Tri Cities Valley

Tri Cities Valley

Scottish Rite News

September 2004

Volume 1 Number 2

Back in the Swing?
Well the vacations are over and those of us with children in school are almost back into the swing of things.
For me the Summer was too short. As many of you know, my youngest daughter, Rachel age 7, plays softball. And this year I was “hooked” into Coaching on the field instead of from the bleachers.
Coaching brought a new meaning to the game. You not only getting to stand on the field, but, you get to work with the girls on all aspects of the game at practice. You get to decide who gets to bat in what order. You get to decide who plays what position in the field. And you get to decide who sits out which inning. Remember all this is done while the other “coaches” on the bleachers are trying to tell the players what to do during the game, ask their child and the other Coaches why their child had to sit out, and why are they not batting higher up in the batting order.
Of course when you accept the job of Coach, you know the season last only twenty games. Unless, you add in the County Tournaments. This is where we play double elimination. So you may play only two games or if you are winning you could be playing one game a day for six days.
Then there are the District and State play off games. And the next thing you know you have been working (continued on page 2)
(Swing?)
with your team for five months and it is now the middle of July.
So there are two or three weeks until school starts back. The family wants to go on a vacation, there are Masonic District Conference’s, and you have missed a lot of the regular meetings of the Masonic Bodies you once attended.
Thank goodness there is the Internet.
Now that things have settled down it is time to slow down a bit so…..
In September there are the regular Blue Lodge meetings, OES, York Rite Bodies, Scottish Rite, Shrine, and the NW Alabama State Fair. Not to mention any Degree Work.
And then for me, we decided to play “Fall Softball” so another twelve games of softball and the Saturday Alabama Football Ritual.
So what does all this have to do with Masonry, well, it has to do with getting
things in order at home. You must make
time for your family. Remember if you work a “regular” job you have even less time. So while each of use should attend every regular meeting possible, we should never do this at the expense of our families.
For me this year took on an added “job” of being elected to serve as Worshipful Master of my Lodge. And just as I learned with Coaching softball, this is not as easy as one might think.
Oh, I guess it could be real easy if you just set back and let the Lodge run itself. But, what kind of Leader would do that. As I was told recently, being Worshipful Master is a hard job. Always remember to Rule and Govern by the Constitution and Code. There will be some who might get mad at you but they can not argue with the Constitution and Code. Of course this bring into play another job of having to read over and over the Constitution and Code so you know what it says.
And in the end remember why we are Freemasons.
We are Freemasons because we want to make ourselves and other better.
We want to be better Husbands, Fathers, Citizens, and Mentors.
POTS, Butch Tucker, Editor / Fall Reunion
Tri Cities and Huntsville Valleys will hold a joint Reunion Fall Class on Oct. 16, 2004. This will be a one day honoring Memory of Brother John Green of Town Creek, AL.
With a minimum of twenty (20) candidates, the reunion will be held at Loyd O. Glenn Lodge #6 at Moulton, AL. otherwise at Huntsville Scottish Rite Valley. The location will be decided no later thanOct. 1, 2004 and will be announced at that time.
The time for the Reunion is not far off so please get Petitions, with fee of $150.00 to theGeneral Secretary as soon as possible.
Brother Roy Adams and Brother Ricky Evans announced that we will have a practice for the 4th and 14th degrees on Oct. 6th and 14th at 6:00 PM. Both degrees will be practiced each night. Please plan to attend.

