Spring Things!

Brethren and Friends:

I write this message with a heavy heart in the days following the funeral of our Illustrious Brother, Thomas Hopkins, 33, Past Thrice Potent Master of Philadelphia Lodge of Perfection. Tom's impact on the Valley of Philadelphia was very prominent.

He served as the presiding officer of the Lodge of Perfection in 2010-11 and also served on a number of Valley Committees. He will probably be best remembered however for his work with the Board of Governors of the Philadelphia Children's Dyslexia Center. It was through his chairmanship of the annual, "A Toast to Reading," that many of the needed funds to operate the Center were raised.

Our Brother was so honored by the Valley of Philadelphia and the Supreme Council when he was coroneted a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33 at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Supreme Council for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction held at Boston, MA.

Stay tuned for news regarding this year's "Toast" as it will, beginning this year, honor our Brother's work and his memory.

We ask the Grand Architect bless our Brother and be with his family during this most difficult time.

If you wish to send a card or note to the family, contact the Scottish Rite Office for addressing information.

If you were present at the March 16th Special Communication of Philadelphia Lodge of Perfection, you not only saw some great Degree work (Especially the PHENOMENAL Cast that put on the 8th Degree. I was particularly impressed by the performance of the guy that played role of King Hiram of Tyre!), but you also saw the large Class of Candidates we have going through the Degrees.  Congrats again to all of them for selecting our Valley to assist them in their search for further Masonic Light and also to our Candidate Recommenders. Great work as always guys!

The aforementioned Class will be back with us for the Spring Special Convocation of DeJoinville Council  and the Spring Special Assembly of Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix on Friday, April 20, 2012 and you should be there too!

The evening begins with dinner in the Grand Banquet Room at 6PM. A buffet dinner featuring a Roast Turkey Carving Station will be served. The Special Convocation opens at 7:30 PM at which time the 16th Degree, Prince of Jerusalem will be presented. The Special Assembly follows, in which the Officers of Kilwinning Chapter will present the 18th Degree, Knight of Rose Croix.

Before the commencement of the Degree work, we will pause for a moment to recognize two of our Valley's leaders, Illustrious Brothers and Past Commanders-in-Chief, Anthony J. Garvey and G. Kent Hackney, 33. It is appropriate to honor them both on this night as they are both also Past Most Wise Masters of Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix. Our Illustrious Deputy, Russell W. Baker, 33, is expected to be with us as well. Come out and welcome him.

Call the Scottish Rite Office at 215-563-1814 for more information or to make your dinner reservations BEFORE the 18 April Deadline!

If you are interested in getting more involved in the Valley or maybe just in learning what might be expected of you should desire to get more active, why not register to attend our Annual Officer's Training Conference on Saturday, April 14th at Tacony Masonic Temple? If you have any desire to serve the Valley in virtually any capacity, there will be something you will glean from the Conference that will assist and enable you to become a DYNAMIC Scottish Rite/Masonic Leader.

The day kicks off at 7:30 AM with a Continental Breakfast. The Conference begins at 8:30 AM and will conclude by 12PM at which time lunch will be served.

All Valley Officers, both elected and appointed are expected to attend. Valley Committee members and Degree Cast members should plan to be there too. If you are interested in attending, call the Scottish Rite Office at 215-563-1814 to register. You can also register through the Valley's Facebook group page by going to either one of the two Conference event postings and click the "Going" button.

Ill. Robert J. Bateman, 33, RWDGM, and the other Officers of Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix, hope to see you and your family at the Valley of Philadelphia's Annual Memorial Service on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at Gloria Dei (Old Swede's) Church, Columbus Blvd & Christian Street in South Philadelphia.

The Service which memorializes our Valley Brethren lost over the past year, will again be lead by The Reverend and Ill. William D. Hartman, 33. Bro. Bill always has an inspiring and meaningful message to impart. Following the Service a COMPLIMENTARY dinner awaits you and your family in the Church's Social Hall, but (isn't there always a but?), you must have a dinner reservation. To make a reservation, you can call 215-563-1814, send an email to phila.aasr@juno.com or by going to the Memorial Service event page through the Valley's Facebook group page and click the "Going" button. Remember, if you do not have a reservation, we cannot, will not, can't, won't, and shouldn't guarantee you a meal. Don't miss out!

