2nd Quarter 2015 New Website: http://www.neksscottishrite.org
1 April 2015
VALLEY OF NORTHEAST
KANSAS—ORIENT OF KANSAS
Please come join us for fellowship and more Masonic light.
Ill Hugh W. Gill, III, 33o
Saturday, May 9th, 2015
S. G. I. G. of the Supreme Council of the
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
of Freemasonry for the
Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A.,
in the Orient of Kansas
6:45 – 8:00
Breakfast & Final Set Up
7:30 – 8:00
Registration, Pre Conferral Survey, Candidates Orientation:
AASR History, Themes Degrees, Programs & Blue Lodge
8:00 - 8:45
4th Degree Conferral
8:45 - 9:30
Communication 5th - 13th Degrees
Executive Secretary
9:30 - 10:30
14th Degree Conferral & ten minute br eak
Michael A. Kupsch, 32o, KSA(C)
10:30 - 11:00
Communication 15th thru 17th Degrees
Arthur G. Franke, 32o, KCCH
11:00 -11:45
18th Degree Conferral
11:45 - 1:30
Lunch
1:15 - 2:15
Communication 19th thru 28th degrees & break
2:15 – 3:15
29th Degree Conferral
2:15 - 3:45
30th Degree Conferral
Joe N. Johnson Jr., 32o
Communicator of Degrees and
3:45 – 4:15
Communication 31st Degree
4:14 - 5:45
32nd Degree Conferral
Aaron Goldblatt, 32o, KSA
Audio Visual Technician
James C. Nelson, 32o
5:45 - 6:00
Remarks, presentations & Class Photo & Prayer for Dinner
6:00 - 6:45
Dinner
Ill David F. Kinzie, 33o
Personal Representative to the
S. G. I. G. in the Orient of Kansas
o
Ill. H. Wayne Rector, 33
Almoner of the Bodies
Treasurer
Debbie Denton
Administrative Assistant
William P. Leonard, 32o, KSA
Director of the Work
Fred A. Lockard, 32o, KCCH
Class Director
Valley Chaplain
Webmaster
Donald E. Matteson, 32o
Wardrobe Master
HEADS OF THE BODIES:
William P. Leonard, 32o, KSA
Venerable Master
Northeast Kansas Lodge of Perfection
Marvin Hammontree, 32°, KSA(C)
Wise Master
Northeast Kansas Chapter of Rose Croix
Richard Sobek, 32o
Commander
Northeast Kansas Council of
Knights Kadosh
Edward A. McConwell, 33°
Master of Kadosh
Northeast Kansas Consistory M.R.S.
William P. Leonard, 32o, KSA
Venerable Master
Knights of St. Andrew
Times shown are subject to minor adjustments.
Message from the Personal Representative
Dear Brethren and
Ladies:
Please allow me a
moment to discuss
one of my favorite
subjects and pursuits:
Leadership!
I share some ideas
drawn from the Army
Times newspaper, 23-Feb-15 (even
though I have been aware of these
concepts for years.)
1. Exceptional bosses promote
inclusion over exclusion.
They refuse to hoard information, control decision-making, or focus their
attention and energy on small, cliques.
They prefer to create a wide-sense of
belonging. Belonging is one of the
most basic needs each person has. As
such, exceptional bosses understand
the importance of making others feel
included. The leaders we want to follow make inclusion a priority. A
sense of belonging creates conditions
to fulfill people’s innate desire to
flourish, thrive and come alive.
2. Exceptional bosses prefer
substance to superficial.
They strive to bring together and accept diverse opinions, views, ideas and
styles. They are unafraid to pursue a
different path or take an unpopular
stand. They marshal confidence to
take smart risks and make the most of
every opportunity to communicate
respect. They inspire others to raise
the bar on their performance and
achieve their dreams—less by their
words, more by their actions, always
by their example.
3. Exceptional bosses make
connection a priority.
They understand the most valuable
commodity in life is relationships.
Therefore, they refuse to engage in
idle gossip which could damage someone else. They don’t interrupt or make
others look inferior. They are humble
and never boast about their own accomplishments, nor blame others for
errors or mistakes. They are quick to
share credit, selflessly accept blame,
and offer constructive criticism rather
than destructive or damaging remarks.
They understand interpersonal relationships are what paves the path to
success. A genuine desire to connect
is what influences others to be and do
their best, no matter how challenging
the circumstances.
4, Exceptional bosses are unafraid to color outside the lines.
