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Shreveport Scottish Rite
Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite of Freemasonry
Valley of Shreveport, Orient of
Louisiana
Southern Jurisdiction,
U.S.A.
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THE MISSION OF THE SHREVEPORT
SCOTTISH RITE VALLEY
THE MISSION OF THE
SHREVEPORT SCOTTISH RITE VALLEY IS TO FOSTER AND
PROMOTE THE INTANGIBLE QUALITIES OF TRUST, VALUES,
MORALS AND JUSTICE THROUGH THE LONG STANDING
PRINCIPLES OF FREEMASONRY; TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES
TO EXPAND MASONIC KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION; TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITIES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL; AND TO
IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN THROUGH OUR CHARITIES,
THUS BETTER ENABLING AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO BECOME
MORE PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.
WE PLAN TO
ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN OUR MISSION
STATEMENT THROUGH THE ATTAINMENT OF THE OPERATIONAL
AND SOCIAL GOALS LISTED BELOW:
OPERATIONAL
GOALS
·
TO
ENCOURAGE OUR MEMBERS TO BECOME MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE
IN THE DEGREES OF SCOTTISH RITE FREEMASONRY AND TO
RESEARCH AND FURTHER EXPLORE THEIR UNDERLYING DEEPER
MEANINGS AND DESIRED LIFE APPLICATIONS.
·
TO
INCREASE AND RETAIN THE FRATERNITY’S MEMBERSHIP SO
AS TO EXPAND THE EFFECTS OF THE TEACHINGS OF
SCOTTISH RITE FREEMASONRY.
·
TO
SO INTERACT IN THE DAILY LIVES OF OUR MEMBERSHIP AS
TO SPREAD THE APPLICATIONS OF THE TEACHINGS OF
SCOTTISH RITE FREEMASONRY INTO THE FAMILIES OF OUR
PEERS.
·
TO
SUPPORT THE CHARITIES OF OUR FRATERNITY AS A MEANS
OF TEACHING OUR MEMBERS THE GREAT BENEFITS OF GIVING
RATHER THAN RECEIVING AND THAT IMMENSE PLEASURES ARE
DERIVED FROM ASSISTING THOSE IN NEED.
SOCIAL GOALS
·
TO
HOLD A “MASON OF THE YEAR BANQUET.” THE INTENT OF
THIS BANQUET IS TO ANNUALLY HONOR ONE MASTER MASON
FROM EACH MASONIC DISTRICT SERVED BY THE SHREVEPORT
SCOTTISH RITE VALLEY. THE INVITATION IS TO BE
EXTENDED TO THE HONOREE'S FAMILY AND TO HIS BLUE
LODGE WORSHIPFUL MASTER AND HIS FAMILY.
·
TO
HOLD AN ANNUAL “SWEETHEART’S BANQUET” AT THE
SHREVEPORT SCOTTISH RITE TEMPLE. THE AIM OF THIS
FORMAL DINNER IS TO PROMOTE SOCIAL INTERACTION
AMONGST OUR MEMBER’S FAMILIES AND TO ENCOURAGE
FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IN ATTAINING THE MISSION OF OUR
VALLEY. AN EVENING WITH A FANTASTIC MEAL, DANCING
AND SOCIALIZING IS ENVISIONED.
·
TO
HOLD AN ANNUAL “PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATE’S BANQUET” FOR
THE PURPOSE OF INTRODUCING INTERESTED MASONS TO OUR
GREAT FRATERNITY. THE EVENING WILL INCLUDE A SUPERB
MEAL, A TOUR OF OUR MAGNIFICENT FACILITY AND A
PROGRAM WHICH DESCRIBES WHAT SCOTTISH RITE MASONRY
IS ALL ABOUT.
OUR ACTION PLAN TO
ACHIEVE THESE OPERATIONAL GOALS AND SOCIAL GOALS IS
OUTLINED AS FOLLOWS:
·
WE
WILL INCLUDE IN THE AGENDA OF OUR REGULAR MONTHLY
MEETINGS A TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
FOCUSING ON TOPICS SUCH AS THE SYMBOLISMS AND
MEANINGS OF OUR DEGREES OR THE RICH HISTORY OF THE
SCOTTISH RITE.
·
DEGREE MASTERS WILL HOLD CLASSES WITH THEIR
RESPECTIVE MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH MEMBER
FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE MEANING OF THE ENTIRE DEGREE
THAT THEY ARE WORKING IN.
·
A
PREVIEW OF EACH DEGREE WILL BE HELD AT REUNIONS
IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE PRESENTATION OF THE DEGREE
STARTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS SYNOPSIS IS TO BRIEFLY
INFORM THE CANDIDATES OF THE MEANING OF THE DEGREE
WHICH IS ABOUT TO BE PERFORMED.
