Home - Archive Index - December Stated Communication December's Meeting Night We met during this holiday season at 6 PM on Wednesday, December 4th, for our usual fraternal dinner. This month Steve (Steve's Expresso Cafe) served us lasagna, salad, garlic bread, cake, and ice cream. An excellent repast. This meeting was not attended by the usual number of Brothers as many of them travel to see loved ones at this time of year. Even though there were some missing everyone spent the time talking about the time spent with family and the upcoming holiday gatherings as well as just catching up on the lives of one another. Dinner at St. John's Lodge is a special time for all of us and we look forward to getting together each month at this time as we can just sit, eat, and talk among ourselves. At 7 PM everyone retired to the Lodge room where the "St. John's Singers" (WM Skip Albertson, WB Ken Lane Jr., and WB Jeff Lane, along with the accompaniment of VWB David Julian) sang a medley of holiday tunes. They did an excellent job and many of those present sang along with them. We hated to see the end of this as it was very enjoyable just sitting and listening to them sing. At 7:30 PM Worshipful Master Skip Albertson opened Lodge on the Fellowcraft degree for the last meeting of his term of office. The webmaster was so involved in conversation that he didn't hear the call to lodge and was caught without his apron. This caused some merriment among the brethren as he went to get it. The Junior Deacon had fun with this also and gave him a humorous extra accusing glance as he reported to the Warden. The usual business of the Lodge was handled with dispatch and committee reports were heard. Memorials for three Brothers who have passed on were done and funds were authorized for a scholarship which had been put on hold due to language problems by the recipient. A check was also authorized for a Job's Daughter's Bethel under our matching funds program. The Lodge balloted one petition and the petitioner was accepted for the degrees. Two petitions were read and investigating committes will be appointed. WB Jack Berg then gave a historical talk and an active demonstration on the Jewish celebration of Chanukah or Festival of Lights: Chanukah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees or Israelites over the Greek-Syrian ruler Antiochus Epiphanes about 2150 years ago. The King tried by edict to force the Jewish people to accept the Hellenistic lifestyle, language, and religious practices. He sent an army to enforce his intentions and this alienated the people. Mattathias, a Jew from Modein, raised an army to rid Israel of the idols and lifestyle of the Syrian-Greeks as well as the Syrian-Greeks themselves and all others who had turned away from the God of Israel. Jewish patriots flocked to him and when Mattathias died his son, Judas Maccabeus, took over. After almost seven years of hard fighting the Maccabees defeated the Syrian-Greek armies. The Jews then returned to Jerusalem only to find that the Holy Temple had been desecrated by their enemies. After cleaning the Temple, they went to light the Holy, Eternal Light or N'er Tamid and found only one jar of sacred oil. This was only enough to light the lamp for one day and it was an eight day journey out and back to get more sacred oil. The one jar of oil that was found burned for eight days and eight nights. This was deemed a miracle and the festival comes from this event. Our meeting night fell on the fifth day of this Jewish celebration this year. The 2003 budget was brought before the Lodge and after some discussion relating to various disbursements the membership voted to accept the budget as written. Charities included on this budget are listed on the 2003 Charity page of the website. WB Ken Lane Jr. then stood and asked the brethren to thank WM Skip Albertson for his excellent leadership during the past year and a very long standing ovation was extended. Skip thanked the Lodge for its support and help during his year in the East. The Worshipful Master then surrendered the East to Senior Warden Terry Grove for the step up night closing. All of the incoming officers took their stations and places and Lodge was closed. Peace and Harmony prevailed, as is usual in St. John's Lodge No. 9. We next meet in 2003 when we will begin our labors for a new year under the leadership of a new Master On line and ready for the twenty-first century www.seattlemasons.org home Website ©2002 - St. John's Lodge No. 9 F&AM of Washington - All Rights Reserved