Home - Archive Index - 2008 Archives - June Stated Communication
June Stated Communication
On Wednesday, June 18th, at 6:15 PM the dining room was almost full. Visiting the Lodge this month were the recipients and their families of our 2008 Scholarship Awards as well as the Grand Master of Masons in Washington, MWBro. Douglas E. Tucker and his lady, Glynnis.
During dinner, the brethren and guests enjoyed a slide show of geometric imagery.
OPENING OF LODGE After the entertainment the Master asked all who were not Masons to retire from the Lodge Room so that he could conduct the monthly Stated Communication. He then opened Lodge on the First Degree at 7:32pm, thirty-four members and sixteen visitors in attendance as per Tyler's Register.PRESENTATION OF THE FLAG The American flag was presented by the Marshal and deposited in a place of honor in the East. The Worshipful Master called upon the Marshal to lead the brethren in the pledge to the flag. INTRODUCTIONS Following the Tyler's invitation to join his brethren, the Worshipful Master called upon the Senior Deacon to introduce our visitors with the exception of Masters, Wardens, and Grand Lodge officers and committeemen. In attendance and receiving a warm St. John's welcome were six visiting brothers, WBros. Errol Scott (Occidental Lodge No. 72), Jim Lumsden (Greenwood Lodge No. 253), Peter Martinez (Tyler Lodge No. 1233, Tyler, TX), Dan Hill (Ketchikan Lodge No. 19, Ketchikan, AK), James Fox (Linden Lodge No. 192, Linden, TX), and VWBro. Carl Alexander (Renaissance Lodge No. 312. Also present were Musician Bro. Adam Creighton (Greenwood Lodge No. 253), and Chaplain Bro. J. Doug Kelly (Unicoy Lodge No. 259, Hiawassee, GA). The Senior Warden introduced his counterpart, WBro. Robert Fletcher, Senior Warden of Pine Tree Lodge No. 1396, Longview, TX. Also present, but not introduced, was Bro. George Dyer, Senior Warden of St. Levan Lodge No. 5134, Penzance, England. The Master introduced VWBro. Mike Davis (Queen Anne Lodge No. 242), and WBro. Ken Lane, Jr. (Esoterika Lodge No. 316), Masters of their respective lodges. They were accorded the public Grand Honors.
RECEPTION OF THE GRAND MASTER
Following their return to their seats, the Master instructed the Senior Deacon to seek out the Grand Master of Washington, MWBro. Doug Tucker, who was then presented at the Altar accompanied by MWBro. Al Jorgensen. The Master then brought MWBro. Tucker to the East, where he was accorded the public Grand Honors and invited to preside over the lodge. The Grand Master thanked the Master for his offer to preside and indicated that he would be pleased for WBro. Wold to continue with the business at hand. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION The minutes of the previous communication were read in short form and were available in full as posted at the Tyler's door. TREASURER'S REPORT The Treasurer reported that the lodge remains solvent and offered to share further details following the meeting with any brother. EXPENSES FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE The following bills, having been reviewed by three acting members of the finance committee (Bro. Nick Mitchell, VWBro. Charles Brockway, and Bro. Brian Downie), were submitted to the Lodge for approval. After the acting chairman, Bro. Mitchell, attested to the accuracy of each bill or invoice, he stated the expenditures were in order and moved for the payment of the bills. On vote of the brethren, the bills were approved for payment. COMMUNICATIONS Trestleboards and letters of communication were distributed. Concerning each, the Secretary reported the following: We have received a note from Bro. Mark Koenig, who lets us know that he and his wife Erica will be moving back to the Northwest from Silver Spring, Maryland to Corvallis, Oregon to work for the Oregon State University Foundation. Bro. Jason Leehan is "hiding" in Auburn while cramming for his bar exams until late August. Bret Sandstrom and his wife Darcy have added a new baby boy to the family. The MW Grand Lodge of Washington and the MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington and Jurisdiction invite all brothers to attend an annual Unity March and joint church service on Sunday, August 3 in DuPont, WA. A Square & Compass RV weekend will be held at the Wenatchee River County Park in Monitor, July 11 - 13. Another Teen Feed date has opened up and needs to be filled - this one July 9th. We have received a card from University Street Ministries thanking us for our efforts to feed the homeless teens on April 8th. We have received acknowledgements from the Phinney Neighborhood Association and the City of Hope for our recent contributions. We have received an acknowledgement and thank you from the University of Washington Libraries curator for a copy of Volume II of our lodge history. The first volume is already in their collection. Thank you cards have also been received from a couple of families who have received assistance from the Master's Charity in recent months. Also in circulation are newsletters and Trestleboards from Conversay, the Phinney Neighborhood Association, the HOPE Heart Institute, Eureka Lodge No. 20, Diamond lodge No. 83, and Walter F. Meier lodge No. 281. Please take home one of the extra copies of the HOPE Heart newsletter for healthy reading. COMMITTEE REPORTS The Master reported on the 151st annual communication of Grand Lodge, held in Wenatchee last week. He reported that two resolutions with slight variations which would have required new Masters to have passed the lodge officers proficiency program failed to pass. One resolution which allows Masons to dress in Masonic attire on certain public occasions passed. Beginning in 2011, annual communication will be cut by one day, to meet on Friday and Saturday. One resolution to expand on the number of Grand Lodge officers who would be allowed to carry the clear text of our ritual passed by a small majority but failed to attain the necessary super majority. It will be carried over to the 152nd annual communication in E. Spokane. VWBro. Michael Sanders was elected to the South as Junior Grand Warden on the third ballot. St.