We have been invited to have a Valley table at the Shiloh Lodge No. 558 Annual Banquet. The banquet will be held on Monday, April 30, 2012 at the William Penn Inn, 1017 DeKalb Pike, Gwynedd, PA 19436. The special guest speaker for this event is R.W. Bro. James W. Daniel, MA,PhD, Past Grand Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England.

The Executive Committee voted not to purchase a table for this event as we have other financial attentions at the moment. However, if any Valley member is interested in going and coordinating with other Valley members to sit together at the banquet as a representative delegation of the Valley of Philadelphia, we can work to put this effort together through the Scottish Rite Office.

The three course dinner (with wine) is for Masons only. Jacket and tie are required. The choice of entree is Capon Marsala or Blackberry Barbecued Pork. The cost per person is $40. Make your check payable to "Shiloh Lodge No. 558." Contact the Scottish Rite Office for addressing information. DO NOT SEND ANY CHECKS FOR THIS EVENT TO THE SCOTTISH RITE OFFICE.

The Valley's next big Family Life event is right around the corner! Well, actually right over the river! The Valley's Family Day at Campbell's Field featuring the Camden River Sharks vs the Somerset Patriots, is scheduled for Sunday, June 3, 2012.

This Family Life event is open to all Valley members, their families, and Masonic friends. The cost per person for tickets is $12 for ages 13 and up and $6 for ages 12 and under. For an additional $10 per ticket you can order a River Sharks ball cap with "Valley of Philadelphia" on the back.

We again have the picnic pavilion for this outing which means your ticket entitles you to a half-hour of food before the game and an hour and a half during the game.

This will be our third year with the River Sharks. The past two years have been sell outs. Don't be left out! Look for the ticket order coupon in your April issue of THE DOUBLE EAGLE!

Supreme Council is producing a video to celebrate the bicentennial celebration in 2013. One scene in this video wil feature US, the Valley of Philadelphia singing the National Anthem and "God Bless America." We are in the process of coordinating a date for the shooting. It will most likely be a Saturday afternoon and will be at the Grand Lodge. We need about 60 Brethren to participate. Once the details are finalized I will let you know so that you can sign up to be a part of the show!

Well that will do it for this edition. I want to wish all of our Brethren and Friends a joyous and peaceful Easter/Passover Season.  May the Grand Architect continue to bless and watch over each of you and your families.

God Bless Ill. Bro. Thomas Hopkins and offer His Divine Comfort to Tom's family during this most difficult time.

Sincere fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33
Valley Secretary

It's Been Awhile

Dear Brethren and Friends:

It has been awhile since the last “Across My Desk, the web edition,” so here goes.

First to our Jewish Brethren and their families I want to say, Happy Purim! and to our Irish Brethren and their families, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Second, it is my unfortunate duty to announce that the Showboat Hotel and Casino Bus Trip scheduled for Sunday, March 25, 2012 has been cancelled. Sorry folks but we just didn’t get enough interest in the trip to make it a go. Refunds will be forthcoming.

Don’t forget to “SPRING FORWARD” on Sunday, March 11, 2012!

The beginning of our Spring Reunion is just around the corner. The Spring Special Communication of Philadelphia Lodge of Perfection, 14° kicks things off on Friday, March 16, 2012.

Ill. Robert J. Burns, 33°, Thrice Potent Master and the Officers look forward to welcoming  you, your lady and the members of the Ill. Armando M. Duran, 33° Memorial Class. The Degrees to be presented that evening include, the 4° (DVD format), the 8°, Intendant of the Building, and the 14°, Grand Elect Mason. The 8° features an interesting and historic story from the Solomonic era. Don’t miss it!

The evening begins with a buffet dinner featuring a Roast Beef carving station in the Grand Banquet Hall at 6:00 PM. The cost per person for dinner is still a great value at $15 per person. The deadline for dinner reservations is Wednesday, March 14, 2012. You can make a reservation either by calling 215-563-1814, or by email to: phila.aasr@juno.com or through the Valley’s Facebook group page by clicking on “Events,” then “Spring Special Communication” then, “Going.” Remember all dinner reservations made past the deadline and walk up dinners the night of the Communication now cost $25 per person. Don’t let this happen to you!

As always the Ladies of the Valley will have a fun program planned so be sure to bring your lady along for a great night!

