MOST WORSHIPFUL PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS ~ STATE OF ILLINOIS 809 East 42nd Place (Prince Hall Way)~ Chicago, IL 60653-2900 PH: (773) 373-2725 ~ FAX: (773) 624-6031 www.mwphglil.com Office of MW Bro. Dwayne A. Smith, Grand Master Most Worshipful Brother Dwayne A. Smith, #133 Grand Master, State of Illinois 7701 S. Merrill Chicago, Illinois 60617 Phone: (773) 418-4695 Email: dwayne.smith@sbcglobal.net Aubrey K. Barlow, #23 Deputy Grand Master 457 Valley View Circle Bloomington, Illinois 61705 Phone: (309) 242-7188 Email: shakey20@juno.com Roland G. Simon, #135 Grand Senior Warden 1928 East 173rd Place South Holland, Illinois 60473 Phone: (708) 418-1525 Email: sackman53@yahoo.com Steven R. Coleman, #99 Grand Junior Warden 851 Huntley Woods Drive Crete, Illinois 60417 Phone: (773) 793-6184 Email: coleman.steven@sbcglobal.net Daryl L. Andrews, #91 Grand Treasurer Email: darylandrews357@gmail.com Sean E. Queen, #91 Grand Secretary 809 East 42 nd Place Chicago, Il 60653 (773) 373-2725 Tony D. Stafford Sr., #128 Grand Lecturer Mobile: (312) 714-8136 Email: TonyD.stafford@yahoo.com Grand Auditors s James R. Jones, #23 Leroy R. Berry, #98 Keith Roach, #116 Bill Harlan, #1 Grand Trustees s Cordale Brown, #14 Charles Caples Jr., #134 John Bobby D Dillard Hewitt Douglass, #3 Grand CCFC Most Worshipful Brother Otis W. Cromartie Sr., #147 Past Grand Master 3007 19th Place North Chicago, Illinois 60064 01May 2016 First giving honor to God who is the Giver of all Good things: to Aubrey K. Barlow Deputy Grand Master, Roland G. Simon Grand Senior Warden, Right Worshipful Brother Steven R. Coleman Grand Junior Warden, Past Grand Masters, All Elected Grand and Appointed Grand Lodge Officers, Past Masters, Worshipful Masters, Wardens and Brethren: Fraternal Greetings, The month of April was a very full and productive month: We hosted the Annual meeting of the Phylaxis and Phyllis Societies where Brothers and Sisters, including four visiting Grand Masters and Brothers from several jurisdictions. This session was a huge success. State-Wide Degree work was conducted under the direction of our Grand Lecturer RW Brother Tony Stafford where 20 Brothers from various Lodges were passed to the Degree of a Fellow Craft. The Membership Committee provided a very insightful symposium on Bogus Masonry where there were not less than 70 people in attendance. Over 200 people congratulated Worshipful Brother Harry Barnett, Jr., who was honored as the 2016 Mason of the Year. I had the esteemed honor and privilege of representing the State of Illinois as the Senior Deacon in the 9 th Bi-Annual Reopening of African Lodge 459 in Boston Massachusetts. We attended and made a donation to the Masonic Family Health foundation Annual Meeting of the Grand Lodge of Illinois held at advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. The month ended with Illinois hosting the Annual Session of the Royal and Select Masters, Ladies of the Circle of Perfection, Knights of the York Cross of Honor and held in Oak Brook, Illinois. This event was well organized and attended. I believe that all of these events helped us in furthering our stated goal of improving the image of Prince Hall Masonry in the State of Illinois. I am eternally grateful to all who coordinated and participated in these events. I also offer my sincerest thanks to all who represented me when I was unable to attend. I am hopeful that the positive momentum of the previous month will continue in the months ahead as we press forward with our progressive and positive agenda. On May 14, 2016, we will hold our new member orientation. This informational meeting is open to all newly initiated Brothers and Sisters and will provide insight into the structure of the Fraternity and introduce the other Appendant bodies of the Prince Hall Family. The orientation will take place at 9:00am at the Grand East. Please contact Grand Lecturer Tony Stafford at 312 214 8136, if you have any questions. Our concerted charity projects for the month of May will be: A feed the needy event at Pleasant Grove MB Church, 714 S. Sacramento, May 21 st from 8:30 10:30am. Please join us as we assist the church in providing meals for up to 250 homeless men, women and children. Key Stone #15 s youth literacy, Reading for Rides where bicycles will be awarded to students at six (6) schools as an incentive to read more.