They are unafraid to deviate from the
status quo. They recognize they don’t
need to have all the answers before
making a decision or establishing a
direction. Instead, they see instability
and uncertainty not as barriers to overcome but as enablers to achieving a
higher level of success. They make it
a priority to reorganize, reshape and re
-engineer if doing so will make the
organization stronger. They understand and accept Albert Einstein’s
timeless truth that, “you have to color
outside the lines once in a while if you
want to make your life a masterpiece.”
The above information reminds
me of some sage advice I received in
the military when I was called upon to
change from strictly administrative
roles to lead section and much larger
elements in combat training jobs. A
wise old Master Sergeant reminded me
that, as a leader, I did not have to
know all the answers; my job was to
know when, who, and where to find
them. That knowledge is not always
readily available but I never stopped
searching.
So what is the meaning of a discussion on leadership. With the challenges of the past and the need for improvement in some Valley areas in the
future, none of us are qualified to assume the task of improving our valley
by ourselves. We need everyone involved...young and old, experienced
and inexperienced, long term Scottish
Rite Masons, and those who have only
recently joined.
What is happening in this Valley?
In a nutshell, members who have stood
on the sidelines in the past are taking
on challenges about which they care.
We have scaled down on being
individuals and started working as
teams. One example is our KSA
Chapter. I.e., several members who
are trained chefs have assumed the
responsibility for meal preparation
while other members have assumed
greeter and KP (kitchen police for
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those not familiar with this term) duties. The result of serving excellent,
delicious meals is a 75-100% increase
in attendance, all the while at reduced
expense per meal. Furthermore, they
are making plans to improve the layout and equipment for the kitchen.
Other members have volunteered
to chair various VMAP committees,
not only to qualify for recognition, but
to improve all areas of the Valley:
membership recruitment, engagement,
and retention; degree proficiency and
experience; candidate/member education; officer responsibilities and engagement; philanthropy and public
image. For these members who have
volunteered, we are extremely grateful. Continue to move forward with
this work.
We have taken, and will continue
to take, steps to improve our financial
standing. E.g., improved monitoring
of expenses and investments; review
of current expenses with a view to reduction of costs by obtaining alternative bids for services, taking advantage
of special sales, and other opportunities to utilize our resources.
The future is ours to determine.
Here’s hoping each and every one of
you will participate in the decisions
which set our course for the future.
The main point of this discussion—I am finding more of our Valley
members stepping up to the challenges
which face our Valley. I will not attempt to name them, but you know
who you are. And I, among many,
appreciate the forward progress our
Valley is making. Thank you!!!
May God bless you, the Scottish
Rite, our Valley, all service men/
women, and the USA! So mote it be!
TEAMWORK
Teamwork is the merging of the skills and
talents of a group of people into a single
force much greater and stronger than that of
any individual. This force is unbeatable.
It enables those who work together to win
together.
David F. Kinzie, 33 o
Personal Representative to the
Message from the Executive Secretary
Brethren and
Sisters,
I pray that
you are in good
health and are
having a good
year. If the
Valley can help
you an any
way, please call the office. If you
need a ride to our meetings, just let
us know. We want you here with
us. If you haven't been for a while,
we invite you to visit your old
friends and make some new ones.
We hope you had a chance to
attend Grand Lodge in Topeka in
March. We should all support the
Grand Lodge of Kansas and our
Lodges. We should be attending
Lodge meetings and encouraging
our Brother Masons to join us at
the Scottish Rite.
The Valley is working on the
Valley Membership Achievement
Project aka VMAP which Supreme Council has crafted. We are
using this program to help our Valley grow. We hope you can join
with and help us grow together.
There are different parts to the program. If you would like to help in
some way, please let the office
know.
A lot of things are going to be
happening in and around our Valley. At our April 1st dinner meeting we will have the
"Extinguishing of the Lights" to
honor our deceased Brethren which
will be performed by the Chapter
of Rose Croix officers, and the play
"Were You There?" performed by
the Scottish Rite Players. Both of
these performances are performed
annually and are inspiration to see.
The Brethern dress up in costume
and makeup and put on a good production.
The Knights of St. Andrew are
hard at work helping out at our dinner and business meetings, and also
taking care of the Center and cooking our meals. If you haven't been
here for awhile, we invite you to
come and break bread with us.
You will enjoy the food and fellowship.
Saturday, April 4th, is the
Grand Master's reception. Hope to
see you there. Easter is Sunday,
April 5th. If you would like to attend a sunrise service, you are
hereby invited to join Brother Masons at the Liberty Memorial, in
Kansas City, MO at 8:00 a.m. for
the third annual "Knights Templar,
Easter Sunrise Service". The Job's
Daughters will be there with their
families. We hope you can be
there with yours. At our Wednesday April 15th, Business meeting,
the Chapter of Rose Croix officers
will perform the "Relighting of the
Lights" ceremony in costume. You
may/should bring your ladies with
you to our meetings.
