San Francisco Clan
The San Francisco Clan of Knights of Saint Andrew are distinguished in the Valley of San Francisco through their worthy acts of service to its Scottish Rite masons and their families. The knights conduct a quarterly conclave and one annual conclave in the month of August. At annual conclave, the knights elect the officers for the ensuing masonic year and announce the events planned for the year to come. Our annual events include the Robert Burns Supper, Saints John Day Western, and Oktoberfest.
Robert Burns Supper
In January, the San Francisco Clan holds its annual Robert Burns Supper, an authentic rendition of the tradition in Scotland and around the world. During the masons and gentlemen’s Burns Supper, our officers are seated into their respective offices for the year, and squires may be knighted. The Burns Supper commemorates Robert Burns, National Bard of Scotland, aka Rabbie Burns, who is recognized the world over for the song and melody heard round the world on New Year’s Eve at midnight, Auld Lang Syne. For more information on the annual Burns event, see Big Burn Supper.
Robert Burns Supper 2021 is scheduled for January 29. Please see San Francisco Scottish Rite Burns Supper EVENTBRITE for information and tickets.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’kindness yet,
For auld lang syne. (Chorus)
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
Sin’ auld lang syne. (Chrous)
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne. (Chorus)
And there’s a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne. (Chorus)
Saints John Day Western
Traditionally, masons have celebrated the feast days of two saints, individuals acknowledged as objects of devotion among the faithful of certain religious communities. The Holy Saints John were John the Baptist, whose feast day is June 24, and John the Evangelist, whose feast day is December 27. The Saints John had both been temporal messiahs to the Jerusalem Church of Saint James the Apostle, and they honored by the Knights Templar as visionaries. The Knights Templar lodge at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem was dedicated to the Holy Saints John.
The San Francisco Clan knights celebrate these two saints with a western style event for masons and families, friends of masons, and open to the public on or around the feast of the Baptist in June. December’s Saint John’s Day being too close to the holidays. We recently held a western festive board with music provided by our local favorite western swampy-tonk band, Miracle Mule.
Join us in 2021 for Saints John Day Western Hoedown! scheduled for June 26. We’ll have a western BBQ, with haystacks, beer, wine, and whiskey tasting. Western attire. Line dancing and lessons will be provided by Jeannette Feinberg. Please see our San Francisco Scottish Rite Western Hoedown! EVENTBRITE for information and tickets.
Oktoberfest
In October, around the world Oktoberfest is celebrated in commemoration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig, later King Ludwig I of Bavaria, to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. The festivities were held in front of the city gates and all of Munchen’s citizens was invited to attend. The events were repeated in 1811 and from then on became a tradition in Germany, and later, worldwide. San Francisco Clan knights have made an Oktoberfest celebration, with German food and liederhosen, as part of our annual venues.
Oktoberfest 2021 is scheduled for October 16. Please see our San Francisco Scottish Rite Oktoberfest EVENTBRITE for information and tickets.
San Francisco Clan – Council of Twelve
Sir Irving Sambolin, 32º, First Knight & Keeper of the Realm
Sir William Courtney, 32º, Knight Councilor
Sir Toff Herschberg, 32º, Knight Deputy Councilor-in absentia
Sir James McMillen, 32º, Knight Ceremonial Master
Sir Andrew Stock, 32º, Knight Ambassador
Squire Poom Choothakan, 32º, Knight Chaplain-elect
Squire Mario Angelo Ulep Esteban, 32º, Knight of Merriment-elect
Squire Joey Pejero Elacion, 32º, Knight of the Watch-elect
Sir Richard Campbell, 32º, KCCH, Order of the Templar Rosette, Knight Emeritus – Honorary Grand Councilor
Venerable Master Sir Melvin Clark, 32º, KCCH, Knight Emeritus – Honorary Grand Councilor
The Story of the Knights of St Andrew
As the story goes, the medieval Order of the Knights of Saint Andrew was formed in 1314, by King Robert the Bruce of Scotland, comprised of sixty-three knights who, at the Battle of Bannockburn, suddenly appeared on the field and assisted Robert the Bruce in defeating the English. Also known as the Order of the Thistle, the confraternity of knights was dedicated to Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland.
The modern Order of the Scottish Knights of Saint Andrew was fashioned on the noble example of those sixty-three knights, who came to the service of Scotland when in dire need. In early 1993, the late Ill. Weldon Good, 33°, of the Valley of Tulsa in Oklahoma, saw a need for assistance during degree reunions. He also noticed that masons were joining the Scottish Rite but not returning to help and participate in subsequent meetings, events, and reunions. To rectify this, he developed the organization now known as the Knights of St Andrew as a …
Service & Leadership
… group for Scottish Rite valleys. As a “black cap” organization, 32º Scottish Rite masons are invited to join. Once the black bap is invited to receive the honor of a red or white cap, 32º KCCH or Honorary 33º, he may remain as a past or emeritus knight, and for special occasions wear the knights’ regalia. Red caps may still participate as knights at KSA functions and events, wearing a red hackle in their bonnet to distinguish their KCCH membership.
The purpose of the Knights of St Andrew (KSA) is to provide for the needs of the Scottish Rite valley in which each consistory of knights exists, but by none is each consistory governed. Each chapter adopts its own by-laws and determines its own membership.
An organization with multiple functions, KSA members provide services where they are needed. This may include as ambassadors of their valleys, greeting and escorting visitors, relieving tilers to guard the outer door, assisting stage crews and as actors, and many other worthy tasks.
KSA members have dedicated themselves to be of service to their brothers, their families, as well as visiting dignitaries, while at the same time gaining and sharing a deeper understanding, admiration, and respect for the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.
If any 32º mason in the Valley of San Francisco would like to join the worthy clan of the Knights of St Andrew – San Francisco Chapter to partake in the clan’s acts of bravery and service to the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in California, he is to contact the First Knight & Keeper of the Realm, Sir Irving Sambolin, 32º, at 415.876.8921 or irvingsambolin@gmail.com.
