From the Worshipful Master

Freemasonry is the oldest fraternity in the world. No one knows just how old it is because the actual origins have been lost in time. Probably, it arose from the guilds of stonemasons who built the castles and cathedrals of the Middle Ages. In 1717, Masonry created a formal organization in England when the first Grand Lodge was formed. Masonry teaches that each person has a responsibility to make things better in the world. Most individuals won’t be the ones to find a cure for cancer, or eliminate poverty, or help create world peace, but every man and woman and child can do something to help others and to make things a little better.

Ken Olsen
Worshipful Master

From the Senior Warden

On any given week, if someone asks what my plans are for the weekend, the answer usually is something our lodge, my daughter’s Rainbow Assembly or Jobie Bethel, or something my boys’ DeMolay Chapter or Squire Manor is doing. Which almost always leads to the question, “What’s that? What do they do?”

After explaining briefly what the Masonic youth organization is, I say I’m a Mason. It’s very common at that point to hear “Oh, my dad/grandpa/uncle/other family member was a Mason, but I’m not quite sure what they did there.”

I usually start by saying Freemasonry is a fraternity where good men become better by doing good works like helping the hospitals, doing things like helping the Salvation Army bell ringing, and helping schools by doing things like the Bikes for Books program that we see in many schools, all while having the brotherhood of a fraternity and having social events for ourselves as well.

From there, I talk about some history of the Fraternity, and I’ll branch out to some appendent organizations and talk about some of the good things groups like the York Rite, Scottish Rite and Shriners do for their respective charities.

Finally, if whoever I’m speaking to still seems interested, I let them know that on the 4th Tuesday of each month, we have an Education Night open to the public, and they should come, meet us and learn more about us.

Steve Liguori
Senior Warden

From the Junior Warden

We have many exciting plans for 2018 that the Master will be rolling out over the next stated meeting. We appreciate you continued support of the lodge as we try new things increase involvement, increase revenue and increase fun!

This month brotherly love is our theme, and it couldn’t be a more timely topic for our lodge. Our last meeting was a bid challenging, but overall it was healthy and cleansing. I was proud that we could stand up and voice our opinions in a concise and constructive manner without getting to personal. If we can’t express ourselves openly and honestly amongst ourselves, then something would be seriously wrong. I was proud that many of you spoke up and offered to be a part of a solution if possible. That is brotherly love…. that is being a brother! Our lodge is known for having very little politics, that is because we are a small group of good men!

I am excited for this new year, and hope that we can demonstrate our brotherly love by being prepared ourselves in our ritual and responsibilities that we are prepared to welcome in new brothers with pride to our lodge and the fraternity.

Doug Steele, PM
Junior Warden