Saturday April 18th, is our annual "RiteCare" pancake breakfast
at Rosedale Lodge. We hope you
will come have breakfast with us.
If you can't be there, we hope that
you send in a contribution to help
with our "Rite Care" mission. The
"RiteCare" helps many children
across the Southern Jurisdiction.
Their lives have been changed because of your generosity. You support is greatly appreciated.
Saturday, May 9th, is our
Spring Reunion. We have several
candidates in waiting. We are expecting more. We hope that you
can join us for this event. The
Knights of St. Andrew will be putting on the 29th Degree in full
form. Have you ever seen the 29th
Degree? If you have been around
for a while you might have, or if
you have been to the Guthrie, OK,
Reunion, you have. Now you
have the opportunity to see something not many around here have
seen before. Some of your Valley
3
Brothers are going to Guthrie on
April 9-12 to see all 29 degrees put
on in full form. You don't have to
go that far to see the 4th, 14th,
18th, 29th, 30th, and 32nd Degrees
in full form and costume. These
degrees are very impressive. Come
enjoy them with us. We invite you
to be here for that special ceremony. Help us welcome our new
Brethren.
We lose too many Brethren to
death each year and some to suspension. We hope you have paid
your 2015 dues. If you are not
sure, now is the time to check. We
want you to be in good standing. If
your dues are in arrears, you are
not in good standing. Dues for the
current year are due by December
31st of the previous year. Don't
take a chance, pay your dues on
time.
The Grand York Rite of Kansas
Annual Communication is April 811 at Topeka, KS. On Saturday,
May 16th, the Valley will be hosting a" Celebrating The Craft" event
in conjunction with the Supreme
Council" Celebrating the Craft
Web-a-thon. It will start at 5:00
pm. Your are invited to join us at
the Northeast Kansas Masonic center for this event. Bring your families and friends. The Abdallah
Shrine Rodeo and Demolition Derby is May 21-23 in Tonganoxie,
KS. Our Valley members, in conjunction with Overland Park
Lodge, will be attending a T-Bones
baseball game on Saturday, June
9th, at 5:00 pm in Kansas City, KS.
We will have seats in the shade.
Come join us.
Thank you for all you do for
the Scottish Rite and Masonry. We
will keep you in our thoughts and
in our prayers until we meet again.
God Bless you and your families.
H. Wayne Rector, 33 o
Executive Secretary
Marvin Hammontree, 32o, KSA ,Wise Master, NEKS Chapter of Rose Croix
Brethren:
The
Jewel of
the 18th
degree
Rose
Croix has
a very
symbolic
meaning.
The main
symbol
featured on this beautiful gold jewel of course is the mother Pelican
pecking her breast to feed her babies. The pelican feeding her
young with her blood is a prominent symbol of the Eighteenth, or
Rose Croix, Degree of the Ancient
and Accepted Scottish Rite, and
was adopted as such from the fact
that the pelican, in ancient Christian art, was considered as the emblem of the Savior. Now this symbolism of the pelican, as a representative of the Savior, is almost
universally supposed to be derived
from the common belief that the
pelican feeds her young with her
blood, as the Savior shed his blood
for mankind; and hence the bird is
always represented as sitting on her
nest, and surrounded by her brood
of young ones, who are dipping
their bills into a wound in their
mother's breast. But this is not the
exact idea of the symbolism, which
really refers to the resurrection, and
is, in this point of view, more applicable to Christ, as well as to the
Masonic Degree of which the resurrection is a doctrine. In an ancient Bestiarium, or Natural History, in the Royal Library at Brussels,
cited by Larwood and Hotten in a
recent work on the History of Signboards, this statement is made:
"The pelican is very fond of his
young ones, and when they are
born and begin to grow, they rebel
in their nest against their parent,
and strike him with their wings fly-
gory of the destruction by death
and the resurrection to eternal life.
