Friday, July 14th, 2023, Orient Wide meeting of the Honourmen
Agenda:
• Knight Commander of the Court of Honor Meeting: 10am-Noon
• Hour break for lunch: Noon-1pm
• 33° Meeting: 1pm-3pm
Also the next day on Saturday, July 15th, 2023, there will be the annual Orient Wide Leadership Workshop from 10am-2pm
Scottish Rite Brethren,
Our Summer is drawing to a close. Soon we will be back to Labor. Somehow Labor and Refreshment seem the same to me.
A week ago, I returned from a visit to the House of the Temple. The visit was remarkable in many ways. Although the House of the Temple is an architectural marvel, the work that goes on behind the scenes is very remarkable as well. From computer services to building restoration the House of the Temple is staffed with creative and hard-working employees. It is hard to believe the many and extensive programs that are piloted and sustained at the House of the Temple. I know the money I give for the preservation of the House of the Temple is put to good use. Take the opportunity to view the YouTube videos, Facebook postings and Podcasts distributed from the Supreme Council.
I hope many of our members took the opportunity to watch the “Statement of Unity” signing ceremony which was broadcast from the House of the Temple on September 7th. This a was very historical event which strengthens our Fraternity.
We will hold an Orient workshop over ZOOM on October 8th. I hope this gives everyone enough time to prepare. I will be calling on members to “host” specific topics. The topics will include Membership, Masonic Education, Communications, Leadership, VMAP Program, Ritual, Building Restoration and Charitable Giving. If anyone has another topic which he considers important, please let me know. The link to register is included bellow.
I have appointed Nathan Neff as Orient Secretary. He has been doing this job for many years and the title will allow him the permissions he needs to serve the Orient more effectively.
We are still waiting for all the valleys to send in a calendar. If possible, the calendar should follow the Google format and extend at least six months. Please email it to secretary@portlandsr.com
The insurance inquiry sent by Ill. Jorge Franchi, 33°, Chief Financial Officer of the Supreme Council, needs to be completed by a Valley Officer. Please complete this form as soon as possible. Be as accurate as possible when completing this form. It is very important to get accurate information. Notify Orient CFO, Ill. Eric Gazow, 33°, when you have completed this form.
Thank you all for supporting Scottish Rite Masonry!
Fraternally,
Rick Komraus, 33°
Deputy – Orient of Oregon
Supreme Council, 33° | Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, SJ, USA
www.scottishrite.org
Deputy@orientsr.com
Greetings Brethren,
Because of this pandemic situation the membership of our fraternity has been negatively impacted. As Masons we are obligated to take measures to correct these problems. To accomplish this will require the cooperation and efforts of all Masons. It will be necessary for us to get back to grass roots Masonry, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel, we just need to kickstart our great Fraternity.
I’ve considered and now suggest a few areas we need to concentrate on. We owe it to the fraternity to replace ourselves annually and whenever possible. We must contact our members to promote and restart Masonry again. One way to do this would be to give our line officers a list of members to contact, both to check on their well being as well as to encourage lodge attendance. Another method could be to establish Scottish Rite Ambassadors in each Blue Lodge to promote Scottish Rite Masonry.
Whatever methods taken will require action. Action from our Brothers, action from our fraternity, action from ourselves.
If any Brother would like to join me in getting this great Fraternity back in gear, please contact Bro. Larry Burbidge, or myself, to be a part of the Membership Committee or to become a Scottish Rite Ambassador.
We will succeed, together!
S&F,
Ill. Duane Hugulet, 33°
Chairman, Orient of Oregon Membership Committee
Greetings Brethren,
Our leadership has asked Brother Duane Hugulet and myself to put our energies into building our Portland Valley attendance and membership. This is no small endeavor and will require a committed TEAM to accomplish. Who’s ready to join with us?
So far, our conversations have been about making phone calls to encourage current members to attend meetings, degrees, reunions, and other events. Remember, there is enormous value to be attained by attending each degree and even more by volunteering to be a cast or crew member. Also, we will be recruiting “Ambassadors” to visit lodges within our jurisdiction and spread the word about the opportunities to be found in Scottish Rite Masonry. We are encouraging feedback, comments, suggestions, and enthusiastic clamoring to join the TEAM!
At this point we are in the brainstorming phase, so all ideas will be appreciated and considered; snide comments come much later in the process.
Remember brothers, our fraternity is old and rich with history, tradition, opportunity, and fellowship. As we look back into our history, we observe countless examples of men growing into better men through selflessness and service. I believe that we can again build the Rite into a force in Masonry where Masons can come together, learn, grow, and enjoy the process.
