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2020 July – Concord York Rite Trestleboard

     Categories: Horace Chase Council No. 4, Concord, Mount Horeb Commandery No. 3, Concord, Trestleboards, Trinity Chapter No. 2, Concord

Greetings Companions and Sir Knights,

Well, July is upon us with its usual high temperatures, but the good news is that we are starting to come out of our lockdown. Some of the various Lodges have started to meet in person following the current Grand Lodge guidelines for Masonic Bodies. Seems like it’s been such a long time since we’ve been able to get together. Hopefully we’ll be able to continue on this new path and gradually get back to normal without any setbacks.

I’m currently planning on having a Special Meeting in August, on the 18th, so we can get back together and catch up on things. A lot will depend on the status of the Concord Lodge Building. They have a project this Summer to re-do the Restrooms in the Temple and our Meeting will depend on the status of the project. We wouldn’t want to be there if the facilities are unavailable, especially us older guys.

Hopefully for the August Trestleboard I’ll have more good news for you about our ability to meet and get together. Until then stay safe and hopefully see you soon.

Fraternally,
Dennis Tuttle, Sr

Excellent High Priest Trinity Chapter
Illustrious Master Horace Chase Council
Eminent Commander Mt Horeb Commandery

2020 June – Concord York Rite Trestleboard

     Categories: Horace Chase Council No. 4, Concord, Mount Horeb Commandery No. 3, Concord, Trestleboards, Trinity Chapter No. 2, Concord

Greetings Companions and Sir Knights,

The beginning of another month is here and the lockdown has been extended, but only for 2 weeks this time, so things are looking somewhat better. Hopefully this will be the last extension and we can then start making plans about how, and when, we’ll be able to get together in person again. Since we are traditionally Dark in June, July and August we don’t have to worry about any Stated Meetings, but hopefully we can work a Special Meeting in to vote on any Petitions, or other items that we’ve had to put off. Now would be a great time to contact any of your Brethren who have mentioned a desire in joining York Rite and assist them in getting their Petition to Secretary/Recorder Earl Cole.

One of the most anticipated upcoming events will be the completion of the Commandery Degrees that were started several months ago. There are currently over two dozen Knights of Malta who are patiently waiting for their Order of the Temple. It will probably be sometime in the Fall, which will give the two Commandery’s that are presenting it time for some rehearsals and work out any adaptations that may have to be made for Covid-19 reasons.

I hope that some of you have had a chance to participate in the weekly Virtual York Rite Discussions that the Grand Bodies have been presenting on Tuesday nights. They have been well received and are most interesting and informative, enough so that the thought is to continue them in some capacity, even after the lockdown is lifted. If you get the opportunity, definitely join in.

This past Saturday all the Grand Bodies held the second portion of their Annual Meetings along with the Installation of their Grand Officers. The lists of the Grand Officers can be found on the York Rite NH website. Congratulations to Patrick J O’Sullivan on being installed as our new ME Grand High Priest of Grand Chapter and MI Grand Master of Grand Council, and to David S Collins on his second year as RE Grand Commander of Grand Commandery. Also a Special Congratulations to our own Earl Cole who is embarking on his second year as the E Grand Generalissimo of Grand Commandery.

Until we meet again Brethren, be safe and hang in there, things will eventually get better.

Fraternally,

Dennis A Tuttle, Sr

Excellent High Priest Trinity Chapter
Illustrious Master Horace Chase Council
Eminent Commander Mt Horeb Commandery