John (Marvin) Hammontree
Wise Master
Northeast Chapter of Rose Croix
ing about him, and beat him so
much till they wound him in his
eyes. Then the father strikes and
kills them. And the mother is of
such a nature that she comes back
to the nest on the third day, and sits
down upon her dead young ones,
and opens her side with her bill and
pours her blood over them, and so
resuscitates them from death; for
the young ones, by their instinct,
receive the blood as soon as it
comes out of the mother, and drink
it." Dr. Mackey believed the true
theory of the pelican is, that by restoring her young ones to life by
her blood, she symbolizes the resurrection. The old symbologists
said, that the male pelican, who
destroyed his young, represents the
serpent, or evil principle, which
brought death unto the world;
while the mother, who resuscitates
them, is the representative of the
Son of Man of whom it is declared,
"except ye drink of His blood, ye
have no life in you." Hence the
pelican is very appropriately a
symbol of Freemasonry, whose
great object it is to teach by symbolism the doctrine of the resurrection, and especially in that sublime
Degree of the Scottish Rite wherein, the old Temple being destroyed
and the old Word being Lost, a new
temple and a new word spring forth
-- all of which is but the great alle4
FOR RENT
The Northeast Kansas Masonic
Center is available for social and
business rentals. Our facilities are
very suitable for weddings, banquets, receptions, conferences, et
cetera.
We have an assembly hall
(seating 150), dining hall (seats
160) assessable by stairs or chairlift. The lower level is easily accessible by stairs from the rear
parking lot. A kitchen is available
for limited food preparation, but no
cooking or baking. A small conference room (6-8 seats) is available
as well. Our parking lot is well lit
with room for 60 vehicles.
You will be amazed at the dining
hall attractions such as the magnificent 105-year old leaded-glass
doors and many stained-glass pictures which are lighted and also
100-years old.
Our rental rate is reasonable and
comparable to surrounding facilities.
Contact the Scottish Rite office at
913.831.7267 for reservation details and prices.
Annual ritecare
pancake breakfast
Rosedale Lodge #333
6161 Slater, Merriam, KS
Saturday, April 18, 2015
7:00 a.m. — 11:00 a.m.
$6 per person or 4 for $20
Tickets available at the door.
Proceeds to benefit RiteCare® Fund
Shown above: Ill David F. Kinzie, 33o, PR, presented Ill
Bob Anver, 33o, with a certificate from the House of the Temple for his support and contributions. (Somehow Ill Bob got
it prior to the Valley presenting it publicly. Sorry, Bob!)
Will You Still Love Me?
I was standing in front of the
bathroom mirror one evening
admiring my reflection,
when I posed this question to
my wife of 30 years: “Will
you still love me when I’m
old, fat, and balding?
She answered, “I do.”
Up or Down
Shown above: (L-R) J anuar y Bir thday Boys—Bro. Tom Brandtonies, 32o; Ill J.D.
Beasley, 33o; Bro. Lowell Thomas, 32o; Ill Ed McConwell, 33o; and Bro. Bob Jones,
A long line leading to the
ladies’ room greeted my
friend’s wife. Since desperate times call for desperate
measures, my friend took her
into the empty men’s room,
then stood guard. When she
exited a few minutes later, a
man waiting his turn called
out, “I hope you remembered
to put up the toilet seat.”
Would you like to be part of a cadre of Scottish Rite Members ready, willing and
able to assist blue lodges with degree work, if requested?
This Valley is desirous of implementing a roster of well-qualified, excellent ritualists who may be called upon to help
fill degree trestle boards if requested. Simply contact our office, 913-831-7267, or Ill H. Wayne Rector, 33o, (C) 913669-2473, [email protected], and let us know with which degree(s) and role(s) you would be available to assist. [This
could possibly include some travel as some of the more distant lodges, i.e., Southwest, Western, and Northwest lodges
may submit requests for assistance.]
5
~ IN MEMORIUM ~
Our most sincere sympathies and condolences to all the families of our members who have passed on to a better life.
I am Ready for My Last Degree
An old man lay sick in the Masonic State Home
His face was as white as the white sea foam.
His eyes were dim; his hair was gray.
His back was bent with the toils of the way.
He unflatteringly spoke, and I heard him say,
I'm ready for my last degree.
I've come to the end of that level of time
That leads us all on to that Grand Lodge sublime.
From whose sacred form none ever returns.
More light in Masonry there I shall learn
By an altar where light ever more burns
I'm ready for my last degree.
With the apprentice's gauge, I divided my time
And this I have found amidst life's' great turmoil:
Time for work, for worship, and rest from my toil.
My wages are due in corn, wine and oil –
From this last task, I will not recoil.
I'm ready for my last degree.
Each day from life's quarries I've hewn out a stone,
With the gavel, I've shaped them each one alone
And shipped them alone beyond that bright strand
To build me a house in that bright better land.
A spiritual house not made by hands –
I'm ready for my last degree.
I've squared each stone by the virtue square
And plumbed them all true as I shipped them there.
With the compass, I've measured the Master's Designs
And kept in the due bounds with his points and his lines.
