by David Levine
Dear Brethren,
Thank you to all the Brothers who attended last week’s Called Meeting to confer the FellowCraft Degree on Brother Seth Meyer. It is very meaningful for those going through the degrees to see so many on the sidelines there to support them. Those who were in attendance also were witness to an excellent degree put on by our Senior Warden. Our next Degree will once again be for Brother Seth and will be a Saturday Degree day (June 5th). This is an excellent time for all those who find themselves too busy to attend Lodge during the week to come to a weekend Degree. We really need all the help we can get from any and all of our ritualists on that day (pulling on Cable Tows here). Contact our Junior Warden if you can help with the Degree on that Saturday. Charles Moore (317-941-5358)
Coming up next week will be a Social Evening as I will be at Grand Lodge Annual Communication on May 18th and 19th (Tues/Wed). Come on out and enjoy some dinner on the Lodge and catch up with your fellow Brothers. Maybe head upstairs and play some cards or shoot some pool or just hand out in the Parlor and watch some TV or a movie (we have Hulu). This would also be a great night to bring a guest to the Lodge you think might be a great fit for Masonry. Following that Tuesday will be another open night as we will be celebrating our Lodge’s 169th birthday right after dinner and then we will move upstairs to present the Award of Gold (50 years in Masonry) to 3 of our Brothers (Robert Anderson, Jr., David Graf, Phil Booher). This Award of Gold ceremony is open to guests so once again feel free to invite someone who you think would be a good fit for Masonry and our Lodge.
As you all know, we were not able to have our Annual Fish Fry last year. WB Ron was working to revamp the Fish Fry and make it a Community Day Event. We are attempting to give that another shot again this year. WB Ron is the Chairmen for this event and he is in need of some extra help to make this a successful event. Attached to the end of this newsletter is message from WB Ron. Please read it over and respond to him about any questions you may have or if you are able to help out with this.
As everyone will recall, this year’s Master Mason class is dedicated to the memory of WB Mark Griffin. The rocks glasses commissioned to honor the memory of WB Mark Griffin are in and can be purchased from your officers. These glasses look incredible and are American made! The price for a single glass will be $10.00, two for $18.00 and a set of 4 will be $35.00. Make sure to get your glass(es) early to remember the life of such a dedicated Mason and Veteran.
Quote of the Week:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
Cultural anthropologist
One only needs to look back in history to see that this is true concerning Masons as well. Look back to our Revolutionary times and think about all the parts Masons played in the forming and shaping of our Country. Look how those changes have changed the world in which we live in today. Think farther back to the original Knights Templar (although not actual Masons in those days) and see what a small group of 12 founding Knights grew into and what they accomplished and how they impacted society in medieval times. We may only have 350 members at Millersville in a state that has a population of 6.7 million people, but we can affect change in the lives of not only our fellow members but in the lives of people we interact with on a daily basis as well as our local community. Stop bickering and complaining and get out and be a part of the change.
Millersville 126 News / Dates:
May 18 – Social Evening
- Dinner 6:00pm
- After Dinner Play Cards, Shoot Pool, Catch up with Brothers you haven’t seen in a while.
May 18 & 19 – Grand Lodge Annual Communication
- Only open to voting delegates (WM or Proxy)
May 25 – Award of Gold Presentation & Millersville Lodge’s 169th Birthday
- Dinner 6:00pm
- Award of Gold Presentation 7:00pm
Jun. 5 – MM Degree (Seth Meyer)
- 1:00pm (Calling all ritualists!! We need your help to put on this Saturday Degree)
This Week’s Birthdays
Richard Jones (5/17), Andrew Rettig (5/17), Brian Bates (5/22), Clarence Butler (5/22), Kenneth Calvin (5/22), Michael Palmer (5/22), Brad Sweezy (5/22), Charles Waggoner (5/22), Milton Brooks (5/23), Hector Munoz-Colon (5/23), Jeff Ping (5/23), Robert Walters (5/23)
This Week’s Raisings
Robert Green (5/19), Harold Roy (5/19), Robert McDonald (5/20), Gregg Stone (5/20), Donald Boulden (5/21), William Patterson, Jr. (5/22)
Master’s Travels
If anyone is planning to travel or visit another Lodge or has been asked to come assist with a degree, please reach out to me and let me know so we can get a few more Brothers to go and make a visit out of it. Below is the travel opportunities site I go to. If you see anything there that interests you make sure to let me know. This is also a great opportunity for Mentors to take their mentees to see some extra degree work to aid in their learning.
