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Anniversary – Organized Mystical Court emerged from New York, and traveled to the Caribbean. On April 6, 2012, Darrindel Hoyte-Johnson and Godfrey Gregg met at the home of Godfrey Gregg in Brooklyn, New York, and The Mystical Court in America was born.
Admonishments – Founded in the Twenty First Century as a “prayer group” (a group formed for the mutual self-help of its members), The Mystical Court developed ancient admonishments including: “visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.”
Assistant Grand Commanding Officer – One of the key appointed offices in the Court is the AGCO (Warden). This officer is charged to ensure that all persons attending closed, ritual meetings of the Court are members of the Court holding the appropriate degree. The AGCO (Warden) is also charged with the care and safekeeping of the regalia.
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Bylaws – Every member of The Mystical Court has a set of Bylaws, approved by the Executive of The Mystical Court of the jurisdiction. The Bylaws govern the conduct and proceedings of the Court, but must conform to the rules and regulations of the The Mystical Court Ritual, Code of General Laws and the Rules Code of The Mystical Order and Bylaws.
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Creed – The Mystical Court believe in the universal brotherhood of Man and the fatherhood of God.
The Mystical Court is non-partisan, non-sectarian, and welcoming of all people without regard to religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, and national origin.
Committees – Many Court conduct much of their work through Court Committees such as the Finance Committee, Initiation Committee, Good Fellowship Committee, Community Support Committee, and others.
Character – A goal of The Mystical Court is to “elevate the character of Man.” In the daily exercise of friendship, love and truth, The Mystical Court strive to make a better world.
Conductor – The conductor is an officer of the Court, appointed by the Supreme Grand Commanding Officer. The main charge of the conductor is to receive candidates for initiation when they enter the Court room, and to perform all duties assigned in conferring degrees.
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Degrees – Once a member is initiated into the Court, he/she is said to hold the Initiatory Degree (Entered Officer).
As an initiated member, he/she has all rights and privileges of the Court, including the right to vote. The initiated member cannot hold office in the Court until he/she holds the third degrees of the Court. The three degrees are the Degrees of Friendship, Love and Truth. (Entered Officer, Commanding Officer and Assistant Grand Commanding Officer Degrees)
Dues – Dues are collected monthly or annually from each regular member of the Court. A portion may be retained by the Court, and portions of the dues are shared with the Mystical Order of the jurisdiction.
E
Encampment – The Mystical Court members who have earned all three degrees in their Court may seek to join an Encampment. Members of the Encampment are known as Historians. Each Encampment also confers three degrees – the degrees of Faith, Hope and Charity – and these officers serve in The Patriarchal Guard.
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Financial Secretary – The financial secretary is an elected officer of the Court charged with correctly keeping the accounts between the Court and members, receiving all monies due to the Court and working with the Commanding Secretary and Commanding Treasurer to properly maintain the books.
Flag – The United States, Trinidad and Tobago and St. Vincent and the Grenadines flags are honoured in every Court and is an important part of the Court ceremony and ritual.
Friendship – The first degree of The Mystical Court is known as the Degree of Friendship (Entered Officer). It is represented by one of the three links – the link on the left.
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Gatekeepers – The Court has an inside gatekeeper and an outside gatekeeper, appointed by the Supreme Grand Commanding Officer, to guard the doors leading into the Court meetings, to ensure that only qualified Court members enter.
Good Fellowship – Part of the joy and reward of belonging to this fraternal order is the good fellowship that comes with membership in the Court. Different Courts engage in a wide variety of social and fellowship activities for the members including dinners, trips, casino visits, and the like. The Mystical Court can provide a social network for members.
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Hall – Many Mystical Courts own and operate their own Court Halls (sometimes also called Temples). Often, these Halls are owned in conjunction with a local Mystical Court. Typically, the Court Hall is managed and maintained by a Hall Board, composed of Court members.
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Independent Order of The Mystical Court – The Independent Order of The Mystical Court (IOMC) is a fraternal order with a long history since 2010. At a time when The Mystical Court formed in part to help others who were less fortunate. They were called “The Mystical Court” because they helped members of society who needed their help. Community service is part of the history of this Court.
Initiation – An applicant for membership to a Court must be voted on by the existing members in a secret ballot. If the applicant receives an affirmative vote, and pays dues and the initiation fee, the Court will initiate the applicant in a secret ceremony and the applicant will be a member of the Court holding the Initiatory Degree.
Initials – The Order uses initials to designate offices and past offices. For example, the Supreme Grand Commanding Officer is identified as SGCO, Grand Commanding Officer as GCO, the Vice Grand Commanding Officer as VGCO, The Assistant Grand Commanding Officer as AGCO, the Right Supporter of the Supreme Grand Commanding Officer is RS. A Past Grand Commanding Officer of a Court is identified as PGCO, and the Past Supreme Grand Commanding Officer is PSGCO. The same will be applied to the female titles.
Installation – Once each year, the Court will install its newly elected officers. Typically, officers are nominated in September, elected in October, and installed in December. Elected Court officers are the Supreme Grand Commanding Officer, Grand Commanding Officer, Vice Grand Commanding Officer, Assistant Grand Commanding Officer, Secretary, Treasurer and Financial Secretary. The Grand Commanding Mother, The Vice Grand Commanding Mother and the Assistant Grand Commanding Mother.
