Rite Notes – October 2025

Companions and Sir Knights,

Companions and Sir Knights, I would like to commend each of you for the concerted effort you have made in your recruiting efforts this year. With the Pandemic almost over, you have done a great job in bringing in those candidates to the Chapter and Council and in particular to the Commandery. We, in Florida, knighted 79 new knights in our Fall festivals, and are hoping for big spring festival programs. Congratulations!

It takes a spark to get a fire going. To rejuvenate any organization, there needs to be a spark of life. Once you have that spark, it has to be fanned into a vision which gets other people on board, dreaming the same things. If you are not all working toward the same goal, things will fall apart again.

Dying organizations often suffer from multiple visions or dreams that are in conflict with one another. Each member has his own idea and no one is willing to bend or share to achieve a common goal.

Once you realize that a dream or vision is put together, then you need to put together the resources that will help you renew your organization. You do not have to reinvent the wheel to be successful. There is nothing wrong with borrowing ideas from other organizations and applying what will work in your particular setting.

Finding Useful Resources

There are many resources you can utilize. Books are very useful as a resource. Your Grand Lodge and Grand Bodies can be a wealth of information. Many times, they have materials already prepared for you to use. If you do not know how to contact a secretary in the groups, the internet is a great source, or contact me or the Grand Secretary-Recorder. Ask for information, and names of committees that can help. They often have materials that can help in support of your efforts.

Years ago, it was not uncommon to find appealing to a grand body less than appealing. The philosophy has changed in recent years. Our Grand Lodge and Grand York Rite are very receptive to inquiries of this type. The Masonic Service Association of North America began creating resources in the 1920s. Many of the ideas are still in use today.

Speak to the secretary of your Blue Lodge and your local York Rite Body and ask what materials they may have received on membership. You may be surprised that they may have materials that have never been passed out because maybe no one was interested. Often, the material that can be most helpful in revitalizing a group is kept in the hands of one or two people. They may have thought that no one was interested in reading it. In some cases, they felt that people did not really appreciate the material, or might misuse it, so they kept it hidden.

You may want to go through some of the back rooms of your Masonic Center and see what is sitting there. I understand that one Worshipful Master was going through some drawers and filing cabinets and was stunned to find material that had been hidden away for years. The secretary, who had died a few years before, had hidden it in fear that the members were too dumb to read it, so they would probably lose it. Some members knew that the material existed, but did not know where to find it. He pulled it out, dusted it off and started making use of it.

Visit Other Bodies

Another good way of getting information is to go to other lodges and York Rite Bodies. Visit both large and small ones. Ask who is doing well and go talk to their officers. Pay a visit and begin developing a relationship.

This will do two things for your organization. It will provide you with contact for additional manpower when you need it. It will also give you a chance to see new ideas. Not everything that you see will work for you, but many of them can.

When you see other organizations growing and discover how they are successful, it will give you new hope and encouragement. Sure, there are those out there struggling, but some have broken through the barriers and are going against the grain. They are growing, they are prospering and you can do the same.

Look Beyond Masonry

Another source of information is the business section of your local library or bookstores. There are all kinds of inspirational books written that are applicable to many organizations. Many deal with the business world, but can be applied to fraternal organizations.

You may find information at your place of worship that can be helpful. Churches have been looking at ways to be relevant in the community and have invested lots of money in research and plans. You may find information they have already researched that can help you. Certainly churches focus on spiritual needs; we are all dealing with emotional needs. This may be a good source.

Have you ever wondered what makes Amway so successful? Most of us have been approached about going to an Amway presentation. When people get involved with Amway, even if they are not making money at it, they keep going back to seminars. The weekends held all over the country bring members together and build excitement. People come out of these sessions feeling they can walk on water. You leave thinking that you have really accomplished something.

How Does That Apply to Us?

Bring Masons to your York Rite meetings. Plan a short five to ten minute program where members leave feeling encouraged. The world is a hard place. People want to feel that their life is worthwhile.

Sure, the first time you bring someone in, people may squawk and say, “Well that is really great, but it cannot work here.” Over time, the most negative individual can be brought on board. Do not be afraid to try and help develop a vision. Resources to do this work are numerous. A little hunting, even on the internet, is a beginning to new ideas. Not everything will work; you may have to do some digging to find the perfect idea for your situation. Remember, when they drill for oil wells, many turn out to be dry, but there are the few gushers that really pay off. Look for the gushers and do not worry about the dry holes. Let the dividends pay off in the long run.

Remember, equip, train and send out the troops, and they will come back with results!

Companions, our recruiting efforts are paying off. With three festivals completed for the fall, and two to go, we have already knighted 61 new knights. With Fort Pierce and Tampa, we should go well beyond our numbers for last year. Great work!

Membership and Retention is everyone’s business.

Excerpts from the Grand Chapter of Florida

Chapter Twenty-Seven — Finances, Dues, Suspension for Non-Payment, and Reinstatement

27.01 Suspension for Non-payment of Dues.

The High Priest of each Chartered Chapter, immediately upon assuming the duties of Office, shall annually appoint a committee consisting of five or more members, of which the High Priest and Secretary shall be two, to inquire into, consider, and report to the Chapter, its recommendations in reference to Members of the Chapter who, under its bylaws or under Constitutional provisions, are subject to suspension for non-payment of dues. It shall be the duty of the Chapter, before determining and ordering suspension of any of its members for non-payment of dues, first to consider the report of this committee in reference thereto and show affirmatively that the report of this committee had been considered before passing sentence of Suspension.

Chapter Twenty-Eight — Chapter Property, Ownership and Use

28.01 Chapter 196, F.S., and IRS Form 990.

All Chapters in this Grand Jurisdiction are required to comply with Chapter 196, Florida Statutes, concerning application for exemption from tax on real and personal property where applicable. All Chapters in this Grand Jurisdiction are required to comply with Federal Internal Revenue Service regulations concerning the filing of Form 990. The Secretary of the Chapter shall certify to the Grand Chapter compliance regularly.

28.02 Corporate Reports.

In accord with statute, the Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons of Florida, and the several constituent Chapters, each a corporation under the laws of Florida, will be required to file an Annual Corporate Report with amounts of fees due to the Secretary of State for Florida between January 1 and July 1 of each calendar year. Such Corporate Reports will be forwarded through the Grand Secretary’s Office for monitoring and recording purposes.

Chapter Twenty-Nine — Chapter Representatives to Grand Chapter

29.01 Chapter Representatives.

The representatives of each constituent Chapter to the Annual Grand Convention and Special Convocations of the Grand Chapter shall be the High Priest, King, and Scribe of such Chapter, or their lawfully authorized proxies; the High Priest shall receive per diem as provided herein.

Membership by Chapter for 2025

MMS is now on Google Chrome.

New Membership by York Rite District 2025

Also, as soon as your area determines the dates for the Fall Festival, please let me know so they may be included.

Fraternally,

Henry A. Adams, KYGCH

Every Christian Mason Should Be A Knight Templar

Some excerpts from the Grand Commander’s Handbook, published by the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States, reprint from Aug 2009, introduction; Grand Commandery of Florida, Beaderstadt, Jon L., “Making Members,” pp. 73-75; and from the Grand Commander’s Handbook given to the Grand Line Officers, Membership Development, Grand Encampment, 2003-2006.

Hm Ph: 321-726-6971   Cell: 321-795-8316   Fax: 321-951-9680   Email: hadams1@aol.com