My blueprints are folded –I've answered his signs.
I'm ready for my last degree.
A few moments later the old man was dead.
And I fancy I could see his soul as it fled
Upward and onward to that great door
Where he gave his alarm and a voice did implore
The old man made answer with these words once more:
I'm ready for my last degree.
That night in a lodge free from strife and from storm
He took his last Degree – his last in due form
So may I live as to build day by day
A spiritual house in that land far away
So when I meet my Grand Master I can say,
I'm ready for my last degree.
Last Name
Acock
Eastland
Heathman
Hornbuckle III,
Lorenzen
Moore
Rasdall
First
Middle
James
Albert
Morris
Eugene
Robert
Allan
Sterling
Price
Robert
L.
Raymond Ralph
Gerald
Francis
Brothers, We Remember
Date of Death
3-Feb-14
27-Feb-15
11-Jun-14
22-Dec-14
12-Sep-14
25-Feb-15
19-Jan-15
Every year we think of those who fell for us to live.
We know not names or faces, only what they had to give.
They all laid down their lives for us, strangers from the past
Their sacrifices changed the world and will forever last.
Many would be brothers from a host of different parts
Strangers to each other, but fraternal in their hearts.
They fought for what was righteous, their absolute belief
Then gave their lives for us to live, the ultimate Relief.
Let not their sacrifices go unmarked; remember every year
That these brave men enabled us to have what we hold dear.
May they all be with the Mighty High, there in Heaven
above.
They showed the real Truth of living life with Brotherly
Love.
I Am Freemasonry
I was born in antiquity, in the ancient days when men first dreamed
of God. I have been tried through the ages, and found true. The
crossroads of the world bear the imprint of my feet, and the cathedrals of all nations mark the skill of my hands. I strive for beauty
and for symmetry. In my heart is wisdom and strength and courage
for those who ask. Upon my alters is the Book of Holy Writ, and
my prayers are to the One Omnipotent God, my sons work and pray
together, without rank or discord, in the public mart and in the inner chamber. By signs and symbols I teach the lessons of life and
of death and the relationship of man with God and of man with
man. My arms are widespread to receive those of lawful age and
good report who seek me of their own free will. I accept them and
teach them to use my tools in the building of men, and thereafter,
find direction in their own quest for perfection so much desired and
so difficult to attain. I lift up the fallen and shelter the sick. I hark
to the orphans' cry, the widow’s tears, the pain of the old and destitute. I am not church, nor party, nor school, yet my sons bear a full
share of responsibility to God, to country, to neighbor, and themselves. They are freemen, tenacious of their liberties and alert to
lurking danger. At the end, I commit them as each one undertakes
the journey beyond the vale into the glory of everlasting life. I
ponder the sand within the glass and think how small is a single life
in the eternal universe. Always have I taught immortality, and even
as I raise men from darkness into light, I am a way of life. I Am
Freemasonry. - Ray V. Denslow
6
DATE
TIME
ACTIVITY OR EVENT
1-Apr-15
Stated Dinner Meeting: Consistory Presides - "Were Y ou There?" Scottish Rite Ceremony and
6:30 p.m. "Remembrance and Extinguishing the Lights" Scottish Rite Ceremony conducted by Chapter of
Rose Croix
13-Apr-15
1:00 p.m. Valley Luncheon - Salty Iguana, 8228 Mission Rd
15-Apr-15
18-Apr-15
Light Snack at 6:00 p.m. followed by Advisory Business Meeting at 7:00 p.m.;
6:30 p.m. All members/ladies invited. "Relighting the Lights" Scottish Rite Ceremony conducted by Chapter of
Rose Croix
7:00 a.m. Annual RiteCare Pancake Breakfast - Rosedale Lodge, 6161 Slater
10:00 a.m.
25-Apr-15
TBA
York Rite Spring Festival
2-May-15
TBA
York Rite Spring Festival
6-May-15
9-May-15
11-May-15
6:30 p.m. Stated Potluck Dinner Meeting: Lodge of Perfection Presides
TBA
1:00 p.m. Valley Luncheon - Longhorn Steakhouse, 16689 W. 119th
16-May-15
TBA
20-May-15
6:00 p.m.
3-Jun-15
8-Jun-15
Scottish Rite Spring Reunion [Details to be listed in the Scottish Knight, on our website, and by
InfoGrams]
Supreme Council Celebrate the Craft Webathon
Light Snack at 6:00 p.m. followed by Advisory Business Meeting at 7:00 p.m.; All members/ladies
invited.