Speaking of our Spring Class, as you know by now, I always say that a Class isn’t a “successful” Class until it has at least 20 Candidates. As this Class is named in memory of my friend and our Illustrious Brother,  Armando M. Duran, 33°, and as he was the first line signer for 33 Valley members, 20 petitions wasn’t going to cut it. We need at least to match the total number of our Illustrious honoree in new Candidates. Well as of today, we have 30 Candidates, so we still have some work to do! Speak with that Master Mason friend of yours and invite him to become a member of “Pennsylvania Freemasonry’s Best Kept Secret!” To our Master Mason followers, if you’re interested in becoming a member, petitions are always available on our Valley web site at http://www.philascottishrite.org/printable_petition.htm If you need more information, give me a call at 215-563-1814.

Remember that starting with the 2012 Spring Class all Candidates will receive the Supreme Council Bicentennial Jewel. Be sure to mention that to your prospect!

The Challenge Update: As of right now, NOT ONE of the 33 Brethren Armando was the recommender for has brought in a petition for the Class. What’s with you guys? Is this anyway to honor his memory? LETS GO!

All Elected and Appointed Officers, Committee Members are reminded about our Annual Officer’s Training Conference on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the Tacony Masonic Temple, 4400 Magee Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia.

ANY Valley Member interested in getting more active or involved in the Valley are welcome and encouraged to attend the Conference!

The doors open and a complimentary Continental Breakfast will be served at 7:30 AM. The Conference begins at 8:30 AM. The Half Day format includes the topics; Finance/Budgets, Family Life, Membership, the Supreme Council Bicentennial, Masonic Protocol, and the Children’s Dyslexia Centers, plus ANY and ALL questions you may have. The Conference will conclude at noon, at which time a complimentary lunch will be served.

If you are interested in attending, you must register. You can do that by calling 215-563-1814 or by email to: phila.aasr@juno.com

As always the dress code for the Conference is Business Casual. Remember, this Conference is definitely worth your time if you plan to become active in the Valley. Did I mention that a Candidate for the Spring Class, who will only be a 14° Mason the day of the Conference has already signed up? Well, he did! You’ve got to love that sort of enthusiasm!

Our Spring Reunion continues on Friday evening, April 20, 2012 with the Spring Special Convocation of DeJoinville Council, Princes of Jerusalem, 16° and the Special Assembly of Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix, 18°. The Degrees to be presented that night are the 16°, Prince of Jerusalem (featuring Bro. Peter B. Lavelle, 32° in a starring role!) and the 18°, Knight of Rose Croix.

Also, our State Deputy, Ill. Russell W. Baker, 33° will be present that evening as we will take a moment to recognize the commitment and leadership of Illustrious Bros. Anthony J. Garvey and G. Kent Hackney, 33°. Congratulations Bud and Kent! You guys deserve this!

Ill. Robert J. Bateman, 33°, Most Wise Master and the other Officers of Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix, want to welcome you and your family at the Valley’s Annual Memorial Service on Sunday, April 29, 2012. This year’s Service will begin at 3PM at Gloria Dei (Old Swede’s) Church, Columbus Blvd & Christian Street in South Philadelphia. As always, a complimentary dinner will follow in the Church’s Social Hall, but again like ALWAYS, a dinner reservation is required. Call the Scottish Rite Office at 215-563-1814 to register!

The Spring Reunion will conclude on Friday, May 11, 2012 with the Special Rendezvous of Benjamin Franklin Consistory. The Degrees to be presented that evening are the 30°, Grand Inspector (YES, this is an OFFICIAL Scottish Rite Passport ALERT!), the 31° Knight Aspirant and the 32°, Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret.

Our Commander-in-Chief, Ill. Raymond G. Brown will be making a special presentation that evening to Mrs. Duran. You definitely will want to be there for that.

Our Family Life Chairman, Bro. James C. Rae, 32°, MSA wants me to remind everyone about our upcoming Family Day at Campbell’s Field on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 1:06PM.

This Family Life event is open to all Valley Members, their Families and Masonic friends. The cost per person is $12 for ages 13 and up and $6 for ages 12 and under. For an additional $10 per ticket you can purchase a River Sharks baseball cap with “Valley of Philadelphia” on the back.

Campbell’s Field has a “Kids Zone,” with lots of fun activities for the little folks to enjoy including a carousel, moon bounce, and rock climbing wall.  For the rest of us there is exciting Atlantic League baseball action as the River Sharks take on the Somerset Patriots.

