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Good morning everyone, happy Cyber Monday! I trust everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and was able to spend some time with your loved ones.

Just an update for our district events and degrees-

Tonight, Schenevus Valley Lodge #592 is hosting a 2nd Degree, Lodge opening at 7:30PM. I am sure they could use help filing the sides, possible conductors, and making the Temple full for a good showing for their new FC's. Please contact their Secreyary Steve Ratner to confirm your attendance.

Next week-
Monday, Cobleskill Lodge will be hosting a rehearsal for their 1st Degree, which is scheduled for Tuesday evening. Please contact W. Kris Kinnear if you are able to make it.

Friday, 12/9 is our Masters and Wardens Association Meeting. Dinner is being served by Schenevus Valley Lodge, please contact RW Rick Scheiner asap to RSVP dinner. Meeting will be at 6PM, in Schenevus. On the agenda- finalizing details for our Charity Ball in January, working for the murder mystery dinner in April, and laying the ground work for the golf tournament. Also, our DDGM mentioned during his visits that our district will be going through changes soon. We need to start to prepare ourselves for these changes. Remember, ALL MASONS are invited, but voting power is reserved for sitting Masters and Wardens.

If you would like an event added, simply email Brother Bruce Van Buren with the details, and he is always quick to make changes. Also, you also receive my crazy Lodge email updates, and Brother Bruce always posts these online for all to read. Keep your message out there, get him info and we can spread the word.

I look forward to seeing everyone next week at the M&W Meeting. Be there and be square!

Brother Jeff Shellenberger

Last Nov class Nov 30th at 7pm.
The December classes are: 12/7 and 12/14.

In January classes switch to Thursdays.
January: 5th, 12th and 19th.
February: 2nd, 9th and 16th.
March: 2nd, 9th,16th and 30th.
All classes begin at 7 pm.

You may notice that I skip the 4th Thursday of the month.
Our church serves dinner at the Lords table every 4th Thursday.
I am the dish washer for our church.

R.W. Rick Scheiner GDOC
607-437-2465 Cell
r_scheiner at Hotmail.com

See OSMD

And the winner of the DDGM Grail Quest Geocache Challenge is...
Brother Jeff Shellenberger of Schoharie Valley Lodge #491 with a total of 21 coins! Congratulations Brother Jeff!!

Nov 15 was the last official DDGM Visit, Ted's homecoming to Cobleskill Lodge. It was a special event, with an amazing dinner to boot. Thank you to Worshipful Kris Canary for cooking for everyone, and hosting us all.

With his visits now completed for the year, RW Ted has opened up 'The Game' on our district website www.osdmasons.org. If you've collected a coin so far, you can now enter the code online and follow the instructions to find the treasures. Good luck to all, especially Team Adam Bilby.

Our Grand Lecturer announced a new requirement that every lodge in New York begin conducting an open lodge suitable proficiency on each Brother before advancing to the next degree that follows this format:

The Brother is brought into the lodge room west of the altar and salutes the WM with the due-guard and sign. The WM asks him the first few questions up to but not including the one about how we may know him to be a mason or FC. He is then conducted to the JW who continues with the questions concerning the signs, and then to the SW for the questions about the token.

That is all. This constitutes the minimum standard, for now, of what defines suitable proficiency. This will help to new Brother in his communication skills, speaking in public, and in ensuring that he will be able to work his way into another lodge someday.

We have become slack in what we call suitable proficiency. In the old days all Brothers were required to do the entire series of questions and answers from memory in open lodge before being allowed to pass. It is now time to turn around and head back to that. This is the first step.

The NorthStar Project is The Grand Lodge of New York’s initiative for meeting and mentoring new Masons in the State of New York. At the site are files and information for Masons. A password is required and is only given to those certified in the program.

For the last 20 years the Past Masters and Masters-elect of the Otsego-Schoharie Masonic District have upheld the tradition of gathering at the historic Bump Tavern (read about the history of the Tavern here: https://www.farmersmuseum.org/node/1152 ) located within the Farmers Museum in Cooperstown, NY to hold their annual Ceremony of Investiture.

This year the Presiding Officer, R:.W:. Bro. Ted Volkert, DDGM introduced the Investing officer, R:.W:. Bro. Roy Bilby, PDDGM, and his staff after the group had been properly soothed by the mellowing tides of bagpipe music provided by W:.Bro. Charlie Poltenson. Masters-elect Bro. Tim Thayer of Cherry Valley Lodge #334, Bro. Kris Kinnear of Cobleskill Lodge #394, Bro. Travis Hartwell of Oneonta Lodge #466, W:. Bro. Randy Rathka of Schoharie Valley Lodge #491, and Bro. Rick Baker of Sidney-Freedom Lodge #801 were put in possession of the secrets of the chair. After the ceremony great dinner was provided by the ladies of Otsego-Hartwich-Arbutus Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star at Otsego Lodge #138 just down the road, and a wonderful speech was given by our Grand Lecturer, R:.W:. Bro. Richard Kessler.

Once again the Otsego-Schoharie Masters and Wardens golf tournament was a great success. Eleven teams battled for golf supremacy and bragging rights for the next year, and when the final putt hit the bottom of the cup all the Brothers friends and family gathered for a steak dinner and the awarding of prizes, 50 / 50 raffle and door prizes.

The results are as follows: