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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Masters and Wardens Meeting
The Masters and Wardens will meet at Jerusalem Temple Lodge on Monday May 14th at 7:00 p.m. It is important that all Masters and Senior Wardens be present at this meeting so that we can go over dates and plans for the coming year. The meeting will be held prior to the School of Instruction which will convene at 8:00 p.m. and will cover Degree Planning and Rehearsals. Everyone is welcome to attend both parts of the evening and we hope to see you all there!

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District Investiture
On Thursday, May 24th, the Orange-Rockland District will Invest its Masters-Elect with the Secrets of the Chair in a dinner and ceremony that will commence at 6:30 p.m. at Hoffman Lodge in Middletown. After dinner, the Assistant Grand Lecturers, past and present, will perform the Ceremony, one of their stated duties, while an entertaining program is held for their wives and those of the Past Masters in attendance. Following the Ceremony, the newly Invested Masters-Elect and Past Masters are invited to rejoin their Ladies for a joint program to follow. The evening is open to all Past Masters and their wives, please contact V:.W:. John Cola to RSVP or for more details. We hope to see you there.

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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
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.

Athelstane Lodge No. 839	Tuesday June 5th, 2007	7:30 p.m.
Cornerstone Lodge No. 711	No date Submitted
Goshen Lodge No. 365	No date Submitted
Hoffman Lodge No. 412	No date Submitted
Hudson River Lodge No. 309	Saturday June 2nd, 2007	12:00 p.m.
Jerusalem Temple Lodge No. 721	Thursday June 21st, 2007	7:30 p.m.
Naurashank Lodge No. 589	Friday June 8th, 2007	7:30 p.m.
Port Jervis Lodge No. 328	Saturday May 26th, 2007	2:00 p.m.
Stony Point-Wawayanda Lodge No. 313	Wednesday June 6th, 2007	7:30 p.m.
Wallkill Lodge No. 627	Saturday June 2nd, 2007	4:00 p.m.
Warwick Lodge No. 544	Tuesday June 12th, 2007	7:30 p.m.
West Point Lodge No. 877	No date Submitted

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
Athelstane Lodge Master Mason Degree	Tuesday May 1st, 2007	contact
Grand Lodge Session - NYC	Monday May 7th, 2007	contact
Grand Lodge Session - NYC	Tuesday May 8th, 2007	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Fellowcraft Degree	Saturday May 12th, 2007	contact
Masters and Wardens Meeting 7:00 p.m.	Monday May 14th, 2007	contact
School of Instruction 8:00 p.m.	Monday May 14th, 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
Athelstane Lodge Installation of Officers	Tuesday June 5th, 2007	contact
Stony Point-Wawayanda Installation of Officers	Wednesday June 6th, 2007	contact
Naurashank Lodge Installation of Officers	Friday June 8th, 2007	contact
Warwick Lodge Annual Lobster Bake	Sunday June 10th, 2007	contact
Masters and Wardens Meeting 7:00 p.m.	Monday June 11th, 2007	contact
School of Instruction 8:00 p.m.	Monday Monday June 11th, 2007	contact
Warwick Lodge Installation of Officers	Tuesday June 12th, 2007	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Installation of Officers	Thursday June 21st, 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.

Our next School will be held on Monday May 14th at Jerusalem Temple Lodge at 8:00 p.m. The trestleboard for the School will be Degree Planning. 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!

The 360° Leader
Myths about Leading from the Middle
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

In all my years of leadership teaching and consulting, I have never observed an organization with too many leaders. Organizations can never have enough! However, most companies narrow their vision to a limited number of leadership positions, and when hiring leaders, they think only in terms of filling the top spots.

Organizations rise and fall on the merit of their leadership—at every level. Successful organizations cannot afford to wait until someone gets “to the top” to start leading. They need 360° leaders now. Why? Because leaders generate value!

Over the years, a set of common myths has hindered leaders in the middle of an organization. On account of these myths, would-be leaders have failed to grasp the extent of their potential influence. In this edition of Leadership Wired, I’d like to identify these myths and look at the qualities engendered by leaders who make an impact from the middle of the pack.

