Hotel and Registration information is now available for the 2012 Florida Grand York Rite Session to be held April 23 – 25 in Lake Mary, Florida.

Make sure you get your reservations in early!

The District 8 Meeting will be held on Saturday, December 10th at Citrus Lodge No. 118, 301 Hendrix Avenue Inverness FL (map). Registration starts at 11:00 a.m., Lunch at Noon, Men’s and Ladies’ Programs begin at 1:00 p.m. (Flyer).

The Grand Commander’s Homecoming will follow the meeting at the Inverness Country and Golf Club (map) beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The 7th District Meeting will be held on Saturday, November 19th at Amelia Lodge No. 47, 1101 S 14th Street Fernandina Beach FL (map) (South of A1A).

Registration starts at 11:00 a.m., Lunch at Noon. Men’s and Ladies’ Programs begin at 1:00 p.m. (Flyer)

Jacksonville Fall Festival

The York Rite Bodies of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida are pleased and proud to announce the Fall York Rite Festival for the conferral of the Degrees and Orders of the York Rite of Freemasonry, in honor of M. Daniel Fullwood, Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council, R. & S. M. of Florida. The conferral of the Degrees and Orders will take place at:

The Jacksonville York Rite Temple
1237 South McDuff Ave.
Jacksonville, FL 32205-8050

The schedule will be as follows:

• Thursday, October 20, 2011 – 6:00 PM – Dinner, 7:00 PM – Mark Master Degree, 8:30 PM – Past Master Degree
• Friday, October 21, 2011 – 6:00 PM – Dinner, 7:00 PM – Most Excellent Master Degree, 8:45 PM – Royal Arch Mason Degree
• Saturday, October 22, 2011- 7:00 AM – Breakfast, 8:00 AM – Royal Master Degree, 9:30 AM – Select Master Degree, 10:30 AM – Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, 11:15 AM – Mediterranean Pass & Order of Malta, 12:30 PM – Lunch, 1:30 PM – Order of the Temple

You may download a flyer with additional details.

It is with sad feelings that I must report the passing of another of our MIPGMs and REPGC. MI & RE Companion and Sir Knight Joseph Jackson Johnson passed to his eternal rewards this Morning (9/20/2011). Comp and SK Johnson served the Grand Bodies as REGC in 1977 and as MIGM in 1983. The only information we have at this time is that the funeral will be on Thursday (09/22/2011) at 1100 hours at the Peoples Funeral Home in Jacksonville.

The 4th District Meeting will be held on Saturday, October 8th at the Olen S Wright Lodge No. 79, Acacia Street between Reynolds and Thonotosassa Rd Plant City FL (map).

Registration starts at 11:00 a.m., Lunch at Noon. Men’s and Ladies’ Programs begin at 1:00 p.m. (Flyer)

The 3rd District Meeting will be held on Saturday, October 15th at the St Petersburg Lodge No. 139, 114 4th Street South St Petersburg FL (map).

Registration starts at 11:00 a.m., Lunch at Noon. Men’s and Ladies’ Trip begins at 1:00 p.m. (Flyer)

The 5th District Meeting will take place on September 10th at Leesburg Lodge No. 58, 200 Richey Road Leesburg FL (map).

Registration starts at 11:00 a.m., Meeting with the District 5 Commanderies at 11:00 a.m., Lunch at Noon. Program begins at 1:00 p.m.

The 6th District Meeting will take place on September 24th at the Vero Beach Masonic Lodge No. 250, 1958 14th Avenue Vero Beach FL (map) (Corner of 14th Ave & 19th Place).

Registration starts at 11:00 a.m., Lunch at Noon. Men’s and Ladies’ Program begins at 1:00 p.m. (Flyer).

Companions and Sir Knights:

The members of your Grand York Rite Souvenir Program Committee want to thank all our Companions and Sir Knights for their support for our 2011 Grand Convention Souvenir Program Book. It helped cover some of the 2011 Grand York Rite Convention expenses. We come again this year to request your aid and assistance for our 2012 Grand York Rite Souvenir Program Book. We want to achieve the following objectives this year:

1) To increase the ads from the previous years.
2) To increase our financial help to offset a bigger portion of the Grand Convention expenses than before.

In order for us to meet our objectives, we need the help and assistance of all our York Rite Companions and Sir Knights in Florida.

How can you help?

