Channel Islands Association

York Rite Bulletin

September—October 2019

Ventura Chapter #50, Corinthian Chapter #51,

Oxnard Chapter #86, Royal Arch Masons

Ventura Council #15, Cryptic Masons

Ventura Commandery #18, St. Omer

Commandery #30, Knights Templar

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Table of Contents

Meeting Dates, Times and Location…………………… 3

Contact Information……………………………………….4

Ventura Chapter No. 50…………………………………. 5

Corinthian Chapter No. 51……………………………… 6

Oxnard Chapter No. 86………………………………….. 7

Ventura Council No. 15………………………………….. 8

Ventura Commandery No. 18…………………………... 9

Crusaders and Knights Hospitaller….………………….10

St. Omer Commander No. 30.………………….……....12

Meritorious Service Medal………………………..……..13

Corinthian Chapter MSA Flyer...………………………..14

York Rite & Concordant Bodies.………………………..15

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Meeting Dates, Times and Locations

Oxnard

Oxnard Chapter No. 86 Royal Arch Masons 341 South K Street, Oxnard CA

1st Monday of February, April, June, August, October, & December (7:00 pm)

Santa Barbara

Corinthian Chapter No. 51 Royal Arch Masons 16 East Carrillo St, Santa Barbara 93101-2707

1st Wednesday of January, March, May, July, September & November (7:00 pm)

St. Omer Commandery No. 30 Knights Templar 16 East Carrillo Street, Santa Barbara 93101-2707

1st Wednesday of February, April, June, August, October, &

December (7:00pm)

Ventura

Ventura Chapter No. 50 Royal Arch Masons 482 East Santa Clara Street, Ventura 93001-2758

1st Monday of January, February, March, April, May, June,

September, October, November, & December (7:00 pm)

Ventura Council No. 15 Cryptic Masons 482 East Santa Clara Street, Ventura 93001-2758

3rd

Monday of January, March, May, July, September, & November (7:00pm)

Ventura Commandery No. 18 Knights Templar 482 East Santa Clara Street, Ventura 93001-2758

3rd

Monday of February, April, June, August, October, & December (7:00pm

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Contact Information

VENTURA CHAPTER NO. 50, ROYAL ARCH MASONS

H. P.: David W. Hopkins 805-625-2843 dhopkins214@yahoo.com

Sec.: Daniel C. Kaffka, Jr. 805-482-1589 kych1@msn.com

CORINTHIAN CHAPTER NO. 51, ROYAL ARCH MASONS

H.P: Bruce Rick 805-845-0922 bar972@outlook.com

Sec.: Raul Anon 805-259-9761 ranon@mastermed.com

OXNARD CHAPTER NO. 86, ROYAL ARCH MASONS

H. P.: Frederick W. Ervast Jr. 805-389-0787 fastfinn@verizon.net

Sec.: Robert V. Wright Jr. 805-524-1271 rvwrightjr@sbcglobal.net

VENTURA COUNCIL NO. 15, CRYPTIC MASONS

I. M.: Frederick W. Ervast Jr. 805-389-0787 fastfinn@verizon.net

Rec.: Andrew B. Pippin 805-886-5916 andy@ajpippin.us

VENTURA COMMANDERY NO. 18, KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

Cmdr: Andrew B. Pippin 805-886-5916 andy@ajpippin.us

Rec.: Ron Robinson 401-855-1027 roeuro@live.com

ST. OMER COMMANDERY NO. 30, KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

Cmdr: Bruce Rick 805-845-0922 bar972@outlook.com

Rec.: Andrew B. Pippin 805-886-5916 andy@ajpippin.us

Inspectors

ROYAL ARCH MASONS

Insp: Lynn R. Wallingford 805-551-3428 wildroot1@verizon.net

CRYPTIC MASONS

Insp: Ray Broomfield 805-492-6756 raybroomfield@msn.com

Knights Templar

Adj.: Ray Broomfield 805-492-6756 raybroomfield@msn.com

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VENTURA CHAPTER NO. 50, ROYAL ARCH MASONS September meeting is on the 9th due to Labor Day.