On the Precipice of Great Responsibility

     Categories: Grand Chapter, Grand Council, News

Brothers and Companions,
I wish first to thank you all for the confidence you have placed in me. It means a great deal to have your trust, and know that I stand (figuratively of course) before you as, but a servant-leader. To say that this is a humbling experience would be a gross understatement, particularly to be taking the mantle of responsibility in such a tumultuous time. While I cannot change those things that are beyond all of our control and must trust in the Great Architect of the Universe, know that I do not take this duty lightly and look forward to a time when we can all gather together again in fellowship and harmony.
I have been fortunate in my life to have had other opportunities to lead some amazing organizations, but there is a key difference between those bodies and our fraternal society, and it is in that word, fraternal, that gives us a clue to that uniqueness. This speaks to a bond that cannot be expressed accurately and transcends both time & distance. It is our brotherhood, our obligations, and our promises to each other which unites us. However, that bond alone cannot be the only tie we have. If our Rite is to have not just a future, but a firm foundation, we must all pick up the yoke together to move what is a truly heavy burden. As the adage by John Heywood goes, “many hands make light work…”
As a former military officer, we are taught to look strategically at our command, it’s structure, to develop both a mission and a vision, but in this case some of those are defined for us. We exist to answer that request we, and all of fellow brothers, companions, and sir knights made at that altar when we asked for further light. To that end, being an engineer also, I have tried to encapsulate, to me at least, what I see as the “sacred delta” of our Rite. It exists in the simple acronym, T.E.M.P.L.E. Yes, the allusion is an obvious one, but it is that simplicity which I feel best defines what we do. T+E, we must Teach and Educate, not only our members, but ourselves. If we are not conversant in our beliefs, lessons, and morals of our work, how can we ever hope to pass that on to our newest members. M+P, we must Master and Perform, our rituals. It was one of my recent predecessors, MEPGHP Ayen, who said, “do the work” and that still holds true to this day. If we are not doing that, then why are we here? Mastery, as those in the special operations community say, can only be achieved with constant repetition under fire. So, my brothers & companions, we must roll up our sleeves and “do the work”. L+E, Lead and Excel, leadership is not something we are, it is something we do. I have always said, “we lead people and we manage things”. I must inform you we don’t have things…we have people and those people deserve good leadership, so this falls on those not only in such positions in our local and Grand bodies, but to every one of you who holds a dues card. We are all leaders in some capacity and must walk & act as such.
If we truly dedicate ourselves to these things I have talked about, our beloved New Hampshire York Rite will Excel. I thank you all, may the Great Architect of the Universe watch over you, and may you have many years of health & happiness. Be well my brothers & companions, I look forward to the next year and beyond as we Rebuild our T.E.M.P.L.E.

Fraternally,
Patrick J. “Sully” O’Sullivan
MEGHP/MIGM

2020 May – Concord York Rite Trestleboard

     Categories: Horace Chase Council No. 4, Concord, Mount Horeb Commandery No. 3, Concord, Trestleboards, Trinity Chapter No. 2, Concord

Greetings Companions and Sir Knights,

Well, the month of May finds us still in this lockdown mode, but there are signs of it lessening in the near future. That being said, I am still going to postpone/cancel our May Meeting in keeping with the Grand Lodge’s guidelines to Masonic Bodies. I am hoping to schedule a Special Meeting as soon as it’s possible and safe to do so and it will be hosted by the Chapter, so any and all that wish to attend will be able to do so. It will be so that we can meet again in fellowship and maybe take care of any necessary business that we haven’t been able to do these past few months. In the meantime, try to join us in the Tuesday night virtual educational programs put on by the Grand Bodies. They have been covering the various Degrees and rotating it thru the 3 Grand Bodies. It has been very informative and you’ll find it most interesting.

Hopefully we’ll be able to get all of our Knights of Malta their Order of the Temple soon, as they’ve been waiting patiently since this pandemic started. I expect that it will be a little while after things restart, just to let the Commanderys get in a couple of rehearsals.

I have made up a list of all our members, including phone numbers and email addresses. What I’d like to do is contact each of our members by phone sometime this week, or next, to check-up on their current status, as well as verify their phone numbers, email and regular addresses. We can then use this as an emergency phone tree, contact type list. If any of you would like to assist our Secretary and myself in this please contact me at: datuttlesr@gmail.com and I’ll email you a copy of the list and the members to contact. Thank you for whatever assistance you may be able to provide.

Also, for the Diaz Officers, just a reminder of the upcoming second half of the Grand Bodies Annual Meeting to be held on the 30th. Due to the present conditions, it will be another Virtual Meeting. Our Secretary/Recorder will send out the connection information to the required Diaz Officer Attendees after it is totally finalized. As far as I know, any others of you that would like to attend just to observe your respective level are welcome to sit in for that portion.

