Three resolutions that will be presented at the upcoming Grand Council Assembly are available for download from the Florida Grand York Rite web site. These resolutions are available in the “Forms & Files” page under the “2010 Convention” section.
The Bradentown Council No. 9
Royal & Select Masters
Cordially, invites you, your family and friends to our Annual Festive Table Council being held at Braidentown Lodge No. 99 on Saturday May 8th, 2010 at 6:00 P.M.
Our objective is to enjoy an evening of one another’s fellowship in the tradition of Ancient Craft Masonry while enjoying a festive and delicious dinner.
Our Guest of Honor is the Most Illustrious Grand Master of Royal and Select Masters of Florida 2010-2011
Dinner Menu is Choice of,
New York Strip Steak or Chicken Breast
Includes Bake Potato, Green Beans, Salad, and Rolls with Butter & Dessert.
Cost is $25.00, Per Person in advance, RSVP with check by Friday, April 30th
Proceeds benefit MIGM’s Charity
This would be an excellent opportunity to invite our Blue Lodge brothers to join us and see York Rite Masonry in action.
(Casual dress – NO shorts, sneakers, or flip-flops)
The Most Illustrious Grand Master and Grand Council R. & S. M. of Florida officers instituted Athelstan Council on January 23, 2010, in Fernandina Beach, a new Council of Royal & Select Masters in the York Rite in Florida.
A nice lunch was served to the Companions, ladies, and friends before the Assembly, which was then opened and closed in due form to demonstrate proficiency. Next, after a short break to allow the Grand Officers to take their places and the ladies to come in, Most Illustrious Companion Carl E. Gilmore, Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council, R. & S. M. of Florida, Instituted the new Council, Athelstan Council R. & S. M., U. D., and installed the new officers. Illustrious Companion A. Eugene Yarborough, PIM, was installed as the new Illustrious Master of Athelstan Council R. & S. M. Companions William P. Goldwire and Zeb Turner, III, were installed, respectively, as Deputy Master and Principal Conductor of the Work. Nearly all of the Grand Officers of the Grand Council were present on this historic occasion.
Pictured here were the new Athelstan Council officers and Grand Council R. & S. M. of Florida officers after inauguration of the Council and installation of the local officers. Standing, left to right, in the first row were: Richard D. Agster, MIPGM. of the Grand Council; Darryl A. D’Angina, M.E. Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter, RAM of Florida; Carl S. Amos, DDGHP, Treasurer of Athelstan Council; William P. Goldwire, PM, Deputy Master; A. Eugene Yarborough, PIM, DI, newly installed Illustrious Master of Athelstan Council; Carl E. Gilmore, Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council R. & S. M. of Florida; Zeb Turner, III, Principal Conductor of the Work; and Alexander E. Constant, Jr., PC, Secretary of Athelstan Council.
Shown, left to right, in the second row were: Paul W. Friend, MIPGM; M. Daniel Fullwood, R.I. Grand PC of W; Charles Ed Constant C. of C.; Richard Cobb, Steward; Charles E. Middleton, PIM, PDDGC, CotG; H. Warren Almand, Jr., MEPGHP, I. Grand Steward; Dayle L. Schrock, I. Grand Conductor of the Council; and Quinnie R. Williams, Sr., KYCH, Chaplain of Athelstan Council.
Seen, from left, in the back row were: George E. Malone, MIPGM, Robert I. Moore, I. Grand Chaplain; Charles L. Hollinger, MIPGM; Richard E. Foreman, MIPGM, R.I. Grand Treasurer; Gerald M. Lee, I. Grand Marshall; Howard H. Gardner, R.I. Deputy Grand Master; John L. Horne, Jr., I. Grand Sentinel; and Larry R. Gillespie, I. Grand Captain of the Guard of the Grand Council R. & S. M. of Florida. Also present, but not pictured, was Charles R. Cooper, DDGM, District 7, of the Grand Council R. & S. M. of Florida.
An updated version of the Constitution for the Grand Council Royal and Select Masters of Florida has been posted in the “Grand Council” section of the “Forms and Files” on our web site.
This version has been updated with all KNOWN legislation passed between the last update and our 2008 Convention.
In addition it has had numerous small corrections (spelling, grammar, partial phrases). For instance, the Marshal and Sentinel who were by mistake not included in the Installation Ceremonies, have been added.
Lastly, it has had an Appendix added, Appendix F, which is the approved Rulings and Decisions of the Most Illustrious Grand Masters. These have been indexed to show their appropriate spots in the Rules and Regulations.
It is my intent that by promulgating this updated Constitution, Rules and Regulations, that sufficient notice will be given the Craft to vote it’s acceptance or correction at the 2010 Convention.
Please direct any proposed corrections in the document or appendices to me. I am available at migm@flgyr.org.
FESTIVE TABLE COUNCIL
Supporting
Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation
Sponsored by, Tyler Council No. 4
Monday November 2, 2009 at 6:30 P.M.