6:30 p.m. Stated Dinner Meeting: Chapter of Rose Croix Presides - 25-Year Membership
Presentations
1:00 p.m. Valley Luncheon - Cinzetti's Restaurant, 91st & Metcalf
13-Jun-15
TBA
17-Jun-15
6:00 p.m.
Arab Shrine Ceremonial, Topeka, KS
Light Snack at 6:00 p.m. followed by Advisory Business Meeting at 7:00 p.m.; All members/ladies
invited.
Shown above: At the March 4th, 2015, Dinner Meeting, Past Commanders of NEKS Valley’s Chapter of Knights of
Saint Andrew were presented with their gold Past Commanders pins to be worn on the KSA caps. They are (L-R): Bro.
Ron Harger, 32o, KCCH; Bro. Jon Robbins, 32o,, KSA; Bro. Bill Leonard, 32o,, KSA; Bro. Maverick Bolen, 32o,, KSA; and
Bro. Dennis Taylor, 32o,, KSA. Our KSA is a very important part of this Valley and are well respected for their impact.
Indispensable??
In Daddy’s Steps
Sometime when you’re feeling important,
Sometime when our ego’s in bloom,
Sometime when you take it for granted
You’re the best qualified in the room;
I watched him playing around my door,
My neighbor’s little boy of four.
I wondered why a child would choose
To wear his dad’s old worn out shoes.
I saw him try with all his might
To make the laces snug and tight.
I smiled to see him walk, and then,
He’d only step right out again.
I heard him say, his voice so glad,
“I want to be just like m dad.”
I hope his dad his steps would choose,
Safe for his son—to wear his shoes.
And then the shout and cry of joy,
A “Hello, Dad” and ”Hi, ya boy.”
They walked along in measured stride,
Each face aglow with love and pride.
“What have you done today, my lad?”
“I tried to wear your old shoes, Dad.
They’re big, but when I am a man,
I’ll wear your shoes; I know I can.”
They stopped and stood there hand-in-hand,
He saw his son’s tracks in the sand.
His words—a prayer—came back to me,
“Lord, let my steps lead him to thee.”
Sometime when you feel that your going
Would leave an unfillable hole—
Just follow this simple instruction
And see how it humbles your soul.
Take a bucket and fill it with water,
Put your hand in it up to your wrist.
Pull it out and the hole that’s remaining
Is a measure of how you’ll be missed.
You may splash all you want when you enter,
You may stir up the water galore—
But stop and you’ll find in a minute,
That it looks quite the same as before.
The moral in this quaint example:
Always serve the best that you can;
Be true to yourself, but remember There’s no indispensable man.
Please Check Your Dues Card
My Forgetter
Are your Northeast Kansas Scottish Rite Valley dues current?
My forgetter's getting better
But my rememberer is broke.
To you that may seem funny
But, to me, that is no joke
Are you a member in good standing?
Please know that your membership is very important to us. We try our best to serve
your needs and create an atmosphere which is in line with our Masonic Teachings.
Per the Statutes of the Supreme Council your dues for 2014 were payable no later than
December 31, 2013!
If you do not have a 2014 dues card in your possession at this time, you are not in good
standing, and admission to any Scottish Rite event can be denied to you!
Furthermore, this year there is a change. Please keep your plastic Membership Card.
Why? Because the Supreme Council has produced a 2015 sticker to be applied over the
‘2014’ in the lower right corner of your card. When your 2015 dues are received, you
will be sent the 2015 sticker.
If we have not received your 2014 dues by December 31, 2014, we will be
required to automatically suspend you on January 1, 2015!
If you are experiencing financial difficulties or are unable to pay your dues for any reason, please contact the Northeast Scottish Rite Valley office at 913.831.7267 at your
earliest convenience, so we may be of assistance in
possibly alleviating the problem.
Also, if you are 80+ years old or a 50-year member, you are not required to pay dues;
however, your Valley must pay $20 per capita fees. Therefore, if it is within your
means, your payment of the $20 per capita fee would be greatly appreciated and improve the budget of the Valley.
In addition, please note that your 2015 dues are payable upon dues notice
but not later than December 31, 2015 as well.
Thanks for all you do for your Valley!!
We are looking forward to seeing you in 2015.
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For when I'm "here" I'm wondering
If I really should be "there",
And, when I try to think it through,
I haven't got a prayer!
Oft times I walk into a room,
Say, "What am I here for?"
I rack my brain, but all in vain,
A zero is my score.
At times I put something away
Where it is safe, but, Gee!
The person it is safest from
Is, generally, me!
When shopping I may see someone,
Say "Hi" and have a chat,
Then, when the person walks away,
I ask myself, "Who was that?"
