Rite Notes – January 2026
Getting New Members
It is possible to get new members. In fact, there will be no growth unless there are new members into your organization.
No matter how successful a group is, if they don’t continue to bring in new members, it stands a generation away from death. But if your York Rite Body is knocking on deaths door, how do you attract new members.
I once asked a real estate broker what his secret of success was . How did he improve his sales? His answer; Ask for the order, ask for the order, ask for the order. As the bible says, Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find and knock, and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7 NIV). Companions and Sir Knights, if we do not ask, they may not come.
Some things you can do include the following:
1. TALK POSITIVELY ABOUT YOUR YORK RITE BODY, AND YORK RITE IN GENERAL
No one wants to join a dying group. Keep internal problems within your tiled Body. That’s where problems belong,
2. ALWAYS CARRY A PETITION FOR MEMBERSHIP WITH YOU.
Be prepared.
3. BE AWARE OF SOJOURNING MEMBERS IN YOUR AREA
If they are already members but belong to a York Rite Body in faraway places, encourage them to help out by affiliating with your YRB. They can either transfer, or if permitted by our jurisdiction, have a plural membership. If they are masons but not York Rite members, encourage them to join and participate.
4. SUGGEST MEMBERSHIP TO PEOPLE YOU KNOW
You may not be able to directly ask them to join, but you sure can plant the idea.
5. ENCOURAGE YOUR MEMBERS TO DO THE SAME.
This starts with your officer corps. The more people who are out promoting your York Rite Body in getting new members, the more success you will have. Once you get the first new member, the others will follow.
6. ENCOURAGE NEW MEMBERS TO INVITE THEIR FRIENDS
New members have the highest percentage of non-member friends. Once they are excited about the degrees and ritual work, they will invite their friends to become members.
7. MENTOR NEW MEMBERS
New members take a lot of work to get. Don’t let them slip away. Assign a member to be their mentor, teaching the new member about York Rite, and how to get the most out of it. The mentor will undoubtedly become the first friend they make in our York Rite. Choose your mentors well, matching personalities and interests up.
New members. There isn’t a problem in your York Rite Body that can’t be solved by getting more new members.
We cannot wish away our declining membership; we must be individually accountable for growing our business. Don’t wait for someone else to do what you can do now.
There is no substitute for an all-out campaign to strengthen and build our membership.
EXCERPTS FROM THE GRAND CHAPTER OF FLORIDA
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: BALLOTING
34.01 CHAPTER TO BE OPEN.
All balloting shall take place in the Royal Arch Degree, and all Degrees conferred in a Chapter are balloted for at one and the same time.
34.02 BALLOT NOT TO BE REOPENED.
A dark ballot cannot be reopened on account of any irregularity, and neither permission not authorization from the Grand High Priest shall be granted for such purpose.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: REJECTION OF CANDIDATES AND EFFECT THEREOF
35.01 REFUND OF FEES.
Rejection of a Petition shall be followed by notification to the Petitioner of such action, and the refund of any and all fees accompanying such Petition.
35.02 JURISDICTION RETAINED.
A Chapter retains jurisdiction over rejected material. A Petitioner rejected by a Chapter may not Petition another Chapter absent Waiver of Jurisdiction. A rejected Petition may not be resubmitted within twelve months of date of its rejection.
Membership by Chapter for 2026:
|
DIST |
LOCATION |
# |
DIST |
LOCATION |
# |
|
1 |
Palm Beach (Boca-Delray) |
|
6 |
Cocoa |
|
|
Ft Lauderdale |
|
Melbourne |
|
||
|
Miami |
|
Fort Pierce |
|
||
|
2 |
Manatee/Bradenton/ Trinity |
|
7 |
Jacksonville |
|
|
Sarasota/Venice/ Fort Myers |
|
Fernandina |
|
||
|
Ft Myers |
|
Palatka |
|
||
|
3 |
Tampa (Ivanhoe) |
|
8 |
Lake City |
|
|
St Peters burg (Sunshine) |
|
Middleburg |
|
||
|
Clearwater (Springtime) |
|
Gainesville |
|
||
|
4 |
Lakeland |
|
9 |
Tallahassee |
|
|
Plant City |
|
Marianna |
|
||
|
Sebring (Highlands) |
|
Panama City |
|
||
|
5 |
Daytona (Halifax) |
|
10 |
Fort Walton Beach |
|
|
Lake Sumter |
|
Crestview |
|
||
|
Sanford |
|
Pensacola |
|
||
|
Orlando |
|
|
|
REMINDER: MASONIC MEMBERSHIP SOLUTIONS (MMS) RULES STATE THAT NEW COMPANIONS AND SIR KNIGHTS NEED TO BE PLACED IN MMS WITHIN 15 DAYS. If this is not done, the magazine will not be sent automatically. The Secretary will have to contact Grand Encampment.
MMS IS NOW ON GOOGLE CHROME
New Membership by York Rite District 2026:
|
DIST |
DATE |
LOCATION |
KNIGHTED |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
10-11 Apr |
Ft Pierce |
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
|
8 |
|
|
|
|
9 |
|
|
|
|
10 |
|
|
|
|
TOTAL 2026 KNIGHTINGS |
|||
|
TOTAL 2025 KNIGHTINGS |
117 |
||
Henry A. Adams
HENRY A. ADAMS, KYGCH