Fraternally,
Dennis A Tuttle, Sr

Excellent High Priest, Trinity Chapter #2
Illustrious Master, Horace Chase Council #4
Eminent Commander, Mt Horeb Commandery #3

2020 Annual Meeting Announcement (made on April 18, 2020)

     Categories: Grand Chapter, Grand Commandery, Grand Council, News

To the Companions and Sir Knights of New Hampshire:

Companions and Sir Knights,
It is with some sadness but with a desire to proceed in all our doings that we are announcing the following:

  • The notice of March 20 by the Grand York Rite Bodies is now void; we are cancelling the July 24 banquet and July 25 in-person annual meetings of the Grand York Rite Bodies of New Hampshire.
  • Rather, on Saturday, May 30, beginning at 9:00 a.m., the three grand bodies will proceed with their annual meetings in a virtual session, as we did with the business meetings on April 4 (they were conducted successfully).
  • The agenda of said meetings will be roll calls of grand officers, roll calls of constituent officers, reports (Credentials, Membership, Treasurer, Secretary, GHP/GM/GC, Jurisprudence), any other business, and voting on constitutional amendments (instructions for voting will be handled on the day).
  • The meetings will begin with Grand Chapter at 9 a.m.; we will take ten-minute breaks in between the meetings and open the next one.
  • Instructions for the virtual meeting will be sent as we get closer to the meeting.
  • The current Grand High Priest/Grand Master, Grand High Priest / Grand Master Elect, and Grand Commander are tentatively suggesting a late summer social gathering where the awards for the 2019-2020 year can be presented; details will emerge as the world returns to normal.

As you know, we are living in extraordinary times, and extraordinary measures are sometimes called for, thus we believe that these measures are necessary.
Please remember that constituent dais officers and grand officers are required to attend (a proxy may be counted for the purposes of constituent bodies), and past heads of bodies are entitled to voting at the meetings.
We thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate these difficult waters.

Fraternally and Courteously,
Paul C. Smith
ME Grand High Priest, Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New Hampshire
MI Grand Master, Grand Council Cryptic Masons of New Hampshire

SK David S. Collins
RE Grand Commander, Grand Commandery Knights Templar of New Hampshire

Attest:
Dennis A. Sheridan
RE Grand Secretary-RI Grand Recorder-E Grand Recorder

Click HERE to Download a PDF version of this Announcement

2020 March – Concord York Rite Trestleboard

     Categories: Horace Chase Council No. 4, Concord, Mount Horeb Commandery No. 3, Concord, Trestleboards, Trinity Chapter No. 2, Concord

CHAPTER & COUNCIL

Greetings Companions,

As March is fast approaching it is time to start thinking of coming out of darkness and returning to our labor in the quarries. I hope that you all had a pleasurable Holiday Season and have been enjoying this uncommonly mild Winter. Spring is only a few weeks away and with it the rebirth of the plants and flowers, but being New Hampshire anything weather-wise is possible at anytime.

Our first Meeting of the new season will be Tuesday the 17th and will Open at 19:00 (7:00 pm). There will be NO Dinner prior to. We will be doing our Opening with Chapter Ritual, then declaring all three Bodies “Open for the Transaction of Business”. This is the Annual Meeting of the Concord Bodies and as such we will be Electing Officers for the upcoming year, transacting any needed business and discussing any possible business that may be presented and voted at the Annual Business Meetings of the Grand Bodies in April.

Our Treasurer of many years has professed a desire to retire from that position this year. We have located a Companion that is willing to take over these duties if elected. Our Secretary also would like to retire and scale back some of his activities as well. We are in the market for a replacement, if anyone is interested. Although it doesn’t have to be, it’s easier if it’s the same person for all three Bodies, so someone who’s a Member of all three Bodies would be ideal.

