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Post date: Oct 17, 2014 8:34:42 PM
Master’s Message for October
Brethren,
I would like to take an opportunity to thank all of you who have responded
to two specific mailings that went out earlier in the year. First, was a survey
that was mailed to all of the Master Masons of McKinley Lodge who had
not already responded by phone or email. The purpose of this survey was
threefold:
First, it was intended to provide our members with an opportunity to update
our Secretary to any changes in their contact information.
Second, it was designed as a means of creating more customized call-down
lists for our Officers. If you’re not interested in hearing about upcoming social
events, we want to make sure that we’re not bothering you with calls about
them. Vice versa, if you’d like to hear about deaths & funerals, we want to
make sure that you’re being notified when a Brother passes.
Lastly, we set out at the beginning of this year to create a membership
directory. My goal with this is to provide our membership with a better
means of getting to know one another. Sure, you know that my name is
Ryan Mayrand and that I’m Worshipful Master this year, but did you know
that I’m 37 years old (turning 38 next month)? Did you know that I work in
marketing for a manufacturer in Germantown? Did you know that my wife’s
name is Erin? I know that there’s so much more to each of you than a name
and phone number on a roster...and the Masonic experience is so much more
enriching when we form fraternal bonds through getting to know more about
one another. That’s the spirit of Brotherhood that I want to foster....
A quick update on the Membership Directory: I’ve transcribed the answers
of everyone who has responded thus far (no easy task!) and have started
formatting how the pages will be laid out. My goal is to have this formatted
and printed by the end of the the Masonic year so that we can mail out a copy
to each of you.
The other major mailing that went out was the Centennial Year Master’s
Appeal. I want to sincerely thank all of you who have contributed to the
Lodge so far this year and let everyone know that there’s still time...and
a tremendous need. As I’ve mentioned in previous Temple Topics articles,
we really wanted this year to be special. The McKinley Lodge Centennial
happens just once...and none of us will likely still be around when the Lodge
reaches the 200 year milestone...so it truly is a once in a lifetime event. Your
McKinley Lodge Officers and Committee Members have labored this year to
remain as fiscally responsible as possible. Your generous donations have
helped us to defer the costs of special programs as well as some much-needed
repairs to the building (most notably to the roof). At the close of the Masonic
Year, we will be creating a plaque to hang on the wall - commemorating our
Centennial and giving recognition to all of those who have donated to the
Centennial Year Master’s Appeal. We created three different giving levels:
Cornerstone Level ($500 or more)
Trowel Level ($250 or more)
Square and Compasses Level ($100 or more)
Brethren, it is not too late to make your donation to the Lodge and be
recognized. I would ask that you prayerfully consider a donation to help
McKinley Lodge make these much-needed repairs.
In closing Brethren, I appreciate all of you who have taken time to send in
survey letters and donations. These are two big initiatives aimed at improving
the Lodge this year, and their success depends upon your participation. If you
haven’t yet sent them in, there’s still time!
Sincerely & Fraternally,
Ryan Mayrand, P.: M.:
Senior Warden’s Message for October
Brethren,
A couple of months ago, I wrote about the Masonic tenet of Brotherly Love,
using the words of Bro. Chad Kopenski, P.:M.:, as a starting point. This month
I’d like to pick that back up with Bro. Kopenski’s thoughts on the second
Masonic Tenet, Relief. He writes:
Masons believe it is our duty to relieve the suffering of others whenever
possible. As everyone travels on the path of their life, they encounter rocks
in the way and Masons believe that we should help remove those rocks
whenever we can. Sometimes that happens because we are asked, but often
that happens because we see the rock in your path before you do and we take
care of it. Masons don’t take curtain calls for this type of work, because we
believe that this type of thing isn’t headline news, it is what you’re supposed
to do. If you can help make someone’s path easier, why wouldn’t you do it?
As brief aside, I love the metaphor he uses with the rocks in the path. It
reminds me of my childhood summers. My family spent our summers sailing
up and down the coast of Maine, and most days we went ashore to walk
on paths through the woods or on the rocky shoreline. It’s easy to see the
troubles of life as the rocky ledges my brother and I had to navigate, or as
the little outcroppings of granite that would trip you up on the forest paths.
Anyway, on to my main point...
While Masonry, as a fraternity, is not primarily a charity, Charity, or
Relief, is of primary importance to us. From our introduction to Masonry
in the Entered Apprentice degree we are taught that Relief is not only one
of our tenets, but that it’s just “what we should do.” You see it played out
in countless ways. At the Grand Lodge level we have designated charities
we donate to, including the Masonic Service and Assistance Board, the
scholarship matching funds, the American Heart Association, the Masonic
Medical Research Laboratory, and Hiram’s Helpers. At the local lodge level,
relief of others plays out with food pantry donations, scholarships, Angel
Funds, AED donation programs, blood drives, and more. And personally,
Masons donate their time, talents, and money to all of the above and so
much more - helping the widow with household projects, donating their time
to youth groups of all kinds, serving in the community. It’s one of the main
things we do. So ask yourself, “Whose path have I made easier lately?”
Fraternally,
Chris Goodwin
Senior Warden
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