine and Lancaster County Shrine Club. He is active in the improvement and celebration of the history of his hometown of Lititz, PA where he owned a bakery with his brother for 40 years. The Commander-in-Chief and the Valley of Reading are pleased to present Illustrious Brother William J. Oehme, 33, to the fall class as their exemplar and an exponent of Scottish Rite Masonry. New Brand Identity Our Mark on History You may have noticed a new title header on this notice. The update is part of the new branding which Supreme Council voted to adopt in August. Colors and fonts, as well as a simple, modern appearance are all part of the Path Forward for Scottish Rite Freemasonry. In fulfilling the commitment to deliver excellent quality and service to the membership, this standardized brand identity has been created to develop a consistent way to promote our organization and portray a streamlined identity to the public. Due to this update, Valley Notice submissions must now ALL be provided in.doc/.docx formats to allow for editing. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as we strive to maintain the standards of Supreme Council. Below is the new rendition of the double-headed eagle. Look forward to continued updates in the appearance of communications from the Valley! IN THIS ISSUE Page 1 Fall Reunion Honored Guest New Branding from Supreme Council Page 2 Presiding Officer Messages Commander-in-Chief Sovereign Prince Page 3 Holiday Happenings Page 4 In Memoriam, T.T.G.O.T.G.A.O.T.U Rose Croix Baskets of Cheer Page 5 Brunch with Santa Page 6 Model Railroading Club Social Media Committee Page 7 2020 C-i-C Cruise Page 8 Golden Eagles Ladies Auxiliary Page 9 Easter Brunch Save the Date Fashion Show Save the Date Page 10 Reunion Schedule Notice & Newsletter Valley of Reading, Pennsylvania
The Commander-in-Chief Kevin S. Barnhardt, 33 How did Scottish Rite Freemasonry survive the past 100 years? All due to the quality of our members members who took on many jobs, first on 6 th Street in Reading, then our current location in West Reading. After the decision to move a tremendous swell of members offering to do whatever it took arose to plan, negotiate and implement all resulting in the wonderful facility we have today. This new building that we have owned & operated for over 30 years became a shining light for Scottish Rite Masonry in our area. We have good and lasting fellowships and first class presentations. During the past 18 years we ve aided in providing learning skills to children with dyslexia; over 158 have gone through the program teaching them how to excel while learning. It s quite common for Scottish Rite members of other jurisdictions to visit our presentations. Why? It must be the quality of our stage facility, drapes, music, parking, crew and cast. We have top notch *stars* -- some manage our finances, some maintain our facility, some tell others how good it is to be a Scottish Rite member in the Valley of Reading. Yet, as with all things in life, there is change & not always for the better. For over 20 years we ve had losses in membership. Many normal events can be named as a cause: some move on to the Promised Land, others move out of the area or become ill and unable to participate. A lot of members had served in the military and many other organizations and service clubs such as Rotary and places of worship saw a major decline in membership with the dropping of the draft. No one did anything wrong, but change impacted our fraternity little by little. In 2001, we had 5,535 members; at the end of this year, we ll likely end with 2,542 members. We spent much of our time traditionally, but we must now become skilled at attracting new members to join our wonderful fraternity. We have a lot to learn about how to do this successfully. It will take time to learn how to recruit, how to train, how to recognize and how to acknowledge successes. Who is best to do this? Each one of us carefully planning and executing to attract and retain new members, while maintaining excellence for our current members. Spes Mea in Deo Est, Kevin Sovereign Prince Speaks Ernest D. Lopes, 32 Well Brethren, it s that time again: the leaves are changing, there s a chill in the air, and we re all starting to spend a bit more time indoors. For me, fall is always a time of reflection and looking back on everything we ve done together in the past six months. I can only express how truly great an honor it s been to serve as Sovereign Prince for the 2018-2019 year. Now, as cold closes in, I couldn t be more thrilled at the prospect of enjoying warmth and fellowship in the company of friends, family and brethren. To all Valley members that are new, or have been out of touch with the organization, now is the perfect time to get involved. The 2018 fall reunion is almost upon us, and we ve been working hard to make this year s event a memorable one. But great memories aren t made only at Valley events; simply lending a hand every now and then is a fantastic way to stay connected with your brethren and reap the full rewards of membership. