My Brethren, family and friends,

In the coming weeks many of us will pause in our daily labors to celebrate Easter and Passover, where we traditionally gather with our families to give thanks to the Great Architect for all of His Blessings and the joys of life. This indeed is the spirit of this wonderful season -- a time of renewal and rededication.

We are beginning to see signs of Spring, such as the buds on trees and spring bulbs beginning to poke their heads above ground, even in the Northern reaches of our jurisdiction where the past winter has brought such a burden to so many. This is truly a season for renewal and a time when we are reenergized for the seasons of growth in the months ahead -- so, too, in Masonry as well as in Nature.

We each face a metaphorical choice at this time: we can approach the coming year with the idea that we will plant the same familiar seeds in the same familiar fields, and continue the familiar cycle. Or we can approach the year with a spirit of enthusiasm and possibility, and try a different strategy of optimism. This second choice can help us to see that our labors in Masonry, like the bounties of nature, will produce results that go beyond our grandest expectations. We have seen the sense of accomplishment and excitement across our great State. Let’s rededicate ourselves to continuing that feeling, and building on it as the year progresses.

On behalf of Joyce, Brian and I; on behalf of Ed and Helen Gilbert, our Deputy Grand Master, our Grand Line and our extended Masonic family, we wish to you and those you love a most joyous holiday season.

Further, it is our wish that we all are blessed with good health and a long and fruitful life filled with many accomplishments. 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

Grand Lecturer's Convention
Our Grand Lecturer's Convention will be held on Tuesday April 10th at Hoffman Lodge in Middletown. An informal question and answer session will be held with the Grand Lecturer at 4:00 p.m., followed by refreshments at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. The gavel will come down to open the Convention promptly at 7:30 p.m. Dress for the evening is a suit or jacket and tie. We expect all of our Lodges to attend with their complete line of officers and as many Brothers as you can bring! Please... make plans, not excuses!

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Masters and Wardens Meeting
The Masters and Wardens will meet briefly at Hoffman Lodge on Tuesday April 10th at 7:00 p.m. just prior to the opening of our Grand Lecturer's Convention at 7:30 p.m. The purpose will be to coordinate schedules and installations for the following month. Lodges are asked to bring a copy of their upcoming activities for the calendar in writing, as well as requests for assistance with Degrees, so that we can get through the business quickly. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. There will be no meeting or School of Instruction on Monday April 9th.

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Road to the East
Road to the East, the Lodge officers training course, will be offered on Saturday April 14th and Saturday April 28th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Jerusalem Temple Lodge in Mountainville. This course is a 'must have' for anyone planning to serve as a Master or Warden next year but is also highly recommended for Deacons as well. The course has been completely re-vamped, and if you took it ten years ago, it's worth another visit. Breakfast with the Brothers of JTL will be available at 8:00 a.m. Please note that you must commit to attend both sessions, and will require copies of the new 24" Gauge Masonic Resource Guide, Book of Constitutions, Book of Etiquette, and a ritual book. Your Lodge should be able to provide these to you. For more information, including any additional fees for the course, please contact our Grand Director of Ceremonies, R:.W:. Dave Blasch.

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150th Anniversary rededication
On Saturday April 21st, our Grand Master and the Grand Line will visit Hoffman Lodge No. 412 in Middletown to rededicate the Lodge in celebration of its 150th Anniversary. The rededication, Masonic observances, and luncheon will begin at 10:00 a.m. and a full schedule of special activities for the public will begin at 3:00 p.m. Rumor has it that the Master plans dancing into the evening, so please set this day in a prominent place on your calendars! For more information, please contact the Master.

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Walk Around Rockland Lake
United Hospice of Rockland is one of the community outreach organizations supported by Athelstane Masonic Lodge. On April 22nd, Hospice will again sponsor a Walk Around Rockland Lake, an annual event in which the Brothers of Athelstane Lodge and their families participate every year. brothers and their families from around the District are encouraged to join the brothers of Athelstane Lodge this year. It is an easy 3 mile walk around the lake,which is flat and has some benches for those that would like to take a respite to admire the landscape,and wild life -- swans, mallards, geese and aquatic life. The whole three (3) mile walk will take approximately two hours, depending on your style of walking. There will be some light snacks and drinks, and of course, abundant fresh air, sunshine, and lots of smiles. The health benefits are only out-weighed by the friendship and good time, not to mention the good work we are doing for Hospice. Please e-mail Bro. Richie Schwartz and let him know how many people are in your group so that he can let Hospice know the number and sizes of t-shirts needed. Please contact Bro. Schwartz for more details.

