OASIS Spring Ceremonial 2008 - Asheboro, NC
Most of the Brothers in the Shrine Cast are Members of the Charlotte Scottish Rite. They are a very hard working bunch of great guys! We appreciate all that they do for Masonry! (and many thanks to Brother Junior Harward for this pic!)
More of this story will follow…
Summer Hours in Effect
Summer Hours: Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Closed: Friday - Sunday
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Dark (that means no Stated Meetings) for July and August, however - we will still be holding the Research Group Meetings on the second Wednesday night (as usual) in July and August.
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See the Events Tab for more info.
New - Welfare Report
Please read the most recent information on our sick and departed Brethren.
Click on the “Welfare Report” button (above).
Read the LA Times Article about Masons!
Brother Bobby Byerly posted this link to the Tar-Heel Mason E-Mail List. I thought you might enjoy it.
Freemasons in midst of popularity, membership boom. The secretive society gains a higher, hipper profile as younger men seek out a place for fraternal bonding.
Read the story in the LA Times
Pics from 2nd Annual Roger Hart Memorial Golf Tournament
Pics of the 2008 Spring Reunion
2008 Spring Reunion Class Picture
Webster’s Online Dictionary defines a “Reunion” as - 1 : an act of reuniting : the state of being reunited 2 : a reuniting of persons after separation. And “Reunite” as - Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin reunitus, past participle of reunire, from Latin re- + Late Latin unire to unite — more at unite Date: 15th century transitive verb : to bring together again intransitive verb : to come together again : rejoin
What a great REUNION we had! Scottish Rite Masons from all over our Valley came together this weekend for some of the best Degree work seen anywhere! Sincere thanks go out to all who made it possible! We had 38 petitions but 4 of them couldn’t join us, due to conflicts and medical reasons. The Candidates enjoyed the whole experience very much. Great Masonic Instruction, new friends, plus some fine food from our kitchen crew - what more could you ask for?
More pictures and commentary will follow in the next few days.
Thoughts of Condolences
I ran across this card (circa 1957) recently and I thought you might enjoy it.
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Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry
Dear Friend,
May we offer our condolences in this your Hour of Sorrow, by sharing with you that letter of our beloved Masonic Brother, Benjamin Franklin, who wrote his brother John’s bereaved widow:
A man is not completely born until he is dead.
Why then, should we grieve, that a new child is born among the immortals? We are spirits! That temporal bodies should be lent us, while they can afford us pleasure, assist us in making a living, or in acquiring knowledge, or in doing good to our fellow creatures, is a kind and benevolent act of God. When these physical bodies become unfit for these purposes, affording us pain instead of pleasure, becoming a burden instead of a blessing, it is equally kind and benevolent that God has provided a way by which we can vacate them.
Death is that way! Our friend and I were invited abroad on a party of pleasure, which is to last forever. His chair was ready first, and he is gone before us. We could not all conveniently start together; and why should you and I be grieved at this, since we are soon to follow, and know where to find him.
- Carolina Consistory A.A.S.R.
Golf Committee Update
Brothers:
Your Scottish Rite Golf Committee is working diligently on the 2nd Annual Roger Hart Memorial Children’s Learning Center Golf Tournament that will be held on May 24 at the Charlotte National Golf Club in the beautiful metropolis of Indian Trail, NC. A presentation was made to the membership at the February and March Stated meetings to solicit not only YOUR SUPPORT but your assistance in securing sponsors, golfers, door prizes and tournament day on-site work. The committee presentation explained various ways in which your involvement can and will make a difference…even if you never picked up a club! So far we have received a wonderful Golf Bag prize worth at least several thousand dollars and a plethora of golf tees. We are currently asking for a donation of any kind and if you have any old and unused Holiday Gifts, you may utilize the Russ Elliott program of RE-GIFTING to eliminate those unwanted “prizes” for someone else’s pleasure and joy! And don’t forget to come on out and help with the festivities of the day to benefit our Children’s Learning Center. Brothers…this is YOUR Learning Center and your actions towards our fund raising efforts will result in our continuing the Learning Center’s operation. There will be a table set up at the Temple at our May Stated Communication to receive your item(s) for this golf event. So please…”Help the Golf Committee and YOUR Children’s Learning Center”.
432 Donations Received for the “Save OUR Temple” Fund Drive
Donations for our “Save OUR Temple” campaign that was launched last November continue to increase as we have received donations from 432 Brothers and their families through April 8, totaling $43,980. Although we have not yet achieved our goal, this is a wonderful beginning to retiring the debt of our new roof project that was completed in January. These donations represent 11.6% of our membership stepping up for this much needed cause. For those of you who have contributed, THANK YOU. For those who have not, please consider sending in your gift today and have your name added to this ever growing list of “committed to the cause” members. And in our effort to recognize those who have given, each name is listed here. If you have given and your name is not listed, we apologize for this oversight and ask that you call Brother Secretary and let him know right away.