My Brethren, family and friends,

As we celebrate Thanksgiving 2006 and enjoy our many family traditions, let us all take time to pause and reflect on the many things for which we can be thankful – for the blessings we enjoy with our families and friends.

For Joyce, Brian and me, this has been a wonderful, exciting year and we have much for which we are truly grateful. As we traveled this great state, we met with so many of you that we now call friends, and we thank you all for the chance to share your hopes, dreams and aspirations. So, as we look forward to Thanksgiving and the coming holiday season, we hope that all of your prayers will be fulfilled and we give thanks for God’s many blessings.

On behalf of our family and your Elected and Appointed Grand Line, we hope that you and those you hold dear enjoy Thanksgiving, and may the days and weeks ahead give you bountiful opportunities to give thanks for all that you enjoy. May God continue to bless you and your family and our great Fraternity. May He watch over our men and women in military service, and may God continue to Bless America!

Sincerely & fraternally,
Neal I Bidnick
Grand Master

The Grand Master and the Grand Lodge Membership Committee have announced a new motto for Building Masonic Membership in 2006 and beyond ...

Encourage Your Friends to be Your Brother!

Please use this motto as a catch phrase or motto (and encourage its use) wherever and whenever appropriate in discussing new members and membership efforts both verbally and in print. Throughout the Empire State, men are responding to the messages we have been communicating as to who we are and what we are and they are interested in becoming Masons!

The Grand Master has expressed great pleasure with the efforts of Lodges throughout the jurisdiction so far this year, and the growing Trestleboards are a dramatic indication that we are telling our story, and the public is interested. CCER = M

Wallkill Lodge Fundraisers
The Brothers of Wallkill Lodge have undertaken several projects in support of two Valley Central High School students who suffered recent accidents in separate incidents. Tyler Ryan, a senior at the school where several Brothers of Wallkill Lodge work, was paralyzed in a dirt bike accident several weeks ago. The Lodge donated the proceeds of their recent Coffee House to help the family with the skyrocketing costs not covered by the family's insurance and are planning to sell commemorative bracelets and help out at a Craft Fair this weekend with proceeds going to Tyler and his family.

The Lodge is also considering a dinner to assist another student who was severely burned last week. Brothers of the Lodge went to the young man's house last weekend to help clean up some of the fire damage. We commend the Brothers of Wallkill Lodge and hope that other Lodges in the District will consider offering financial support and manpower in their continuing efforts on behalf of these two young men.

---

Hoffman Lodge Hosts Spaghetti Dinner to Benefit the Goshen Science Olympiad Team
Science Olympiad offers a wide spectrum of goals in science and technology education, which includes science concepts and knowledge, science processes and thinking skills, and science applications and technology. The Goshen Central School District's Science Olympiad Team involves 50 to 60 students from sixth to twelfth grade. The extracurricular time spent by coaches and students in preparing for the invitational, regional, state, and national competitions is incredible. Hundreds of hours of intense teamwork are spent after school and on weekends to master the subject matter and prepare for problem solving events. Goshen's team currently has the best all-around performance record in New York State over the past 10 year period and has won the honor to represent the state six times in the past eight years in the junior division at the National Tournament.

On Saturday December 2nd, Hoffman Lodge No. 412 in Middletown will host a Spaghetti Dinner to benefit the Goshen team, with all proceeds going to them. The menu will include Spaghetti with Meat or Marinara Sauce, Garlic & Italian Bread, Tossed Salad, Soda, Lemonade, Coffee and Tea with Ice Cream for dessert. Take-out will be available. For tickets, information or to send a donation, please contact Bro. Bruce Wiegand. Please try to make this worthwhile event!

---

Masters and Wardens Meeting
The Masters and Wardens will meet at Jerusalem Temple Lodge on Monday December 11th at 7:00 p.m. Please note this is a return to our usual meeting location. The meeting will be held prior to the School of Instruction which will convene at 8:00 p.m. Important information about the new policies regarding dispensations will be discussed, please make sure your Lodge is represented! The trestleboard for the School will be the Fellowcraft Degree. Please bring your Fellowcrafts for this informative evening. We hope to see everyone there!