October meeting is on October 7th

Companions:

As summer comes to an end, it's time to start preparing for the remainder of the year. We will not be meeting on the first Monday in September due to Labor Day. Our meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, September 9th, at 7:00pm in Ventura.

I hope you had a good Summer and are ready to get back to work. Since there are no Degrees scheduled for the remainder of the year, it will give us time to work on our Ritual. Elections are scheduled to be held in December and we need to start working on Officers for the 2020 Capitular Year, which we will dis-cuss at the September Meeting.

We do not have any petitions for the Degree's in 2020. If you are active in your Blue Lodge and know someone who might be interested in Royal Arch, give them a petition for the Mark Master Degree and let them know there is no fee for this Degree. It will let them know what Royal Arch is all about and there is no obligation to continue. But if they would like to, they would then pay for the re-mainder of the R.A. Degrees. If you need a petition, let me know and I will get you one.

HOLINESS TO THE LORD

Fraternally,

David W. Hopkins PHP

High Priest

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CORINTHIAN CHAPTER NO. 51, ROYAL ARCH MASONS

September meeting is Wednesday the 3rd

Companions:

The September 2019 Stated Convocation of Corinthian Chapter No. 51

will be a historic event with Excellent Companion Andy Pippin receiving

the Meritorious Service Award (MSA) from the Grand Chapter of Royal

Arch Masons of the State of California. There is no record of a

Companion of Corinthian Chapter receiving this award as shown in the

computer files of the Grand Chapter which go back to 2001, and no

current member remembers ever attending an MSA award ceremony.

Also on the agenda is the presentation of the Past High Priest Apron with

flourishes to Companion Jon Jorgensen, Past High Priest. E.C. Jon has

been installed four different times as High Priest of Corinthian Chapter.

Anyone can join us for a no-host meal at the State Street IHOP at 5:30

p.m. on September 4th, before we head over to the Masonic Center.

Companions, wear your red coat for photos at the September meeting.

HOLINESS TO THE LORD

E.C. Bruce Rick, High Priest

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OXNARD CHAPTER NO. 86, ROYAL ARCH MASONS October Meeting is Monday, October 7th.

Companions:

Good news – Oxnard Chapter is anticipating two petitions for Royal

Arch Masonry to be submitted at the next Stated Convocation which is

Monday, October 7th, 7:00 p.m.. The petitioners are in the process of

obtaining the required signatures, and they are very interested in

continuing their education in Freemasonry. Chapter members, please

mark your calendar to join us that evening at the Oxnard Masonic Center.

Not so good news - I am sorry to report that scheduling a 2019 Class of

Royal Arch Degrees in the Central Coast area has “faded away.” We are

hoping, however, that such a class can be scheduled in the early 2020

time period (January? February?). Stay tuned for further developments.

As soon as a class is scheduled, we will notify the membership as soon as

possible.

Lots to report about our Companions of Oxnard Chapter:

Comp. Bobbie Santos is having knee problems, making it difficult to

leave the house. I will be circulating a “get well” card for the

Companions to sign.

Comp. Bob Sturgeon is heading for Arizona where he and his lady will

be residing outside Prescott. He intends to come back on special

occasions, however.

HOLINESS TO THE LORD

Frederick Ervast KYCH, High Priest .

High Priest

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VENTURA COUNCIL NO. 15, CRYPTIC MASONS

Next Meeting is September 16th

Companions:

It is with much disappointment to report that the prospect of Ventura

Council No. 15 conferring the Cryptic Degrees upon a candidate in 2019

is “not coming in fruition.” Companions, we must attend our respective

Blue Lodges and “tell the story” about York Rite. Please give me a call,

and I can get you the petition forms and brochures about Royal Arch

Masonry and Cryptic Masonry. We have so much to offer to that “new”

Master Mason!

We will continue pursuing a possible date in 2020 to confer the Cryptic

Degrees. Perhaps it might be in the early Spring period. As soon as a

date is set, we will disseminate the word ASAP.

