Hello, my Brothers!
Warm Fraternal Greetings, my Brothers!
Thank you to the Brethren of Nur Lodge No. 2000 for their visit to St. John's Lodge No. 11. It was a pleasure to greet and sit in Lodge with these Brothers, and, a personal highlight for me, to invite their Worshipful Master Karem Urus to a seat in the East. As part of my journey to the East, W.B. Urus is one of the many Brothers I have spent time working with or have had the pleasure to join in Masonic Intercourse at Grand Lodge events. It was also meaningful that the Brethren of Nur Lodge No. 2000 inquired about our recent Lantern Lodge, as they are looking to replicate that program at an upcoming meeting!
Thanks to the warmth and wit of Bro. Chris Ruli, our March Communication was a mix of entertainment and information. Bro. Ruli touched on five key points from his latest book, "The White House and the Freemasons." For those who were unable to attend and would like to listen to a sample of Bro. Ruli's research, I've included two links to his recent appearance on the Craftsmen Online Podcast for your enjoyment.
The White House and Freemasonry https://sptfy.com/BroRuli1
Subscriber Extra Episode https://sptfy.com/BroRuli2
I have heard your feedback on the refreshments provided after our Lodge meetings. I understand that there are some who desire sustenance beyond pizza. There are two reasons for our current refreshment situation:
Lack of access to the Almas kitchen. This is an "unmovable" barrier to our meals as, in part with our agreement with Almas, we cannot be promised access to the kitchen on site due to a superseding agreement between the Temple and the Hotel on the use of the kitchen for the Hotel's events. Simply put, if the hotel books a special event, a paid event overrides our access. For this reason, our meals must contain a "disposable" dish and setup option.
Lack of RSVPs from St. John's Lodge No. 11 members. On a bright note, this has IMPROVED this year! Bro. Junior Warden informed during the collation that followed our March meeting, that has seen an uptick in RSVPs from our members. Here is my refreshments proposal: if we can secure more than 10 meal RSVPs ahead of each Stated Communication, I will amend my budget to allow for more catered/buffet style meals following our meetings - allowing for rule that these means must stay within the disposable dish/setup option.
Finally, let's discuss our April Lodge program. This will be one of the only programs that will be open only to Master Masons. The reason: the discussion for the evening will most likely enter areas of the Fellowcraft and Master Mason degrees, and I do not want to prohibit Brothers from being able to express themselves. We will be opening a Lodge of Discussion following our April business meeting.
A Lodge of Discussion is a Traditional or Observant Masonry practice where Brethren gather in a secure Lodge to offer their individual input on a singular Masonic question. A reading material is assigned that aligns with the discussion topic for this meeting. In our case, we will be discussing "Why a Mason must profess the belief of an immortal soul?" Our reading will be an excerpt from Bro. Angel Millar's book "The Path of the Warrior Mystic: Being A Man In An Age of Chaos." We will specifically be focusing on a selection from Chapter 12: The Warrior and The Creative Individual. I'm happy to share that Bro. Millar will be virtually joining us for the opening of our Lodge of Discussion! If you are looking for an esoteric, engaging Masonic experience - I look forward to seeing you on Friday, April 5th!
Please be in touch with Bro. Junior Warden to RSVP for dinner. I will be circulating the reading selection to those who have indicated their attendance.
I look forward to seeing you at our first meeting in Spring!
Sincerely and Fraternally,
W.B. Michael Arce
Worshipful MasterFull Trestleboard available here.