Page 6 - FALL Sojourner Newsletter-11202020

6 THE SOJOURNER

Virtual National Meeting & Installation of Officers Minutes

By order of the National President William F. Haynes, there Pacific and Northwest Area
was not an Annual National Convention held in 2020. Normally Northern New England Area
held in June of each year, the Corona Virus pandemic made that Georgia Area
impossible. However, there was a need to install a National SoCal Area (Camel Corps)
rd
President and a virtual National Meeting was held for that pur- Was received at the 33 meeting of Northern Masonic Juris-
pose on 6 June, 2020, at 1500 EDT. diction, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite
The calling of the meeting to order, welcome, and the State- Attended Conference of Grand Masters in North America
ment of Purposes was given by the National President, Bro Wil- Attended Allied Masonic Degree Week where I had a So-
liam Haynes, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by the journer table to publicize NSI
National President Elect, Bro Robert Roth. A Commencing Assisted in chartering the Altoona, Pennsylvania Chapter
Prayer was given by our National Chaplain, Thom Davies. Between attending my wife who broke her ankle in 3 places
A modified Installation of Officers ensued with the following and the Coronavirus, my intended visits to Chapters was really
Installing Officers: cut short.
• Installing Officer: Bro Ben Yudesis My main accomplishments were to start the Master Sojourner
• Installing Chaplain: Bro Thom Davies Program and start the monthly teleconferences with the elected
• Installing Secretary: Bro. Bill Sanner Line officers’ program.
Additionally, I developed coin sales which should net SAEF
• Installing Marshall: Bro Ron Sortino approximately $8,000.
The Installing Officer (IO) called on the Installing Chaplain My major tasking was to safely guide National Sojourners
(IC) to lead us in prayer. The Installing Officer then asked the through the Coronavirus shutdown. In closing, and in memory of
Installing Secretary (IS) to read the name of the officer and the that great patriot, Bob Hope, Thanks for the memories!”
title of the office to be installed. The Installing Secretary an- Bro Roth thanked Bro Haynes for leading us through difficult
nounced the name of Bro Robert W. Roth, NPE, to be installed times with COVID-19 creating surprises and challenges and
as National President. The IO asked if we were still satisfied wished him well. Our National President pointed out that
with our choice and all participating Sojourners unmuted and ZOOM and virtual conferencing could be the silver lining with
affirmed by saying yes. The IO proceeded to then obligate and this pandemic. He then commenced with his remarks on becom-
install the incoming National President, Bro Roth. Bro Haynes, ing the National President. He started by reading a poem of re-
the outgoing National President, presented the Charter of Na- flection, anonymously written by a Civil War Soldier, which
tional Sojourners, Inc. virtually to Bro Roth. As evidence we are was well received by all. He informed everyone that his precept
one in faith, one in hope and one in charity, the IO led everyone this year is ‘Freemasonry First, Sojourners Always”. Bro Roth
in reciting the American Creed. He then declared our president asked everyone to put Freemasonry first in our hearts and in our
to have been duly and properly installed in his respective office actions and to remember we are always Sojourners. He stated we
and asked the Installing Marshal to make the proclamation to either grow now, and fast, or we face the inevitable of aging-out
that effect to all within the sound of your voice. and becoming extinct. He added that securing lasting endurance,
After receiving the virtual gavel of authority and badge of his the third major goal of our Strategic Plan, and the crown jewel
office, the newly installed National President, Bro Robert W. of success of the Masonic fraternity, is a crucial mission for Na-
Roth, preceded with the following comments – “First let me tional Sojourners. He furthered explained “Let me explain.
offer my sincere thanks to the installing team and Past National Among our 7862 living members, our office records show only
President Haynes. Helping us all to move forward as an Order 7421 have birthdays. Apparently, hundreds of our members ei-
has been an original and special responsibility, in this virtual ther don’t have birthdays, or aren’t alive. That’s more than a
environment. And as my first act of office, it is my pleasure to management or data glitch, it is a signal that we haven’t paid
call upon PNP Bill Haynes to give us his remarks at this time”. sufficient attention to the aging of our members. And of the
[Editorial comment from the National Office – because those seventy-four hundred or so that do have birthdays in our
Bro Haynes was unable to hold the ANC in person nor give data base, only 202 of that number are under the age of 40.
his formal allocution – I am enclosing his remarks here - in That’s 2.7% of our living membership! Compare that to the fact
his words and in its entirety.] that 65% our members are over 70 years of age!! That is 5000 of
Bro Haynes addressed the attendees: our 7800 members, all being over 70 years of age. Good grief,
“After being installed as National President in Omaha in June my Bros! I say again, good grief!”
2019, I was looking forward to being known as the president He went on to announce a number of initiatives and an-
that had the most splendiferous Annual National Conference. nouncements good for the Order:
The outstanding Harrisburg Chapter committee headed by Bro A program we call R3 (Recruiting, Retention and Recovery)
Ken Womack and assisted by Bro Tom Kuhn had planned fan- is now in the hands of a revitalized National Membership Com-
tastic tours, programs and meals plus the Philadelphia Mummers mittee. Chairman, Bro Jim Pugsley, and his team are getting to
were to perform. But first, a brief resuscitation of my year: work, and all of us will see deployment of the program very
Chaperoned at Youth Leadership Program, Freedoms Foun- soon.
dation, Valley Forge He issued several Administrative Orders and National Circu-
Spent 3 days at Headquarters lars. One of them appoints our current National First Vice Presi-
Attend anniversary of incorporation of Chicago Chapter dent, Second Vice President, and Third Vice Presidents to the
Attended Heroes Conferences and encampments positions of Acting National President Elect, Acting National
Federal Area First Vice President, and Acting National Second Vice Presi-
Great Lakes Area dent, respectively. The action is taken under NR 4.3, para. 4, in