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JTL Table Lodge
Jerusalem Temple Lodge will hold a Table Lodge on Saturday April 28th to honor several of our most devoted Brothers, past and present. This special evening will begin with an attitude adjustment at 6:00 p.m. and a full dinner and traditional Table Lodge program will begin at 7:00 p.m. The subscription for the evening is $25 and includes a souvenir firing glass. For more information, please contact Wor. Wayne Flavin. Please join us for a great time!

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Renegades Baseball Night
Jerusalem Temple Lodge will sponsor another outing to see the Hudson Valley Renegades play on Saturday July 28th. This year's outing will be special because it is being sponsored in conjunction with several veteran's organizations, and we will be arranging to have a group of disabled veterans from the Castle Point VA Hospital join us. The evening is $25 and includes admission to the game and all the hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hotdogs and chicken sandwiches you can eat along with soft drinks and the usual fixings. For more information, click here. We hope you can join us!

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2007-2008 Individual Development Course (iDC)
Registration for next year’s Individual Development Course will be available soon. This course provides skills useful in every aspect of our lives and helps to develop us in our roles at work, our homes, our communities, and our Craft. The course focuses on personal skills such as time management, goal setting, and self-discipline; interpersonal skills such as public speaking, e-mail and written materials, dealing with difficult people, running effective meetings, and the group process; and other important skills such as problem and data analysis, brainstorming, surveys, and project management. These are skills that apply to all areas of our lives and next year’s course, scheduled to begin in September and run one Saturday a month for six months, will be open to spouses as well as Masons. We hope to see many of you take advantage of this important and very valuable opportunity. For more information, please contact the DDGM.

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Orange-Rockland Central Chapter, Order of DeMolay
DeMolay is a Masonic youth program for boys ages 12-21, which teaches leadership within a fun, moral framework in line with our own principles and tenets. The local Chapter, which meets at Wallkill Lodge in Walden, is in desperate need of advisors, Brothers willing to give up a few hours a month to mentor and work with these inspiring young men. There’s no commitment required to obtain information, give us a call and see what it’s all about. For more information, please contact R:.W:. Hank Stoveland.

Child ID System
The District Child ID System is available to Lodges who have two Brothers trained in its use. These Brothers may sign out the system by contacting Wor. Wayne Flavin. Please allow a month in advance to reserve the system and allow the District Committee to order the necessary supplies for your program. Please remember that all unused materials must be returned with the system, there is to be no stockpiling of supplies for future programs.

Thank You ORDMA!
We would like to thank the Orange-Rockland District Masonic Association for their generous donation of $500 toward a second Child ID system. We still have a ways to go, anyone wishing to make a donation should contact Wor. Wayne Flavin.

Upcoming Programs
Stony Point-Wawayanda Lodge is sponsoring a very large program at the old Letchworth Village Complex in Stony Point, NY on Saturday, April 7th, 2007 during the Little League Opening Day. As many as 800 children are expected to be there that day. Several other Districts and the Eastern Star are expected to assist, but Brethren from the Orange-Rockland District are encouraged to come help out! For more information, please contact Wor. Bob Morlang, Jr.

West Point Lodge will be holding a large Child ID program on Wednesday, July 4th in Highland Falls. Assistance is requested. For more information, please contact the Secretary.

Next ORDMA Meeting
The next meeting of the Orange-Rockland District Masonic Association (ORDMA) will be held on Monday April 30th at Port Jervis Lodge. Please note this is a change from the original meeting date. A light supper will be served at 6:30 p.m. followed by the meeting and program at 7:30 p.m. All Brothers of the District are invited and encouraged to attend!

ORDMA Calendars Now Available!
The 2006-2007 ORDMA Calendars are still available! These handy pocket calendars contain all of our District's Lodge and Concordant Bodies meetings, important events, Lodge and District officers, and directions to our Lodges. The calendars cost $5 each and the proceeds go to support our District's community service and charitable efforts, including our new District child ID system. To obtain a calendar, contact any of ORDMA's officers.