We again have the picnic pavilion for this Valley outing, which means your ticket entitles you to a half hour of food before the game and an hour and a half during the game.

You want to go? Send your check payable to “Scottish Rite Bodies,” to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520, Be sure to include how many adult and how many kids tickets you need.

From the amount of phone calls and emails I’ve received, it seems like everyone has read their March Double Eagle and are eager to purchase a Supreme Council Bicentennial Jewel. Please understand that at this point I have not received any information other than the fact that the Jewel will cost $25 and all 32° Brethren are entitled to wear one. I promise, once Supreme Council releases information on how and when to order the Jewel, it will be published in THE DOUBLE EAGLE and right here on “Across My Desk, the web edition. Be Patient!

Well that will do it for this edition.

As always I pray that the Grand Architect watches over all of you and your families.

Sincere fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33°

Valley Secretary

A Few Updates For You

Dear Brethren and Friends:

As always I hope this update finds you well.

I received word this morning that Bro. Bill Fairman, 32° is undergoing chemotherapy. Bro. Bill is long time active Valley member and a consistent Candidate recommender.

If you wish to send him a card or note, please contact me in the Scottish Rite Office for his information.

Please keep our Brother in your thoughts and prayers.

2012 SPRING CLASS PETITION COUNT UPDATE: We now have 6 petitions for the Class. Keep them coming in! Remember we have a goal of  33 Candidates for this Class. Can we make it happen? Yes, we can!

Bro. Jim Rae, 32°, MSA has announced a new update to our Valley Family Day at Campbell’s Field on Sunday, June 3, 2012, a River Sharks baseball cap with “Valley of Philadelphia” on the back!

Tickets will be available soon in the Scottish Rite Office and the March 2012 issue of The Double Eagle will have an order form.

Same as last year, the tickets will cost $12 for persons ages 13 and up and $6 for folks 12 and under. For an additional $10 per ticket you can get the River Sharks-Valley of Philadelphia cap to wear to the game!

This will be our third year having the picnic/baseball game with the River Sharks. The last two years have sold out, and with this new update, tickets will no doubt be in demand. Don’t be left out! Watch your March Double Eagle for ordering information!

Well that’s all I have for now. Do me a favor will you? Tell your friends about “Across My Desk-the web edition.” Lets get the word out about how great it is to be a member of the Scottish Rite and the Valley of Philadelphia!

Please continue to remember Ill. Charles H. Myers, 33° and Bro. William Fairman, 32° in your prayers. God Bless them both.

May the Grand Architect continue to watch over all of you and your families.

Sincere fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33°

Valley Secretary

Thinking Spring in January!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Well, I hope the new year is treating you well so far. Hey, how can we complain we’re SNOW FREE!

Our Sovereign Prince, Bro. Steve Bradley, 32° has announced the Valley’s Spring bus trip. It will be on Sunday, March 25, 2012 and is headed to the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City.

All Valley members, their Ladies and Master Mason friends are welcome to participate in this outing. The buses, that’s right there’s two of them scheduled, will depart from LuLu Shriners, 5140 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting and Tacony Masonic Temple, 4400 Magee Avenue in NE Philadelphia at 9:00 A.M.

The cost per person (18 and older please and be sure to have a photo id with you) is $25 with the Casino giving you back $30 (read-FREE MONEY!!!). The buses will depart for home at 4:00 P.M.

Make your check payable to “Scottish Rite Bodies” and send it to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520. Be sure to put “Casino Trip” and your boarding location on your check’s memo line.

I received an update regarding the Abbott Scottish Rite Scholarships. According to our Deputy, Ill. Russell W. Baker, 33°, grandchildren are eligible to apply for the Scholarship if, the grandfather (who must be a Scottish Rite Mason in the Northern Jurisdiction) can claim the grandchild as a full dependent.

Abbott Scottish Rite Scholarship applications are available by writing (yes, your email is sufficient) to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520 or by email to phila.aasr@juno.com The Deadline for submitting applications is Friday, March 16, 2012.

Do you know what else happens on Friday, March 16^th? That’s right our Spring Reunion begins!  We have a LOT of WORK to do! As of today we have a grand total of 5 candidates for that Class.  I spoke to a few of the guys in my Lodge last week and I’ve got petitions coming in, which I need to follow up on.

