Universe

Every MC-elect SHOULD be trying to earn the PMC-MSA. As the saying goes, “If you don’t play, you can’t win.” And this is a ‘game’ where you have nothing to loose.

You write a letter to your Director of Awards. Make sure that the Director gets that Letter within 10 days of your Installation. Today I’d say e-mail would work but the letter should be e-mailed by your Chapter Dad in lieu of a physical signature. You could forward it to him for approval, and he forwards it to the State DeMolay Office or State Director of Awards.

Your letter should contain the following Information:

Your statement of Intent to earn the Award.
Your Statement that you have already memorized the MC's portion of the Ritual.
Your Term Plan Calendar as an attachment (which meets the Requirements for the MSA).
Your Chapter's meeting dates and times, and the approximate date of the end of
your Term.
Your Signature.
Your Chapter Dad's Signature under a statement that you have memorized your work
and the Advisory Council has approved your Term Plan.

The Term Plan:

This is the more complex part, and should account for the fact that "No plan survives
first contact with reality.". No term plan EVER gets executed exactly, but if you have
no plan you kind of wander around in a fog.

You have the following minimum REQUIREMENTS:

· 1 Initiatory and 1 DeMolay Degree (with You as MC).
· 1 Youth Protection Program Presentation (however boring it may seem)
· Observance of each Obligatory Day falling in your Term of Office.

One each of the five (5) Required Activities:
· Athletics
· Civic Service
· Fund Raising
· Masonic Service
· Social
Be sneaky, or creative...you can use a Required Activity to Observe an Obligatory Day.
A Spring Term will include Patriots Day(?) if not already Observed before you take
Office, Devotional Day, My Government Day, and Parents Day. Look them up in the Leaders Resource Guide. Borrow one if you don't have your own.

There is also a great list of activity ideas on like at the DeMolay International web site
www.demolay.org, the Chapter Activity Guide. Use it to get ideas. It is
downloadable free.

The format of your Plan does not matter, but during planning it is probably best to use a
real calendar. Consider Holidays, School Events, and anything else you know about in advance that will interfere, like pre-known events at the Lodge.

The thing that spikes most Term Plans is having only ONE of each event planned, and then, near the end of your Term, something happens and you CAN'T do one and you haven't time to reschedule.

My advice is to plan two (2) of each Required Activity, one in each half of your term, like it was two mini-terms. Since either one fulfills the requirement, you don't have to re-plan if the first one doesn't come off,
and if the first one did come off, you're covered if the second one doesn't come off.

Planning (at least) Two Degree conferrals is a good idea, too, although you Initiates will count, even if they get their degrees at another Chapter. Having dates scheduled will motivate people to bring in Petitions for them.

Your Second Letter should be sent within ten days of the end of your Term, and can be sent within ten days BEFORE your tem ends, if everything has been completed.

In the Second Letter, you recap your term. Leave no doubt that you met every Requirement. List the names and dates of your new Initiates. List the activity (only one need be listed) which met each Requirement. Discuss any changes to your Term Plan and why you had to make them.

Then someone will have the privilege of pinning that beautiful gold and blue jewel on your Coat as a PMC-MSA, which you earn WITH THE HELP OF YOUR CHAPTER.

It is really a Chapter Award, but as you do the most work, you get to wear the medal.

Good luck, and God speed,

Dad D.

Dad Dale,

I'm the Immediate Past Master Councilor in our chapter... When i was elected as MC I immediately submitted the letter of Intent for PMC-MSA to our Supreme Council.. But somehow i wanted my second letter attached the accomplishment of my term to be presentable and organize.. Thanks for the advice on how to write the second letter... And i am encouraging all Incoming MC to apply for the PMC-MSA..

Bro. Dale

If someone was MC three years ago and he want to get the PMC - MSA now, Could he get it or not and how? and my other question is How many PMC - MSA could exist in a Chapter?

Fraternally and grateful

Luis David Apaza
Senior Councilor - Oruro Chapter
DeMolay Bolivia

brother luis,

I think you have to go through the line again to get your pmc-msa.

Ideally - every MC should "earn" a PMC-MSA! As far as I know you cannot earn a PMC-MSA after the fact. It is an award you must earn during your actual term as MC.

Brother,

A Chapter can have as many PMC-MSA's among the active membership as there are PMC's who earned the award, and haven't turned 21 yet. There is no numerical limit, beyond the number of PMC's who serve full terms as MC.

Part of the PMC-MSA Requirements, which Dad Land established, are that you state your intention to earn the Award at the beginning of your Term, submitting a Term Plan at that time, and that you send a Recap of your Term at the end, showing that all Requirements were met, even if changes in your plan had to be made.

It is entirely possible that you did everything else required during your term, but if you did not state your intention and do you recap, then you didn't do everything that is required.

However, I urge you to inquire with your Executive Officer, in case there are any difference in the rules where you are.

That is the reason I posted this thread, to try to make sure that people didn't "miss out" on the MSA by not nowing about it and having a chance to earn it.

I believe that everyone who tries for the MSA learns valuable lessons for the experience, and that their Chapters proper, even if they don't earn the medal itself.

I regret that anyone missed a chance, but just as everyone misses some chances in life, these are just things we have to accept.

Fraternally,

Dad D.

I was MC of my Chapter three times, and never once submitted the second letter. I regret it now, but it was a personal choice, or at least I thought so back then, I felt that since the Chapter didn't run as smoothly as I thought it did under other MC's that I had somehow failed in my duties and therefore wasn't deserving. But looking back on it, I probably wouldn't have been elected three times as MC if my guys didn't believe in me, especially in my Chapter, if you knew them. So I highly encourage anyone and everyone who gets to serve as MC of their Chapters to complete the process regardless of any doubts you might have.

PMC-MSA is definently important! i stress to the upcoming master councilors that are in my chapter to participate and succeed in the award. It helped me as a MC and without it i think my term wouldn't ran so smooth. The first obstacle is actually the planning and the second obstacle is keeping to it.

Dear Brother,

I agree with every one of you. The PMC-MSA is a great award to challenge you as a Master Councilor of a Chapter. I just received mine yesterday. And it was a great feeling you know you did a great job for the chapter and that you worked well with the members of the Chapter.

Joshua Kock
Master Councilor
Aruba Chapter No.1
Order of DeMolay
Oranjestad, Aruba