Stony Point-Wawayanda Child ID Program	Saturday April 7th, 2007	contact
Grand Lecturer's Convention	Tuesday April 10th, 2007	contact
Cornerstone Lodge Master Mason Degree	Wednesday April 11th, 2007	contact
Hudson River Lodge Fellowcraft Degree	Wednesday April 11th, 2007	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Entered Apprentice Degree	Saturday April 14th, 2007	contact
Road to the East: Session One	Saturday April 14th, 2007	contact
Hoffman Lodge Master Mason Degree	Tuesday April 17th, 2007	contact
Athelstane Lodge Master Mason Degree	Tuesday April 17th, 2007	contact
Wallkill Lodge Master Mason Degree	Wednesday April 18th, 2007	contact
Hoffman Lodge 150th Rededication	Saturday April 21st, 2007	contact
Cornerstone Lodge Master Mason Degree (#2!)	Wednesday April 25th, 2007	contact
Port Jervis Lodge Fellowcraft Degree	Friday April 27th, 2007	contact
Naurashank Lodge Fellowcraft Degree	Friday April 27th, 2007	contact
Road to the East: Session Two	Saturday April 28th, 2007	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Table Lodge	Saturday April 28th, 2007	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Fellowcraft Degree	Saturday May 12, 2007	contact
Warwick Lodge Fellowcraft Degree	Tuesday May 22nd, 2007	contact
Orange-Rockland District Investiture Ceremony	Thursday May 24th, 2007	contact
Hudson River Installation of Officers (at JTL)	Saturday June 2nd, 2007	contact
Wallkill Lodge Installation of Officers	Saturday June 2nd, 2007	contact
Warwick Lodge Annual Lobster Bake	Sunday June 10th, 2007	contact
Warwick Lodge Master Mason Degree	Tuesday June 12th, 2007	contact
St. Johns Day Weekend - Utica, NY	Saturday June 23rd, 2007	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Child Chicken Barbecue	Saturday June 30th, 2007	contact
West Point Lodge Child ID Program	Wednesday July 4th, 2007	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Renegades Baseball Night	Saturday July 28th, 2007	info
Wallkill Lodge Annual Chicken Barbecue	Saturday August 4th, 2007	contact
Hudson River Lodge Annual Pig Roast	Saturday September 8th, 2007	contact
Masonic Family Day at Tappan	Sunday September 16th, 2007	contact
Masonic Family Day at West Point	Saturday September 29th, 2007	contact
Cornerstone Lodge Rededication	Saturday October 14th, 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 convenes 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.

The April School will be the Grand Lecturer's Convention on Tuesday April 10th at Hoffman Lodge in Middletown. All Brethren are expected to make every effort to attend. A brief Masters and Wardens meeting will precede the Convention at 7:00 p.m.

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

Planning Ahead for the Chair
by Raymond Hollins
An English View

One of the most satisfying and enjoyable experiences for the active and enthusiastic Freemason is to have taken part, as Master of his Lodge, in the ritual to a standard that brings “satisfaction to yourself and advantage to your Lodge.”
This would have only been possible as a result of hours of intensive learning, and committing to memory the lines of our beautiful ritual, combined with careful preparation in rehearsal and delivery.

What is quite incomprehensible is the performance of a Master later at the Festive Board, who stumbles along with absolutely no idea how to rule and direct his Lodge.

He then proceeds to deliver what is often a boring, incoherent, irrelevant and unimaginative response to his toast.
Why does this happen? The reason is simple. The Brother involved does not understand that there is absolutely no difference between the control of the procedure at the Festive Board and Masonic speech-making, as there is in the technique for the governing of the proceedings, and the enactment of the ritual in Lodge.

This can be summarised in three simple words: Preparation, Practice and Performance. To become a great ritualist requires training and dedication. This applies equally to becoming an accomplished Master of a Lodge.

It is a sad reflection on the preparation of the Master-Elect, who in many Lodges is installed into the chair and immediately becomes under the control of the ‘permanent’ Lodge Secretary, Director of Ceremonies, or a host of the Lodge elders who seem to forget that their status in the Lodge is one of Past Master!

It is the duty and responsibility of the Master to rule and direct his Lodge. If he is so weak that he needs the constant supervision and instruction from senior members of the Lodge, this is a reflection upon them, that they have not trained him properly in preparation for his high office.

Restoration Help Wanted
Cornerstone Lodge would like to announce to the District that the restoration of McGarrah's Stagecoach Tavern is underway. We are looking for volunteers to assist in the historic preservation of our building which houses the oldest surviving Masonic lodge room in New York State and the third oldest in the nation. Freemasons who donate two weekends of labor or a cash donation of the equivalent to the project will have their names permanently inscribed on a commemorative stone as contributors. The official dedication of our Museum and Historic site will be October 14, 2007 when the M:.W:. Neal I Bidnick, Grand Master of Masons, will perform the opening ceremonies. This will be a few days shy of the 190th Anniversary of the first Masonic meeting in the building. We expect many visitors from the local historic community to attend. Brothers, please mark this date on your calendars. There will be much food and celebration.