Remember our Spring Class Honoree is our late Brother, Ill. Armando M. Duran, 33°. Armando was the first line signer for 33 Valley Members. We need to match his effort at the very least.  To best his 33 would be a spectacular tribute to our Brother’s memory. Lets get to work guys.  Five candidates is not acceptable, we can and have done better.

How about a challenge? Lets see if the Lodge of Perfection Line is truly greater than the Rose Croix Line as they proclaim. Can the 14° recommend more Candidates than the 18°? Or how about the Council Line challenging both the 14° and 18°? Don’t forget the Consistory. They have more Officers than the other three lines but can they get more Candidates?

As you know by now I always say it’s not a “successful” Class unless we have 20 or more Candidates, well with only 5 right now the task lies in front of us. Pick up your working tools Brethren and get the job done.

Valley Officers both Elected and Appointed as well as Committee Members are reminded to put the Annual Officers Training Conference on your calendar.  This year’s Conference is scheduled for Saturday, April  14, 2012 at the Tacony Masonic Temple, 4400 Magee Avenue in NE Philadelphia. Please visit http://www.philascottishrite.org/announceofficer_training.htm for more information.

Any Valley member that is desirous of getting more actively involved in the Valley are welcome and encouraged to attend the Conference. Call the Scottish Rite Office to register your attendance.

Don’t forget our Annual Memorial Service on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at the historic Gloria Dei (Old Swede’s ) Church, Columbus Blvd & Christian Streets in South Philadelphia.

The Service held to memorialize our Valley Brethren lost during the past year, is one of the most important events on our annual calendar. All Valley Officers, Elected and Appointed should plan to be there.

As always a complimentary dinner will follow the Service in the Church’s social hall. Reservations are required for the dinner. Be sure to call 215-563-1814 to reserve your dinners.

Tickets will be available soon for the Valley’s Family Day at Campbell’s Field. Once again we will have the picnic section of the ballpark for a great day of Atlantic League Baseball action featuring the Camden River Sharks vs the Somerset Patriots. Please click on over to http://www.philascottishrite.org/announcefamily_life.htm for more information.

Get these dates on your calendar now:

Friday, March 16^th-Spring Special Communication of Philadelphia Lodge of Perfection. 4° (DVD),8° and 14° presented

Sunday, March 25^th-Showboat Casino –Atlantic City Bus Trip

Saturday, April 14^th-Annual Officer’s Training Conference, Tacony Masonic Temple, 4400 Magee Avenue, NE Philadelphia

Friday, April 20^th-DeJoinville Council Princes of Jerusalem, Spring Special Convocation, Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix, Spring Special Assembly. 16° & 18° presented

Sunday, April 29^th-Annual Memorial Service, Gloria Dei Church, Columbus Blvd & Christian Street

Friday, May 11^th-Spring Special Rendezvous, Benjamin Franklin Consistory, 30° (Scottish Rite Passport ALERT!), 31° and 32° presented.

Friday, May 18^th-Annual Meeting of the Scottish Rite Bodies, recognition of our 50-year members, Election and Installation of Officers for Philadelphia Lodge of Perfection, DeJoinville Council, Princes of Jerusalem & Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix, plus 1 Trustee and 1 At-Large Member (33°) of the Executive Committee.

Sunday, June 3^rd-Valley of Philadelphia Family Day at Campell’s Field, Camden River Sharks vs  Somerset Patriots.

Well that will do it for this edition. May the Grand Architect continue to watch over all of you and your families.

Don’t forget to keep the prayers coming for Ill. Charles H. Myers. 33°.

Sincere fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33°

Valley Secretary

Happy New Year!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Happy New Year! Lets hope that 2012 is a great year for each of you, your families and our Valley!

While I'm on the subject of "new," congratulations go out to the new Grand Lodge Officers and in particular our Most Wise Master, Ill. Robert J. Bateman, 33, on his election and installation as Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master. Way to go Bob!

Despite the cold temperatures, Spring is just over the horizon and along with it is our 2012 Spring Reunion.

The Reunion begins with the Special Communication of Philadelphia Lodge of Perfection, on Friday evening, March 16th. The Degrees to be presented that night are the; 4th (DVD), 8th and 14th.

The Reunion continues on Friday, April 18, 2012. DeJoinville Council, Princes of Jerusalem and Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix, will present the 16th and 18th Degrees respectively as part of the Spring Special Convocation and Special Assembly.