We are sitting at 9 different Lodges visited for a total of 542 round trip miles. We only need one more visit to a Lodge we have not yet been too to complete both Grand Lodge Travel Awards. We have made excellent progress in travel through the first half of the year.
http://masoniccalendar.blogspot.com/
Brian Bates
Worshipful Master
Millersville Lodge #126
Mobile: 260-615-8013
Email: tazmanfw@gmail.com
Hello Brethren:
As some of you may know, Worshipful Master Brian has asked me to chair our fundraiser (fish fry) this year which will be held Friday and Saturday, September 24th and 25th. Friday evening 4-8PM will be the typical fish fry dinner with seating inside or under the tent outside. On Saturday we hope to make Millersville Lodge a destination point for the community by having a Millersville Community Day from 10AM to 8PM. This will be a festival atmosphere with great food, open outdoor market, live music, children’s activities, and open house for our historic building. The event will be well promoted in the community. We are hoping for a wonderful day of celebration and unity, not just for the growth of our Lodge, but for the community at large as well.
That being said, please put these dates on your calendar and plan to commit for the year, at least these two days to your Lodge. Your participation and more importantly your assistance in making this a great event are most appreciated. This is way too much for just a few to pull off so the assistance of Brothers for a successful event is greatly needed in the following areas:
- Thursday afternoon/evening set-up.
- Tent Food Preparation –both days.
- Passing out sponsorship brochures – these will be available very soon.
- Parking – Mostly Sat.
- Open house guides – Sat.
- Millersville Lodge info table – Sat.
- Band equipment move – Sat. AM and PM
- Clean up – Sunday the 26th
- Help with Coordination of above areas.
I look forward receiving emails from the Brethren who are willing and able to help with this event in any of the above areas, so please contact there or call me. I will also have sign-up sheets at the Lodge for members to make their willingness to help known. Thank you, Brethren, and let’s have a great year.
Fraternally,
Ron Featherston, PM
Rfeatherston1@aol.com
317-625-5095
by David Levine
Dear Brethren,
What an impressive turnout we had last week. That was as full as the dining room has been in years and really is an encouraging sign. Granted we don’t have as many tables set up as we used to in the past but we will be correcting that situation and get some extra dining spaces set out. It is so nice to see so many of you and to catch up with Brothers we may not have seen in a while. Your officer line loves the momentum that we are seeing and really hope it continues. Now is also a perfect time to invite a friend, relative or neighbor who isn’t a Mason to the Lodge for dinner. Bring them 30 minutes prior to dinner so we can show them around our beautiful Lodge building and answer any questions they may have.
Coming up this week will be a FellowCraft Degree for Brother Seth Meyer. We would really love to have the same large turnout this week as we had last week. Not only would it be an impressive sight for our young Entered Apprentice to see a packed house as he takes his next step in Masonry, but your Senior Warden (DJ Wood) does a pretty impressive job conferring the FellowCraft Degree. If you haven’t seen him in action yet this year now is the time to come. Speaking of Seth, due to scheduling conflicts with work, we will need to have his Master Mason Degree on Saturday, Jun 5th at 1:00pm. We were hoping to have it earlier so it would be in conjunction with the OES Breakfast but it isn’t possible. We are going to need all the help we can get on that Saturday to make this a successful degree. This will be a great opportunity for all those who say they just don’t have time to make it to the Lodge during the week. If you can assist with the degree, reach out to our Junior Warden (Charles Moore) and let him know.