Remember to attend your Lodge
Colbert
Washington 36, 2 & 4 Mon
Leighton 43, 2 & 4 Tue
Sheffield 503, 2 & 4 Thu
Littleville 881, 2 & 4 Tue
Vertagreen 919, 1 & 3 Tue
Franklin
Burleson 143, 1 & 3 Thu
Pleasant Site 364, 1 & 3 Tue
Russellville 371, 1 & 3 Tue
Newburg 388, 1 & 3 Sat
Belgreen 428, 1 & 3 Mon
Spruce Pine 608, 2 & 4 Thu
Phil Campbell 880, 1 & 3 Thu
Lauderdale
Florence 14, 1 & 3 Mon
Rogersville 147, 2 & 4 Thu
Greenhill 402, 1 & 3 Thu
Lexington 613, 2 & 4 Mon
Killen 788, 2 & 4 Tue
Anderson 820, 1 & 3 Thu
Lawrence
Lloyd O. Glenn 6, 1 & 3 Mon
Courtland 37, 2 & 4 Mon
Town Creek 361, 2 & 4 Thu
Mt. Zion 542, 2 & 4 Tue
Hatton 879, 1 & 3 Thu
Marion
Winfield 304, 1 & 3 Tue
Hamilton 344, 2 & 4 Thu
Brilliant 601, 1 & 3 Thu
Guin 885, 2 & 4 Tue