The Spring Reunion concludes on Friday, May 11, 2012, when Benjamin Franklin Consistory presents the 30th (Scottish Rite Passport ALERT!!!), 31st and 32nd Degrees.

As I've reported before the Class is named in memory of our late Illustrious Bro. Armando M. Duran, 33.

Lets all do our part to honor him with a large Class. He was the first line recommender of 33 Valley Members. It would be great to match his efforts and even better to have more.

SPECIAL CHALLENGE: To those 33 members who Armando recommended, why not honor the man who brought you to Scottish Rite by doing the same for another Brother. Can you think of a better way to say "Thank You?"

Also this Spring:

Don't forget that the Deadline for submitting applications for the Abbott Scottish Rite Scholarship is Friday, March 16, 2012.

They've changed the eligibility requirements to apply for the Scholarship: Those now eligible are; a child of a Scottish Rite Mason in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction or a member of DeMolay,. Rainbow or Job's Daughters who is a currently enrolled freshman, sopohmore, junior or senior of an accredited college or university, with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. Please note that grandchildren are no longer eligible to apply.

To obtain an application, write to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520.

The Valley's Annual Officer's Training Conference will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the Tacony Masonic Temple, 4400 Magee Avenue, in Northeast Philadelphia.

A Continental Breakfast will be served at 7:30 AM and the Conference begins at 8:30 AM. It is expected to conclude at noon.

All Elected and Appointed Officers are expected to attend. Valley Committee Members should plan to attend and any Valley Member is interested in becoming more active and involved is encouraged to attend.

See your December 2011 issue of The Double Eagle for a reservation coupon or call 215-563-1814.

Kilwinning Chapter of Rose Croix will again host the Valley's Annual Memorial Service on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at Gloria Dei (Old Swede's) Church, Columbus Blvd & Christian Street.

The Service begins at 3:00 PM and a complimentary dinner will be served in the Church's social hall following. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED! Please use the reservation coupon in the December Double Eagle or call 215-563-1814.

All Valley Elected and Appointed Officers should plan on attending the Service.

Our Family Life Chairman, Bro. Jim Rae, MSA is again working to put together a Valley Family Day at Campbell's Field. The event which features a catered picnic and some great minor league baseball action featuring the Camden River Sharks, has been a popular event in the Valley. Information will be available soon. Don't miss out!

Jim is also working on plans for an event at the Cape May County Zoo. Stay tuned.

Well that will do it for now. Again, Happy New Year everyone!

Sincere fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33
Valley Secretary

It's beginning to look a lot like. . .

Brethren and Friends:

WOW! If you missed the Valley's Holiday Celebration Dinner last Friday evening, you missed a fantastic night. The meal was very good, the fellowship with the Brethren, Ladies and Children's Dyslexia Center Staff was great. From the comments I received at the event and in the days following, everyone had an enjoyable evening. With the Auctions, some nice money was raised to support the efforts of the Children's Dyslexia Center too. Thanks to everyone who participated!

I received some sad news yesterday. Our Past Commander-in-Chief, Ill. Charles H. Myers, 33, has been sent home from the hospital and placed in hospice care. Illustrious Bro. Chuck and Lady Shirley have been dedicated members of our Valley and Ladies Auxiliary respectively. Chuck is a  great Masonic leader, he has served our Valley and his Lodge to the highest of standards. Please keep both him and Shirley in your prayers during this most difficult time.

Our Jewish Brethren and their families are currently celebrating Hanukkah or "the Festival of Lights," to them we say, "Happy Hanukkah and best wishes of the Season!"

Even though we're in the midst of the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year Season, believe it or not our 2012 Spring Reunion is right around the corner.

Our Commander-in-Chief, Ill. Raymond G. Brown, 33, has announced that our Spring Class will be named in memory of Ill. Armando M. Duran, 33. This is a great way to honor our late beloved Brother.