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to physically participate, still feel absolutely free to reach out and communicate the Valley has been putting together a committee with the express goal of keeping brethren in touch. In the spirit of warmth, I ll add that if your find yourself dreaming of sunny beaches this Christmas season, be sure not to miss Holiday Happenings on the weekends of Dec. 1-2 and 8-9 at the Cathedral. We ll be spicing things up with a tropical theme featuring a Caribbean steel drum band. I can personally verify that the model train display (courtesy of the Model Railroading Club) will be spectacular as well. Also, by popular demand, the live nativity will take place indoors. We ll have plenty of refreshments such as hot chocolate, cookies and other holiday favorites. Santa will be here, so bring the whole family and make Holiday Happenings a Christmas tradition! Freemasonry is one of the most fulfilling experiences imaginable, and engaging with the organization as Sovereign Prince these past months has been immensely satisfying. Throughout my years as a Valley of Reading member, I ve seen the transformative effect of Masonry: the impact of introducing true community and human connection into so many lives. It s been beautiful to be a part of, and I can t wait to continue our journey together as Scottish Rite Masons. My wife Evelin, my family and I wish all of you Merry Christmas and happy holidays. 2
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IN MEMORIAM The Valley of Reading remembers with respect the following Brethren whose deaths have been reported since the last publication of the Valley Notice. George R. Graham, Jr. Lodge No. 309 September 4, 2018 Thorpe W. Ellis Lodge No. 254 September 15, 2018 Quentin A. Gettel Lodge No. 307 October 9, 2018 Francis B. Klein Lodge No. 310 September 4, 2018 Paul R. Kantner Lodge No. 435 September 16, 2018 Ronald L. Henry Lodge No. 479 October 13, 2018 PREMIUM Baskets of Cheer Sponsored by Francis Marion Highley Chapter of Rose Croix Entry Donation: $5 or 3 for $10 Proceeds benefit the Children s Dyslexia Center Drawing will be held at the Fall Reunion Sat. Nov. 17 th Need not be present to win T.T.G.O.T.G.A.O.T.U. (To The Glory Of The Grand Architect Of The Universe) Respectively, a Stated Meeting and Reunion of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry, sitting in the Valley of Reading, Pennsylvania, will be held in the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 430 S. Seventh Avenue, West Reading, Pa., on the 9th day of the Hebrew month Kislev, 5779 corresponding to: Saturday, November 17 A cordial and fraternal invitation is extended to all members of the Rite duly accredited. Your permanent membership card will admit you to all the Sessions of the Reunion and must be shown to the Tyler for admittance. Dennis F. Shaffer Thrice Potent Master By order of: John K. March Most Wise Master Ernest D. Lopes Kevin S. Barnhardt, 33 Sovereign Prince Commander-in-Chief ATTEST: James R. Shaw, 33, Secretary Petitions for this class will be accepted until November 9. A list of candidates will be available in the Scottish Rite Office beginning November 12. SPONSOR S RESPONSIBILITY For every petitioner for the Scottish Rite degrees there are two Scottish Rite Masons on whom rests a responsibility for the proper training of that petitioner. The two Scottish Rite Masons who sign the petition have a responsibility that does not end with their signature on the petition. If you invite a guest to a gathering at your home, you make sure that he meets all your guests, and is made welcome and comfortable. Isn t the Master Mason you recommend to Scottish Rite Freemasonry entitled to the same courtesy? As his sponsor, is it not your duty to take an interest in his progress? It seems to us that it is, and that you should see to it that he fully understands the fine lessons of our degrees. If you recommend a man to the Scottish Rite, satisfy yourself that he is receiving that for which you recommended him. To do so is but a Masonic courtesy and it is also your duty as a Scottish Rite Mason. Let s all give this matter some serious consideration. It will certainly bring forth good results if you attend the conferring of the degrees at our Reunions. Valley Notice is a publication of the four bodies of the Valley of Reading, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction and is the official notice of meetings, events and activities of the Valley. Please provide timely submissions to the Editor: Jillian Shotzbarger, P.O. Box 6013, Reading, PA 19610 Phone: 610-373-0790, Fax: 610-373-0795 valley.of.reading@comcast.net 4
