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Midyear Report and Stewardship of the Illustrious Potentate and Activity of Medinah Temple #39
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FAMILY
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FRIENDS
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Noble Brothers,
Upon receiving your gift of this elevated office, I selected a theme Bible text; a motto, and a theme song to guide our efforts throught the year.
1 Corinthiams 3:16&17 tells us to "Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the Temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
As we work in the various Temples of Freemasonry, let us remember that the Temple of Shrinedom is no less sacred even though we refer to our house as the "play" house or Display house of Masonry. After all, do we not pay homage to the Deity at the holy Kaaba which is located in the holy city of Mecca (Saudi Arabia). We are on a pilgrimage to the Kaaba (house of God) not made with hands, eternal in the heavens as the Muslims of Islamic faith also teach in the Koran.
The foundation of the Order of Nobles of the Mystic is steeped in the Islamic faith of which our Arab (African) forebearers are taught "submission to the will of God (Allah). Are we not taught in Christianity to be Christ like... Submission to Christ leads to eternal life. Therefore, we should uphold and respect the Mystic Shrine as we uphold our Christian Banner.
Our motto this year is Service First. We have definitely adhered to this. In January we donated $1,000.00 (Temple/Court) to Children's Hospital Sickle Cell Program. Those funds resulted in a booklet educating parents with children affected with Sickle Cell. Also, we will co-host a blood drive to benefit sickle cell patients along with other Black Service Groups at the St. Louis Zoo on June 27.
We have united with Medinah Court #15 to offer support to Jackson School on a Community/School Garden chaired by the Second Ceremonial Master. Your donations to Karen/s House Crisis Center will comfort homeless mothers and children needing a safety net until they can take flight on their own. Stevens Middle School received $300.00 to purchas book bags for the 1999-2000 academic year. The first installment of our neglected charitable contribution to Herbert Wheeler State School was made in the amount of $300.oo with $1,200 remaining to be honored. Many thanks to those who donated personal hygiene items to support Karen's House and kudos to our wheel chair and personal assistive equipment donors, Noble Elmo Potts and Noble John Rucker as well as Noble Ronald Jackson for all his support transporting and assembling the chairs and working with P.P. Leon Helenkamp to acquire a piano for our #1 Talent Scholarship Contestant going to Imperial Session to represent the Dessert of Missouri during Missouri Gala Days.
One of the most imortant donations we have accomplished this year was on Friday, April 30 to Harris-Stowe State College on behalf of the Imperial Council's Student Aid Program. There is now a $2,000.00 scholarship on hand for the 1999 recipient Ms. Sandy Kyle. Our 1997 recipient Mr. Kent Adams is an Early Childhood teacher at Wellston Early Childhood Center. Let us continue to uplift "The Might Race" by uplifting our children to reach their desired challenges to success!
Our Temple Youth and Court Isisertettes have brought us some creative fund raisers this year. Your support has been appreciated. Please support the Parent Club's Beer Bust on May 30 by donating $8.00 to P.P. Helenkamp or Noble Jermyn Johnson-Director, Temple Youth.
Every member of this Temple is a member of the Imperial Potentate's Recruitment membership program. P.P. Wilbert Farrell has agreed to volunteer with the Recorder and me to reclaim our suspended members. I will represent us in recruitment at the Council of Deliberation May 14-16 in St. Louis. Our new initiates awaiting their Constitution on May 14 are already aware of our purpose and creation target date. Let us all serve as upright Shriners to attract upright novices.
All Units of this Temple are to be applauded for bringing their room donations up to date. I hope you all decide to participate in the Annie Malone Prade on May 16 as we donate $500.00 in addition to the other Affiliated Houses contribution under one umbrella. Also, I look forward to your participation during the Clay School Festival May 20, 1999. Your Board of Governors has been dynamic this year. The Club is open Tues-Friday at 11:00am. Wednesday evenings serve as Ladies night with special discounts for all Ladies. They are opening on Saturdays and proposing to be closed on Mondays. Drink prices have been reduced! Your support of the Club brings in 25% of their sales into our Charity Fund. So please consider supporting the Club once a week.
Allah, the beneficent, is greatly blessing us this year! May you continue supporting the Temple's efforts. On June 26 we will have a raffle at the Club to raise more funds and our annual Children's and family picnic is July 25 in Forest Park. Noble Elie Banks appreciates you helping him supply donations of food, toys and bikes for the picnic.
PLEASE REMEMBER JUBILEE DAY, JUNE 6, 1999 AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, at THE CORNER OF CARDINAL AND BELL AVENUES--10:00am. (summer dress) Come celebrate that 10th Supreme Court Judge (Allah) who influenced the nine to allow you to act as Shriners and protected you from the evils of 15 years of litigation by our Caucasian counterparts.
As our theme song by Whitney Houston suggests "Step By Step", "Bit by Bit", we will turn Medinah Temple #39 back into the premiere Temple in the Domain of the Imperial Council!!! It takes you working and supporting the leadership. With God all things are possible. After all, Prince Hall Shrinedom can be So Much of a Good Thing...
Michael T. Johnson
Ill. Potentate
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