by William Snyder
General Grand Principal Conductor of the Work

Since my last opportunity to address all of you, I have attended the annual Sessions of the Grand York Rite of Alabama, Grand York Rite of Louisiana, Grand York Rite of South Carolina, Grand York Rite of the District of Columbia, Grand York Rite of North Carolina, Grand York Rite of Nebraska, Grand York Rite of Oklahoma and the Grand York Rite of Kansas.  In every instance, I found evidence of great cooperation between the York Rite bodies from Grand Lodge to Grand Encampment in most of these States.

Bill Snyder and friends exemplifying York Rite Unity at the 2018 Alabama GYR session.

In my next few issues, we will be giving you a brief report on each of those Sessions as well as others that are upcoming.  In the following issues, we will begin a discourse on significant programs in those Grand Councils that are sparking new membership from the age 35 to 65 segment.  Then we can discuss ideas for focusing our efforts on those Millennials!  It is abundantly clear to me and I hope to convince you down the road that the York Rite and particularly the American York Rite system of the progressive systems of Blue, Red, Purple and Templar principles and teachings are the key to generating and retaining the Millennials.  

Over the better part of the next nine years, my counterpart in the General Grand Chapter, Right Excellent Teko A. Foly, and I will be working very closely together to bring you a General Grand Chapter and a General Grand Council that truly serve the purposes of publicly promoting our charities, providing skilled instruction on leadership and membership programs, and a united American York Rite System that young men will want to join for life. 

Please join us in this journey over the next 9 years.  Please plan to attend the 2020 Triennial in Louisville, Kentucky.