Another thing we were unable to accomplish last year is presenting 50 year Awards of Gold to our distinguished members who have reached that milestone. I have begun reaching out to the members who reached this mark last year as well as the few who have already reached that mark this year. It looks like we will have to have two ceremonies in order to get caught up. The first will be on May 25th and the second will be sometime in late June. Be sure to watch for further information on this and mark your calendars. This is an historic milestone in a Brothers Masonic life and we should all be there to witness it and congratulate those Brothers who have reached that goal.
Thank you to all the Brothers who stepped up and volunteered to deliver flowers to our Lodge widows. I know the ladies I delivered too were so happy to see us back out delivering flowers and it really made their day. The next time we deliver will be in December so if you have interests in this please reach out to David Clingan at dwclingan@gmail.com or 317-730-6545 and he will make sure to add you to the list. It really is a rewarding experience.
As you all know, we were not able to have our Annual Fish Fry last year. WB Ron was working to revamp the Fish Fry and make it a Community Day Event. We are attempting to give that another shot again this year. WB Ron is the Chairmen for this event and he is in need of some extra help to make this a successful event. Attached to the end of this newsletter is message from WB Ron. Please read it over and respond to him about any questions you may have or if you are able to help out with this.
As everyone will recall, this year’s Master Mason class is dedicated to the memory of WB Mark Griffin. The rocks glasses commissioned to honor the memory of WB Mark Griffin are in and can be purchased from your officers. These glasses look incredible and are American made! The price for a single glass will be $10.00, two for $18.00 and a set of 4 will be $35.00. Make sure to get your glass(es) early to remember the life of such a dedicated Mason and Veteran.
Quote of the Week:
Bit of a change of pace. Instead of a quote this week I am going with a few things that just make you go hmm.
-
Why do scientists call it research when looking for something new?
-
If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
-
Why is it, when a door is open it’s ajar, but when a jar is open, it’s not adoor?
-
Why do we put suits in a garment bag and put garments in a suitcase?
-
Do married people live longer than single people or does it just SEEM longer?
-
If “con” is the opposite of “pro,” then what is the opposite of progress?
-
Do Roman paramedics refer to IV’s as “4’s”?
-
Whose cruel idea was it for the word “lisp” to have an “s” in it?
Millersville 126 News / Dates:
May 11 – FellowCraft Degree (Seth Meyer)
- Dinner 6:00pm
- Lodge 7:00pm
May 18 – TBD – Possible Masonic Education Night
May 18 & 19 – Grand Lodge Annual Communication
- Only open to voting delegates (WM or Proxy)
May 25 – Award of Gold Presentation
- Dinner 6:00pm
- Award of Gold Presentation 7:00pm
Jun. 5 – MM Degree
This Week’s Birthdays
David Greer (5/12), Bruce Jones (5/12), Richard Widmer (5/12), Alan Crawford (5/14), Dennis Shinault (5/14), Ronald Spratt (5/14), Charles Cantrell (5/15), Todd Geyer (5/16)
This Week’s Raisings
Charles Abbott (5/10), Brandon Clymer (5/10), Eugene Hite (5/11), Siafa Massaley (5/12), Richard Widmer (5/14), Andrew Carr (5/16)
Master’s Travels
If anyone is planning to travel or visit another Lodge or has been asked to come assist with a degree, please reach out to me and let me know so we can get a few more Brothers to go and make a visit out of it. Below is the travel opportunities site I go to. If you see anything there that interests you make sure to let me know. This is also a great opportunity for Mentors to take their mentees to see some extra degree work to aid in their learning.