Yes, my forgetter's getting better
While my rememberer is broke,
And it's driving me plumb crazy
And that isn't any joke.
Northeast Kansas Valley of Scottish Rite Masonic Services Directory
“Northeast Kansas Valley of Scottish Rite Masonic Services Directory’s advertisers subscribe to providing high quality customer service,
delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual price, respect, honesty, and fraternal spirit.”
ACCOUNTING & TAXATION
Ann M. Thornton, CPA
Ann M. Thornton, CPA
913-441-1736
FINANCIAL PLANNING
R.M. Phillips
Mike Phillips
913-708-8120
INSURANCE
Kansas Preferred Insurance Group
Keith Turnbaugh
913-585-1981
LIMOSINE SERVICE
Point to Point
Tom Brandtonies
913-754-6700
PRINTING
Shawnee Copy Center Inc
Jim Shippee
913-268-4343
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
JDF Consulting
Jerry Flora, Ph.D.
913-648-7081
Advertising Insertion Order Form
Enclosed is my check in the amount of $
for insertions as indicated below.
1st Line
2 line listing
2nd Line
($40—4 quarterly issues)
Heading requested
Business or Service Name
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
Address
City
Phone
State
ZIP
Mail to: Northeast Kansas Valley Scottish Rite, ATTN: Scottish Knight Editor, 5201 W. 75th St., Prairie Village, KS 66208-4402
Shown above on left: (L-R) Bro. Tom Brandtonies, 32o; Bro. Fred Kemp, 32o; and Bro. Brian Kremer, 32o after their installation as
the newest members of NEKS Chapter of Knights of St. Andrew. Shown above on right: (L-R) Kathy Olds, Secretary; Jazmin
Burch, Guide; Justice Merriman, Honored Queen; Joyce Olds, Bethel Guardian; and Ill David F. Kinzie, 33o, NEKS Valley Personnal Representative, who presented the members of Bethel #27, JDI, with a certificate of appreciation for delivering a program on
JDI for the benefit of our members and guests present at the March 4th, 2015 dinner meeting. A good time was had by all.
Great Truths
In my many years, I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.—John Adams
If you don’t read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.—Mark Twain
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.—George Bernard Shaw
I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.—Will Rogers
Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.—James Bovard
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.—Aesop (c. 580 BC)
My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3 a can. That’s almost $21 in dog money.—Joe
Weinstein
I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult.—Rita Rudner
Ever consider what a dog must think of us? I mean we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul—chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think
we’re the greatest hunters on earth.—Anne Tyler
Anybody who doesn’t know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.—Franklin P. Jones
The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog.—Ambrose Bierce
If your dog is fat, you aren’t getting enough exercise.—Author Unknown
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.—Robert A. Heinlein
The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.—Mark Twain
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Shown above left: Our Mar ch Bir thday Boys (L-R): Ill Robert Hines. 33o, Bro. Don E. Matteson, 32o, Bro. Jerry
Flora, 32o, KCCH. Shown above right: (L-R) Bro. Fred Kemp, 32o, Bro. Tom Brandtonies, 32o, and Bro. Brian Kremer,
32o in preparation to be installed as Knights of St. Andrew in our NEKS Valley Chapter of KSA. Congratulations, all.
Want to leave a lasting legacy?
My Influence
Please consider remembering your Northeast Kansas
Scottish Rite Valley in your annuities, gifts, estates, and
wills.
My life shall touch a dozen lives before the day is
done.
Leave countless marks fore good or ill.
Ere sets the evening sun.
This is the wish I always wish,
The prayer I always pray.
Lord, help my life help other lives
It touches by the way!
If you want/need advise on this process, please contact
Bro. Mike Phillips, 32o, at 913.708.8120 or
[email protected].
Building Sustainment Fund
A (Very) Little Humor
There are some repairs, additions, re-modeling which needs
to be done to better utilize the facility. E.g., add electrical
outlets, re-arrange the kitchen to make it more useful, purchase some new kitchen appliances, and many other things.
Most of the work to do this will be accomplished by Lodge
and/or Valley members if at all possible. But we know it
will still cost money. Therefore, we are establishing a
building sustainment fund to which we will accept donations to be used exclusively for this purpose. If you would
like to make monthly, quarterly, yearly, or one-time donations, simply send your check to the office and note “Bldg
Sustainment” on the memo line. All donations will be
gratefully accepted and kept confidential unless otherwise
requested.. Thank you in advance for your support!!
