Scottish Rite Masons hold Grand Lodge session in Winston
The United National Supreme
Council, Ancient & Accepted Scottish
Rite Free Masons of the World, 33rd and
Last Degree and Order of Eastern Star
Inc. held its annual Grand Lodge session
in Winston-Salem the weekend of Nov. 7
at the Ramada Inn University Parkway.
The most pussiant sovereign grand
icommander. illustrious Windell Daniels.
133?, was in attendance representing the
United National Supreme Council.
The weekend began with a hospitality
room Friday night, hosted by Districts 1
I
through V. An officers meeting was held
Friday night with the grand master of
King David Grand Lodge. Ill James E.
Jefferson, 33?, presiding Also present was
111. Edward Garnet, 33?. deputy grand
master, and 111 Lynn Brewington. grand
secretary.
The Order of Eastern Star meeting was
conducted by Grand Matron Sister Gilda
Williams. Grand Associate Matron Sister
Robbie Garriet and Sister Rose Reid,
grand secretary, assisted the grand
matron
III. Clayton Watson was the master of
ceremonies for the Saturday morning
prayer breakfast that was hosted by both
the Grand Lodge and the Grand Chapter
Illustrious Kenneth E. Moore, 33?,
delivered the prayer, which was followed
by a welcome from District Deputy of
District I Cedric Thomas, representing
King Solomon's Grand Council and St
Mary's Grand Chapter, who also present
ed both bodies with a donation from the
Grand Council. The breakfast was pre
pared by the hotel, and the food was
1 i
blessed by the III Havis Wilkes, 33?, of
Lanis.
The keynote speaker for the occasion
was Grand Lecturer of Queen of Sheba
Grand Chapter Sister Costella Robinson.
After-breakfast remarks were delivered by
the Most Ancient Worth) Grand Matron
Unique Lady Gwendolyn Evans.
The Illustrious James Farrow. 33?,
national grand commander-in-chief repre
senting the National Supreme Council,
welcomed King David Grand Lodge and
the Grand Chapter to the city.
The weekend continued with the
Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter meeting
in their respective times followed by-6
workshop. The event came to a close with
a dance Saturday night hosted by the
Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter jointly.
A spokesperson for the organization
said, "The opportunity for Winston
Salem to host such an event was great for
our city; however, the way the brethren
and sisters embraced the city is doubly
appreciative. Therefore we thank them."
New A&T swim team begins competition
GREENSBORO ? North Carolina A&T State
University's new swim team, coached bv Denise
Adams (not shown) began competition this year
The team, the first ever in A&T's 106-year histo
ry, held its first home meet Nov. 17 in A&T's Corbett
Sports Arena.
Pictured are (front row) Valerie Mackie of
Charlotte, freshman; Channa Jackson of
Greensboro, sophomore; Raushanah Maxcy of
Chicago, sophomore; Jessica Pike of Raleigh, team
captain, freshman; Tomekia Hutchins of Goldsboro.
sophomore; Shauna Allen of Wilson, sophomore;
(middle row) Cher Walton of Greensboro, senior;
Rasha Mohamed of Greensboro, junior; Leti Padilla
of Greensboro, senior; Rhonda Jones of Moyock,
junior; Na'Tell Miller of Greensboro, senior; Anita
Towns of Littleton, sophomore; (back row)
Mashawnda Dowell of Greensboro, sophomore;
Tara Holmes of Greensboro, junior; Diane Rogers of
Greensboro, freshman; Rochelle Woodson of
Reidsville. team captain, sophomore; Janice Resetar
of Hillsborough, freshman; Crystal Wright of
Butner, sophomore; and Benita Brown, of
Riegelwood, sophomore.
Alabama pastors criticize Lyons about money
TAMPA. Fla. (AP) ? Pastors
and deacons of Alabama churches
that burned two years ago say the
Rev Henry J. Lyons, president of
the National Baptist Convention
U.S.A. Inc., betrayed their trust.
A year ago. Lyons accepted a
check for $225,000 from the Anti
Defamation League and the
National Urban League. Two
weeks later the St. Petersburg min
ister wrote the Anti-Defamation
League, saying six Alabama
churches had been given $35,000
each to help rebuild.
But most of the money was
never distributed. After The
Tampa Tribune reported the status
of the funds two months ago,
Lyons returned most of the money
to the Anti-Defamation League.
"A liar is a liar," the Rev John
Alexander told The Tribune in a
Sunday story. "If you tell one lie,
you have to make up another to
make it fit. I said to my wife.
'That's the devil's work.'"
Lyons said the letter was
mailed by mistake and that all the
money wasn't given out because
Lyons decided that some of the
churches really didn't need the
help.
But four of the six churches
still need to build or complete
improvements. The Tribune
reported Sunday.
Investigators with the
Alabama Attorney' General's
Office have questioned the pas
tors. asking whether they received
any money from Lyons, who
remains under investigation by
federal and Florida officials exam
ining his financial dealings.
While the investigations con
tinue. the tiny congregations of the
unfinished churches struggle to
raise more money. Any insurance
money was spent king ago.
Donations that poured in while
the burnings received national
focus have long since dried up.
As Lyons paid big money for a
waterfront house, a Nevada time
share, diamond jewelry and fancy
cars, these Alabama churchgoers
? many on fixed incomes or earn
ing minimum wage ? raised cash
through weekly church donations
and fried chicken dinner socials.
Lyons, who claims to represent
8.5 million black Baptists in the
Nashville. Tenn -based denomina
tion. has come under criticism
lately for alleged misuse of church
money and for his dealings with
Bernice Edwards, a convicted
embezzler with whom he owned a
waterfront home Several ministers
orchestrated a failed effort this
summer to remove him as head of
the Baptist group
Pastors and church officials
agree that the money Lyons said
he gave but didn't would have gone
a long way toward completing the
work
The congregation of Mount
Lebanon Baptist Church, where
Alexander is pastor, has spent
$40,000 pouring a new foundation
and erecting walls of a new church
near Selma At least another
$40,000 is needed to finish the
work. Alexander said
In Greensboro. John and Mary
Hodge plot ways to raise more
money to help finish their new
church. Rising Star Baptist
While the exterior of the new
brick church is finished, about
$70,000 is needed for landscaping
and furniture and to finish interior
work that includes lighting, car
peting and plumbing John
Hodge, a church deacon. jirvd his
wife oversee the church rebuilding
fund that was established after
their church burned in a suspi
cious fire in June 1996
They received no money from
Lyons despite the $35,000 men
tioned in Lyons' letter to the Anti
Defamation League.
The Hodges don't understand
how Lyons could say the burned
churches didn't need the money he
was to have delivered. They won
der how he could judge who is in
need when he has never visited
their churcb
"I have no more respect for
him," said John Hodge, whose
church has stopped sending
money to support the national
convention.
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