GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE GRAND STAFF, PAST GRAND MASTERS, RIGHT WORSHIPFUL GRAND WARDENS, PAST MASTERS, OFFICERS; MEMBERS OF CHRISTIANA LODGE #35 AND BRETHREN ALL…
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE STORY ABOUT THAT FELLOW WHO WANTS TO GO HUNTING? HE NEEDED A DOG AND CONSULTED A BROTHER. THAT BROTHER, WHO SOLD DOGS, GAVE HIM ONE, CALLED JW. "IT'S A VERY GOOD DOG", HE SAID, "HE KNOWS A LOT ABOUT HUNTING AND YOU CAN TRULY RELY ON HIM".
OUR FELLOW TOOK THAT DOG. ONE WEEK LATER HE RETURNED. "IT'S NOT TOO BAD, BUT HE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE VERY EXPERIENCED. DON’T YOU HAVE ANOTHER DOG?" "SURE I HAVE", SAID THE BROTHER. "THIS ONE FOR EXAMPLE IS CALLED SW AND HE'S A BIT MORE EXPERIENCED. TRY HIM AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE HIM, FEEL FREE TO COME BACK."
INDEED, OUR FELLOW RETURNED THE DOG TWO WEEKS LATER. "HE'S QUITE GOOD ACTUALLY, BUT HE'S NOT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. STILL I NEED A DOG WITH MORE EXPERIENCE."
"WELL", SAID THE BROTHER, "I CAN OFFER YOU A REALLY EXPERIENCED DOG. HE'S CALLED PM AND YOU'LL HAVE GOOD TIME WITH HIM." SO OUR FELLOW TOOK THE ANIMAL. JUST ONE DAY LATER HE RETURNED.
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM?", THE BROTHER ASKED, "I DO NOT HAVE A DOG THAT IS MORE EXPERIENCED THAN THIS ONE."
"WELL", OUR FELLOW SAID, "HE MIGHT BE EXPERIENCED, BUT ALL HE'S DOING IS SITTING THERE AND BARKING!"
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SINCE YOU ENJOYED THAT ONE SO MUCH, I HAVE ONE MORE TO SHARE WITH YOU…TED & BILL HAD BEEN LODGE BROTHERS FOR MANY YEARS. THEY HAD PROMISED EACH OTHER LONG AGO THAT THE FIRST TO GO TO THE GRAND LODGE ABOVE WOULD RETURN TO TELL THE OTHER WHETHER THERE REALLY WERE LODGES IN HEAVEN AND WHAT THEY WERE LIKE.
BY AND BY, IT CAME TO PASS THAT BILL WENT FIRST.
ONE DAY SHORTLY AFTER, TED WAS WORKING IN HIS GARDEN WHEN HE HEARD A WHISPERED VOICE, " PSSST TED!"
HE LOOKED AROUND BUT SAW NOTHING. A FEW MOMENTS LATER HE HEARD, NOW QUITE CLEARLY " TED! ITS ME, BILL!"
"BILL?" TED EXCLAIMED, "ARE YOU IN HEAVEN?"
"INDEED I AM" SAID BILL.
TED PAUSED FOR A WHILE TO GET OVER THE SHOCK AND THEN SAID " WELL, BILL, ARE THERE LODGES UP THERE IN HEAVEN?"
"THERE CERTAINLY ARE, TED. THERE ARE LODGES ALL OVER AND THEY ARE QUITE MAGNIFICENT, EQUAL OR BETTER THAN ANY WE HAVE SEEN. THE MEETINGS ARE WELL ATTENDED, THE RITUAL IS WORD PERFECT, THE FESTIVE BOARD FANTASTIC AND THE SPIRIT OF MASONIC FELLOWSHIP IS ALL PERVASIVE."
" MY GOODNESS, BILL," SAID TED, " IT CERTAINLY SOUNDS VERY IMPRESSIVE BUT FOR ALL THAT YOU SEEM RATHER SAD. TELL ME OLD FRIEND, WHAT IS THE MATTER."
