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From the East
The greatest gift that one can give is the gift of love. We seem to reserve this gift for a very small and intimate group; our lives have become far too hectic, diverse and complicated for much more. We can then give the second greatest gift - that of our labor or time. A truly special commodity that seems to be in ever shorter supply. An intangible commodity that can't be traded or bartered that runs at an ever faster pace for many of us and hangs as a heavy reminder for more then a few. Yet it is this second gift that I ask of each of you to contemplate giving.
| On the 24th of January we have (or is it had by the time you read this) a third degree and in mid February we have two first degrees. St. John's No. 9 needs your gift of time, your experience and help - in short your gift of love for the craft. Come and join us and let time be held in abeyance with your brethren. Or for some of you, rolled back to when you first opened your eyes to Masonic Light and saw the smiling faces of your brothers. Allow our newly obligated brothers to receive the greatest gifts we can share - that of our time and love for the craft. Even if you help on the sideline your gift will be appreciated by all and
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handsomely rewarded as you enrich another brother's life. (Please see our calendar, trestle board, webpage or secretary for the exact dates and time.)
On our February 4th stated meeting we will enjoy the official visit of VWBro. Gale H. Kenney, Deputy of the Grand Master in District No. 5 of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington. A long title for a dynamic St. Johns' brother who will keep us up to date on the continued workings of the Grand Lodge and MW Grand Master John D. McNab's agenda for the year.
Let me also give all of our brethren a heads up for the March stated meeting; the time is rapidly approaching for our annual Table Lodge, a feast representing the workings of an 18th century lodge. There are a few themes we may follow this year: a simple re-creation of the St. Andrews lodge meeting at the Green Dragon (a lodge that had a hand in the Boston tea party) or an Entered Apprentice or learner's lodge devoted to the mystery of our 1st degree. Either way you'll enjoy the masonic education, brotherhood and energy of this stated meeting. (I'm told we will feast on ribs again, but it's up to our Junior Warden.)
I look forward to seeing each of you the next few stated meetings!
Michael Rust, Master
| Coming to dinner? Please call 206 623-0261 |
| If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. |
DEPUTY OF THE GRAND MASTER, DR. NOEGEL VISIT IN FEBRUARY
Worshipful Master Michael Rust invites everyone to our next stated meeting, Wednesday, February 4, at the Scottish Rite. Dinner will be served at 6pm, and following another interesting return visit and program led by Professor Scott Noegel, our stated meeting will open at 7:30.
At this meeting, VWBro. Gale Kinney will be representing the Grand Master in his official visit to the Lodge. As Deputy of the Grand Master for District No. 5, VWBro. Kinney will bring greetings to the Lodge and share information about Freemasonry in our district and throughout the Washington jurisdiction. VWBro. Kinney is a Past Master of George Washington Lodge No. 251 as well as a member of our Lodge. It has been our honor to have this very worthy and competent leader join us in our deliberations. He is concluding his second year as the Deputy of the Grand Master for District No. 5.
WBro. Rust invites every Mason to join us for dinner at 6pm at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center prior to each Stated Communication. Resurrecting a short tradition, initiated by then Master Paul Winter (1998), our meals will be filled with (tasteful) jokes and serious announcements. Those who are infrequent participants should call the secretary at (206) 623-0261 so we can be sure to have enough plates to go around. If you need a ride, the secretary will be happy to find one for you. Bring a friend!
The Master hopes to close each meeting around 9pm. For this reason, announcements will be confined to the festive table prior to the opening of our Stated Communications. WBro. Rust achieved his goal and successfully closed lodge prior to 9pm last month.
FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY
Do we have your email address?
Have you been receiving timely messages from the Lodge each month?
If not, please "drop us a line" at stjohns9@msn.com
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TWO TO RECEIVE APPRENTICE DEGREES
Two Entered Apprentices will be initiated on Wednesday evening, February 18th, at 7:30 at the Scottish Rite Center. Your presence will be appreciated by these two new brothers of the Craft, Mr. Steven Gordon and Mr. John Mayer. Bro. Justin Dale was raised a Master Mason, Saturday, January 24. Bro. David Flood of Lynnfield-Zetland Lodge, Wakefield, MA has petitioned the Lodge for affiliation.