• First – have your York Rite Bodies purchase an ad.
• Second – Have the Companions become boosters and purchase a name line which will be included in the program. Please have them only print their names legibly (no signatures).
• Third – go out and sell, sell, sell. Sell ads to your local Blue Lodges, Appendant Bodies, Masters & Wardens Associations, Masonic brethren that are business owners and local businesses in your area. Target business leaders with whom you may have some influence. We need to go beyond the box to make this a success.

You may download a copy of the Souvenir Program form. Make as many photocopies of the form as necessary. Once you get the ad, with the form filled out, the ad layouts, and payment, send it to the Grand Secretary/Recorder’s Office on or before FEBRUARY 3, 2012. A word of caution, NO AD WILL BE PUBLISHED THAT IS NOT PAID FOR.

Make sure the ad layout, form and payment are included. Donations / contributions are not tax deductible. However, the Donation / Contribution may be deductible as an ordinary business expense. Sponsors are urged to consult with their tax advisor.

The success of this enterprise will be yours Companions and Sir Knights. The Committee is just a conduit to make this happen. If you have any questions or need to contact someone in the Committee, please contact Paul Friend Chairman by phone 772-260-6404 or email email hidden; JavaScript is required.

(You may download a copy of this letter to read at your York Rite Body meeting.)

The District Meeting for District 2 will be held Saturday, August 6th, at Venice Lodge No. 301, 118 E Venice Avenue Venice FL (map).

Lunch at Noon, men’s and ladies’ programs begin at 1:00 p.m.

You may download a Flyer for more information.

The District Meeting for District 9 will be held Saturday, July 23rd, at Jackson Masonic Lodge No. 1, which is located at 2818 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee FL (map).

Registration starts at 11:00 a.m., Lunch will be held at Noon, and the Meeting & Ladies Program will begin at 1:00 p.m.

You may download a Flyer for more information.

The District Meeting for District 1 will be held this Saturday, June 18th, at the Harmonia Masonic Lodge No. 138, which is located at 1896 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd, West Palm Beach FL 33409 (map).

Registration starts at 11:00 a.m., Lunch will be held at Noon, and the Meeting & Ladies Program will begin at 1:00 p.m.

You may download a Flyer for more information.

Thanks to the excellent work of Companion and Sir Knight Corbin Elliott of the Jacksonville York Rite Bodies, we have a great collection of photos from the 2011 Grand York Rite session in our Photo Album. Enjoy!

It is exciting that Pastor Lamar Courtney from Victory Church of the Nazarene, the Minister the Grand Commandery of Florida sent to the Holy Land this year has agreed to offer a short presentation during our Divine service at the Grand York Rite session. At that time, he will share some of the wonderful experiences that made his Pilgrimage a blessing.

It has been a long time since we had an opportunity to greet a returning Minister. Please plan to be there to enjoy the memories he will share and to make him feel welcome.

The Divine Service will be held at 4:00 PM on Sunday, May 15, 2011.

The registration packet for the 2011 Grand York Rite session, to be held May 15-18 at the Marriott in Lake Mary, is now available for download, along with the schedule of events (revised 3/25).

Please make your hotel reservations directly with the Orlando Marriott Lake Mary. Deadline for Reservations is April 10, 2011. Room Rate is $88.00 plus taxes. No guarantee of availability after this date. 1-800-380-7724. Inform them that you are with the Grand York Rite 2011. The block code for online reservations is “YRKYRKA.”

Mrs. Nettie Ann Smith, beloved wife of Most Illustrious Companion Denny Smith, Grand Secretary/Recorder of the Grand York Rite bodies of Florida, passed to her eternal reward today, February 9th, around 12:15 p.m.

She was at Shands Cancer Center in Gainesville for the last several weeks, and lost her fight.

Please remember to pray for Companion Denny and his family in this their time of great sorrow.

The visitation and viewing will be at:

Abbey’s Funeral Home
4037 North Monroe Street
Tallahassee
from 3 to 5 pm
Sunday the 13th of February.

The funeral service will be at the:

Lake Jackson United Methodist Church
4423 North Monroe Street,
Tallahassee, at 1:00 pm
Monday the 14th of February.

All Ann could talk about lately was she was losing weight so she could get a new Red Dress, so she will be buried on Valentine’s Day in her Red Dress.

I expect the Grand Secretary/Recorder’s Office to be open on Wednesday the 16th. I personally want to thank each and everyone for the patience, prayers and kind thoughts during this ordeal, It has been rough.

Denny

Please join with the Companions and Sir Knights of Northeast Florida, for the District 7 Meeting on Saturday, December 11th. This is the last District Meeting!

