Ann Arbor Fraternity No. 262: Master’s Letter | - August 2013

aaf262:

imageAn interesting piece of Ann Arbor History passed my way today. I first had a notice from EBAY that an item was for sale involving Ann Arbor Freemasonry. The item was a ribbon from a Knight’s Templar Event and if you look closely at the picture of it, you can see the name “C. E. Hiscock"

Most…

A fantastic article on one of our most illustrious Sir Knights, Charles Edward Hiscock. Sir Knight Edward was elected as Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of Michigan in 1913, and was the second Past Commander from Ann Arbor Commandery No. 13 to serve as Grand Commander.

High Priest’s Address | Jun 2013

Corey Curtiss - Washtenaw Chapter No. 6 Avatar.png

Greetings Companions, 

At our April Communication we held our election of officers for the 2013-14 Capitular Year. I am proud to say that Companion Thane Domrase, the current Worshipful Master of Olive Lodge in Chelsea has been elected to the start the officer line as our Royal Arch Captain.  His leadership skills and enthusiasm will be a fantastic addition to our dedicated line of Officers.  I would like to thank all of our officers for committing to another year of service. 

Our own, Excellent Companion Brandon Mullins, PHP has been elected to serve as President of the Southeastern Michigan York Rite Association. We know he will serve this regional service body well and bring many new ideas and energy to that organization as he did with our Chapter and other York Rite Bodies.  I wish him well on this new endeavor.  The next meeting of this body for all York Rite Masons is on the fifth Monday or July 29 at Milan Masonic Temple at 37 Tolan St in Milan.  

It’s an honor to be elected to a second term as High Priest of Washtenaw Chapter.  I am looking forward to another great year of Capitular Masonry with the finest group of Royal Arch Masons in Michigan.  Although we may be small at this moment, we have proved time and time again that we can do great things and we are on the long term path to growth. As a York Rite team we will be able to go far and restore our place as a premiere York Rite organization. 

On Monday, June 17 we will confer the Mark Master Mason degree, opening at 7 pm for brief business and then confer this thought provoking degree. I hope you can attend this night of fellowship and ritual work whether you come every month or if this will be your first time back in a while.  We meet at Calvary United Methodist Church, 1415 Miller Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48103-3758. For up to date information visit us on Facebook or at www.aayorkrite.org where EC Brandon Mullins maintains a fantastic website. 

Fraternally, 

Corey F. Curtiss, PHP 

Commander's Comments | Jun 2013

Brandon Mullins - Ann Arbor No 13 Avatar.png

Sir Knights,

Well spring is behind us and another summer is on the horizon. Lodges by and lodge take the summers off and we reap the benefits of brothers across the country being free from their Lodge duties and able to participate in the various York Rite activities that take place.

Speaking of activities, despite canceling our regular conclave we’ve had a number of them since my last letter, and I have no shortage of news to share with you. Firstly, we had the pleasure of taking part in this year’s Southeastern Battalion Ascension observance, organized by Adrian Commandery No. 4, and hosted by Raisin Presbyterian Church, the home church of our Right Eminent Grand Commander, Sir Knight Cortland Rule.

And while on the subject of Southeast Michigan York Rite Masonry I would personally like to thank the Companions of the Southeast Michigan York Rite Association for electing me as president at our recent meeting, and look forward to serving the York Rite bodies in the region for the ensuing year. And as my first act as President I’ve begun work on a new Southeast Michigan York Rite Association & Southeastern Battalion website which when completed will be hosted at semyra.org.  

In addition to our Ascension Service and Southeastern Battalion Meeting we also had a Commandery school of instruction where our Past Grand Commander, Sir Knight Jim Hawn helped us to work out some of the kinks in our ritual work, and plan for our upcoming inspection. We’ve set a date of November 9th for our inspection which will allow us far more time to plan than in year’s past and allow a week off for the Sir Knights who will also be participating in Ypsilanti’s Inspection on October 26th. More details on dates for practices and locations will follow.

In other news our long awaited commandery jewels have arrived and can be purchased by Sir Knights for thirty dollars. I’m exceptionally pleased with the way they turned out, and serve as a fitting fusion of historical and the more contemporary design from Ann Arbor Commander’s past. And of course I would like to thank Brother Dave and his company, Hattrick’s Merchandise for producing these fantastic jewels. 

