Nobles, 
I wish to start by saying how honored I am to have been elected to the high office of Illustrious Potentate of Medinah Temple for the year 2010. It is with the deepest gratitude and confidence in the future of our great Temple that I accept this honor.

With the guidance of the Supreme Architect and your support I feel we will achieve great heights in Shrinedom and Masonry.
 
I am the first second generation Medinah Shriner to follow his Father as Potentate.

Forty one years ago my Father, George R. Wilson, was Potentate in 1969.

I will endeavor to do as fine a job today as he did back then and I will be honoring my Father throughout the year in various ways. My Potentates Flag, that will be carried in all the Parades, is the same flag carried for my father 41 years ago.

(My sincere thanks to Bob Alley, P.P.) You will see me dressed in the same ceremonial robes that my father wore. It is such a supreme honor to be your Potentate but also, to be given the chance to follow in my father's footsteps.
 
This year, we are trying some innovations that merit your support. For the first time in 20 years we are printing a Medinah Membership Roster. There will also be a Masonic Business Directory. This directory will allow us to spend our hard earned money with our fraternal Masonic family. My roots run deep in Medinah and during the year you will notice other innovations with a strong concern for the betterment of Medinah Temple and Masonry.
 
Last, but most importantly, is our membership. In 1969 we had better than 21,000

Nobles of Medinah. Today we have just under 4,000. Our beloved Fraternity has been losing members, due to the Black Camel, faster than we can replace them.

Thanks to the excellent leadership of Alan Hubble and his hard working and persistent Membership Committee, we are retaining and getting new members to replace the ones we have lost. I am asking each member to "replace yourself" with 1 new member. If only 1 out of 3 Nobles replaced themselves we would have a tremendous membership gain. We all must do our best to make sure or beloved Fraternity and our Philanthropy of our Children's Hospitals prospers well into the 23rd century. This can only be achieved by recruiting new members now.

We can't wait until tomorrow... "Tomorrow Begins Today" so let's each of us work to get 1 new member in 2010.

Again let me thank the Nobility for the high honor they have bestowed upon me.

I will endeavor to do my best to serve Medinah to the best of my ability.
 
Yours in the Faith,

 Jerry