MYTHS ABOUT LEADING FROM THE MIDDLE

The Position Myth – “I can’t lead if I am not at the top.”
If I had to identify the number one misconception people have about leadership, it would be the belief that leadership comes simply from having a position or title. When we conceptualize leadership in our minds, we tend to picture the names atop the organizational chart. When asked to name a leader, most of us would list presidents, CEO’s, or general managers. We erroneously think leadership is position, when in reality, leadership is influence.

The Destination Myth – “When I get to the top, then I’ll learn to lead.”
Human nature exaggerates yesterday, overestimates tomorrow, and underestimates today. Leading today prepares a leader for more and greater responsibility tomorrow. If a leader doesn’t try out leadership skills and decision-making processes when the risks are low, they’re likely to get into trouble at higher levels when the cost of mistakes is higher and the exposure is greater.

The Influence Myth – “If I were on top, then people would automatically follow me.”
People who have no leadership experience tend to overemphasize the importance of a leadership title. A person may be appointed to a position, but he or she must earn the right to lead. The position doesn’t make the leader; the leader makes the position.

The Inexperience Myth – “When I get to the top, I’ll be in control.”
A bold young leader may become impatient when eyeing areas for improvement within the organization: “If I were in charge, we wouldn’t have done this, and we would have done that. Things would be different around here if I were the boss.” The desire to improve and the self-confidence to make changes are admirable leadership qualities. However, without real-life experience, a young leader is likely to overestimate the amount of control held by leaders at the top. The higher you go—and the larger the organization—the more you realize the complex mix of variables that control the organization.

The Freedom Myth – “When I get to the top, I’ll no longer be limited.”
Climbing the ranks of leadership does not earn the leader a ticket to freedom. Rights decrease and responsibilities grow as you ascend the corporate ladder. Leadership at the highest levels is accompanied by a daunting set of challenges.

The Potential Myth – “I can’t reach my potential if I’m not the top leader.”
In reality, most people will never be the top leader in an organization. They will spend their careers somewhere in the middle. Strive to reach the top of your game, not the top of the organization.

The All-or-Nothing Myth – “If I can’t get to the top, then I won’t try to lead.”
People who are motivated by advancement may be tempted to abandon their influence when they hit a barrier to a bigger promotion. These people look at an organization, recognize they will not be able to make it to the top, and give up. Their attitude is, “If I can’t be the captain of the team, then I’ll take my ball and go home.”

Defining Qualities of a 360° Leader

Adaptability – Quickly adjusts to change.
>Leaders in the middle may not be the first to know, but they are often the ones in charge of implementation. Adaptable managers in the middle are willing to embrace a change operationally even if they are not yet ready to do so emotionally.

Discernment – Understands the real issues.
Good leaders cut through the clutter to see the real issues. A smart person believes only half of what he hears, but a truly smart person knows which half to believe.

Security – Finds identity in self, not position.
Effective 360° leaders are secure enough in who they are to not worry about where they are. Instead of focusing on reaching a position, they focus on reaching their potential.

Service – Gains fulfillment in serving everyone.
A servant leader serves the mission and leads by serving those on mission with him or her. The true measure of leaders is not the number of people who serve them but the number of people they serve.

Resourcefulness – Finds creative ways to make things happen.
Creativity is the joy of not knowing it all. We seldom, if ever, have all the answers, but we always have the imagination to create solutions to our problems.

Maturity – Puts the team before self.
Nobody who possesses an unrelenting me-first attitude is able to develop much influence with others. A mature leader sees beyond his or her personal vantage point and has the courage to make sacrifices which advance the team.

Communication – Links to all levels of the organization.
We often think of communication in organizations as being primarily top-down. Leaders at the top cast vision, set direction, reward progress, etc. However, good communication is a 360-degree proposition. In fact, oftentimes the most critical communication comes from leaders identifying problems or solutions at the ground level and sending them up the chain of command.

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.