Hello Everyone, it's your friendly neighborhood Valley Secretary with an update.
So what's going on?
This past Thursday evening the Valley's Executive Committee met and some changes were made regarding our 2017 Fall Reunion:
Due to the Blue Lodge One Day Class event on 23 September, we have cancelled our 15 September Fall Reunion opener. This will give us a chance to have our Membership Team present on September 23rd to recruit from the One Day Class.
Our Fall Reunion will now begin on Friday, 27 October. Yes, that is the fourth Friday instead of our usual 3rd Friday. The Grand Lodge had mistakenly scheduled another event on the same evening as our Reunion meeting, so they've asked us to move our meeting to the following week.
That evening we will present to the Class, the 4°, the 16° and the 18°.
Our Fall Class is named in honor of Ill. Mark Haines, 33°, Right Worshipful Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. He will be with us on Friday, 17 November, which in itself will be a BIG night for our Valley.
Why? Well, not only do we have the Grand Secretary honoring our Valley with his appearance, but we will also welcome the Valley of Chicago including their Fall Class!
The Classes will be 'merged' to witness a yet to be named Degree presented by a Cast from the Valley of Chicago, followed by the conferral of the 32° by our Valley. Get that date on your calendar now and plan to be here!
Regarding the date change for the 4°, I will be sending out a letter to the Cast members with the new rehearsal dates and times and they will also be posted the calendar on the Valley's web site.
Don't forget the Pennsylvania Council of Deliberation's Annual Convocation on Saturday, 8 July at the Valley Forge Casino Resort, 1160 1st Avenue, King of Prussia, PA. The Convocation opens at 1:30 PM. Members of the Council are all the current Presiding and Elected Line Officers, all Past Presiding Officers, 33° members and MSA recipients. But, all Scottish Rite Masons are welcome to attend. The dress code is business suit or sport coat and tie. For those that are registered, lunch will be served at 12PM in the Independence Ballroom, Lower Level and the evening banquet will be served in the Delaware Room at 6:30 PM. Registration was required for those meals. If you didn't register by the 8 June deadline, you will not be served a lunch or dinner but you can still attend the meeting. It always looks good for the Valley to have a large representation present. Come on out!
Again this year. Bro. Norman Greene, 32° MSA and myself will be hosting the State Hospitality Room (Bar Foyer and South Ballroom-Lobby Level) from 9:30 until 11:30 AM on Saturday morning. Stop on by and say Hey!
Bro. Yasser AlKhatib, 32° MSA, our Sovereign Prince and the other Officers of DeJoinville Council, Princes of Jerusalem, 16° hope to welcome you and your family at the Valley's Family Summer Picnic on Saturday, 29 July in the picnic grove at Cannstatter Volkfest Verein, 9130 Academy Road, Philadelphia, PA, 19114.
The day begins at 12PM. We will have entertainment, including new this year; a DJ, games and activities for the kids (of all ages) all day. Lunch and dinner will be served. The lunch menu includes: hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, sauerkraut, cole slaw, baked beans, french fries with all the trimmings. For dinner: Eggplant Parmigiana, fried chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, cucumber salad, tomato salad and corn on the cob. The cost per person is $15 for those 13 and over and $10 for 12 and under. The picnic is over at 5PM
Again this year, we are inviting you to bring along a non-Scottish Rite Mason, a Master Mason, whose admission is free. He is welcome to bring his family along for the regular admission price. Our Membership Team will be on hand to welcome him and to speak with him about Scottish Rite and the Valley of Philadelphia.
Tickets are required for everyone. Including your Master Mason friend. Our Council Officers will exchange your ticket for a bracelet that day indicating that you've paid to attend.
Tickets can be ordered by mail. Send your check to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520. Make your checks payable to Scottish Rite Bodies.
Soon you will receive your bill for your 2018 Scottish Rite Dues. When I had the Supreme Council run our dues the other day we still had 142 Brethren that hadn't paid their 2017 Dues.
Remember our new by-laws indicate that a member owing one years dues will be suspended following the May Reunion meeting. If you are one of these 142 members please remit your dues. We didn't suspend you as we couldn't until our by-laws were adopted by the Valley; so essentially you are being given a one year grace period to get current. If your dues are not paid in full by our May 2018 Reunion meeting, you will be suspended as will all Valley Brethren still owing their 2018 Dues.
If you are having trouble paying your dues, please contact me in the Scottish Rite Office. We can work out something to help you retain your Scottish Rite Membership.
Our BIG event of the year, The Feast of Tishri happens on Friday, 6 October at Twining Hall at the Trevose Fire Company, 4900 Street Road, Trevose, PA.
Our very special guest keynote speaker for the evening will be Ill. Thomas Gamon IV, 33°, Right Worshipful Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
This is a men only black tie event. Business suits are acceptable for those Brethren that do not own a tuxedo. All Masons are welcome to purchase tickets to attend. Perhaps you can get a table together from your Lodge or another Masonic body. Tickets at $65 per person.
The evening begins at 6PM with the Social Hour (cash bar) featuring butlered hors d'oeuvres. A delicious buffet dinner will be served at 7PM. Everyone attending will receive a souvenir wine glass from which you will take your toasts during the event.
Tickets are available by mail to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19017-2520. This is a not to be missed event!
I've begun work on the 2017-18 Valley Officers and Committees Directory. There are still a few of our Officers and Committee members out there that have not returned their information form to the Valley Office. These were due on Monday, 19 June. You were provided with an addressed postage paid return envelope with your form. Please get it in NOW. The sooner I have everything the sooner the Directory gets out to YOU. Thank you for your expected cooperation. I'd rather not leave you out of the Directory or publish the wrong information, but the longer I have to wait that is a possibility.
And, that's the news!
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