Armando was supposed to receive his 33rd Degree this past August in Chicago, he received it posthumously in February when he died. It is the tradition of the Valley's 33rd Degree Members to call the nominees and congratulate them on the day they are elected to receive the Degree. When we called Armando, I think I was almost as excited for him as he was about receiving the news. I will never forget the joy in his voice. He couldn't believe that anyone would have ever considered him for the honor. In speaking with him that evening I assured him that everything he had done in the fraternity was noticed and that he was making an impact in our Valley. To have him pass away so suddenly seemed so unfair. I know that the Lord has His reasons for things that we are not intended to know, but I cannot help but think that although Armando missed his 33rd Degree conferral, naming this Class in his memory is probably the best way to honor him. Remembering his happy response to the news of his impending 33rd Degree, I know our Brother is beside himself in Heaven over this news.

Petitions have already started to come in for this Class and that's good news. As you know, I always say I don't think we have a "successful" Class until we have at least 20 petitions, well, I'm going to amend that for this Class. For this Class I would like to see 35 or more Candidates. Why? Well besides the fact that Armando was a friend of mine and I truly want this Class to honor his memory in the best way possible, Armando was the first line recommender of 33 Valley members. So we'll need 33 Candidates to match our Illustrious Brother's efforts, plus two additional Candidates, one to replace ourselves and one for the continued growth of the Valley.

All of us who had the pleasure of knowing our Illustrious Brother knew a fine man and a great Scottish Rite Mason. His sudden and unexpected loss left a void in our Valley and a hurt in our hearts that is still needs time to heal. Let each of us go forward with a determined effort to insure that this Class not only deserves to be named in his memory, but honors that memory as well.

Our State Deputy, Ill. Russell W. Baker, 33 has asked me to take on the duty of web master of the Council of Deliberation. As web master of the Valley's web site (http://www.philascottishrite.org/) I don't mind telling folks that I am a novice at building web sites, when Russ asked me build a new site for the COD, I was both shocked and flattered. The current site, http://www.pa32nddegreemasons.com/ will be coming down on the first of the year and the new site http://www.pacod.us/ will take its place. The new site is currently online if you wish you give it a glance. It is not official yet, as Illustrious Brother Russ is still giving it the look over to see if he wants any changes or additions. Trying to remain humble, I think that this is a fine honor for our Valley and I hope that my efforts do all of us justice. I am proud to be a Scottish Rite Mason and prouder still to be a member of the Valley of Philadelphia.
 
The Masonic Temple will be closing early tomorrow, and I will be on vacation until Tuesday, January 3, 2012.

I want to wish all of you and your families a very Merry Christmas or a Happy Hanukkah and of course a healthy and Happy New Year.

May the Grand Architect shine His blessings down on all of you and your families in this coming new year.

God Bless Illustrious Bro. Chuck.

Sincere fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33
Valley Secretary

Tis the Season to be Jolly!

Brethren and Friends: Well it is finally here. Tonight is our Valley's Holiday Celebration Dinner. 152 Brethren, Ladies and Children's Dyslexia Center staff purchased tickets to attend this event. It should be a great night. The evening begins at 6 PM with the Social Hour, during which you will have the opportunity to bid on some wonderful items donated by local vendors and the gift baskets created by the Valley Ladies as part of the Silent Auction to benefit our Children's Dyslexia Center. Special thanks goes out to Bro. Jerry Boardman on all his hard work in procuring the many items for this evening's Auction. Bro. Jerry recently transferred into our Valley from the Valley of Reading, and he got to right work. We are not only glad to have him but fortunate as well. Welcome again Bro. Jerry!

A buffet dinner will be served at 7 PM. Following dinner keyboardist, Craig Satchell will entertain us with his selection of standard and holiday favorites.

A visitor from the "Far Northern Jurisdiction" will also join us to award the Auction winners with their prizes.

Our Deputy, Ill. Russell W. Baker, 33 and Lady, Faye are also attending.

REMINDER: If you did not purchase tickets to the event, you cannot purchase them at the door. Sorry, but this Celebration is for every member of the Valley to enjoy, which means no one will be "working" it. There will be no stewards table selling tickets at the door. The reservation of 152 has been called in to the hotel. This represents the tickets sold for the event. If you do not have tickets, please do not just show up and expect to be seated. You have had due and timely notice of the event and its deadline. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

If you purchased tickets, I'll see you there this evening.

If you did not purchase tickets or weren't planning to attend, let me wish you at this time a very Happy Hanukkah or Merry Christmas and of course a very Happy and Healthy New Year! I pray the Grand Architect blesses all of you and your families this coming year.

Peace.

Sincerely fraternal regards,

Steven A. Morrison, 33
Valley Secretary