What’s happening in the Valley of Olympia

By Kris Graap

March 7, Saturday – 9am Conferral of the 18th through 32nd degrees
March 11 – 7:30 Lodge of Perfection; Dinner at 6:30
March 25 – 7:30 Consistory; Dinner at 6:30


Come support our new Brothers Chris Stanley and Pete Bezy as they receive their obligatory 18th, 30th, and 32nd degrees this next Saturday, March 7. The Masonic Center should be open around 8:30 or so with coffee and fat pills, with the 18th degree commencing at 9am. We will break for lunch around noon, and conclude with the 32nd degree following. It means a lot to both the casts and the new Brothers to have a great turnout, so find a Brother to carpool and come on out! See you then!

Our Cap and Ring Ceremony, open to the public, will be held Wednesday, March 11. VM Casper LeBlanc does a beautiful oratory on “If Your Ring Could Speak”, but it sounds even better when it resonates off on a great crowd! (Hint, hint!) In addition to the presentation of their 14th degree ring and cap, each of our newly obligated Brothers will be enrolled in the Master Craftsman program courtesy of the Valley.
(As a note, the Master Craftsman Program is sponsored by our Supreme Council and is open to all Brothers. If interested in learning more about our Rite, degrees, and history, you can enroll through the website www.scottishrite.org. The cost is nominal, particularly considering that it includes an outstanding text easily worth the entire cost.)

Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 8. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour.

Coming Up – April 8 is our Remembrance and Renewal Ceremony. The extinguishing and re-lighting of the lights is an ecumenical ceremony, and is open to all family and friends. Once known as Maundy Thursday and obligatory, it is nonetheless a most important date on our Scottish Rite calendar. The team sincerely hopes that you’ll mark the date and join us. And, if you need any more incentive, Ill. Br. Secretary Skip reminds that the Lodge will pick up the tab for the dinner for our Ladies.

For the Good of the Order

• If you know of a friend or Brother in financial need, please contact our Valley Almoner, Br. Rick Bonnell at 360-491-4959. If the need is genuine, we want to try to help!

• Don’t forget our new website; at www.olympiascottishrite.org Add it to your “Favorites”.

• It’s late, but not too late to join the reunion at Guthrie. I understand fifteen area Brothers are heading towards Sooner-land. If I can get my ducks in a row, there will be at least sixteen! This has always been tremendous Masonic experience!

If the timing for Guthrie doesn’t work, or you’d like to see the work of another Orient, our Sovereign Grand Inspector General William R. Miller suggests another reunion from April 15-18. The combined Orients of North and South Carolina will sponsor a 29 Degree Reunion in Charlotte, NC. Charlotte is a pretty easy trip from Seattle and the degrees will be done under the auspices of the Supreme Council's ritual committee. SGIG Bill will be there and would love to have company from Washington.

If interested and for further details, see Illustrious Brother Secretary Skip Sanford, 33°. (skipkathryn@aol.com or 360-280-4108.)


Finally, a few words about Fidelity and Duty

Brothers, many of us just witnessed again the presentation of the 4th Degree, Secret Master. Among the lessons espoused in that Degree are the importance and obligation of fidelity and duty. As Albert Pike stated (Morals and Dogma p. 111-12) “Weigh well what it is you promise; but once the promise and pledge are given remember that he who is false to his obligation will be false to his family, his friends, his country, and to God.”
Let us remember that we, as Scottish Rite Masons, have promised and pledged to support the Rite, our Orient, our Valley, and our Brother. It is the fact that we take our obligations seriously that makes Scottish Rite more than a mere club. While each of us has a different cable tow, let us take a moment to ask ourselves just what our personal promise and pledge is truly worth as it relates to our Valley programs. Brothers rightfully want and deserve quality dinners, programs, and degrees. However, that only happens when we all pitch in and honor our commitments. It is terribly demoralizing to those Brothers who step up to serve as an Officer, arrange for a lunch or dinner, organize a work-party, or head up a program to have a Brother say ‘yes’, and then fail to follow through. Obviously, once in a while we all fall short; but Brothers, let’s remember that when we make a commitment we are duty-bound to keep it. We owe it both to the Rite and to our reputation as a Mason.

Fraternally,
Kris