Masters Newsletter 12/21/2020

Dear Brethren,

However you may celebrate during this time of year, I want to wish you all a Happy Holiday Season and Happy (hopefully COVID free) New Year.

Quote of the Week:

 

“A true friend is someone who is there for you when he’d rather be anywhere else.”

Len Wein
Comic book writer

You could easily replace the word friend with Mason.  We are taught this lesson many different times in our Masonic journey. We have vowed to help, aid, and assist each other on more than one occasion.  We are taught by the exercise of Brotherly Love that Masonry unites men of every country, sect, and opinion and conciliates true friendship among those who might have remained at a perpetual distance.  Remember, Masonry is a Brotherhood and we are only as great as the sum of all our members.  Is this not why a majority of us joined; to be a part of something bigger than ourselves?

Millersville 126 News / Dates:

Tues. Dec 22 – No Lodge

Tues. Dec 29 – No Lodge

Dec. Birthdays – Robert Cichocky (1), Fred Julch (1), Robert King (3), Thomas Roberge (3), James Sweeney (3), Craig Kraft (4), Michael Redding (4), Wallace Renn (7), Gary Fresch (10), Eric Brown (11), William Mabrey (13), Robert Ratz (13), Mac Fehsenfeld (16),                  Schuyler Hales (17), John Knox (17), Gene Snipes (17), Joseph Fuller (19), Kenneth Fallis (20), Louis Mineweaser (20), William Guarnery (22), James Strauss (23), Timothee Hammond (25), Christopher Littrell (25), Steven Sonafrank (26), Dennis Coltart (29), Dwight Baxter (30), William Krier (31)

Dec. Raisings – Richard Kirkman (1), Clyde Childers (3), Wallace Renn (4), Wesley Eley (6), Brendon Buckley (8), William Faulk (8), Brenton Williamson (10), John Bodenhamer (12), John Lude (12), William Fenton (15), Joseph Cook (18)

Lodge will be dark for the remainder of the year.  There will also not be a Feast of St John held this year.  We will resume Lodge activities again at the first Stated Meeting of the year on Jan. 5, 2021.

Newly Installed Officers

Worshipful Master – Brian Matthew Bates

Senior Warden – David Jeffrey Wood

Junior Warden – Charles Anthony Moore

Treasurer – Jeffrey Alan Ping

Secretary – Rodney Allen Mann, PGM

Senior Deacon – David Allen Levine

Junior Deacon – Kenneth Edward Fodrie

Senior Steward – Frederick Alfred Schwomeyer

Junior Steward – Leslie Eric Meyer

Chaplain – Michael Eugene Kinder, PM

Tyler – Gregg Edward Stone

Trustees

Jeffrey Scott Karnes, PM

James Carl Strauss, PM

William Butler Faulk

Fraternally,

 Brian Bates

Worshipful Master-Elect

Millersville Lodge #126

Mobile: 260-615-8013

Email: tazmanfw@gmail.com

Masters Newsletter 12/14/2020

12/14/2020

Dear Brethren,

I would like to take this time to wish all of you a very Happy Holiday season from myself and all your newly installed officers and we hope that despite the current situation we find ourselves in with COVID-19 that you can still find a great deal of joy and happiness during this season.  Please remember in all your applications to Deity our many widows and orphans as well as our members who may find themselves alone during this time of year with so many restrictions in place around our city, state and country.  Take a few moments to reach out to your fellow Brothers and check in with them and see how they are doing.  Sometimes just a simple Hello, I’ve been thinking about you can really go a long way to bring happiness to someone who may be feeling alone.

Quote of the Week:

 “It ain’t hard being good; it’s being good everyday that’s tough!”

Willie Mays
Legendary MLB Center Fielder

If you were at the Installation then you heard me speak on this.  This quote brings to mind one of the four cardinal virtues; Prudence.  When we learn about Prudence, we learn that it should be the peculiar characteristic of all Masons, not only for the government of their conduct while in the Lodge, but also when abroad in the world.  We should always strive to be good Masons every day, no matter where we find ourselves.  We should remember the lessons we have been taught and apply them always to our daily lives.