" WELL, TED, YOU ARE RIGHT. I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS AND SOME BAD."
" OK, WHATS THE GOOD NEWS?"
" THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE ARE DOING A 3RD THIS COMING WEDNESDAY"
"GREAT" SAID TED. " WHAT'S THE BAD NEWS THEN?"
" YOU'RE THE SENIOR DEACON! "
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AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE OFFICERS OF CHRISTIANA LODGE #35 FOR THIS PAST MASONIC YEAR. (PLEASE STAND WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME)
IN THE WEST – WORSHIPFUL EDWARD A. BURKE, JR, PAST JUNIOR GRAND DEACON
IN THE SOUTH – WORSHIPFUL CARL H. COX, PAST GRAND MARSHAL
AT THE DESK TO MY LEFT – OUR TREASURER – MOST WORSHIPFUL DAVID B. CRAIG, JR. PAST GRAND MASTER AND OUR SECRETARY – MOST WORSHIPFUL GLENN F. DAVIS, SR., PAST GRAND MASTER
OUR SENIOR DEACON – WORSHIPFUL WILLIAM J. JOYCE, PAST JUNIOR GRAND DEACON
OUR JUNIOR DEACON – BROTHER JONATHAN P. WITWER
OUR SENIOR STEWARD – BROTHER JONATHAN W PAXSON
OUR JUNIOR STEWARD – BROTHER FREDERICK J. LYNCH, II
OUR CHAPLAIN – BROTHER THEODORE F. STIPA, JR.
OUR TILER – BROTHER WILLIAM J. SAHM, SR.
PLEASE GIVE OUR OFFICERS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR AN OUTSTANDING YEAR.
MY BROTHERS, THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR YOU HAD BESTOWED ON ME ONE SHORT YEAR AGO, BY ELECTING ME TO THE ORIENTAL CHAIR. IT HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING YEAR FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT, PROGRESS, NEW BEGINNINGS, AND SOME TRYING TIMES. ABOVE ALL, REWARDING BY EXAMPLE IN MORE WAYSTHAN I COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED OR HOPED FOR. WE PRACTICED HARD LAST SUMMER FOR WHAT BECAME A VERY BUSY DEGREE YEAR, AND LITTLE DID WE KNOW THAT WE WOULD PRACTICE ONLY SEVEN MORE TIMES IN THE FOLLOWING ELEVEN MONTHS. THERE WEREN’T MANY TUESDAY’S THAT WE HAD OFF EITHER, IN FACT, WE MET 11 TIMES (INCLUDING TONIGHT) FOR STATED COMMUNICATIONS AND 23 TIMES TO CONFER DEGREES. WE ENTERED 10 NEW MEMBERS, CRAFTED 12 BROTHERS AND RAISED 12 BROTHERS TO THE SUBLIME DEGREE OF MASTER MASON. THROUGHOUT ALL OF THOSE DEGREES AND REGULAR MEETINGS OUR NEW STEWARD’S COMMITTEE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF BROTHER COREY LINK AND ASSISTED BY BROTHERS MIKE GRIMES, TONY TURIN AND ALL NEWLY RAISED MASTER MASONS SERVED 33 MEALS. THE STEWARDS COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED OUT OF A NEED AND A DESIRE TO GET MORE PARTICIPATION FROM EVERYONE. BROTHER LINK WANTED TO BE A LIFER AS A STEWARD IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE FOOD. AS MANY OF YOU, IF NOT ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE, THE OFFICER “CHAIRS” ARE TO BE OCCUPIED BY THOSE BROTHERS THAT HAVE A DESIRE TO SOMEDAY SERVE AS MASTER OF THE LODGE. FACED WITH THIS DILEMENA, I ESTABLISHED OUR NOW “WORLD FAMOUS” STEWARD’S COMMITTEE. IN ADDITION TO THE DEGREE NIGHTS WE HOSTED FAMILY MEALS ON 7 SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR A TOTAL OF 305 MEALS. WITH THE DEDICATION OF OUR LODGE OF INSTRUCTION UNDER THE DIRECTION OF BROTHER DON FRANCE AND AIDED IN A LARGE WAY BY BROTHER FRED LYNCH, II; 11 BROTHERS HAVE OR WILL RECEIVE THEIR PERMANENT CARD BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. ONLY ONE BROTHER WILL BE A CARRY OVER TO NEXT YEAR FOR HIS MASTER MASON DEGREE. THROUGH ALL THIS WE MAILED 2,288 TRESTLE BOARDS FOR A TOTAL OF 2,244,528 WORDS OF COMMUNICATION AND CONFERED DEGREES BY TOTAL, FOR 8 HOURS A DAY FOR 10 DAYS! ALL OF THIS MAY SOUND OVERWHELMING, HOWEVER WITHOUT THE SUPPORT AND DEDICATION OF OUR OFFICERS, COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE BRETHREN OF OUR LODGE IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.