Mt. Moriah s Pennies for Men s Health Fundraiser. For further information on any of these projects contact WB Tim Davis @773 491 0041 or WB Larry Burnett @224 676 8234. Through our generous donations to the Century Club we have been able to make substantial contributions to worthwhile and worthy causes. Inasmuch as our charity should always be as large as the wants and weaknesses of our fellow creatures. If you have already heeded the call for this annual donation I thank you. If you have not, be aware there is still time to join this exclusive club doing its inaugural year. Donations may be made directly to the Office of the Grand Secretary or through the Grand Lodge s website. Brothers, as we enter into the 4th quarter of this Masonic year it is necessary to note the Grand Lodge Schools have been relatively well attended. However, there has been a noticeable absence of Subordinate Lodge Officers. Please be aware that these Schools are designed to make good men better and Lodge Officers more proficient in their duties. If this trend of non-attendance continues, by the people for whom these classes are designed, we will be forced to reinstitute fines to those absent. Take due notice and govern yourselves accordingly. The month of May will also bring about the year s second 5th Sunday which is when we come together for our Worshipful Initiative as a Prince Hall Masonic Family and Honor God. Please find the attached location sheet and join us in your respective District. Remember, the family that prays together stays together. There is now an Assistant Grand Secretary Position available in the 2nd Masonic District. Interested Brothers residing in that District may forward a resume directly to the Grand Secretary. Inasmuch as we are attempting to improve our communication throughout the State we are still requesting that all Lodge Rosters be submitted to the Office of the Grand Secretary immediately, as this is the 3rd request. Please be reminded that the book, What Free Masonry Means To Me is now available online through the Grand Lodge website and all proceeds benefit the Grand Lodge programs. Please support this effort. Please find the enclosed Proclamation for the Sesquicentennial Communication of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the State of Illinois which takes place during this year s Unification Session. As this is our 150th Communication, in addition to conducting the business of this Grand Body, we will also celebrate this milestone. Registration forms are available online and payments may be made via Pay Pal, which is the preferred method of payment. Yours in Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth, Dwayne A. Smith Grand Master Dates to Remember: Red and White Ball, May 7th WGP s Special Effort, May 21st Feed the Needy, May 21st, Pleasant Grove MB Church, 741 S. Sacramento, Chicago, IL Conference of Grand Masters, May 12 15, 2016, New Jersey Jurisdiction United Supreme Council, May 26 31, 2016, Philadelphia, PA Saints John Day, June 26th The Joint Grand Masters Cigar Event, June 10, 2016, Tobacco Plus, 4718 Lincoln Highway, Matteson, IL 60443 Attachments: Proclamation Century Club Supplemental Audit Report Quote of the Month: Charity never humiliated him who profited from it, nor ever bound him by chains of gratitude, since it was not to him but to God that the gift was made. Antoine de saint Exupery
Worship Initiative Locations For May 29, 2016 1 st District 3 rd District Springfield Baptist Church Star of Hope Full Gospel Church 1891 Emerson Street 417 W. Romeo B. Garrett Evanston, IL 60201 Peoria, IL Pastor Emmit Williams Bishop Joe Johnson Pastor Service: 10:45am Service: 10:45am 2 nd District 4 th District St. James AME Church 15 th Street Baptist Church 1100 Summit Street 1314 North 15 th Street Elgin, IL 60120 East St. Louis, IL Rev. Dr. James E. Halpert Service: 10:00am Service: 11:00am
Most Worshipful Brother Dwayne A. Smith, #133 Grand Master, State of Illinois 7701 S. Merrill Chicago, Illinois 60617 Phone: (773) 418-4695 Email: dwayne.smith@sbcglobal.net Aubrey K. Barlow, #23 Deputy Grand Master 457 Valley View Circle Bloomington, Illinois 61705 Phone: (309) 242-7188 Email: shakey20@juno.com Roland G. Simon, #135 Grand Senior Warden 1928 East 173rd Place South Holland, Illinois 60473 Phone: (708) 418-1525 Email: sackman53@yahoo.com Steven R. Coleman, #99 Grand Junior Warden 851 Huntley Woods Drive Crete, Illinois 60417 Phone: (773) 793-6184 Email: coleman.steven@sbcglobal.net Daryl L. Andrews, #91 Grand Treasurer Email: darylandrews357@gmail.com Sean E. Queen, #91 Grand Secretary 809 East 42 nd Place Chicago, Il 60653 (773) 373-2725 Tony D. Stafford Sr., #128 Grand Lecturer Mobile: (312) 714-8136 Email: TonyD.stafford@yahoo.com Grand Auditors s James R. Jones, #23 Leroy R. Berry, #98 Keith Roach, #116 Bill Harlan, #1 01 May 2016 MOST WORSHIPFUL PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS ~ STATE OF ILLINOIS 809 East 42nd Place (Prince Hall Way)~ Chicago, IL 60653-2900 PH: (773) 373-2725 ~ FAX: (773) 624-6031 www.mwphglil.com