I feel that we had a successful year last year. We brought in a large group of new Companions to the Chapter and Council, many of which are moving on into Commandery. The One-day Chapter Degrees in the Spring was a huge success and the combined Chapters brought in almost 50 new Companions. Grand Chapter should be commended on this Event and also the 200th Anniversary Banquet. They were excellent ways to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masonry in NH. Our Chapter did some of the Degrees again in the Fall, which by working with and visiting other Chapters we got additional Companions thru the Chapter Degrees. Our Council did the Royal & Select in July to a large group of Candidates, so they could take the rarely done Super Excellent Master a few days later. The Council also did the Royal & Select again in the Fall on another group of Candidates. I’d like to thank all the Companions on their assistance and fine Ritual Work in making this happen. Hopefully the upcoming year will bring us further success and progress in our effort to reach Ritual Excellence in the Concord York Rite Bodies.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Annual. I’ve attached the current list of Officers of the various Bodies, so you have an idea of who they are, or what your Office was for last year. If you have a desire to hold an upcoming Office in Chapter, or Council, and can’t make the Meeting contact Companion Cole or myself, or if for the Commandery, Eminent Commander Marston.

Fraternally,
Dennis A Tuttle, Sr
Excellent High Priest Trinity Chapter #2
Illustrious Master Horace Chase Council #4

COMMANDERY

Sir Knights,

We are in the midst of the Commandery Inspection season, and Mt. Horeb #3 is once again joining forces with North Star – St. Girard Commandery #4 to confer the Order of Malta on March 7 in Lancaster at 10:00 AM. We expect a very large class of Candidates, including several who will be joining our ranks in Concord as they continue progress with their Orders. It has been a very exciting year in York Rite, and it would be great to have outstanding support for the Candidates and Officers who have worked very hard.

Thank you to the dedicated Officers and members of Mt. Horeb Commandery #3 for a successful year. I believe it was productive and educational, and we continued to make progress in improving ourselves and our Magnanimous Order.

IHS,

Jackson E. Marston
Eminent Commander

2019 December – Concord York Rite Trestleboard

     Categories: Horace Chase Council No. 4, Concord, Mount Horeb Commandery No. 3, Concord, Trestleboards, Trinity Chapter No. 2, Concord

CHAPTER and COUNCIL

Greetings Companions,

I hope this finds you all in high spirits now that Winter has finally arrived, although yesterday was rather nice.

Companions, we have an upcoming Special Meeting this coming Tuesday, the 17th, at which we will be conferring the Council Degrees on several Royal Arch Companions, so they will be eligible for the upcoming Commandery Orders. The Meeting will be preceeded by Dinner at 18:15 (6:15 pm). Please contact Recorder Companion Cole for reservations. The Meeting will commence at 19:00 (7:00 pm).

Our final rehearsal will be this coming Monday evening, the 16th, at 18:30 (6:30 pm). All participants are stongly urged to attend. We will do the Select Master first, then the Royal Master. That way we can leave the Lodge Room set up for the next night.

Companions, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or a Joyous Holiday Season for whatever your Followings may be. Happy New Year to you all and may it be filled with Joy and Happiness.

In Companionship,
Dennis A Tuttle, Sr

Excellent High Priest
Trinity Chapter #2

Illustrious Master
Horace Chase Council #4

MOUNT HOREB COMMANDERY

Sir Knights,

I would like to join with the officers of Mt. Horeb Commandery #3, Concord in wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas. As Christian Masons, I hope you can take some time to reflect on the true meaning of the season.

We had a very nice turnout for our Grand Commandery Christmas Observance in Concord on December 1st. It was a great way to kick off the season with fellow Sir Knights and leaders from across our Masonic Family here in NH.

Our Commandery will be once again joining forces with North Star-St. Gerard Commandery in Lancaster to confer the Order of Malta for our inspection on Saturday, March 7, 2020 in Lancaster. Rehearsals have been scheduled for the following dates at 2:00 PM:

Sunday, January 26 in Concord
Sunday, February 16 in Lancaster
Sunday, February 23 in Concord
Sunday, March 1 in Lancaster

We are in need of Sir Knights from OUR Commandery to participate in the Order. Please reach out to me, Eminent Dennis Tuttle, Sr, or Eminent Earl Cole to see what you can do to participate and contribute to our work.

Merry Christmas,

Jackson E. Marston
Eminent Commander
Mt. Horeb Commandery #3