Don’t forget that Duane and I are a couple of the old guys, and we will need an abundance of assistance with this project, so please do not hesitate to contact us with your enthusiastic ideas and HELP!
Have Fun Today,
Bro. Larry Burbidge, 32°
Scottish Rite Brethren,
Although we are in the vacation season our masonic duties continue.
I am appointing Illustrious Ted Balestreri, 33°, as Chairman of the Education Committee. You all may know Illustrious Brother Ted from his various lectures and work on the University of Freemasonry program. I am fortunate enough to have a copy of his latest book “The Kadosh Garden of Kabbalistic Trees.”
Now is the time to work diligently to fill the Orient Officer vacancies in our Valleys. Every Valley should have a Personal Representative, General Secretary, and Treasurer. I need recommendations from the Valleys to fill any of these vacancies as soon as possible.
To be consistent in our recent changes in leadership, all edicts issued in the Orient of Oregon are now rescinded. Edicts and decrees are usually only temporary, they are used to make quick executive changes which may be needed due to inadequate governing policies. We should all make an attempt to read our bylaws and articles of incorporation. If any member feels these are inadequate, an effort will be made to rewrite these policies.
I still need the event calendars from all Orient Valleys. If you need assistance, please contact me. The calendars should be sent to Nathan Neff at the Portland Valley in the form of a Google Calendar link.
Illustrious Dale Vanderpool, 33°, the Orient Personal Representative, will act as a technical resource for those Valleys who need assistance with using electronic media. This may include ZOOM, Go to Meeting, or other conferencing services. Also, inform Illustrious Brother Dale if you are need hardware or computer upgrades.
Please update your Valley’s Websites, information that is several years old is not helpful for sojourners or Master Masons who wish to visit or join your Valley.
All Valleys who have building associations need to send me their most recent Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
Soon you will receive a message from our Membership Chairman, Illustrious Duane Hugulet, 33°. Illustrious Brother Duane will be coordinating membership training in the Orient which will be provided by the Supreme Council.
Enjoy your Summer!
Fraternally,
Rick Komraus, 33°
Deputy – Orient of Oregon
Supreme Council, 33° | Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, SJ, USA
www.scottishrite.org | Deputy@orientsr.com
Scottish Rite Brethren,
It has been a great experience communicating with everyone in the few short weeks that I have been in the Office of Deputy of the Supreme Council. Unfortunately, this has taken much longer than expected. While there are issues to resolve, I probably talk too much.
As soon as possible I would like all Valley General Secretaries to send me an up-to-date list with contact information for all their Valley’s Orient appointed officers (i.e., PR, Secretary, and Treasurer, and any of their assistants), as well as the Valley’s elected and appointed officers. We also need a calendar of the Valley’s events and regular Stated Meetings which will be added to and sent out as part of the Orient Google Calendar. If you have any questions, please let me know. It is very important to bring our communications into the Twentieth Century.
If any Valley needs training in any area which may include Sentinel, Google, or computer skills please let me know. If there is a need for new equipment, we will find a way to supply this.
I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Illustrious Brother Duane Hugulet, 33°, as the Orient Membership Chairman to help with increasing membership and retention across the Orient.
I know many Valleys will be “dark” over the summer months, if there is still an opportunity for me to visit with you, please let me know.
It is a great pleasure serving the Orient of Oregon and all our inspiring members.
Fraternally,
Rick Komraus
Deputy – Orient of Oregon
Supreme Council, 33° | Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, SJ, USA
Deputy@orientsr.com
Effective June 1, 2022, Illustrious Rick Komraus, 33°, of the Valley of Portland has been appointed as the new Deputy for the Orient of Oregon. Rick is a former Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Oregon, and he is looking forward to his new duties in the Orient. As one of his first actions he has appointed Illustrious Ron Eggers, 33°, of the Valley of Portland as the new Portland Valley Personal Representative. Ron is a former Grand Master of the Grand lodge of Oregon.
Rick and his Wife Georgi currently resides in Central Oregon. He is almost at the exact geographical center of Oregon.
A message from the new Deputy will soon follow.
My dear Brethren,
First and foremost, it has been my honor and privilege to work with each of you. Your diligence, loyalty, and hard work have awarded me with honors, here at home and overseas. Every one of these awards and honors were directly effected by your willingness to perform your duties, your dedication to the Scottish Rite, and your loyalty to the Orient of Oregon.