Grand Lodge of Washington
(ranked 67th). There
are 3,712 Craft Masonry sites listed in the rankings.
WBro. Tupper reported that he has arranged for the Grand Lodge float to again be represented in the Seattle Torchlight Parade on July 26th. The Grand Master will ride the float again this year. We still need 4-6 walking volunteers to help carry the St. John's banner at the head of the float. (Three rotating in and out to relieve each other throughout the procession.) The parade starts at 7:30pm, but volunteers need to be present by 5pm. On behalf of Bro. Ryan Stoulil, the Master reported that we fed another 40 teens Monday at the University Teen Feed. He looks forward to another opportunity later this year. Bro. Brian Downie thanked his scholarship committee for the many efforts they individually put forth to screen and interview the students who were considered for scholarships. Brother Downie read a note from one of the students from last year and another from a councilor at Ballard High School who expressed their appreciation for the support extended by our lodge. The Master invited the brethren to assist and to witness the Master Mason degree which will be conferred this Saturday. WBro. Helmuth Svoboda volunteered to assist as Junior Steward in place of Bro. Rick Heston who will be at work during this time. A number of volunteers are still needed for non-speaking parts for the August 2nd Open Air degree at Granite Falls Masonic Park. WBro. Charlie Tupper encouraged the brethren and their families to come out 3pm Saturday afternoon, June 28, for the Underground Tour of Seattle. Bill Speidel's underground tour is a leisurely guided walking tour beneath Seattle's sidewalks and streets. While you roam the subterranean passages that once were the main roadways and first-floor storefronts of old downtown Seattle, tour guides will tell humorous stories our pioneers didn't want you to hear. It's history with a twist! The tour begins with a seated introduction inside Doc Maynard's Public House, a restored 1890s saloon, 608 First Ave. We conclude with about a three block walk above and below the city streets of Seattle.
Our Ride the Ducks outing in July is already sold out. Those going on the tour will be meeting at the Greenwood Masonic Center no later than 10am, Saturday, July 19. There are still seventeen (of 59) seats available on the chartered bus to celebrate Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, Saturday, October 4.
WBro. Ken Lane, Jr. reported that our Little League Majors baseball team concluded their season with a win of the championship game. The Masons team again has made us proud to be their sponsors in another successful season.
PRESENTATIONS
WBro. Tupper presented a beautiful Excalibur Tyler's sword to the lodge entrusted to the Tyler, which he purchased at the Wenatchee annual communication of Grand lodge. This 46-inch sword contains a great many of the symbols used in the craft, particularly the compass and set square, the plumb line and the setting maul, the sacred book and the eye of the Supreme Being, and the capital "G" of the Great Architect.
The meaning of some of the Masonic symbols in the sword's handle: The Square symbolizes things of the earth, and it also symbolizes honor, integrity, truthfulness, and the other ways we should relate to this world and the people in it. The Compasses symbolize things of the spirit, and the importance of a good and well-developed spiritual life, and also the importance of self control - of keeping ourselves within bounds. The G stands for Geometry, the science which the ancients believed most revealed the glory of God and His works in the heavens, and it also stands for God, Who must be at the center of all our thoughts and of all our efforts. On the ends are the sun and the moon which regulate the actions of the seven seas, the day and night, and admonish us to regulate our lives and actions with equal regularity.