I HAD FIVE GOALS WHEN I WAS ELECTED AS YOUR WORSHIPFUL MASTER. 1) TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION FROM THE LODGE TO THE BRETHREN AND THE LODGE TO OTHER LODGES. 2) TO IMPROVE THE MORALE OF THE OFFICERS AND GET OTHERS INTERESTED IN BEING IN THE LINE WHILE WORKING TOWARDS WORSHIPFUL MASTER. 3) TO INVOLVE THE FAMILIES MORE IN OUR REGULAR LODGE MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY OUR WIVES AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS. 4) TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION AND INSTRUCTION OF OUR CANDIDATES AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THEM AND 5) TO GET AT LEAST 20 BROTHERS AT EVERY MEETING.
IN REACHING THOSE STATED GOALS, WE HAVE IMPROVED THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE LODGE TO THE BRETHREN AND TO OTHER LODGES IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS; FIRST, EVERY MEMBER GETS A PERSONALIZED MASONIC BIRTHDAY CARD MAILED TO THEM IN THEIR ANNIVERSARY MONTH. SECOND, WHILE I WAS SENIOR DEACON I STARTED DEVELOPING A WEBSITE FOR THE LODGE WHICH NOW HAS BECOME A WEALTH OF INFORMATION FOR US AND FOR OUR CONSTITUANT LODGES. AN ONLINE CALENDAR SERVES AS THE FOCAL POINT FOR EVERYTHING MASONIC IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE. OUR SITE ALSO PROVIDES INTERESTING ARTICLES, A PLACE TO SIGN UP FOR BELL RINGING AND ORDER TICKETS FOR ALL OF OUR EVENTS. THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANA LODGE IS THERE AS WELL AS A PLACE TO SEE THE CURRENT OFFICERS AND PAST MASTERS OF THE LODGE. THIRD, I HAVE PERSONALLY VISITED EVERY LODGE IN DELAWARE THIS YEAR UNLESS THEY MEET ON TUESDAY TO MEET AND NETWORK WITH OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. LASTLY, WE IMPLEMENTED AN AUTOMATED CALLING SYSTEM TO GET THE WORD OUT QUICKLY TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS. WE HAVE UTILIZED IT THREE TIMES THUS FAR. ONCE TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT, ONCE TO NOTIFY YOU OF A BROTHER THAT WAS CALLED FROM LABOR AND ONCE TO REMIND YOU OF THE GRAND MASTER’S APPEAL FOR HIGHFIELD AND OUR CHANCE TO WIN THE VIRGINIUS V HARRISON AWARD. I INTEND TO USE THIS SYSTEM MORE FREQUENTLY NEXT YEAR. GOAL 1 COMPLETED.
IMPROVING THE MORALE OF OFFICERS AND RE-ESTABLISHING THE LINE WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY MAKING OTHERS DESIRE TO BE AN OFFICER, CONSTANTLY GIVING PRAISE AND THANKS AND EMPOWERING OUR MEMBERS TO SUCCEED ON THEIR OWN. THIS WAS HELPED LARGLY IN PART BY THE COMMITTEE ON WORK AND INSTRUCTION FROM GRAND LODGE - HOSTING THE THREE WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THIS PAST MASONIC YEAR. GOAL 2, ALMOST COMPLETED.