At Olin S. Wright Lodge No. 79
304 Acacia Street, Plant City, Florida 33566 (map)
The event is open to all Masons, non-Masons, relatives, friends, neighbors and of course the ladies.
The cost is $15 per person. You may purchase tickets from any officer of Plant City York Rite or by mailing your personal check payable to: Tyler Council No 4
Larry Gillespie
533 Schuette Road
Plant City FL 33567
If you have any questions, please call Larry Gillespie at (813) 737-2574 or email: lgilles533@aol.com
Don’t miss this opportunity to attend a Festive Table Council.
The annual Super Excellent Master degree will be conferred on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. at Tuscan Lodge No. 6, which is located at 320 S. Florida Ave in Bartow (map). Candidates, remember to bring your dues card! Practice for the cast of the three sections of the degree will be held from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Registration will begin at 4:00 p.m. Dinner will be served at 5:00 p.m. by the Ladies of the Bartow OES (donation requested). Please contact Joe K. West (jkw20@juno.com) if you plan to attend and if you will be there for dinner.
The degree work will commence immediately after dinner at 7:00 p.m.
For more information contact Most Illustrious Companion Richard Agster, KYGCH – phone: 813.832.3939 email: lawrsa@aol.com.
The Bradentown & Venice York Rite Councils Presents
A Festive Table Council
An Evening of Food, Fun, and Fellowship
Our Guest of Honor is:
Carl Gilmore, Most Illustrious Grand Master
Grand Council Royal and Select Masters of Florida 2009-2010
Wives & guests are welcome and encouraged. This would be an excellent opportunity to invite our Blue Lodge brothers to join us and see York Rite Masonry in action.
The Grand Council has completed their initial list of visitations to the various Councils across the State of Florida.
The downloadable file allows anyone to see the 170+ visits that are going to be made to Councils this year. It is arranged by District, then Council, then Date. Thereby it is easy for a Council to pick out who intends to visit them and when. It similarly allows a DDGM to see the same thing for his entire District. This file will be updated as additional information is available, so be certain to check and see if the version you have has been superseded.
You can find the report on our Forms & Files page in the Grand Council section. You can look at the entire schedule as a web page (which allows you to sort the various columns).
At the Grand York Rite Convention of Florida Grand Banquet on Sunday, April 5, 2009, Charles Robert Cooper, D.D.G.M., District #7 of the Grand Council R. & S. M. was named 2008 Cryptic Mason of the Year in Florida. At the Grand Banquet, attended by R.A.M. Chapter, R. & S. M. Council, and Commandery members and guests, then Most Illustrious Grand Master, now M. I. Past Grand Master Dencil R. Smith, called up Illustrious Companion Charles R. Cooper, PIM, and his lady to the head table, where he was presented with the Cryptic Mason of the Year award. Illustrious Companion Cooper is from Hallmark Council No. 3 R. & S. M. in Jacksonville.
The award was presented by Most Illustrious Companion Doug Soltau, Right Puissant Deputy General Grand Master for the Southeast Region of the General Grand Council Cryptic Masons International. Pictured above at the presentation were from left to right, M. I. Companion Doug Soltau, RPDGGM; Most Illustrious Companion Dencel R. Smith, MIPGM, of the M.I. Grand Council Royal & Select Masters of Florida; Illustrious Companion Charles R. Cooper, DDGM, PIM; and Mrs. Charles R. (Clare) Cooper.
The Grand Council Royal and Select Masters of Florida installed their officers for 2009-2010 on Tuesday, April 7th.
Most Illustrious Companion Carl Gilmore was elected and installed as Grand Master, Right Illustrious Companion Howard Gardner was elected and installed as Deputy Grand Master, and Right Illustrious Companion M. Danny Fullwood was elected and installed Grand Principal Conductor of the Work. Most Illustrious Companion Richard Foreman and Right Illustrious Companion Steve Steele were elected to succeed themselves as Grand Treasurer and Recorder, respectfully.
If you are seeing this, then I have been installed as your Most Illustrious Grand Master and I want to share with you my plans for this year.
This year it is my hope and intent that the Grand Council will accomplish several worthwhile goals:
Demonstrate to the Local Councils that the Grand Council is profoundly interested in them and in fact exists to serve their needs.
Improve the preparation of the Grand Line Officers.
Increase the ritualistic skill of the Local Councils.
Increase the number of Masons who wish to join York Rite.
Produce an up-to_date Constitution.
Publish the Proceedings in a timely manner.
Our efforts to accomplish these goals include specific assignments with established dates for reporting and review.
Some of these goals involve increased travel and visitation assignments by the Grand Line Officers. With each officer traveling to a minimum of 6 Councils outside his own District and the 20 plus Councils the Grand Master intends to visit, each Council should receive a Grand Line Officer at least once and most will receive two visits. Each District Deputy is to visit each of his District’s Councils at least three times. Therefore each Council can expect frequent visitation from Grand Council Representatives and as a by-product each Grand Line Officer will become far more familiar with Councils remote from him.