The meeting will be held at Jacksonville York Rite Temple, 237 S McDuff Ave Jacksonville, FL (map)

Lunch – Noon, Ladies Program and Meeting – 1:00 p.m., Flyer

Please join with the Companions and Sir Knights of West Central Florida, for the District 4 Meeting on Saturday, November 13th.

The meeting will be held at Tuscan Lodge No. 6, 320 S Florida Avenue, Bartow, FL (map).

Lunch – 12:00 p.m., Meeting and Ladies Program – 1:00 p.m. For more details, you may download the District Meeting Flyer.

We hope to see you there!

Please join with the Companions and Sir Knights of Florida’s Sun Coast, for the District 2 Meeting on Saturday, October 30th.

The meeting will be held at Braidentown Lodge No. 99, 520 30th Avenue West, Bradenton, FL (map).

Lunch – 12:00 p.m., Meeting and Ladies Program – 1:00 p.m. For more details, you may download the District Meeting Flyer.

We hope to see you there!

Please join with the Companions and Sir Knights of Southern Florida, for the District 1 Meeting on Saturday, October 16th.

The meeting will be held at J. Dewey Hawkins Lodge No. 331, 555 N.E. 42nd Court, Oakland Park (map).

Lunch – 12:00 p.m., Meeting and Ladies Program – 1:00 p.m. For more details, you may download the District Meeting Flyer.

We hope to see you there!

The District 6 York Rite Festival will be held Friday October 1st and Saturday October 2nd at Harbor City Lodge No. 318 in Melbourne (map).

The schedule for the degrees is as follows:
Friday, October 1st:
6:00 p.m. Registration
7:00 p.m. Mark Master Degree
8:30 p.m. Past Master Degree
9:30 p.m. Most Excellent Master Degree

Saturday, October 2nd:
7:45 a.m. Pictures
8:00 a.m. Royal Arch Degree
10:15 a.m. Royal Master Degree
11:00 a.m. Select Master Degree
12:03 p.m. Lunch (You can ask R:. Ill:. Comp:. Dayle Schrock about the :03)
1:00 p.m. Order of Red Cross
2:00 p.m. Order of Malta
3:15 p.m. Order of the Temple

There will be a requested $15 donation/person for refreshments and meals (Candidates Free).

For more information, and local hotel reservations, please download the event flyer.

The latest edition (Volume 4, Issue 1) of the Florida York Rite Mason Magazine is now available online and for download!

With this issue, we bid a very thankful farewell to our Editor for the last three years, Companion and Sir Knight David Aponte. Our new Editor is Companion and Sir Knight Louis Thomas.

The Grand Secretary/Recorder’s office will be closed September 6-10.

The office will re-open on Monday, September 13th.

Please join with the Companions and Sir Knights of north central Florida, for the District 8 Meeting on Saturday, October 2nd.

The meeting will be held at R. T. Shafer Lodge No. 350, 2505 NE 9th Street, Gainesville (map).

Lunch – 12:00 p.m., Meeting and Ladies Program – 1:00 p.m. For more details, you may download the District Meeting Flyer.

We hope to see you there!

Please join with the Companions and Sir Knights of the panhandle of Florida, for the District 9 Meeting on Saturday, September 18th.

The meeting will be held at Harmony Lodge No. 3, 3024 North Jefferson St, Marianna (map).

Lunch – 12:30 p.m. (Central Time), Meeting and Ladies Program – 1:30 p.m. (Central Time). For more details, you may download the District Meeting Flyer.

We hope to see you there!

Please join with the Companions and Sir Knights of the metro Orlando area of Florida, for the District 5 Meeting on Saturday, September 4th.

The meeting will be held at Sanford Lodge No. 62, 212 N Park Ave, Sanford (map).

Lunch – Noon, Meeting and Ladies Program – 1:00 p.m. For more details, you may download the District Meeting Flyer.

We hope to see you there!

Please join with the Companions and Sir Knights of the Tampa Bay area of Florida, for the District 10 Meeting on Saturday, August 7th.

The meeting will be held at the Tampa York Rite Center, 4210 W Oklahoma Ave, Tampa (map).

Lunch – Noon, Meeting and Ladies Program – 1:00 p.m. For more details, you may download the District Meeting Flyer.

Hotel accommodations are available at:
La Quinta
4620 W. Gandy Blvd
Tampa, FL 33611
813-835-6262
http://www.lq.com/lq/properties/propertyProfile.do?ident=LQ277&propId=277&IATA=99020571
Reservation for Fri. Aug. 6. Deadline for reservations is Tuesday, Aug. 3.
Ask for York Rite rate of $74.99 + tax.

We hope to see you there!