Prior to the Stated Assembly on September 16th, Ventura Council will

serve a catered dinner in the Ventura Masonic Center dining hall. Service

will begin at 5:30 p.m., but if you are late because of work, traffic, etc.,

not to worry. We will continue to serve food until 6:15 p.m. This time, I

promise you that we will not run out of food! Dessert will be served after

the meeting.

During the Stated Assembly, I will be appointing a Nominating

Committee, which brings me to the following: if you are thinking about

taking an appointive office in 2020, please let me know. We will make

arrangements to get you qualified. There are several Past Illustrious

Masters that are willing to provide coaching services. “Suitable

assistance will be provided you.”

Fraternally submitted,

Frederick Ervast KYCH

Illustrious Master

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VENTURA COMMANDERY NO. 18, KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

Next Meeting is October 2nd

To all of the Valiant Knights and Ladies of Ventura Commandery, Greet-

ings and Salutations!

As summer draws to a close, it is time once again to put our sights on

next year. Two things need to be looked at – who will lead us, and where

we will meet.

We are blessed to have many Sir Knights that are willing to help. In my

opinion, this is one of the traits that makes a Mason. I have had no less

than six members come up to me and tell me that they are willing to do

whatever is needed of them. York Rite Masons are well known for what

I call the Masonic “no problem” that runs along the lines of “I want to

help out – tell me what I can do.”

I sketched out a Venn Diagram of the Sir Knights that have the breadth

of knowledge and experience to be Commander, the Sir Knights that

have the desire to be Commander, and the Sir Knights that COULD be

Commander. I’m still looking at solutions and will present them at our

next Stated Conclave on October 21st.

Another problem our Commandery faces is whether or not we can con-

tinue to meet at the Ventura Masonic Center. Several years ago, we

raised the annual dues to accommodate the 600% (or more) increase in

our rent. As a result of life memberships, the increase will fall upon the

small number of members paying dues annually. I will be forming a

committee to look at the problem and present a recommendation on how

to proceed. I am looking for a least one Sir Knight who wants to move,

at least one who wants to stay, and at least one who has not yet form an

opinion.

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Until we meet again, may peace be within thy walls.

Andy Pippin PC Commander

Note:

Sir Knight William McBroome, REGC, issued a dispensation for

S.K. Pippin to continue his service as Commander of Ventura

Commandery No. 18 for the remainder of his term of office in 2019.

THE CRUSADERS AND THE KNIGHTS HOSPITALLER

by Nigel Gallimore PC

To join the Crusaders, men were asked to take oaths. They were re-

quired to live by strict rules and to observe chastity, fidelity, fasting,

self sacrifice, mediation and honor God through daily prayers. But in

reality such vows were just a front and never taken seriously. Initially

the Templars Order began as a group of religious-military men who

would defend the pilgrims on their journey to Jerusalem from the at-

tacks of nomads and Muslims, but later changed into a military organi-

zation for the defense of those States they themselves had established.

The Knights that fought in the Holy Wars came from different parts of

Europe and spoke different languages. Over the course of the 14th and

15th centuries, and particularly during the Hospitallers’ occupation of

the Island of Rhodes (Sir Knights, note: remember “Banner Guard

Death”?), the Crusaders were therefore organized according to a

linguistic-geographical criteria.

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Eight separate districts or “Langues” (translation – languages) were

established, and each had its own quarters or “Auberge.” The common

denominator for becoming a Holy Soldier, however, was that the

candidate could prove a noble lineage. Even stricter were the Germans

who excluded the illegitimate sons of Kings. The eight Langues

represented the territories of Provence, Auvergne, France, Italy, Aragon,

Germany, Castile, and England. (Sir Knights: remember the eight

languages noted on the Table of the East and West?)

The Hospitallers are frequently mistakenly described as “monks of war.”