Office of MW Bro. Dwayne A. Smith, Grand Master Giving honor to God who is the Giver of all Good things: to Aubrey K. Barlow Deputy Grand Master, Roland G. Simon Grand Senior Warden, Steven R. Coleman Grand Junior Warden, Past Grand Masters, All Elected and Appointed Grand Lodge Officers, Past Masters, Worshipful Masters, Wardens and Brethren PROCLAMATION Be it now known that I, Dwayne A. Smith, as Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge do hereby summons all Grand Lodge Officers, Past Masters, Worshipful Masters and Representatives of All Subordinate Lodges who hold allegiance to this governing body, to the Sesquicentennial Communication of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Illinois which will convene at 8:00am o clock at the Windham Hotel, 700 East Adam Street in Springfield, Illinois 62701 on August 3, 2016. All annual reports from all officers will be received, the State of the Craft reviewed and all such other business that may regularly and legally come before this Grand Lodge will be transacted. Additionally, as this is the 150th meeting of our Grand Body we have a celebratory observation of the same. All Lodges must submit their 4th quarter report and their Annual Returns report for the period July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016, typed and properly completed, signed by the Worshipful Master and attested to by the Lodge Secretary with the Lodge seal affixed thereto. A copy of these reports must be on file in the office of the Grand Secretary and the Annual Returns Office no later than June 30, 2016. This will ensure that all eligible members are legally seated at this Grand Lodge Session. All reports of officers and committees must be typed, a copy forwarded to the Grand Master and a copy to the Grand Secretary, by June 30, 2016. This proclamation is issued by the authority invested in me by the By-Laws of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Acceptable Masons in the State of Illinois, Article 1 Section 1. Issued under my hand and seal on May 1, 2016 and is to be read at all May, June and July meetings of Subordinate Lodges. Take due notice and govern yourselves accordingly. Grand Trustees s Cordale Brown, #14 Charles Caples Jr., #134 John Bobby D Dillard Hewitt Douglass, #3 Grand CCFC Most Worshipful Brother Otis W. Cromartie Sr., #147 Past Grand Master 3007 19th Place North Chicago, Illinois 60064 Yours in Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth, Brother Dwayne A. Smith Most Worshipful Grand Master
of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois The calls to service and charity are two of the major ideals that are acted upon by the Officers and Members of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois and its subordinate Lodges. Masons serve in multiple capacities in various locations across the State of Illinois. With a presence in each quadrant of the state, acts of charity and other services are performed to make the communities in which Masons live and those communities that Masons serve better places for all. Finances are a major portion of the efforts as funds help to determine the ability of our organization to introduce proactive solutions or to react in a large way. As such, Most Worshipful Brother Dwayne A. Smith, Grand Master of Illinois Prince Hall Masons, is looking for CENTURIONS FOR SERVICE. Join the Century Club with your donation of $100.00 and help the Grand Lodge perform more charitable works. You may do so through one of the following methods: 1. Make your payment electronically via PayPal on the Grand Lodge website at www.mwphglil.com. Click the Buy Now button on the Century Club page: 2. Mail your check or money order made payable to "MWPHGL of ILLINOIS" to: o MWPHGL of IL o Attn: CENTURY CLUB o 809 East 42nd Place o Chicago, Illinois 60653 You will receive a certificate of membership into the Grand Master's Century Club within 30 days of your donation. Thank you in advance for your donation and participation. Daryl L. Andrews Grand Treasurer
April 30, 2016 To the Brethren of the MWPHGL, Regarding the 1st and 2nd Quarter Audit Report presented at the Mid-Year Session, the Grand Lodge Secretary and Treasurer have retrieved the missing documentation. The documentation supported expenses incurred for the 2015 Unification Session. This documentation was not readily available to the Auditing Committee during the audit phase. These supporting documents were located and turned over to the Auditing Committee for inspection. The Auditing Committee inspected and accepted the documentation as satisfactorily serving as support of the discrepancy identified for the 1st and 2nd Quarter. The Audit Committee has presented recommendations to the Office of the Grand Secretary and Grand Treasurer to avoid future occurrences of this nature. The actual figures to support this summary are available in the Financial Office for your inspection and you may set an appointment with any Grand Auditor. Fraternally submitted, Leroy Berry James Jones, II Bill Harlan Keith Roach, Sr.