From the Worshipful Master

Hello Brethren,

January was a very good month. On December 18th, several brothers met for dinner and some laughs. We had a blast and during the evening it was concluded that we should repeat the experience regularly. We’re calling it “Rough Ashler Night” and our next one will be on Tuesday, February 5th at Bill Johnson’s Big Apple on Van Buren just west of 40th street. A reminder will go out shortly, with street address. We hope to see lots of you there at 7pm.

Our pancake breakfast on the 26th went quite well. Everyone ate well and enjoyed the fellowship. I’d like to thank all those who were able to come out on such a gloomy day and make the event worthwhile. I must especially, thank Bro. Jason Michlowitz, Bro. Darrel Jenkins, Bro. Bob Reuillard, Bro. Vernon Nolte, and Bro. Cameron Smith for all their hard work and support for this event, Especially since I was out of town during most of the week and through that weekend. Excellent job gentlemen!

On the 29th, we held our first initiation of 2013. We had several officers in new positions, who all performed admirably. I’d like to thank all the officers who put in so much effort to learn their parts in the ritual and were ready and excited to make this degree a great one. In a conversation with our youngest E.A. afterward, he told me he was hugely impressed and a bit overwhelmed. Sound familiar? Again gentlemen, thank you for an outstanding job.

Our S.M. will be on the 12th at 7:00pm with dinner at 6:00pm and our usual work day will be on the 16th starting around 8:00am for anyone who is able. Our Masonic Education Round Table will begin at 7:00pm on Tuesday, the 26th. Please join us and bring an interested friend. Once again, I’d like to ask you all to keep W.B. Forrest (Woody) Page and his family, W.B. Gene Hutloff and his family and Bro. Mike Cheknas in your prayers and thoughts.

Finally, I’d again like to thank W.B. Walt Hinson for his Yeoman’s work as secretary last year. His tremendous efforts headed off or corrected some potentially costly issues and laid the groundwork for sustainable organization of lodge records and procedures going forward. Also, I’d like to thank Bro. Bob Reuillard for his efforts and time in meeting W.B. Walt, coordinating with the Grand Lodge and working with me on digitizing and finalizing our membership roles, status and contact information.

Bro. Bob also collaborated with all the pedestal officers in drafting a letter, which was subsequently snail-mailed to all our members for whom we lacked email addresses and/or phone numbers. As mentioned in the last two S.M.s, over half of our membership was missing regular information about our activities. This letter was meant to reach out to those whom we’ve
missed and reestablish contact with an eye toward including them in events and activities going forward.

I’m looking forward with excitement, to a truly great Masonic year. Thank you ALL for your support, help and insights. In just 6 weeks we’ve planned two Masonic memorial services, conducted one of them (the other was cancelled at the last minute by the family), held a ritual practice, two stated meetings, the pancake breakfast and initiated our youngest E.A., and began what I hope will become a new tradition with our “Rough Ashler” event. We’ve also digitized our entire membership roster, including birthdays and M.M. Anniversaries, reconciled (100%) those records with the Grand Secretary and sent out over 50 letters reestablishing contact with those brothers not included in our email database. And, we’ve had a Round Table education night as well, in spite of W.B. Gene Hutloff being absent with serious medical issues. Thank you W.B. Ron Watkins, for so capably carrying on alone.

All this was possible through your concerted and dedicated efforts to make Wayfarers, the best lodge in Arizona. Words can not express my gratitude.

Fraternally Yours,

George Daggett
Worshipful Master

From the Senior Warden

Brothers,

Greetings from the West!

The year has just begun and it’s a good time for those of you who haven’t been attending the lodge to come back and support this great lodge with a rich history of over 50 years of promoting friendship and the search for greater light. The flu season has been particularly bad this year and I hope that all you and your families are doing well.

I want to encourage each of you to attend a Job’s Daughters meeting this year, they meet on the first and third Monday of the month and I think you will enjoy your visit and the daughters will appreciate you coming and sitting on the sidelines.

We had a very interesting discussion in our monthly education class regarding the examination of a petitioner. We all know the Master selects a committee but I think it is important for us all to remember how important this job is. We are not a lodge that brags about the number of candidates it brings into the lodge each year, but rather the quality of the men who we select to join us. We are not in desperation to have a lot of new members, but need good men of true who will participate in our craft and our lodge. The next time you are asked to serve on a examination committee, please remind yourself how important this role is, I know I will.

Also, I want to thank everyone who supported our first fund raiser of the year and fought through the rain to attend our breakfast, the food was good, the price was right, and the friendship and conversation was excellent.

Please keep our sick and distressed brothers in your prayers.

Fraternally,

Doug Steele
Senior Warden

From the Junior Warden

Greetings Brothers!

This has been an exciting month for us. Recently we had our yearly pancake breakfast, and I want to get a chance to publicly thank all who assisted me in that undertaking. Thank you Brothers Darrell, Bob, Vernon, and Cameron for coming out and giving us a hand. I am glad you guys are involved and working for a better lodge. We had good food, good times with our friends and family, and the lodge made a little bit of money to help with our ongoing bills and expenses. All would agree it was a successful event! At the next such event, bring one more friend with you and that will only help us grow.

Upcoming we have another one of our Rough Ashler Nights. Our Worshipful Master has all of the details and the information will be sent out in the blast. We are using these events as a way for us all to get to know each other and for us all to let our hair down and make new friends. It is also a great venue for prospective members as well.

Thank you to the Job’s Daughters for assisting us with our stated meeting diner in January. Ladies, the food was wonderful! We are looking forward to the DeMolay providing the meal in February. Hopefully we can all come out see what they will be making, and participate in our lodge business.

This month I wanted to briefly mention something about our attendance. I know that we all have busy lives but I am really hoping to assist our Worshipful Master by making a plea for all those brothers who have been missing lodge as of late to please come back and see us! We are vibrant with a lot of new members and a lot of activities planned. Please come out and support us at our fund raisers, at our fun events, and most importantly on degree nights. Our stated meetings have been a little thin lately, and if you care about the forward progress of the lodge, I urge you all to please come, vote when necessary, and have your voice heard. We care about what everyone thinks!

I look forward to seeing everyone soon!

Yours in the Craft,

Jason Michlowitz
Junior Warden

From the Secretary

I would like to share my thoughts on what I thought to be a very interesting Education Night and Round Table Discussion in January. Past Master Ron Watkins wrote a very informative paper entitled The Petitioner Knocks. The reference was from Dr. and Brother George H. T. French and Bibliography from 18 sources.

Upon reading the paper I was reminded me of our basic principles when it comes to being a top line signer on a petitioners application. I don’t know if I found the discussion or the content the most interesting. Very stimulating thoughts on quantity versus quality and many more thought provoking standards.

I keep reminding myself of the old saying, “what you don’t use you lose”. From multiple references Brother Ron’s paper covered the entire spectrum from what we look for in a candidate to responsibilities of Lodge Brothers through the entire process.

Also, it was good to see a better turn out. Good fellowship and discussion from Candidate to Apprentice, Masters and Past Masters. Good group!

I look forward to our next gathering and hope to see you there.

Bob Reuillard
Secretary