Millersville 126 News / Dates:

Dec. Birthdays – Robert Cichocky (1), Fred Julch (1), Robert King (3), Thomas Roberge (3), James Sweeney (3), Craig Kraft (4), Michael Redding (4), Wallace Renn (7), Gary Fresch (10), Eric Brown (11), William Mabrey (13), Robert Ratz (13), Mac Fehsenfeld (16),                  Schuyler Hales (17), John Knox (17), Gene Snipes (17), Joseph Fuller (19), Kenneth Fallis (20), Louis Mineweaser (20), William Guarnery (22), James Strauss (23), Timothee Hammond (25), Christopher Littrell (25), Steven Sonafrank (26), Dennis Coltart (29), Dwight Baxter (30), William Krier (31)

Dec. Raisings – This will be forthcoming

Lodge will be dark for the remainder of the year.  There will also not be a Feast of St John held this year.  We will resume Lodge activities again at the first Stated Meeting of the year on Jan. 5, 2021.

Newly Installed Officers

 Worshipful Master – Brian Matthew Bates

Senior Warden – David Jeffrey Wood

Junior Warden – Charles Anthony Moore

Treasurer – Jeffrey Alan Ping

Secretary – Rodney Allen Mann, PGM

Senior Deacon – David Allen Levine

Junior Deacon – Kenneth Edward Fodrie

Senior Steward – Frederick Alfred Schwomeyer

Junior Steward – Leslie Eric Meyer

Chaplain – Michael Eugene Kinder, PM

Tyler – Gregg Edward Stone

 

Trustees

 

Jeffrey Scott Karnes, PM

James Carl Strauss, PM

William Butler Faulk

 

Fraternally,

 

Brian Bates

Worshipful Master-Elect

Millersville Lodge #126

Mobile: 260-615-8013

Email: tazmanfw@gmail.com

Master’s Newsletter

 

 Dec 9, 2020

Dear Brethren,

I trust everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving Holiday and are getting ready for the next set of Holidays forthcoming.   This newsletter will be a work in progress for me and I plan to make it a weekly event.  You should receive it via email, and it will be posted to both the website and our Private Millersville Facebook page.  Future newsletters will include what is happening at Millersville over the next two weeks, news and reports from the Appendant Bodies, and Birthday and Masonic Anniversary announcements.  If there is something else you would like to see included, please reach out to me and let me know, my contact information is below.  Also as a reminder, we currently are not performing any degree work due to Covid risks; however, we still have to conduct our Stated Meetings as normal.

Quote of the Week:

 “It is scary to work under someone that knows so much more than you, but instead of being intimidated, let them groom you. Ask for feedback and direct coaching; then soak it up like a sponge!”

Jill Billhorn
Senior Vice President of Corporate Sales at CDW

 

Many Lodges are struggling with ritual, as many rely on the older Brothers to keep doing it.  However, it is important that younger Brothers learn more ritual to assume these roles.  As experienced ritualists know, getting started or “Fear of the Arena” is the biggest hurdle.  This quote speaks to this situation – if you are a younger Brother, get involved and just ask.  Many older Brothers will be happy and willing to teach.  This is an important lesson we are taught; we are all builders and ‘building the bridge for younger Brothers to follow” is one of the most important.

 

 Millersville 126 News / Dates:

 

Sat. Dec 12th – Installation of Officers

  1. 11:00am Start Time
  2. No Lunch or Reception After
  3. Closed Installation (Please only Brother Masons, no Guests)

 

Lodge will be dark for the remainder of the year after Installation.  There will also not be a Feast of St John held this year.  We will resume Lodge activities again at the first Stated Meeting of the year on Jan. 5, 2021.

 

Fraternally,

 

Brian Bates

Worshipful Master-Elect

Millersville Lodge #126

Mobile: 260-615-8013

Email: tazmanfw@gmail.com