May 10 – West Newton Lodge #707, MM Degree. Dinner 6:30pm, Lodge 7:30pm
We are sitting at 8 different Lodges visited for a total of 483 round trip miles. We need at least 2 more visits to Lodges we haven’t already been too as well as 17 more miles. Excellent progress in travel through the first quarter of the year.
http://masoniccalendar.blogspot.com/
Brian Bates
Worshipful Master
Millersville Lodge #126
Mobile: 260-615-8013
Email: tazmanfw@gmail.com
Hello Brethren:
As some of you may know, Worshipful Master Brian has asked me to chair our fundraiser (fish fry) this year which will be held Friday and Saturday, September 24th and 25th. Friday evening 4-8PM will be the typical fish fry dinner with seating inside or under the tent outside. On Saturday we hope to make Millersville Lodge a destination point for the community by having a Millersville Community Day from 10AM to 8PM. This will be a festival atmosphere with great food, open outdoor market, live music, children’s activities, and open house for our historic building. The event will be well promoted in the community. We are hoping for a wonderful day of celebration and unity, not just for the growth of our Lodge, but for the community at large as well.
That being said, please put these dates on your calendar and plan to commit for the year, at least these two days to your Lodge. Your participation and more importantly your assistance in making this a great event are most appreciated. This is way too much for just a few to pull off so the assistance of Brothers for a successful event is greatly needed in the following areas:
- Thursday afternoon/evening set-up.
- Tent Food Preparation –both days.
- Passing out sponsorship brochures – these will be available very soon.
- Parking – Mostly Sat.
- Open house guides – Sat.
- Millersville Lodge info table – Sat.
- Band equipment move – Sat. AM and PM
- Clean up – Sunday the 26th
- Help with Coordination of above areas.
I look forward receiving emails from the Brethren who are willing and able to help with this event in any of the above areas, so please contact there or call me. I will also have sign-up sheets at the Lodge for members to make their willingness to help known. Thank you, Brethren, and let’s have a great year.
Fraternally,
Ron Featherston, PM
Rfeatherston1@aol.com
317-625-5095
by David Levine
Dear Brethren,
Another informative Masonic Education in the books. If there is a topic you would like an education night on, please reach out to our Education Chairman WB Martin, McAfee. Also if you have heard someone speak at another Lodge or location and you think we should get them to come to our Lodge, pass that name along as well. For those who missed the education night you can watch it at the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/MillersvilleLodge/videos/758579811508598
We also had Craft Guild after the Forget-Me-Not talk. We had a decent turnout but still need additional Brothers to attend so we can field a full crew. It is a very laid back atmosphere and quite informative. Coming to Craft Guild doesn’t mean we are going to throw you to the wolves so to speak and put you on the spot in open Lodge. I do think by coming though you will can the insight, knowledge and confidence needed that you will want to take part in a degree on your own.
Thank you to the four Brothers (and one son) who showed up to help with the Lodge cleanup. Unfortunately I was hoping for a bit bigger turnout so that we could accomplish more. We still managed to get a good deal done but there is a lot more to do so we will have to plan for another weekend. Please consider helping out on the next Lodge cleanup day as this is OUR Lodge and we should all want to take pride in how it looks.
Coming up this Tuesday is our Stated Meeting. If you have been meaning to come to Lodge again and get reacquainted with your fellow Brothers and to catch up on how they are doing then this is the meeting to attend. Currently, with no petitions coming in, the Stated Meeting is not lasting very long; usually in the range of 30-45 min. So this is a perfect night to come without having to be out until all hours of the night.
Another thing we were unable to accomplish last year is presenting 50 year Awards of Gold to our distinguished members who have reached that milestone. I have begun reaching out to the members who reached this mark last year as well as the few who have already reached that mark this year. It looks like we will have to have two ceremonies in order to get caught up. The first will be on May 25th and the second will be sometime in late June. Be sure to watch for further information on this and mark your calendars. This is an historic milestone in a Brothers Masonic life and we should all be there to witness it and congratulate those Brothers who have reached that goal.
