York Rite of Kentucky

[Warrior1256]

I really want to join the York Rite. On the advise of a number of brothers in lodge and here on the forum I had decided to wait six months after my raising to join. However, it has come to my attention that the York Rite here in Louisville is having a two day class where you go through all of the degrees. As my wife and I are retired and living on a fixed income it seems to be the way to go as this is cheaper that taking the degrees in steps over time. Can any brother on this site tell me what the yearly dues for the York Rite are here?

 

[Morris]

I don't understand how you know it's cheaper to do all in two days vs spread out if you don't know the prices.

I would think it would be cheaper to do one body, see if you want to do more and if you can afford to do more.

 

[KSigMason]

You'll have to contact the local Secretary to find out how much the dues are for your Chapter, Council, and Commandery.

 

[Pscyclepath]

In my experience, the initiation fees are the same, whether you get them all in a festival, or do them one at a time. In the festivals, however, you tend to get the "short form" of the degrees, so I would prefer to go one-at-a time, as the real beauty of YR is in the degrees and the lessons therein.

 

[Companion Joe]

I don't know what the degree fees are for your local bodies (heck, I don't even know what they are for my local bodies!), but, unless you have been officially told otherwise, I suspect there is no difference doing them individually or in a festival.

Dues are different at each Chapter/Council/Commandery. I can tell you what mine are. The Chapter and Council are $16 each. The Commandery is $35. By comparison, our Blue Lodge dues are $64. I suspect the ratio is similar in most places. (I am a life member of everything but the Commandery and do not receive dues notices, but I'm certain those are the current prices).

You are under no obligation to join all three bodies. You can join just the Chapter, the Chapter and Council, or all three. I personally wouldn't recommend breaking up the Chapter and Council. They go hand in hand in terms of the story and most meetings. For example, my C/C meets on the same night. We open the Chapter, conduct business, close, open the Council, conduct business, close.

If money is a concern, I'd honestly not worry about the Commandery. The story does nothing to further you Masonic education as far as the Hiramic legend goes. I actually demitted out of the Commandery for about 10 years because of financial reasons but rejoined when we formed a local Commandery. I know you have expressed concerns in other threads about the cost of the Commandery uniform. Unless your local Commandery has some kind of rule about it, you do not have to have a uniform to attend meetings unless you are an officer. That said, if you do become active, you'll want to have a uniform.

 

[Warrior1256]

I don't know what the degree fees are for your local bodies (heck, I don't even know what they are for my local bodies!), but, unless you have been officially told otherwise, I suspect there is no difference doing them individually or in a festival.

Dues are different at each Chapter/Council/Commandery. I can tell you what mine are. The Chapter and Council are $16 each. The Commandery is $35. By comparison, our Blue Lodge dues are $64. I suspect the ratio is similar in most places. (I am a life member of everything but the Commandery and do not receive dues notices, but I'm certain those are the current prices).

You are under no obligation to join all three bodies. You can join just the Chapter, the Chapter and Council, or all three. I personally wouldn't recommend breaking up the Chapter and Council. They go hand in hand in terms of the story and most meetings. For example, my C/C meets on the same night. We open the Chapter, conduct business, close, open the Council, conduct business, close.

If money is a concern, I'd honestly not worry about the Commandery. The story does nothing to further you Masonic education as far as the Hiramic legend goes. I actually demitted out of the Commandery for about 10 years because of financial reasons but rejoined when we formed a local Commandery. I know you have expressed concerns in other threads about the cost of the Commandery uniform. Unless your local Commandery has some kind of rule about it, you do not have to have a uniform to attend meetings unless you are an officer. That said, if you do become active, you'll want to have a uniform.

Thank you for the information brother.