Thoughts on Change
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I believe it was George Bernard Shaw who said, “Some
men see things as they are and say why; I dream of things
that never were and say why not.: Interestingly enough, I 
recently read that Shaw was a Mason. I like this quote because of how it defines change. Change, it seems to me,
requires faith. All men of faith have courage, and so having the courage to have the faith to accept change is the

point I want to make. [From the V irginia Masonic Herald,
RW William C. Phillips, Jr.]
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I’m going through my second childhood right now.
It’s my fourth time through.
He’s such a slow reader. By the time he finishes a
murder mystery, it doesn’t matter who committed the
crime; the statute of limitations has run out.
You might have heard of our IT department. It’s
known as a house of ill compute.
An inventor came up with a knife that sliced two
loaves of bread at a time and sold it to a large bakery.
Then he developed a knife that sliced three loaves at a
time and sold it, too. Finally, his ultimate invention
came: a knife that sliced four loaves at a time. And so
was born the world’s first four-loaf cleaver.
A moth said to another moth, “Have a bite of this delicious sweater.” “I can’t,” the other moth replied. “I’ve
given them up for lint.”
We’ll have a mixture of sun and clouds today with
wind and maybe some precipitation. So basically …
weather.
A woman, shocked at the behavior of her friend’s
child, said, “Doesn’t your son swear terribly?” “He
sure as heck does,” the mother replied. “No expression
in it at all.”
When filling out an application, where it says “In case
of emergency, notify,” I always write “Doctor.”
Shown clockwise from above left: (L-R) Br o. Max & Angela Kmeck and Emily & Br o. Robert Walker, all our guests {Both
brothers completed petitions for our 9-May-15 reunion}; Ill David Kinzie, 33o, PR, presented Bro. Fred Kemp, 32o, accompanied
by his lady Linda with his 32o patent; and Bro. Jim Burns,32o, Bro. Fred Kemp, 32o, and Ill David Kinzie, 33o, PR, were our February Birthday Boys.
Malapropisms
(For those who might not know, a malapropism is a verbal blunder in
which one word is replaced by another similar in sound but different in
meaning.)
 People who live beyond their means should act their wage.
 If your wife wants to learn to drive, don't stand in her way.
 The image of you playing Frisbee with a dog isn't so farfetched.
 The wise never marry, and when they marry, they become otherwise.
 He's a wolf in cheap clothing.
 It was a case of love at Versailles.
 He's got one of those sight-seeing dogs.
 In Algiers, they spend most of their time at the cash bar.
 My sister has extra-century perception.
 A fool and his money are some party.
 All's fear in love and war.
 Nip it in the butt.
 Some viruses can lie doormat for years.
 To each his zone.
 Michelangelo painted the Sixteenth Chapel.
 No more negotiating - it's a dumb deal.
 It's a long road to hold.
 All I want from you kids is a little piece of quiet.
 Perforation is a rip off.
 What do you call a sleepwalking nun? A Roaming Catholic.
Dilbert's Laws of Work
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A pat on the back is only a few centimeters from a kick in the rear.

When the bosses talk about improving productivity, they are never talking
about themselves.
If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a fool about
it.
Everything can be filed under "miscellaneous."
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11
Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
You can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a clipboard.
Eat one live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Never delay the ending of a meeting or the beginning of a cocktail hour.
To err is human, to forgive is not our policy.
Anyone can do any amount of work provided it isn't the work he/she is supposed to be doing.
If you are good, you will be assigned all the work. If you are really good,
you will get out of it.
You are always doing something marginal when the boss drops by your
desk.
People who go to conferences are the ones who shouldn't.
If it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would get done.
When you don't know what to do, walk fast and look worried.
When confronted by a difficult problem you can solve it more easily by
reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
No matter how much you do, you never do enough.
NE Kansas Scottish Rite Valley
5201 W. 75th Street
Prairie Village, KS 66208-4402
Phone:
913-831-7267
Fax:
913-831-7268
E-mail:
[email protected]
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
KANSAS CITY, KS.
PERMIT NO. 99
Change of Address?
Please notify the Postmaster and the Scottish
Rite office six weeks in advance. Please
enclose the mailing label and your new
address.
Opinions expressed in signed articles are not
necessarily those of the Northeast Kansas Scottish Rite
Bodies. Any article appearing in this publication expresses
only the opinion of the writer and does not reflect the official
position of the Northeast Kansas Valley, Staff or Officers.
Please mail or e-mail items to:
David F. Kinzie, 33o—Editor
21929 Kissinger Road
Leavenworth, KS 66048-6116
E-mail: [email protected]
Deadline: 15 days prior to start of calendar quarter.
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