Brethren - On behalf of the newly elected officers of St. John's Lodge, I would like to say thank you for the confidence you have reposed in us to take the Lodge through the coming year. Our country remains at war. Meanwhile at home, our economy continues to lag the pace we have come to expect. As we go about our daily routine, let us not forget those who are less fortunate and especially those who serve us on foreign shores.

We have made some changes to our event calendar this year. Although the summer picnic in August will still be at the Nile, we have decided to try something new for our spring brunch and Anniversary Dinner. One of the best brunches in town is at Ivar's Salmon House. The food is great and it is "all you can eat." We have reserved the entire restaurant from 8:30 to 10:30 AM on Sunday May 5th, and after that you can stay as long as you like but the public will be allowed in. The earlier time should work better for most churchgoers. There is a large free parking lot across the street, and a smaller one right by Ivar's door for our less mobile Brothers and their wives.

The 142nd anniversary dinner on Saturday Sept. 14th will be in the Plaza at the Seattle Design Center. Again, there is plenty of free parking and handicap access. Brother Iain Cameron, one of our newest MMs, and I can personally vouch for the food since we ate there for lunch to "test" it. The Plaza atrium has waterfalls, tropical foliage, and a well-placed stage for the evening's entertainment (more on that later).

For those who do not regularly attend our Stated meetings, what will it take to get you back in Lodge? Let me know. Do you need a ride? Do you want a great program? We have already begun to plan the year's calendar of events and we are planning something for everyone. In addition to the dinner, meeting, and fellowship, I will do my best to see that the 7-7:30 time period has a program of interest every month. We have a magician in January (hang on to your wallets), a "sock lodge" in February (if you're curious you will have to come), and a professor of architecture from UW to teach us all more about columns from the Greek and Roman periods in March. If you have always been fascinated by the middle chamber lecture in the Fellowcraft Degree, here is your chance to learn even more. Where does a pomegranate go again, on the chapiter or the volutes?

Stay tuned to our website www.seattlemasons.org to keep up to date on what is going on in your Lodge. We have a new Webmaster, and I will add more on that next month. I am honored to be in your service this year as Master. Please do not hesitate to tell me what I can do to make St. John's an even better place.

Mr. Wehl has recently been elected to receive the degrees in our Lodge. He is married and is a sales representative with the United Parcel Service. He is the son of our Elliot Bay Past Master, Hans Wehl.

January's Stated is for the real procrastinator! Twice each year St. John's Lodge No. 9 meets on the second Wednesday of the month. January is one of those months. Our newly installed WM Skip Albertson invites members and visitors to join us for dinner at 6 pm, Wednesday, January 9, and for our Stated Meeting following at 7:30. WBro. Albertson and his officers will be conducting their first meeting of the New Year.

The officers will meet informally on January 2nd to map out our goals and course of action for the year 2002. These plans are in accord with the wishes of our Grand Master MWBro. Robert Van Zee and his Grand Lodge team to establish our own long-range plan in harmony with the vision of our Grand Lodge. We will adopt as our own commitment that "Freemasons of Washington (and St. John's Lodge No. 9 ) will be recognized as a relevant and respected fraternity, committed to attracting and retaining all men of high quality who strive for self improvement and the opportunity to make a positive difference in (our) community."