Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Southern Jurisdiction - Valley of Salt Lake & Coord Bodies

The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in the orient of Utah continues to be active and vibrant. Morale among the active members remains high and most are engaged in the orient's activities, plans and programs. The transition from the sovereign grand inspector general; curtis n. lancaster, 33 who retired after twenty-three years of service to a new appointed deputy of the supreme council on september 1st 2013 has been without interruption or controversy. The new leadership has progressed smoothly and consistently; the general membership's acceptance with this change has been positive and supportive. Participation in the activities especially with regard to the reunions have progressed and members continue to embrace, and are receptive to the new programs. Increased membership has been a goal set early on and a challenge was made to the members to improve the growth in membership within the orient. Many young members that are entering the blue lodges are eager to learn and grow and the Scottish Rite has been instrumental in aiding in those young members search for light and education. The intent is to continue to play a major part and assist in their advancement in the Scottish Rite. The orient's finances and investments are continually reviewed and remain under the supervision of the finance committee where they monitor the accounts and the operating budget. Dues and fees remain the same as the last biennium however, operating and reunion costs continue to go up and the advisory council has made necessary changes to manage the increases without effecting the reunion experience for the new candidates and participating members. Regular meeting attendance remains steady with a larger number of new members attending. The quality of the meal prior to the regular meeting has improved with the addition of a new caterer which has attracted more members to meet, dine and converse with each other. The meetings are short and to the point, generally under an hour in length including an informative educational feature. Attendance at the reunions continue to improve in proportion to the quality of the degree ritual and cast performances. The ritual bar is set high for the cast and crew and as such has made a difference in the quality of the performances. In some of the outlying areas of the orient, especially in central and southern Utah, active members have been seeking more activities and participation in events and ritual work with each other. They have become interested in forming Scottish Rite clubs to aid in their quest for fulfillment and brotherhood in the Scottish Rite. Consideration is being made in that area based on their commitment and motivation for such activity. The Scottish Rite club of ogden located in the northern area has served the members since 1961 and continues to operate for the benefit of the members in that area of the Valley. The officers and directors at the orient and Valley level recognize the fact that new members entering the fraternity and petitioning the Scottish Rite are younger and have a different mindset than the older members. Their way of operating, learning and doing things is quite different and the fraternity must adapt to that change. Openness to change and the challenge we all face is developing the ability to speak the language of youth while simultaneously quoting from the age old books of tradition. Our future depends on it. The state of the Rite in the orient of Utah would not be complete if i had failed to mention that we lost a dear brother on august 7th, 2014 - known to all - illustrious brother curtis n. lancaster, 33 sgig and emeritus member of the supreme council. Ill. bro. Lancaster was a special man, his many titles meant nothing to him. He was a man who went out of his way through kindness and generosity to please not himself but others. Ill. bro. Curtis was an exceptional listener and i think that is why his leadership, in all of his endeavors was so successful. He was a sounding board of ideas and actions, where thoughts could be expressed and conclusions made. He is missed deeply by the members and with the emptiness of presence that a good listener portrays, he will always be with us. In summary, the Scottish Rite of freemasonry in the orient of Utah is strong, adaptive and well-motivated, with competent leaders to assist in continuing the forward progress it has made regarding membership programs and energizing enthusiasm while attracting new and younger members into the fraternity. The orient is confident that it will continue to meet its goal of positive membership growth for future years.