The Trust Reposed

Damn, I'm a busy guy.

Yesterday, we had our Craft Lodge installation of officers. I was part of the Knight Templar Standard Guard that presented the colors! Here's the thing, though: we had a ton of things going on!

In the morning, we had to show up to Tarrant Lodge at 8 AM for breakfast and rehearsal. At 9:20 or so, we presented the colors at Tarrant Lodge, then immediately left and drove straight to the Fort Worth Masonic Temple. There, we presented the colors for the Fort Worth Lodge installation, immediately left the room, changed out of the KT gear, changed into suits, and walked back in to be installed as officers in Fort Worth Lodge. 

I was installed as Senior Deacon (a junior officer). However, I don't remember it. I was so sleep-deprived from panicking about sleeping in, that I don't remember presenting the colors or being installed! This is even funnier to me because I was the captain of the flag detail and did all the talking. 

That being said, I'm still recovering from the lack of sleep, but man, I'm so happy that I'm going to be able to serve my lodge in an official capacity!

Assuming the Role of Leadership

Pray for me, y'all.

It was my profound honor to be installed as the Most Excellent High Priest in my Royal Arch Chapter, and the Thrice Illustrious Master in my Cryptic Council.

For those not familiar with these terms, the Royal Arch Chapter and Cryptic Council are two separate bodies you can join within Masonry after becoming a Master Mason - the MEHP and TIM are, respectively, the "President" of each local body.

I'm very young for a presiding officer. Very, very young. Additionally, I haven't been doing this very long - I've only been a Mason for almost two years, and I've been a York Rite mason for not quite a year and a half. This is truly a trial by fire - not a bad way, I assure you.

I'm grateful to my Companions for electing/installing me. It's kind of terrifying, to be honest, even though this is something I want. I can only hope that this nervousness motivates me to do the best job I can. I know that things will go well, though. Texas Chapter & Council have a huge network of past presiding officers that have been, and will be, great mentors to rely on.

This is going to be a fun year.

Waco or Bust

I'm a member of AMD now!

I attended TAMDA Day, which is a Friday/Saturday weekend get-together hosted by the Texas Allied Masonic Degrees Association. Things got started off on Friday night with being initiated into the Order of the Scarlet Cord ("elected to the First Grade"). This was pretty interesting stuff, but I was also a little lost at first - since AMD is a collection of several different Rites & degree systems, you can take them out of order. For the OSC, you "need" to have gone through the Order of the Secret Monitor first! I had a good time, anyway.

In the morning, I was "admitted" a Grand Tiler of Solomon. This was a pretty neat degree to witness. This degree, the Select Master degree in the Cryptic Council, and the Intimate Secretary degree (the 6°) in the A&ASR-SJ Lodge of Perfection, are all descended from the same degree, the Elu des Vingt-Sept, or the Select of the 27. It's very similar to both, but also very different. I liked it a lot.

I was also inducted into the First Grade of the Order of the Secret Monitor as the exemplar candidate. This was put on by Holy Stone Council #274, which is filled with guys from Jewel P. Lightfoot Lodge #1283. This was a cool degree. The Companions who put on the degree knew their parts really well, and made it a very immersive experience. The lecture was unusual - far more practical than most lectures that I've heard. I really liked the apron, and I'd like to see if I can find or make a replica of it.

We got to see the Architect and Superintendent degrees, but not the Grand Architect. That's the one in the middle. The Architect degree was put on by Robert Bruce Bannon Council, and it was pretty good - also immersive. Perhaps slightly gross. 

In the afternoon, we were "elevated" to the degree of Royal Ark Mariner. Man, that regalia is so pretty. Unfortunately, I don't remember a whole lot of it! One of the things about doing festivals and reunions is that you blast through degrees and end up retaining very little.

After TAMDA Day concluded, some of us went and got "dubbed" as Knights of the Masonic Order of the Bath. This degree was hilarious. I can't say more, but I can say that I may have been knighted using a stolen butterknife. 

AMD was dope. 10/10 would recommend.