Tickets are now on sale for the Portland Valley’s First Annual Fest of the Manifesto of the Consistory Sept. 6th, 2022 starting at 6pm.
This event is open to Scottish Rite Members, their significant other, and/or any accompanied guests of members, like perspective Rite members.
The Feast of the Manifesto festivities include a new ritual preformed by the Consistory Officers, a presentation on the history of the Manifesto by RWBro. Adam Bayer, 32°, N.M.J., and live performance by the mystical progressive folk soul band SILENT TEMPLE. Tickets are just $40 per person for this great evening of entertainment.
Menu for banquet:
Chef carved NY strip roast with a whole grain mustard horseradish sour cream sauce with thyme (or vegetarian entrée)
Garden salad with ranch and balsamic vinaigrette on the side
Orzo pasta salad with diced tomato, red onion, cucumber, olive oil, lemon and feta and parsley
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!
Masonic BBQ and Picnic at the MedfordScottish Rite Center
All Masons and families are invited to a BBQ, on Sept. 24th, 2022 , from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. This is a FREE dinner just for coming to the Scottish Rite Center and meeting the Scottish Rite Officers and members. It’s been a long time since we have met with our Brothers, so come visit. Please RSVP your reservation by Sept. 22nd, 2022.
Call or email the Scottish Rite Secretary and reserve your spot.
Menu: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Potato Salad, Chips, Drinks and Dessert will be served with all the fixins!
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
The roll of the Workmen has been called, and one Master Mason, Brother Robert B. Piatt, 32°, KCCH, has not answered to his name. He has laid down the working tools of life and with them has left that mortal part for which he no longer has use. His labors here below have taught him to divest his heart and conscience of the vices and superfluity of life, thereby fitting his mind as a living stone for that spiritual building, that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Strengthened in his labors here by faith in God, and confident of expectation of immortality, he has been granted admission to the Celestial Lodge above. His Brethren mourn the passing of a great man and Mason.
On Saturday, July 2, 2022, Robert Benjamin Piatt passed away at the age of 92. Robert “Bob” Piatt was born Jan. 19, 1930, in Ponderay, Idaho to Benjamin and Eva (Carnegie) Piatt. He joined the Army Air Corps at the age of 16. On Nov. 5, 1949, he married Lauretta May VanDolah and they were married nearly 73 years. Together they raised four children. Robert Piatt is survived by his wife, Lauretta; his four children, Eva Irene, Elizabeth Gaylene, Robert William and Laura Ann; his sister, Terry; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; several cousins and many nieces and nephews.
Bro. Commander Piatt was an Engineer and Superintendent of Marine Transportation. He was a member of Hawthorne Lodge No. 111 in Portland, that later consolidated with Washington Lodge No. 46 in 1983. He received the 32°, Master of the Royal Secret, in the Portland Valley of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., U.S.A. on May 14th, 1977, he was elected a Knight Commander of the Court of Honour on October 18th, 1993, and invested on November 13th, 1993.
A service will be held at 12 p.m., Monday, July 25th, 2022, at the Lincoln Memorial Park and Funeral Home, 11801 S.E. Mount Scott Blvd., Portland, OR 97086. Graveside with Military Honors at 1:30 p.m., Monday, July 25, 2022, at Willamette National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Portland Shriner’s Hospital for Children or to the Ray Hickey Hospice Home (Vancouver) in his memory.
A Masonic and Military Service with Honors will be held this Friday at 9am at Willamette National Cemetery for Illustrious Brother William “Bill” Southwell, 33°, IGH. Brother Bill died last year but due to complications they were not able to set a date for his service. His daughter and her family live in Canada and were now able to make arrangements to be here for a service. The time was set by Willamette National Cemetery for a military service with Honors. If you can be there, his widow, Alta Southwell, and his family, would appreciate it immensely. The address is 11800 SE Mt Scott Blvd, Happy Valley, OR 97086.
Illustrious Brother William George Southwell, 33°, Inspector General Honorary, was born on March 8th, 1930, in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and passed to the Celestial Lodge in Lake Oswego, Oregon, on June 7th, 2021. Ill. Br. Bill was initiated on April 8th, 1970, passed to the Fellow Craft on May 20th, 1970, and raised a Master Mason on June 24th, 1970, in Waluga Lodge No. 181, consolidated in 2020 as Milwaukie Waluga Lodge No. 109 A.F.&A.M. of Oregon, he also held dual membership in the Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. He served as Master of Waluga in 1994, received the Hiram Award in 2001, served as Treasurer of Waluga in 2007, and Senior Deacon of Research Lodge from 2013 to 2015, he received his Service Award for 50 years from the Grand Lodge of Oregon in 2020. He joined the Portland Valley of the A.&A. Scottish Rite of Freemasonry on November 4th, 1995, he was elected as a Knight Commander of the Court of Honour October 3rd, 2001, honored on November 3rd, 2001, and Coroneted an Inspector General Honorary 33° member of the Supreme Council in Portland Valley on September 8th, 2007. Ill Br. Bill was an active member of the Rite participating in many of the Degrees over the years and served as the Master of Kadosh for the Portland Valley’s Oregon Consistory No. 1 from 2001 to 2003. He is survived by his loving wife Alta.
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.