---

2006 DDGM Visits
The Road Show has begun!! The District Deputy Grand Master, RW Joe Leo, and his traveling road show will be coming soon to a Lodge near you! So far, the reviews have been favorable, so please plan to attend when we visit your Lodge! To view the schedule, please click here.

Naurashank Dinner Dance	Friday November 17, 2006*	contact
West Point Lodge Fellowcraft Degree	Saturday November 18, 2006*	contact
DDGM Visit to Hoffman Lodge	Tuesday November 21, 2006*	contact
ORDMA Meeting at West Point Lodge	Monday November 27, 2006*	contact
Athelstane Lodge Entered Apprentice Degree	Tuesday November 28, 2006*	contact
Athelstane Lodge Entered Apprentice Degree (Again!)	Tuesday December 5, 2006*	contact
Wallkill Lodge Master Mason Degree	Wednesday December 6, 2006	contact
Port Jervis Lodge Entered Apprentice Degree	Friday December 8, 2006*	contact
Masters and Wardens Planning Meeting (Mountainville)	Monday December 11th at 7:00 pm	contact
District School of Instruction (Mountainville)	Monday December 11th at 8:00 pm	contact
ORDMA Family Holiday Party	Saturday December 30, 2006	contact
DDGM Visit to Jerusalem Temple Lodge Rescheduled	Saturday January 13, 2006	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Master Mason Degree	Wednesday January 27, 2006	contact
ORDMA Dinner Dance	Saturday March 17th, 2007	contact
Grand Lecturer's Convention	Tuesday April 10th, 2007	contact
* Denotes a dinner will precede or follow the meeting or event. Please check with the contact for details.

The Orange-Rockland School of Masonic Instruction will convene on the second Monday of each month, at locations around the District. Instruction will rotate on a monthly basis between Ritual, Grand Lodge educational programs, and seminars on topics like Leadership and Communication.

Our next School will be held on Monday December 11th at Jerusalem Temple Lodge at 8:00 p.m. The work on the trestleboard will be How to Memorize Ritual and Mentor Others. A brief Masters and Wardens meeting will precede the School at 7:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact the DDGM. We'll see you there!

During a discussion in Part I of the Masonic Development Course, held for the new Entered Apprentices of West Point Lodge, the question was raised about why we refer to the Compasses in the plural when it appears to be one instrument. Wor. Ron Bucholz did some research for us and returned the following:

In earlier times the mathematical compass was called a "compasses" using the plural, and each leg was considered a compass. It seems the mathematical term made it into English first, "The mathematical instrument so called from 1387. The mariners' directional tool (so called since early 15c.) took the name, perhaps, because it's round and has a point like the mathematical instrument. The word is in most European languages, with a mathematical sense in Romance, a nautical sense in Gmc., and both in Eng. " [from the Online Etymology Dictionary]

So Joe and Jim, here we have a hint as to the age of Masonry. I think we can agree that Masonry uses the term "compasses" in a mathematical sense rather than a nautical sense. If the term was introduced into the English language in 1387, it needs to be determined when the use of the term compasses was replaced with the term compass. If it was hundreds of years before the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717, we can say that our ritual was being authored well before that 1717 date.

Remember, a Boy Scout uses a compass, Masons use compasses!

We are pleased to announce that Wor. Bruce Klein, President of the Orange-Rockland District Masonic Association (ORDMA), is recovering satisfactorily after his recent heart attack. We ask that you continue to keep Bruce and his family in your thoughts and prayers and join us in wishing him a quick and complete recovery!

Fellowcraft Degree Assistance Needed
West Point Lodge requires assistance with a Fellowcraft Degree on Saturday November 18th. Please note that this is a Special Communication. Speaking and non-speaking roles are available. The degree will begin at 1:00 p.m. with lunch preceding it at noon. If you can assist, please contact Wor. Russ Anderson.