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Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Reading, Pennsylvania MODEL RAILROADING CLUB Established 1998 ON TRACK WITH THE MODEL RAILROADING CLUB The MODEL RAILROADING CLUB continues with setting up the train platforms for its toy and model train display for during the Valley s 2018 Holiday Happenings. The Club will be working on train displays each Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10 AM til noon through November (except for Thanksgiving). It is one of the finest collections of toy and model trains on display with major operating layouts in G, 0, S, HO, and N gauge; and remains the highlight of the Holiday Happenings. Come out and join us! This year marks 20 years that the MODEL RAILROADING CLUB has been participating in the Valley s Holiday Happenings!! Much work has gone into the Club s permanent HO and N gage layouts since January, and they promise to be better than ever for the Valley s 2018 Holiday Happenings. Meeting Notice: The next Regular Meeting of the Model Railroading Club will be held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, Conference Room, 430 South Seventh Avenue, West Reading, on: Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 1:00 PM ALL ABOARD, the MODEL RAILROADING CLUB invites to you to come on board and enjoy membership in our Club. Why grow up when you can join the MODEL RAILROADING CLUB and play with trains - enjoy the opportunity to build, operate and display railroads of all scales - and enjoy friendships? Become a member of the MODEL RAILROADING CLUB and join in our fun, join in our camaraderie, and join in our service. For further information contact Bro. Bill Young, Club Secretary, at 717-445-9814 The Valley of Reading is looking for technology proficient members to become part of a Social Media Committee. The Valley of Reading wishes to leverage technology to communicate with our members and the public. We are therefore forming a Social Media Committee. The members of the committee will use Facebook, Twitter, Website and other forms of social media to communicate what is happening at the Valley. The members of the committee will post notices of upcoming events along with stories, pictures and videos of past events on the various social media networks. The committee will have the opportunity to be innovative and creative in developing posts to attract the attention of our members. For more information please contact the office. We will be scheduling a kickoff meeting of the committee this Fall. 6
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Happy Halloween to ALL. Tis the beginning of the season of wishing a HAPPY Whatever to Whomever so Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and I m sure I missed a few Happy other holidays in between! The most important part of the holidays is to be with people; relatives or friends or simply a gathering of people of like mind. That is where Scottish Rite Golden Eagles comes into play. Our organization is meant to be a social gathering place for everyone at any time of the year. Again, the holidays are a special time to be around people and we hope to fill that void throughout year. Don t forget that Scottish Rite Golden Eagles is open to ALL Masons, Non-Masons, men and women. Our next meeting is on Wednesday November 21 st, 2018. Invite a friend to come with you and get to know those around you; don t be shy. Most importantly, don t forget to call Don Loos at 610-678-1063 to make reservations. November Program is Songs of Judy Garland as sung by Stephanie Pelkerton November meal is Irish Beef Stew, other sides, salad, dessert, tea and coffee -$8.00 (no gratuity or tax) December brings the Golden Eagles Christmas Party w/ Entertainment by Wilson School District Ensemble December meal is (what else could it be?) Roast turkey, filling, creamy green bean casserole, salad, dessert, coffee and tea - $8.00 (no gratuity or tax) LADIES AUXILIARY NEWS We re just putting away the pumpkins and the colorful leaves of fall and, in a blink of an eye, it will be the most wonderful time of the year. The first two weekends in December we will be celebrating Holiday Happenings at the Cathedral with Santa, trains for kids of all ages, musical entertainment, and of course all those yummy home baked cookies and other sweet treats. Ladies, we need your help to provide those goodies. Also, your time serving as a hostess at the hospitality tables would surely be appreciated. Your favorite apron or holiday shirt will add to the festive atmosphere. Treat/baked good donations will be accepted from 4:30 to 8 P.M. on December 1 & 2 as well as December 8 & 9. Your assistance to serve during these hours would be a big help. If you are not a baker, but the man in your household is, we d gratefully accept his contributions as well! If you did not get to sign up for cookie/time donations at the October stated meeting, don t fret as it s not too late to be one of Santa s helpers. Thank you!!! 8
The EASTER BUNNY is hopping through Saturday, April 13, 2019 9
Notice & Newsletter Valley of Reading, Pennsylvania REUNION SCHEDULE 2018 FALL REUNION SCOTTISH RITE CATHEDRAL West Reading, Pennsylvania SATURDAY, November 17, 2018 7:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast Dining Room 7:30 a.m. Class Registration Candidates Room 7:45 a.m. Class Orientation Candidates Room 8:00 a.m. Reading Lodge of Perfection, 14 4 Master Traveler in full form 8 Intendant of the Building 14 Grand Elect Mason in full form C. Gilbert Steffe Council, 16 Princes of Jerusalem 16 Prince of Jerusalem in full form 12:00 p.m. Buffet Luncheon Zimmerman Dining Room 1:00 p.m. Francis Marion Highley Chapter, 18 Rose Croix 17 Knight of the East and West in full form Reading Consistory, 32 S.P.R.S. Introductions Presentation of Worker Point Awards Presentation of Membership Incentive Awards Reception of the Honored Guest 20 Master Ad Vitam 30 Grand Inspector 32 Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret in full form