The first Sir Knights who will be receiving this jewel are our current Knights of Malta, Thane Domrase, and Ronald Merritt II who are awaiting the Order of the Temple which with the help of Adrian Commandery will be conferred on them in the coming months.

Also I’ll mention that for me, and my fellow brothers of Myrtle Lodge No. 89, June means the Belleville National Strawberry Festival every Father’s Day weekend of June where we’ll be selling fresh strawberries right in front of the lodge and our famous Strawberry Shortcake in our cool air conditioned dining room. I’ll be there and I’ll hope to see many of you as well. 

And speaking of Myrtle Lodge it’s important to mention that given the small space of our current location they, at their most recent temple board meeting have agreed to allow the Ann Arbor York Rite to use their location for some of our larger degrees and orders as well as store the required regalia there. So while we are eternally grateful to all the Chapters Councils and Commanderies that have allowed us to bring candidates for further light in masonry we’ll be happy to have this home away from home where we can begin organizing work ourselves. 

Our next stated is on June 17th where in addition to our business Chapter will be conferring the Mark Master Mason degree on a brother from Olive Lodge so come out and support your Chapter on starting this brother on journey that will in time lead him to being knighted by our order.

Thanks for reading this month’s letter and I hope to see you at our meeting in June and at the Strawberry Fest!

Deo duce, ferro comitante,

Brandon Mullins, Commander 

Mark Master Mason Degree | June 2013

Greetings Friends & Companions,

On June 17th at Calvary United Methodist Church, at 6:30pm, join us for our upcoming Mark Master Mason degree. We will hold a short business meeting, and then go straight into the degree.

As always the more the merrier so we’d love to see companions from across the area out for this great evening of ritual and fellowship

We, along with members of Adrian Commandery No. 4 and other Sir Knights from the Southeastern Battalion had a great Ascension Observance this morning. A special thanks goes out to Raisin Presbyterian Church for having us out today, and our Right Eminent Grand Commander, Sir Knight Cortland Rule, for putting it all together.

The Ann Arbor York Rite bodies have been meeting at Calvary United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor since the loss of the most recent Ann Arbor Masonic Temple several years ago. We currently meet in a chapel located behind the church’s main sanctuary, which while small has the advantages of its own entrance on the side of the church, convenient storage for regalia, and décor highlighted by walls of stained glass and beautiful Christian imagery. These features make for a fantastic Commandery Asylum while effectively serving our entire family of York Rite bodies. However, due to its size much of our degreework often takes place off site, so if you’d like to visit our humble asylum we’d love to have you but if you’re coming for a degree pay close attention, as you never know where we might be. 

tumblr_ml16g7tMS31qhmp20o1_1280.jpg

Please join us as we, along with the rest of the Southeastern Battalion commemorate the ascension of Jesus Christ at Holloway Raisin Presbyterian Church for Adrian Commandery No. 4’s Ascension Observance, Sunday, May 5th. We will assemble at 9:15am, and the church service will begin at 9:30am.

Holloway Raisin Presbyterian Church is located at 5598 Holloway Rd., Britton, Michigan 49229. All Sir Knights are to attend in full uniform, but all are welcome so I hope to see you all and your ladies out for what is sure to be a great morning.

Deo duce, ferro comitante,
Brandon Mullins, Commander

What a pleasure it was to visit Cyrene Preceptory No. 29, Knights Templar this evening. Not only by pure happenstance was I able to visit them on a night when they were conferring the Order of the Temple, but this was the first time they had conferred the order in over two years. On top of that I had the honor of filling in as Sword Bearer! I would like to thank the members of Cyrene Preceptory allowing me to visit and participate, and I congratulate their three new Sir Knights!

Deo duce, ferro comitante,
Brandon Mullins, Commander 

Brandon Mullins - Ann Arbor No 86 Avatar.gif

Come along with us as we take companions to the crypt at this amazing all degree day up in Pontiac.

While I usually try to avoid putting a candidate through more than one degree at a time, this is a rare opportunity to see one of the best council degree teams in the country, and meet companions from across the state.

