AMD Day Letter

February 8, 2016

Texas Brethren of the Allied Masonic Degrees:

As the Texas Allied Masonic Degrees Association prepares for another Texas AMD Day, to be held on June 4^th this year, we thought we might relate some needs and plans for that day.

[The flyer and registration form for this event will be available shortly on the TAMDA Web site: www.tamda.org]

First, if your council wishes to confer one of the degrees at AMD Day, please contact the Secretary.  Confirmations to date include: Grand Tilers of Solomon (Loyd L. Chance Council No. 522), St. Lawrence the Martyr (Grand Arcanum Council No. 447), and Superintendent (Anson Jones Council No. 462).  Please send your intention to confer a degree at AMD Day to the Secretary.

Second, due to scheduling, Robert Bruce Brannon Council No. 270 will not be able to confer the Installed Sovereign Master degree this year.  Anson Jones Council No. 462 will confer this degree instead, so all SM who have not received the ISM will be able to do so at AMD Day.

Third, Grand Arcanum Council No. 447 will confer the rank of Knight Commander, Royal Order of the Red Branch of Eri, on eligible brothers at AMD Day.  Brothers eligible to receive the conferral are limited to those who: a) are eligible to receive that rank under the Grand Council Constitution, b) have been duly elected by their Council, c) their Council has submitted their nomination and paid the appropriate fee to the Grand Secretary, and d) their nomination has been approved by the Grand Council.  Secretaries of Councils who wish to put forward members to receive the Knight Commander conferral on AMD Day should forward the names of said brothers to the TAMDA Secretary and certify that the brother meets the eligibility requirements noted above.  This communication, by email or snail mail, should reach the TAMDA Secretary no later than May 1^st.  He will then forward the names of the candidates for the conferral to Grand Arcanum Council.  No brother will be able to receive this conferral without certification from his Council Secretary to the TAMDA Secretary.  Please do not expect to attend AMD Day without these requirements having been met and be knighted a Knight Commander.  Our ability to continue to do RBE conferrals at AMD Day depends upon our fidelity to Grand Council regulations.  Grand Arcanum will provide exemplar regalia for use during the conferral ceremony, but individual Knight Commander regalia are the responsibility of the candidate or his Council.

Fourth, any brother wishing to run for an office of TAMDA should contact the Secretary and/or James Kirkpatrick, so that you can be placed on the Web site and flyer as a candidate for this year.  Please send  Ill. Kirkpatrick a photo as well.  Nominations, of course, may also be made from the floor at the time of the elections.

Fifth, pre-registrations for AMD Day and payment of $15.00 for each registration should reach the Secretary no later than May 27^th (see the registration form at www.tamda.org).  Please make checks out to TAMDA, not to the Secretary personally.  Also, please be sure to include your AMD Council name and number, not your Royal & Select Masters Council.  After that date, registration will be taken only on the morning of AMD Day and the registration fee will be $20.00.

Sixth, the Masonic Order of the Bath will again be conferred after the conclusion of the TAMDA activities on those brothers interested in this degree.  Interested brothers should note that this is a separate degree and not part of the registration for AMD Day.  Registration forms will be available just prior to degree conferral, and registration and payment of the $25.00 degree fee should be submitted to MH Reese L. Harrison, Jr., or RH James Roy Elliott at that time and not to the TAMDA Secretary.

The officers of the Texas Allied Masonic Degrees Association look forward to another successful AMD Day and we hope to see each of you in Waco on June 4^th.