Focus committees have been established to study the best way to bring the Grand Council Constitution up to date and to create increased interest and participation in individual Ritual Work certification. Some of this work will be brought as Masonic Education to Local Lodges and result, we hope, in an increase of interest in the York Rite.
Nothing breeds success like the teamwork that results from participation in an activity where the direction in which to pull has been clearly laid out. Clearly this year will ignore window dressing and emphasize the real foundation elements of our Fraternity; Fellowship, Pageantry and Spiritual Growth and above all Sincerity and Truth.
It is my fervent prayer that we leave here today with enthusiasm for the task, and also that we will return here next year with the satisfaction of having faithfully performed our duty to the Craft.
May God Bless US all and keep US in the palm of his hand.
The Grand Illustrious Master’s Homecoming held on Feb 7, 2009, in Tallahassee was truly successful.
The theme was a beach party in February but there was only one person wearing a bikini (she knows who she is). Seriously, the event was very well organized thanks to the Homecoming Committee, Companions Chop Bodiford, Charles Elul. Douglas Knowles and Wes Prine.
We had 71 reservations made by the cutoff date but we fed over 110 people. After all the bills were paid, I mailed a check to the CMMRF for $600.00.
My thanks and gratitude go out to everyone involved, whether you were a committee member, event worker, or just one of the ones who came to eat the good food. It was good to be with the Grand Line Officers and the MEGHP James P. Rudman and REGC SK Charles Perez again.
Thanks to all who came, hope to see you at the Grand Convention in April.
— Dencel “Denny” Smith, Most Illustrious Grand Master 2008-2009
Date and Time: February 7, 2009, starting at 4:00 p.m. with registration and a time of greet and meet. The meal will be served at 5:00 p.m., afterwards, (6:00 p.m.) Introductions and comments.
Location: Jackson Lodge No. 1, 2818 Apalachee Parkway in Tallahassee (map).
Reservations can be emailed or phoned to Denny Smith at dr.smith2@comcast.net or 850-562-2678.
There is a LaQuinta Hotel (web site) (850) 878-5099 next door for those wishing to spend the night. There are also several other hotels within close proximity of Jackson Lodge.
The Councils of District 7 will be hosting a Table Council at the St Augustine Shrine Club (map), on Saturday, January 24th, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
The faire for the festivities includes Prime Rib, Baked Potato, English Peas, Bread or Rolls, Salad, Banana Pudding, Coffee or Tea, and Wine all for $20/person and Ladies are welcome to join in the festivities.
Please make your reservations with R:. Ill:. Comp:. J. B. Hunt, Phone: 904-797-7836 or E-mail: jhunt34283@aol.com. You may also download the flyer for additional information.
Ocala Council No 22, R&SM, will celebrate its Table Council on Friday, December 19, 2008 at the Ocala Elks Club. This is an open Table Council and our Ladies and guests are invited.
When: Friday, December 19th Where: Ocala Elks Club, 702 NE 25th Ave Ocala (map) Menu: Your Choice, NY Strip Steak, or Chicken Cordon Bleu Cost: $25.99 per person, which includes our toasting wine Contact Person: Hon. Steve Mitchell, 828 NE 51st Ave Ocala FL 34470 Contact Phone Number: 352-236-6225
Please contact the Illustrious Master as soon as possible. We hope you will join us to celebrate the holiday season and contribute to our Cryptic Charities.
The annual Super Excellent Master degree hosted by the Bartow York Rite bodies was held on Saturday, October 18th, with 40 new Super Excellent Masters greeted by the night’s end.
The cast, under the direction of Most Illustrious Companion Rick Agster, performed admirably. A number of companions participated for the first time, and the cast continues to grow and improve since the re-establishment of the degree team in 2007.
Right Illustrious Companion Carl Gilmore, Deputy Grand Master, representing Most Illustrious Companion Denny Smith, congratulated the team, as well as the new Super Excellent Masters, and encouraged everyone to attend next year’s degree on Saturday, October 17, 2009.
The Grand Secretary/Recorder has prepared new forms for the Monthly Membership Reports for both the Chapter and the Council, and you will find these new documents in the “Forms and Files” section of the web site.
The forms can be downloaded, completed on your local computer, and then emailed back to the Grand Secretary/Recorder at gyr@flgyr.org, saving on postage, and allowing the information to be updated more quickly. This is the first step towards more automation for the local York Rite Bodies and the Grand York Rite.
For more information, contact Steve Steele: gyr@flgyr.org.
Grand York Rite Office Grand Secretary/Recorder Steven Q. Steele PO Box 2740 Lake Placid, FL 33862-2740 Phone (863) 465-0301 Fax (866) 248-5129 gyr@flgyr.org
The Grand Council has completed their initial list of visitations to the various Councils across the State of Florida.
The Grand Illustrious Master’s Homecoming held on Feb 7, 2009, in Tallahassee was truly successful. 