·
WE
WILL SCHEDULE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL PROMOTE FAMILY
INVOLVEMENT AND ALLOW FAMILY MEMBERS TO INTERACT
SOCIALLY. IDEAS COULD INCLUDE PICNICS, MUSIC
PROGRAMS, KID’S DAY AT THE TEMPLE, A FAMILY NIGHT AT
A LOCAL RESTAURANT, ETC.
·
WE
WILL WORK DILIGENTLY TO STRENGTHEN THE BOND BETWEEN
THE BLUE LODGES AND OUR SCOTTISH RITE VALLEY.
WHENEVER POSSIBLE, WE WILL SPEAK AT THE BLUE LODGE
MEETINGS TO EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP IN
THE SCOTTISH RITE. BY CONVEYING OUR GENUINE CONCERN
FOR THE WELFARE OF THE LODGES AND BY PORTRAYING THE
POSITIVE RESULTS OF OUR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE CLINICS,
WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS IS NOT “JUST ANOTHER
ORGANIZATION TO JOIN TO TAKE MORE OF OUR TIME AND
MONEY.” REGULAR VISITS TO THE BLUE LODGES BY
SCOTTISH RITE MASONS WILL FORTIFY OUR
RELATIONSHIPS. ASSISTING THEM IN GETTING NEW
PETITIONS AND OFFERING ASSISTANCE WITH THEIR DEGREE
WORK WILL ALSO FURTHER THIS EFFORT. EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMS COULD BE TAUGHT WITHIN THE BLUE LODGES,
INCLUDING AN INSIGHT INTO THE SCOTTISH RITE
DEGREES.
·
WE
WILL SUPPORT THE MISSION AND GOALS OF OUR VALLEY’S
“KNIGHTS OF SAINT ANDREW” CHAPTER. MEMBERSHIP IN
THIS CHAPTER ENCOURAGES INVOLVEMENT AND ATTENDANCE
AT OUR MEETINGS AND REUNIONS. ALL 32° “BLACK HAT”
SCOTTISH RITE MASONS IN GOOD STANDING ARE WELCOME TO
JOIN.
·
A
MENTOR PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED FOR OUR NEW
MEMBERS. THIS PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON HELPING OUR NEW
MEMBERS MEET OUR OTHER MEMBERS. WE ANTICIPATE THAT
THIS WILL HELP DEVELOP NEW FRIENDSHIPS WITHIN OUR
FRATERNITY AND WILL HELP STRENGTHEN OUR COMMITMENTS
TOWARDS OUR COMMON GOALS. IT WILL ALSO ALLOW NEW
MEMBERS TO FIND WAYS TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE
WORK THAT WE DO, IN A CAPACITY THAT THEY WILL ENJOY.
·
WE
WILL INVITE THE STAFF OF OUR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE
CLINICS TO BE GUEST SPEAKERS AT OUR REGULAR MONTHLY
MEETINGS. THIS WILL ALLOW THEM TO UPDATE US ON THE
POSITIVE RESULTS THAT CHILDREN ARE REALIZING THROUGH
OUR CLINICS, AS WELL AS THE CURRENT CHALLENGES
FACING BOTH THE CHILDREN AND THE TEACHERS. KNOWING
THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS PROVIDES US WITH A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR FACILITIES AND FURTHER
ENHANCE THEIR EFFORTS.
·
WE
WILL MAINTAIN A WEBSITE FOR THE SHREVEPORT SCOTTISH
RITE VALLEY. IT WILL INCLUDE MANY THINGS, INCLUDING
A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT SCOTTISH RITE FREEMASONRY IS,
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CHARITY AND INFORMATION ON HOW
A NEEDY CHILD CAN BE ENROLLED IN OUR SPEECH AND
LANGUAGE CLINICS, INFORMATION ON HOW TO JOIN THE
FRATERNITY, A CALENDAR OF EVENTS, INFORMATION ON
RENTING OUR FACILITY, AN AGENDA AND PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION FOR EACH MONTHLY MEETING, LINKS TO OTHER
MASONIC WEBSITES, ETC.
·
WE
WILL UTILIZE EMAIL TO IMPROVE OUR INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS.
·
WE
WILL DEVELOP A MEMBERSHIP TELEPHONE LIST TO ALSO
ENHANCE OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
Site Designed and Published by:
Byron “Keith” Tindell and Donald W. Grindstaff II
This site was made possible by the
immense contributions of
John L. Atkinson 33°
Copyright 2005 © The Ancient & Accepted Scottish
Rite of Freemasonry,
Valley of Shreveport, Orient of Louisiana , Southern
Jurisdiction
of the United States: All Rights Reserved.
Revised:
11/06/12.
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