OUR FAMILIES HAVE BECOME A HUGE REASON FOR OUR SUCCESS. BY INVITING OUR WIVES, GIRLFRIENDS, PARENTS AND FRIENDS WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A COMMUNICATION TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD OF WHAT MASONS DO AND WHO MASONS ARE. IF YOUR WIFE IS HAPPY, YOU’RE HAPPY. GOAL 3 COMPLETED.
IN ADDITION TO THE INITIAL LETTER SENT FROM OUR LODGE SECRETARY TO A NEW CANDIDATE, I HAVE TAKEN IT UPON MYSELF TO SEND THE FOLLOWING LETTERS TO ALL CANDIDATES AS A FORM OF EDUCATION. NEWLY ELECTED CANDIDATE AND WIFE, NEWLY INITIATED ENTERED APPRENTICE AND WIFE, CRAFTED BROTHER, RAISED BROTHER. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS LETTER I SEND THEM A PAMPHLET THAT I DOWNLOADED FROM THE GRAND LODGE OF WISCONSSIN. SEEKING LIGHT IN MASONRY, LIGHT IN MASONRY, MORE LIGHT IN MASONRY AND FURTHER LIGHT IN MASONRY. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE INTENDER PROGRAM BUT FELL WAY SHORT OF THE MARK. IT’S MY HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR 2010. GOAL 4 – 50% COMPLETED.
LASTLY, MY DESIRE TO HAVE 20 BROTHERS AT EVERY MEETING WAS MET WITH SCRUTINY FROM MANY OTHERS, TELLING ME THAT I WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME DOING THAT AS MANY BROTHERS HAVE LOST INTEREST IN LODGE MEETINGS. WELL I’M HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT WE HAD ON AVERAGE 19 BROTHERS AT EVERY MEETING! A TESTAMENT TO THE PROGRAMS, COMMUNICATION AND ENTHUSIASM OF EVERYONE. THANK YOU TO THE PAST MASTER’S FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND WISDOM AND FOR TRUSTING THE REINS OF THE LODGE TO ME. I WOULD BE REMIS IF I DID NOT THANK MY WIFE SANDI FOR ALL OF HER SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING THROUGHOUT THIS PAST YEAR. SHE HAS CONTRIBUTED IN EVERY ASPECT FROM HELPING ME WITH MY RITUAL WORK TO DECORATING THE BANQUET ROOM FOR OUR FAMILY DINNERS AND ENTERTAINING THE LADIES, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WHILE WE CONDUCTED OUR BUSINESS. SHE’S EVEN UNDERSTANDING WHEN I ROLL IN AT MIDNIGHT AFTER A DEGREE.
AS THIS MASONIC YEAR ENDS, ANOTHER WILL BEGIN VERY SOON. THANK YOU FOR ONCE AGAIN ELECTING ME TO THE POSITION OF WORSHIPFUL MASTER. WE WILL DEFINITELY CONTINUE WHAT WE STARTED; MAKING CHRISTIANA LODGE #35 THE BEST IT CAN BE.
NOW BRETHREN, LET ME CLOSE ON ONE FINAL EXHORTATION TAKEN FROM THE BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE OF OUR RITUAL - 'SEE THAT YOU CONDUCT YOURSELVES, OUT OF LODGE AS IN LODGE, GOOD MEN AND MASONS'; AND REMEMBER THOSE IMMORTAL WORDS OF POLONIUS GIVING ADVICE TO HIS SON LAERTES AS HE DEPARTS FROM DENMARK, ON HIS RETURN TO FRANCE, IN SHAKESPEARE'S GREATEST PLAY, HAMLET 'THIS ABOVE ALL, TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE; AND IT MUST FOLLOW AS THE NIGHT THE DAY, THOU CANST NOT THEN BE FALSE TO ANY MAN.
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!
