From the Worshipful Master

Brothers and Friends,

First of all, I want to once again thank everyone for allowing me the opportunity to serve Wayfarers in this high and distinguished position. I am unworthy of the task, and I have big shoes to fill, but I can assure you all that I take this responsibility seriously and with pride knowing that I am being given the chance to serve the best kept secret of Arizona Masonry.

Secondly, I want to give out a huge thank you to Worshipful Brother Doug Steele on a very successful year. Worshipful Brother Doug is one of my mentors and I have learned a great deal from him over this past year and I will take his lessons to heart as I take the helm of Wayfarers going forward. Thank you Worshipful. Serving with you has been a great pleasure!

This year the Jewel I wear is that of the Square. Masonic Tradition informs us that the Square is an emblem of Truth and Morality. Truth. What does that mean? It means the truth we seek. The light of Masonry. The understanding that we are here to build G-d’s sacred temple and to do His works that we may all build for ourselves a Spiritual Temple. It also means we deal plainly and fairly in all of our business relationships, and our personal ones as well. Truth is a light by which we are guided, so long as we stay within the bounds of the Compass. And it is this truth that I hope to seek for us all over the coming year.

Morality is the other major concept behind the Square. Morality is the idea that we must always act with reverence and with goodness in our hearts. All of the endeavors we undertake should be for the greater good, not just for the good we can do for ourselves. Our ritual teaches us that we owe duty to G-d, our Country, our Neighbor, and finally ourselves. We note that we tend to ourselves last, making sure that the day’s work is complete before refreshment and repose. This is the Morality of the Square, and as Master I will seek to guide us along a Moral path, knowing that we, each one of us, will learn something along the way.

I am excited to be your Master for this ensuing year and I am looking forward to many great events coming up. Please watch the calendar. We will have a busy year as we have many prospective members currently coming around. We also have a number of fun and important fund raising events throughout the year to help us keep the lights on. If you can volunteer to help us out, we want to see you, and we want each and every Brother of Wayfarers to know that you are our family. Visit us often, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Yours in the Craft,

Jason Michlowitz
Worshipful Master

From the Senior Warden

Last year at this time, I wrote about the plumb, and how it teaches Masons to walk an upright path. Time passes, though, and things change.

So, now, I find myself wearing the apron and jewel of the Senior Warden, who sits in the west, and is symbolized by the level.

Like the plumb, the level teaches speculative Masons how to live their lives, within their own society, and the world in general.

“On the level” is a phrase long used to represent honesty. If you are on the level, you are honest and truthful. But it is more than that: being on the level means that we are all equal, not just being honest with each other, but where station is concerned.

It is true that Masons come from many positions and walks of life, that even within the lodge, we hold different places. But within the lodge, all men are equal; it is their responsibilities that differ.
This equality of rank does not exist in the world, and perhaps never will. But we can still treat all those we deal with in our daily lives as our equals, never looking down on one who might make less money, have less fame, or do a “less important” job. And we can likewise be honest and forthright with all we deal with.

On the level, within and without of the lodge.

Bryan Bullock
Senior Warden

From the Junior Warden

The Plumb-Rule teaches justness and uprightness of life and actions.

The Word Plumbum,was the Latin for lead, and was used also of a scourge with a blob of lead tied to it, of a line with a lead ball at its end for testing perpendicularity, etc., the source of our plumb, plumber, plunge, plump, plumbago, plummet, etc. A plumb-line is accordingly a line, or cord, with a piece of lead at the bottom to pull it taut, used to test vertical walls with the line of gravity, hence, by a simple expansion of reference, an emblem of uprightness.

The plumb, as the working tool and jewel of the Junior Warden, is most often represented as a gauge with a vertical line to which is attached a string with a small weight. By holding the gauge against an object, the weight pulls the string straight downward, and the Craftsman can judge if the string is true to the line on the gauge. The operative Mason uses the tool to determine if an object is placed in the correct upright position, but we as speculative Masons are admonished to use the plumb to figuratively judge if our actions with our fellow Freemasons are properly founded.

I would like to start off by thanking all of you for your confidence in me by electing me as your Senior Warden for the Masonic year of 2015. I will be working closely with our Worshipful Master and Brethren to insure that the projects that get started can be kept on track and completed.

This year we are going to make fundraising a reality. As you may have heard we have setup a fundraiser, so if you would like to help, Please let me know.

Ben Kruse
Junior Warden