Tri Cities Valley Scottish Rite News
P. O. Box 56
Florence, AL 35630
Published Quarterly under the direction of the Scottish Rite Bodies of the Valley of the Tri Cities.
Editor: George L. (Butch) Tucker, Jr., 32º
e-mail:
Lodge of Perfection, James McGee, 33º, Venerable Master
Chapter of Rose Croix, Robert Chard, 32º, Wise Master
Council of Kadosh, Roy Taylor, 32º, KCCH, Commander
Consistory, Carmel Olive, 33º, Master of Kadosh
Allegiance: The Bodies of the Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, sitting in the Valley of the Tri Cities, Orient of Alabama, acknowledge and yield allegiance to the SUPREME COUNCIL
(Mother Council of the World) of The Inspectors
General, Knights Commander of the House of the
Temple of Solomon of the Thirty Third and Last Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of
Freemasonry for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United
States of America, whose see is in Charleston in the state of South Carolina now sitting at Washington, D.C. of which
ILL. Ronald A. Seale, 33º is Sovereign Grand
Commander, and
ILL. Karl F. Reed, II, 33º is Sovereign Grand Inspector
General in Alabama, and
ILL. John H. Hicks, Sr, 33º is Personal Representative of the S.G.I.G. Valley of the Tri Cities, Orient of Alabama.
Visit our web site: http://www.butchtucker.com/tcsr
Annual Pancake Day
Pancake day for the Tri Cities Scottish Rite to raise funds for dyslexia will be Saturday Oct. 2, 2004 at the North Alabama Fair Ground. Food will be served from 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
The proceeds will benefit The Scottish Rite Dyslexia Foundation of Alabama. As a service to Teachers and Schools for the State of Alabama, which include local Schools in Lauderdale County, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield Schools, Tuscumbia Schools, Mars Hill Bible Schools, Lawrence County Schools and some Florence City Schools.
If you have not purchased the ticks mailed to you, please do so. This is a great cause, so please buy those tickets and for additional tickets, call Lloyd Llewellyn at 764-0285.
“I learned that good judgment comes from experience and that experience grows out of mistakes.”
- Omar N. Bradley
General, U.S. Army; “The Soldier’s General”
February 12, 1893 - April 8, 1981
West Point Lodge No. 877 F.& A.M., Highland Falls, NY
“Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action
arrives, stop thinking and go in.”
- Andrew Jackson
U.S. General and President
March 15, 1767 - June 8, 1845
Harmony Lodge No. 1 F.& A.M., Nashville, TN
“We must never despair; our situation has been compromising before; and it changed for the better; so I trust it will again; If difficulties arise; we must put forth new exertion and proportion our efforts to the exigencies of the times.”
- George Washington
U.S. General and President
February 22, 1732 - December 14, 1799
Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 A.F.& A.M., Fredericksburg, VA
Quotes from Freemasonry for the Next Generation
Brother Tim Bryce, Editor http://www.phmainstreet.com/flmason/
(Then and Now continued)
two of the neighbors joined the Lodge. Not only had the Lodge practiced Masonry but its membership increased because of it. This is practicing Freemasonry . . . Would it work in today's environment? I think it would. Don't you?
Author: Brother Nelson King, FPS
Editor, Philalethes Magazine http://freemasonry.org/psoc/
Reprinted by Permission © 2002-2003
It’s time for the FAIR!!!
Dear Scottish Rite Brothers and Ladies,
The North Alabama State Fair Board has agreed to contribute a sizable amount of money to our Scottish Rite Valley for us to take up tickets at the Fair Gates this year.
I would like to thank each of you for volunteering to help with this worthy cause. Please arrive at the west gate fifteen (15) minutes before your schedule time in order for me to help you to your assigned gate.
Included is a list of scheduled times that you have agreed to work. If you are unable to be there at your scheduled time, please call so other arrangements can be made or if you have another take your place.
Fraternally,
Doug Harper, 32º
Home 764-3718
Work 381-3620
Cell 710-0699
Learning Centers Update
By Dr. Denise Gibbs
In August 2001, the Scottish Rite Foundation began a new statewide effort to help Alabama schools establish dyslexia programs. I have been privileged to represent the members of the Scottish Rite as I have traveled across Alabama providing workshops designed to help teachers identify dyslexia and set up dyslexia classes using the Texas Scottish Rite Dyslexia materials. As of the end of March 2004, Scottish Rite had provided 116 workshops for 4325 teachers who are responsible for more than 225,000 students in Alabama schools. Dyslexia classes using Scottish Rite materials have been established in 46 of Alabama’s 129 school systems with more than 900 students currently receiving dyslexia intervention. We have also provided dyslexia evaluations for more than 750 students suspected of having dyslexia and have more than 200 students on our waiting list for testing.
While these numbers speak volumes about the success of Scottish Rite efforts to provide help to students, the personal stories shared with me by teachers and parents around the state express the value of our work even more clearly. We are providing a way for students with dyslexia to become successful in spite of their dyslexia. Just imagine the impact that this year’s 900 students will have on our state as compared to the impact they might have had if they had not been able to learn to read. Without proper intervention, many dyslexic students drop out of school and find themselves making some very bad life choices. With proper intervention such as that which these students are now receiving, dyslexic students have an opportunity to succeed in school and in life.
Now that we have established these programs, they will grow exponentially if we nurture them and the teachers who are implementing them. Much of my time will need to be devoted to visiting our dyslexia programs and encouraging the teachers. We need to be able to employ staff to provide evaluations to the students on our waiting list and to assist with school follow-up visits. / Operation Phone Home
CONTACT: Richard E. Fletcher, 1-301-588-4010
Operation Phone Home is a campaign designed with the goal of providing prepaid international phone calling cards to as many military men and women serving overseas as can be reached. It will be an ongoing effort as long as American Military Personnel serve overseas, particularly in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans.
The Masonic Service Association, on behalf of the Masonic fraternity, has entered into an agreement with the USO to participate in this program. MSA has met all of the requirements necessary to have a web site presence and a link to the USO web page and to have a Masonic Logo on the phone card. The card will include the logo of the USO, the participating phone company (AT&T) and the American Flag. On the left side of the card will appear the Square and Compasses and the words Compliments of America's Freemasons.
Anyone wishing to participate in this program may send a donation marked Operation Phone Home to:
Masonic Service Association
8120 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, MD 20910-4785
All of the monies received will go to this program and an accounting will be made by MSA at the end of each calendar year. Thank you very much for your help!
Most sincerely and fraternally,
RICHARD E. FLETCHER, PGM Executive Secretary
Then and Now
Some Masons say that Masonry today is not being practiced as it once was. Do we want to revert back to "the good old days?" Will it work in today's environment? Let me tell you of two Lodges 160 years apart, and how they practiced Masonry and what it accomplished.