MASONIC EDUCATION The Master called upon WBro. Charles Tupper, who addressed the brethren on the subject of the sanctity of the Lodge Ballot. He told us that as we affix our signatures to a petitioner's request to join our lodge, we are Guardians of the Craft. In practice, the petitioner should be well known to the first line signer. Perhaps he is less known by the 2nd and 3rd signers, but they should be confident that he will be a credit to the lodge. The Master then assigns a committee of three to investigate and learn more about the petitioner. These are Keepers of the Door. They look with a critical eye to the integrity of the applicant. In this lodge, we also run a police report on each candidate as a further examination of their background. When we as brethren are then asked to ballot upon the petitioner, we should be well confident that the positive report by the examination committee and the signers of the petition have our best interests at heart. Only when we personally know that the petitioner will bring discredit upon our lodge and our fraternity should we feel the need to cast a black cube. BALLOTING ON PETITIONS Favorable ballots were spread on Mr. Jonathon Davis Munday for the degrees and VWBro. James Randolph Maher for plural affiliation. Both petitioners had received unanimous favorable recommendations by their investigating committees. BIRTHDAY GREETINGS VWBro. David Campbell (6/1/26), WBro. Helmuth Svoboda (6/9/39), WBro. Ken Lane, Jr. (6/10/60), Bro. Kevin Smith (6/15/70), WBro. Mark Campbell (6/25/70), VWBro. Ashley Brinkley (6/26/52), and Bro. Brian Downie (6/24/84) were honored with a rendition of "Happy Birthday" to celebrate achieving one more year in their journey through life. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Seattle Underground Tour Anticipating a good number of brothers and their families will take part in the lodge-sponsored tour of underground Seattle, it was m/s/p to write a check payable to Charles Tupper for the Seattle Underground Tour expense. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business to come before the lodge. ANNOUNCEMENTS WBro. Hans Wehl announced that there were a number of items in the library adjacent to the lodge room available for sale by the company store. He encouraged the brothers to look and to purchase, enabling the committee to reduce its inventory to make room for new items. The brethren were reminded of the following dates of interest:
GRAND MASTER MESSAGE
Steilacoom No. 2,
Grand Mound No. 3, and Washington No. 4. After difficulties in participation
and not being able to obtain members, Grand Mound No. 3 gave up its charter in
1868. In order to regain some of our heritage and acknowledge the efforts of
our early brothers, the delegates to the recent annual communication elected to
allow historic lodges to be formed, and Grand Mound No. 4 will be chartered on
the anniversary of our 150th birthday. Those who enroll prior to the
Constitution of this lodge will be recognized as Charter members.
The Grand Lodge of Washington will open formally in George Washington's lodge where he presided as President on December 1, 2008, at George Washington Memorial, Alexandria, Virginia. An acre within a grove of thirty-six will be available for the jurisdiction of Washington to plant 50 trees in the memory of loved ones. On Tuesday, the following day, the delegation will tour Mt. Vernon, home of Brother Washington. Later that month, the Grand Lodge of Washington will celebrate its 150th anniversary with the Nile Shrine, which will be celebrating its 100th birthday. The Grand Master acknowledged his newly elevated Grand Lodge elected brothers, RWBro. Gale Kenney, Deputy Grand Master, and RWBro. G. Santy Lascano, Senior Grand Warden. GOOD OF THE ORDER The Master invited the Grand Master to close his lodge. Paying the brothers their dues, the Senior Warden presented lodge ties to Bros. Doug Kelly and Bill Feldner. VWBro. Coe Tug Morgan invited the brethren to attend the meeting of Daylight lodge No. 232, which will be WBro. Anthony Monaco's final meeting as Master and will also be VWBro. Coe Tug Morgan's final meeting as Secretary of Daylight Lodge after 33 years in that office. Daylight Lodge will be installing new officers on Saturday, July 12. CLOSING OF LODGE IN AMPLE FORM The minutes of this communication were read and approved in short form. There being no further business to come before this lodge of Entered Apprentice Masons, the flag was retired and the lodge closed in Ample form by the Worshipful Grand Master at 9:25pm., peace and harmony prevailing.   | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