In reality they lay somewhere between priests forbidden by canon law

to bear arms and crusading warriors who carried out their religious

obligation through combat. The Order of Hospitallers was the last of

the three greatest Orders which had sprung out of the Crusades. The

Templars were dissolved by the Pope on 22 March 1312 at the Council

of Vienne. The Hospitallers continued the tradition of Benedictine

monks who in 1070 had established a hospice in Jerusalem, dedicated

to the well being of pilgrims visiting the Holy Land. On their black

tunic and cloak the knights bore a white eight-pointed Cross which was

symbolic of the eight beatitudes

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Sir Knights and Friends:

Our August 7th Conclave was significant in that we honored S.K. Andy

Pippin with the presentation of the Grand Commandery of California

Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) by our Adjutant of Department 3,

S.K. Ray Broomfield. An honor guard formation of Sir Knights, lead by

S.K. Fred Ervast, stood at “carry swords” for the ceremony, and as the

finale, went to “present swords.” It was a sight to see. An earlier part of

the award ceremony was led by S.K. Bruce Rick, Commander, at the

IHOP restaurant on State Street. Past MSM recipient, S.K. Nevin

Chamberlain (awarded in 2003), read the citation and talked about the

symbolism of the parts of the MSM itself. Then Andy Pippin’s wife

Julie pinned the MSM lapel pin on Andy and gave him the MSM

cufflinks. Recipient Andy ended the ceremony by telling about attending

his first York Rite public ceremony, and it was the presentation of the

MSM to S.K. Nevin Chamberlain!

Another interesting piece of business was the recognition our

Commandery namesake, Godfrey of St. Omer, who was the second origi-

nal Knight of the Order of the Knights Templar. In some descriptions on

the seal of the Knights Templars, it is Godfrey and the first Knight

Templar, Hugh de Pains, sitting on the single horse, with the Latin

Inscription: MILLITUM SIGILLUM CRISTI DE TEMPLO (Seal of the

Soldiers of Christ of the Temple).

Join us at the next Stated Conclave, Wednesday, October 2, 2019, for

another interesting and enjoyable program with your fellow Knights

Templar!

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Add to your calendar that St. Omer Commandery No. 30 will be the host

for the June 13, 2020, Grand York Rite Reception in Ventura.

IN HOC SIGNO VINCES

Bruce Rick Commander

Meritorious Service Medal

The medal shall be presented only for exceptional and meritorious service ren-

dered to the Order in general or a Commandery in particular, far beyond the call

of duty and beyond the service usually expected of an officer or member. Only

one (1) nomination may be made by a Commandery per calendar year. In

deciding the award of the medal, precedents shall be entirely ignored; each nom-

ination shall be decided on its own merit.

The medal is to be presented by the Commandery, on behalf of the Grand Com-

mander and in the name of the Grand Commandery.

The California Knights Templar Meritorious Service Medal shall consist of a pas-

sion cross with crossed swords over a wreath surrounding the cross and crown

centerpiece, suspended from the black and white ribbon. Wording on the cross

bar shall be "California Knights Templar" with the wording "Meritorious Service"

inside the wreath and surrounding the cross and crown.

The certificate to accompany the medal shall be issued by the Grand Command-

ery, signed by the Grand Commander and sealed and attested to by the Grand

Recorder.

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Make sure YOUR Chapter, Council and Commandery recognize the hard

work of our members. There are a number of awards that can be

presented, all you have to do is submit the paperwork.

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York Rite and Concordant Bodies

Robert the Bruce Association

The Annual Meeting of the Robert the Bruce Association was held at the

Tam O’Shanter Restaurant on August 24th. Steve Goad was installed as

Chaplin and Ray Broomfield was installed as Guardian.

Knight Masons

Ray Broomfield was installed as Excellent Chief of Brian Boru Council

on August 18th. The next meeting of Brian Boru will be in March, 2020

for the conferral of degrees.

Red Cross of Constantine Pacifica Conclave

Ray Broomfield received the Sovereign Master Degree in Sacramento

on July 20th at a Senate of Sovereigns. Next meeting of Pacifica Con-

clave is September 8th at Alisal Ranch.

Signet 51 Royal Arch Festival

Signet 51 will conduct a Royal Arch Festival on Saturday, September

7th/ The Degrees will start about 8 AM, break for a delicious lunch

around 12 Noon and conclude with the Royal Arch Degree.

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