From the Worshipful Master

If you have been keeping up with the Lodge calendar or Facebook page you would notice a lot more activities being advertised by our lodge for our own activities as well as others close by. This is because one of my concerns for the Brothers in our Lodge is participation and activity in the Craft in general. This year I have tried to provide us with several different kinds of activities to grow closer as Brothers, be active in the community and learn about Freemasonry. Being an officer in the Lodge can be quite time consuming, However I have often thought what I would be doing if I were not an officer. The question I ask myself is “What do I do to be active in Masonry? ” One of the things I love to is attend and participate in degree ceremonies. Although most of the participants in degrees are officers, if you have a desire to participate AND you are not currently an officer, all you have to do is ask to participate and you will be accommodated. Here at Wayfarer’s, we gladly accept all the help we can get for help with degrees. For example, we can always use more help in the 2nd section of the third degree. Additionally, there are a number of committees and fundraising events to participate in. These help support the work and functions of Lodge, keep the Lodge running, and bring our communities closer together. A few months ago I posted several flyers for special event degrees. These are mostly Master mason degrees, but are all over the state and usually special events and a lot of fun. But the fun does not just happen in the Blue Lodge. Several people are very active in the appendant bodies of the Craft. As Master of Wayfarer’s, I am very eager for Lodge participation from our members, but I also like to see and encourage participation in the appendant bodies and doing activities with other Lodges. When I step back and look at the big picture, even if someone is not very active in his home Blue Lodge, it is still wonderful if he participates in some other aspect of the Craft. Participation in any aspect of the craft keeps a man engaged in developing friendships, giving back to the community, becoming a better man and, and overall keeping out of trouble. My Brothers, it is my hope that you will examine your own participation in your lodge and Freemasonry in general, and to stand ready and able to given and receive all that can be conferred.

Chris Huson
Worshipful Master

From the Senior Warden

Getting Brothers involved in lodge who are not in an office. I feel can be done in many ways, one way I feel they can be is having them sit with an officer and teach them the different parts as an officer. Maybe get them involved with helping the Junior Warden with Stated Meeting Dinners. We and I am also speaking for myself, need to try and make meetings and events more exciting. Greet members and Visitors-Have the lodge officers come early, line up and make those attending feel genuinely welcome. We sometimes forget that there is a wealth of knowledge among our brethren . Plan for time so that the brethren can just sit around and get to know one another. Pay attention to new members, Make sure they are introduced, include them in casual conversations and find out why they became Masons and what they hope to accomplish. If we have challenges as a lodge approach them in a positive manner and emphasize what’s right and work together to fix what’s wrong. All voices in the lodge matter.

Ken Olsen
Senior Warden

From the Junior Warden

Have you heard this before? “You get out of Masonry what you put into it.” There are few statements around Masonry as true as that. Being a Mason isn’t just about wearing a ring, a pin, an apron, or showing up to Stated Meeting and voting. It’s getting your hands dirty. The ritual teaches us that we are ever laborers. Of course this is symbolic. We have a labor of love, and a responsibility to the lodge, to do more than to just say we are Masons.

The lodge needs you. It needs your participation. It needs help setting up and breaking down a Stated Meeting dinner. It needs your help on a cleaning day to help shine the floor. It needs your help even if you’re just a side-liner for a degree. It needs your help by getting involved and getting in the line, serving on a committee, or being someone’s coach. It needs people who are in the building and are not afraid to show us that they care about the lodge and about the fraternity.

I can tell you from personal experience that the more you do for the lodge and for your brothers, the more rewarding it can be. And there are few organizations that show their appreciation as much as Masonry does, and as much as our lodge does. So get in there and help. It might surprise you how much fun it might be.

Jason Michlowitz, PM, DDGL
Junior Warden