The following is a list of some of our successes, but not all because I want to keep this letter under 10,000 words. Our Scholarship Charity has improved its communications and web page, reaching out better to everyone who might need a scholarship. We increased how many scholarships we provide and the money available for them. The Speech and Language Charity was going broke, the charity is now fully financed because of our due diligence. Portland State University has named its clinic after the Scottish Rite. We also contribute to the University of Oregon, helping their Speech Department with the training of its Speech Language Pathologists and their youth summer camp. The Board of the Orient of Oregon Speech and Language Charity saved the charity from financial ruin. We have also saved numerous Valleys from financial difficulties. Financially, we put together an excellent set of Orient policies and procedures. There are several Valleys who have successfully provided outreach to help their communities. We now have annual training classes for our membership and leadership. Valleys are helping other Valleys, cooperating with each other, and treating Masons like Masons with Brotherly Love. At Reunions at the Medford Valley, we now have five Valleys coming together, each of which puts on a degree. We have developed job descriptions, standard operating procedures, organization charts, and installed computers in each Valley, to improve communication in the Orient, and for the Supreme Council’s Valley Membership Achievement Project (VMAP). We also sold three of our buildings and built a new one for Medford Valley. All three of these Valleys have improved their financial situation with the sale of their buildings. Like I said, this is not a complete list, but it gives you an idea of some of our accomplishments. The leadership and membership have performed above and beyond all expectations and I am very proud of all of you.
My wife has supported me throughout my Masonic career, now it is time for me to be there for her and reciprocate the Love and support I have received. With that in mind I put in my request to retire as your Sovereign Grand Inspector General in January. I have attached the Grand Commander’s letter so you can read more details… I know, Masons never gossip.
My Brethren, I can honestly say I am leaving the Orient of Oregon in better shape than I found it. Times bring new challenges every day. Our new Deputy will be able to deal with them; I have complete confidence in our Deputy and believe he will do a great job. Yes, as you assume, I know who it will be but it is our Grand Commander who must make the call. If asked, I will give my opinion and support to our new Deputy 100%. The last time I talk to our Grand Commander he shared that the phone call will take place in a couple of days.
My dear Brothers and friends, I thank you with all that makes me a person and Mason. Your support, loyalty, dedication, intellect, and Brotherly Love will never be forgotten and always cherished!
God Bless all of you and your families!
Fraternity and Loyalty,
Gary W Kuney, 33°
S.G.l.G. in Oregon
Grand Chamberlain of the
Supreme Council
Brethren,
As you are all aware every year your Valley submits applications from students to receive scholarships from the Orient of Oregon Scottish Rite Education fund. In the past the process has been cumbersome, and at times confusing for all involved. This year we have launched a new website that will help streamline the application process for you and most importantly, the students. The website can be found here: https://orsrscholarships.com
Another change is that we have partnered with ASPIRE Oregon. The ASPIRE program helps students plan for their postsecondary education and future career. Trained volunteer mentors consisting of counselors, teachers, and parents work with middle and high school students to explore colleges, research career training options, and apply for financial aid. It is a program operated by the Office of Student Access and Completion, which is a department in the State of Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
I want to assure you the process is essentially still the same. As in the past, students will fill out their application with the difference the application process is now done completely online. Once we receive their application we will forward it to the proper Valley for review and approval. Once the Valley has made their decision, they will forward their top pics to us, and we will award out the scholarships.
My hope is that with the changes we will see an increase in students applying for our scholarships, and a lot less work for all of us on the back end.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Fraternally yours,
Nicholas Johns 32° KSA
President Orient of Oregon Scottish Rite Educational Charity
Brethren,
This message is very hard for me to write. I am postponing our Honors Ceremony for now. I found out that hospitals are overflowing and people are being turned away that need help. On top of that the recent Cave Degree resulted in a member contracting the virus.
As your leader in the Scottish Rite I must make decisions based on numerous details. Three of the most important details are everyones’ health, safety, and your families’ health and safety. Because of this our Ceremonies are postponed.
I just received today the scripts that have been modified by Ill. Brother Art de Hoyos. They will be used for our Honors Ceremony.
A huge thank you to all the Brothers who have worked so hard putting together our Honors Ceremony. I will be calling on many of you to help with the taping of the the ceremony.
Again, our Honors Ceremony has been canceled. Please contact the honorees and let them know. Thank you.
God bless all of you!
Gary Kuney, 33°
S.G.I.G. in Oregon