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Jewels – The Mystical Court will provide a plethora of “jewels” which are badges reflecting service and achievement in the Order.
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Knowledge – Every member of the Order is expected to gain knowledge from participation in the Initiation. Further, by attaining the First, Second and Third Degrees, members increase their knowledge about their fraternity and about themselves. They should engage in reading to improve their knowledge base.
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Love – The second degree of The Mystical Court is the Degree of Love. This degree is represented by the link in the center of the three links symbol of the Order.
Links – The Mystical Court is often called “the three-links Court” based on the symbol of the order – the three intertwined links standing for “friendship, love and truth”.
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Membership – Membership in a Court can be either regular or associate. Every member must be a regular member of one Court, but may be an associate member of more than one Court. To survive and flourish in the 21st Century, every member of The Mystical Court must seek out and bring new members to the Order.
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Order Fellowship – A member of the Established Order of The Mystical Court is referred to as a member of The Mystical Court. Because this is a fraternal order, members may refer to each other as Brothers and Sisters.
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Past Supreme Grand Commanding Officer– After a Supreme Grand Commanding Officer has served his/her term, that officer is known as “Past Supreme Grand”. Past Supreme Grands automatically are Patriarchs of The Mystical Court
Patriarchs Council – Those Members of The Mystical Court who have earned all three degrees in their Courts, and who joined an Encampment and earned all three degrees in that encampment, are eligible to join the Patriarchs Council. This is the uniformed branch of Mystical Court with the Patriarch degree (Royal Order of The Mystical Court)
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Quorum – The traditional number of The Mystical Court required to conduct business at a meeting is five.
Quality – More than the quantity of our members, it’s the quality of our members and the good works that are done by The Mystical Court that distinguish this Order.
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Ritual and Regalia – Harkening back almost 200 years, The Mystical Court Fellowship has developed a ritual including rites of initiation, a secret grip and secret passwords. The officers and members of the Court wear regalia during closed, ritual meetings. It’s part of what makes The Mystical Court a fraternal order.
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Supreme Grand Commanding Officer – The “president” of each Mystical Court is called “Supreme Grand Commanding Officer”. Other elected officers are Grand Commanding Officer, Vice Grand Commanding Officer, Assistant Grand Commanding Officer, Commanding Secretary, Commanding Treasurer and Financial Secretary. Each Court also has a number of appointed officers, Conductor, Commanding Chaplain, Inside Gatekeeper, Outside Gatekeeper, Supporters of the Supreme Grand Commanding Officer, Grand Commanding Officer and Vice Grand Commanding Officer, Scene Supporters, Flag and Colour Bearers.
Secretary – The secretary is an elected officer of the Court, charged with keeping accurate records of the transactions of the Court.
Service – Service to the community is an important part of the work done by The Mystical Court. Different Courts have undertaken support functions of varying kinds – helping senior citizens, hosting fundraising dinners for charitable groups, bingo for the community, mentoring children, and the like.
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Treasurer – The treasurer is an elected officer of the Lodge, in charge of all the funds of the Lodge. The treasurer pays on all orders drawn by the Grand Commanding Officer, attested by the Grand Secretary, and keeps accurate accounts of the Lodge finances.
Truth – The Degree of Truth is the third degree of The Mystical Court. It is represented in the three links symbol of the Court as the link on the right.
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Universal Justice – The Mystical Court believes in universal precepts such as friendship, love and truth, and working to elevate the character of Man. The motto of the Patriarchs Council, a uniformed unit of The Mystical Court, is Universal Justice. It is the intention of this Council to be the open face of The Mystical Court, that will speak on it’s behalf when the needs arise.
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Veterans – It is the intention of The Mystical Court to stand in the gap with veterans in the faith and support themwhereever possible. The future plans are the establishment od a home and senior day care center for those that laboured on this journey.
Vice Grand – The number two elected officer in the Lodge is the Vice Grand. The main job of the Vice Grand is to support the Noble Grand, and fill in when the Noble Grand is absent. Often the Vice Grand is next in line to serve as Noble Grand of a Lodge, so service as Vice Grand is an important training period.
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– Sir Godfrey Gregg is recognized as the person who brought The Mystical Court to the United States. The very first Court was established in New York in 2012, and then to Trinidad and Tobago.
Websites – www.mysticalorderinc.org , http://www.mysticalcourt.com and www.mysticalbrotherhood.com
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Excellence – The Mystical Court provides a number of checks and balances within the rules of the Court to ensure excellence in record-keeping of minutes and bookkeeping of funds. Each Court has a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Financial Secretary and a Finance Committee to ensure that the rules are followed.
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You – An organization is only as good as its members. Every member – and that means YOU – has got to find his or her niche in the Court. Every member has got to find his or her way to contribute to the improvement of the Court and the fraternity.
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Zest – With sufficient “zeal” and “zest” there is nothing that The Mystical Court can’t achieve.
THE MYSTICAL COURT 