Thank you to all the Brothers who have stepped up and volunteered to deliver flowers to our Lodge widows. The flowers will be at the Lodge this Tuesday, May 4th and Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 9th so please make sure you get to Lodge on Tuesday to get your flowers and get them out to the widows prior to Mother’s Day. If something comes up and you are unable to deliver, please reach out to me or David Clingan at dwclingan@gmail.com or 317-730-6545 so that we can make sure we get those flowers delivered.
As you all know, we were not able to have our Annual Fish Fry last year. WB Ron was working to revamp the Fish Fry and make it a Community Day Event. We are attempting to give that another shot again this year. WB Ron is the Chairmen for this event and he is in need of some extra help to make this a successful event. Attached to the end of this newsletter is message from WB Ron. Please read it over and respond to him about any questions you may have or if you are able to help out with this.
We have had a few Brothers step up and state their interest in the officer line but we are always looking for more. Some have asked what are the requirements we are looking for so here are just the beginning steps. Be active in Craft Guild as well as start learning the CrossFires and volunteer with the Junior Warden to do one during an actual degree. We really need to see that you can get over the “stage fright” and are willing to put the time in to learn and rehearse with the officers.
As everyone will recall, this year’s Master Mason class is dedicated to the memory of WB Mark Griffin. The rocks glasses commissioned to honor the memory of WB Mark Griffin are in and can be purchased from your officers. These glasses look incredible and are American made! The price for a single glass will be $10.00, two for $18.00 and a set of 4 will be $35.00. Make sure to get your glass(es) early to remember the life of such a dedicated Mason and Veteran.
Quote of the Week:
“It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.”
Benjamin Franklin
Founding Father of the United States
I am sure we have all heard something along these lines at one point or another in our life. This can also apply to Masonry in that all the good we do as Masons can be quickly wiped out by a single lapse of bad judgement. When we are wearing Masonic jewelry or clothing or having Masonic plates or emblems on our cars, we are representing Masonry. Be conscience of your actions and words when your Masonry is on display. It isn’t just your reputation that takes a hit, but Masonry as a whole.
Millersville 126 News / Dates:
May 4 – Stated Meeting
- Executive Committee Meeting 5:15pm
- Dinner 6:00pm
- Lodge 7:00pm
May 11 – FellowCraft Degree (Seth Meyer)
- Dinner 6:00pm
- Lodge 7:00pm
May 18 – TBD
May 25 – Award of Gold Presentation
- Dinner 6:00pm
- Award of Gold Presentation
This Week’s Birthdays
Philip Booher (5/4), Raymond Ratliff, Jr. (5/4), Carl York (5/4), Kristan Groseclose (5/5), Matt Allread (5/6), Richard Binger (5/6), Christopher Kinsey (5/8), Alvin Slont, III (5/8), Andrew Koluch (5/9), Cortland Meyer (5/9)
This Week’s Raisings
Kristan Groseclose (5/3), Reed Cullen (5/5), Richard Binger (5/6), Lee Miller (5/6), Joeseph Ketterman (5/8), David Levine (5/8), David Vail, Jr. (5/9)
Master’s Travels
If anyone is planning to travel or visit another Lodge or has been asked to come assist with a degree, please reach out to me and let me know so we can get a few more Brothers to go and make a visit out of it. Below is the travel opportunities site I go to. If you see anything there that interests you make sure to let me know. This is also a great opportunity for Mentors to take their mentees to see some extra degree work to aid in their learning.
We are sitting at 8 different Lodges visited for a total of 483 round trip miles. We need at least 2 more visits to Lodges we haven’t already been too as well as 17 more miles. Excellent progress in travel through the first quarter of the year.
http://masoniccalendar.blogspot.com/
Brian Bates
Worshipful Master
Millersville Lodge #126
Mobile: 260-615-8013
Email: tazmanfw@gmail.com
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