VISITATION COMMITTEE
The Master is asking for volunteers to assist in re-staffing our visitation committee. We have not had a working committee since Bro. Frank Cushman's health forced him to step down in April of 1999. The visitation committee makes an effort to seek out brothers who need a friendly Masonic word of encouragement or a helping hand; and to notify the Lodge of any health concerns among the brethren.
MILESTONES
The following Masons are/were all astronauts in the service of NASA.
Bro. Frank Borman
Bro. Virgil I. Grissom
Bro. Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr.
Bro. Walter M. Schirra, Jr.
Bro. Donn F. Eisele
Bro. Edgar D. Mitchell
Bro. John Glenn, Jr.
Bro. Thomas P. Stafford
Bro. Paul J. Weitz
Bro. Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. (1st Mason to walk on the moon)
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Location, Membership, Education Target of
LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE
The LRP committee, chaired by VWBro. Charles Brockway, will be sub-chaired by Bill Collison and Hans Wehl (location), Mark Campbell and Jim Wold (membership), and Adam Mackler and Helmuth Svoboda (programs & education). These groups will each have brothers of the lodge as working members of their respective committees. The chairs (and any others wanting to participate) will meet monthly for progress reports and assignments.
At our January Stated, members of the Lodge were asked to give their input as to what they felt was important in the characteristics of a new meeting location. VWBro. Brockway collected these opinions and will expand on others in preparing for any move. If you were not at that meeting, or if you have further ideas as to what you want to see in a meeting place, please call the Lodge.
Following heart surgery, WBro. Frank Young is now resting at home
WBro. Brian West and Bro. Joseph DuWors have each welcomed new arrivals to their families.
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DISTRICT 5 LOMA
The next meeting of the District 5 Lodge Officers and Members Assoc. will be 7pm, Wednesday, January 28, at the Scottish Rite. Officers for 2004 will be elected. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. Up for discussion will be the February 16th U. of W. Presidents' Day procession and wreath laying, the St. Marks procession in May, and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra backstage pizza party on May 9th.
Other topics of general interest will be: Where is the District visiting gavel? List of brothers and positions they can fill for assistance on degree conferrals; what kind of workshop (ritual training, Masonic trials, lodge consolidations, etc.) would the members like the Deputy to arrange?
MASONIC CARPETS
In lodges of the 1700's, the emblems and symbols of the different degrees were drawn on the floor of the lodge with chalk or charcoal. They were obliterated at the end of each meeting because lodges met in rented rooms, and they did not want strangers viewing their secret writings. As this was troublesome and messy, they were next painted on cloth or canvas, carried to each meeting, and laid on the floor. Hence the name 'carpets'. Today, these carpets, or charts as they are now called, hang from walls or frames, and are displayed as required for the different degrees.
RECEPTION FOR GRAND MASTER
District No. 4 meeting and reception for our Grand Master, MW John McNab will be held at Occidental Lodge (Ballard) on Saturday, February 7, 2003. Dinner 6pm at $12.00 per person, meeting 7:30pm. Due to the smaller size of the Lodge dining room, prepaid reservations will be required. Please send your checks to VW Greg Stewart, 13316 - 3rd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125. The first 150 dinner reservations will be seated.
The ladies are invited.
Contact Us Here
Worshipful Master: Michael Rust (206) 725-5853 fiddlerose@comcast.net
Senior Warden: Joseph Lund (425) 271-3173 yosiflund@earthlink.net
Junior Warden: Mark Campbell (425) 398-1398 mark.katherine@verizon.net
Secretary: Jim Russell (206) 623-0261 stjohns9@msn.com
Webmaster: Charlie Tupper (206) 406-8670 webmaster@seattlemasons.org
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