From the Worshipful Master

Being a Master Mason it is important for us to take the lessons learned in lodge and apply them to our daily lives outside of lodge. Within lodge it is incumbent upon us to ensure that peace and harmony prevails and that we give our fellow brothers every courtesy. When we walk out of the lodge to continue in our normal vocation, we must strive to apply these same values to our family, co-workers, and the public in general. Each time you are out in public wearing a Masonic ring, a Masonic shirt or other item which identifies you as being a Freemason, you are representing the fraternity. By applying the courtesies you learn in lodge to every person you come across, you are in essence transitioning yourself from a rough ashlar to a more perfect ashlar. This my Brothers is the goal which we are all striving to achieve.

The annual “Pig Out” is April 19th from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and I hope that you are inviting your friends and neighbors and doing your part for this important lodge fund raiser. The HVAC was completed in March and we expect this summer’s bills to be more reasonable. I appreciate all the brothers for the support in getting this repaired and especially our Brother Treasurer for taking the lead on this project.

I want to remind all the brothers that your attendance is so important. So far we have brought in four new members in 2014, and your support in the degree work, being a coach or a sideliner is much appreciated and needed. We would like to see all our brothers back in lodge on a regular basis, we need your knowledge, friendship and brotherly love.

Please give thanks to our Sisters and Brothers in the OES and the daughters in the Job’s Daughters for their willingness to provide meals to us at our stated dinners. They work very hard to make this happen and I would like to have everyone let them know how much we appreciate it. Please come and support their events as well, as they are always supporting the lodge.

Fraternally,

Doug Steele
Worshipful Master

From the Senior Warden

Each time I go to the Lodge and I am involved in a degree I am reminded of my time going through the lessons of Masonry. I learned a lot going through the Three Degrees, but one of the repeated themes we are all taught is to help those in need outside of the Lodge. Not just Brothers, but all men and women alike. We strive, each of us, to become better people. That’s what we are in the business of doing here. And one of the most important ways to become a better person is to help those that need it.

It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be flashy. You can do the little things and still follow that all-too-important lesson of giving of yourself outside of the Lodge. You could hold a door. Help a child cross the street. Put $5 in a church charity tin. We as Masons take this very seriously. We don’t want recognition, and we don’t need the praise, but the world needs Masons. The world needs people who are helpful to others just because there are good people in the world who are willing to do so.

We as Masons must also remember that no matter if we’re wearing a ring or not, we must always deal plainly, fairly, and above the table in all our endeavors. This is paramount to the survival of the Craft. We must be known as people who come to the aid of others, but also people who can be trusted. This is what we strive for, and this is what we all wish to help each other become. Good men in True, willing to go an extra mile for all people, not just Brothers.

Yours in the Craft,

Jason Michlowitz
Senior Warden

From the Junior Warden

People often talk about the time when a handshake sealed a deal. When a firm grip and a verbal agreement were enough to do business.

True or not, we don’t live in these times anymore. We live in litigious times, and more often, it seems that there is always somebody eager to make money, whatever the cost.
What can a Freemason do? How should he behave, when others choose expediency and loopholes over honor and fair dealings?

We already know the answer: he should meet on the level, act by the plumb, and part on the square.

However anyone else acts, a Mason, by virtue of his membership in the Fraternity, is a man who should behave with honesty and honor in his dealings. It is sometimes said that “we do not make bad men good, we make good men better.” And as Masons, we may be those better men; not just in our dealings with each other, but in our dealings with non-Masons. Because however the rest of the world does things, as Masons, we do things on the level.

Fraternally,

Bryan Bullock
Junior Warden