So if you have yet to join council, or just want to come along, mark your calendar, RSVP, and we’ll carpool up to Pontiac together.

Hope to see you there!

Brandon Mullins
Thrice Illustrious Master

Northville Commandery No. 39 KT: All are welcome to come prepare your hearts for the good news of Easter. It was during Passover, as Jesus and his disciples were celebrating the Seder together, that Jesus commissioned the sharing of the bread and…

Northville Commandery No. 39 KT:

All are welcome to come prepare your hearts for the good news of Easter.

It was during Passover, as Jesus and his disciples were celebrating the Seder together, that Jesus commissioned the sharing of the bread and cup in remembrance of his sacrafice. After the meal, Jesus went out into the Garden of Gethsemane, where he was arrested and taken into custody.  The next day he was crucified.

After we finish the Seder meal, we will meet for a Tenebrae Service (a Service of shadows or darkness). The word “tenebrae” is Latin for shadows. The purpose of the Tenebrae Service is to recreate the emotional impact of the passion story. Its distinctive feature is the gradual extinction of all lights as we contemplate the moment when it seemed that the powers of darkness had triumphed over the “Light of the World.” There is no benediction and we will leave the service in darkness and silence.

The purpose of the service is to recreate the betrayal, abandonment, and agony of the events and it is left unfinished because the story isn’t over until Easter Day.”

Please join Northville Commandery, Maundy Thursday March 28th 6:30pm at the Northville Masonic Center. Please RSVP.

Join us as we visit Northville Commandery No. 39 for their Maundy Thursday Observance.

It was a lot of gold in the room for our humble chapter, but it was great to be in company of such wonderful companions and we hope to see them again soon! We send our special thanks to Most Excellent High Priest, David Dossette of the Grand Chapter…

It was a lot of gold in the room for our humble chapter, but it was great to be in company of such wonderful companions and we hope to see them again soon! We send our special thanks to Most Excellent High Priest, David Dossette of the Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of Michigan, and Most Illustrious Grand Master, Robert Troutman of the Grand Council, Royal and Select Masons of Michigan for visiting us this evening.

Brandon Mullins
Thrice Illustrious Master 

Vatican scholar: prayer proves Knights Templar not heretical

“May the grace of the Holy Spirit be present with us. May Mary, Star of the Sea, lead us to the harbor of salvation. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Father, eternal God, omnipotent, omniscient Creator, Bestower, kind Ruler and most tender lover, pious and humble Redeemer; gentle, merciful Savior, Lord! I humbly beseech The and implore Thee that Thou may enlighten me, free me and preserve the brothers of the Temple and all Thy Christian people, troubled as they are.

Thou, O Lord, Who knowest that we are innocent, set us free that we may keep our vows and your commandments in humility, and serve Thee and act according to Thy will. (Dispel) all those unjust reproaches, far from the truth, heaped upon us by the means of tough adversities, great tribulations and temptations, which we have endured, but can endure no longer.

Omnipotent, eternal God, who hast so loved the blessed John the Evangelist and Apostle, that he reclined upon Thy bosom at the Last Supper, and to whom Thou revealed and showed the Mysteries of Heaven, and to whom, while suspended on the Holy Cross, for the sake of our redemption, Thou commended Thy most Holy Mother and Virgin, and in whose honor (our) Order was created and instituted; through Thy Holy mercifulness, deliver us and preserve us, as Thou knowest that we are innocent of the crimes that we are accused of, so that we may take possession of the works, by which we may be guided to the joys of Paradise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Companions,

It is a very sad day for Cryptic Masonry. Most Puissant Companion George C. Sellars, the Most Puissant General Grand Master passed away today February 10, 2013. He passed away at home with his family by his side.

His Funeral arrangements are as follows: A.H. Peters Funeral Home, 20705 Mack Avenue, Grosse Pointe, MI 48236. Viewing on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Masonic Service at 8:00 PM. (Tentative Commandery Honor Guard 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM) Wednesday, February 13, 2013, Funeral Service at Noon at the Funeral Home.

Corey Curtiss
Junior Past Illustrious Master