From the East
My Brothers,
We are now nearly a month past the November elections (national, state & our lodge) and the bluster and bustle of December has arrived! Before Christmas, Hanukkah, & New Year’s, we have our final Stated Communication for the year and ‘an updating’ of the guard with officer installation. We will need some trucks and willing brothers right after the holidays to retrieve quite a bit of Phalanx history from the Scottish Rite temple. Can you help? Let us know.
It has been my honor to have been in the East the past two years, and I have a great confidence as I welcome Brother Bill Stout to the East as Worshipful Master for 2017. Brother Stout has some fantastic ideas for Phalanx Lodge and has a great cadre of appointees. It will be a great year! Thank you for supporting your lodge, you helped it run as smoothly as any lodge I have ever attend-ed (and far smoother than most). Make your plans to be with us for our last Stated of the year on the 13th, and officer installation on the 20th – Christmas ties are welcome – and yes, blinking Christmas socks too, Brother Mangum! … and we ALL say: “Ho-ho-ho!”
Fraternally,
John Harder, PM – Worshipful Master
From the West
Brothers,
Greetings from the West! Well, the year is almost over, Christmas will soon be here and then we will be into the New Year. My time in the West has come to an end and I must make the next leg of my journey.
As I look back on my time in Masonry, I must say that I was fortunate to become a Mason when I did. It acted as an anchor to keep me steady through the many storms of life that I have encountered over these last 8 years. As the world seemed to go insane or circumstance left me dealing with life issues, the Lodge and my brethren where always there.
I am, and for a long time have been, preparing for my time in the East. Am I ready? I hope so. A lot of very good men have spent a lot of time to help prepare me. For their efforts, advice, and wisdom, I am very grateful.
But the lodge hasn’t been there just for me. On many occasions, Cyndy has expressed how thankful she is that I have the support of the brethren in the lodge – that there is a place where I can go where the men can understand. That they truly do put into practice the tenets of a Mason, namely brotherly love and relief.
To those of you that attend lodge regularly or semi-regularly, I look forward to seeing you in the coming year. To those of you who are fairly local, that haven’t been in the lodge in a while, please join us. If you haven’t sat in lodge in the past year, I would ask that you try to make at least one of our Stated Communications in 2017. If transportation is an issue, contact us and we will make arrangements.
Don’t forget that the December Stated Communication is on December 13th and Officer Installation is on December 20th.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Fraternally,
Bill Stout, SW
From the Secretary
Brothers,
As we near the end of yet another year, I want to first wish you all a very Happy Holiday season.
I do want to note the results of the November election of Officers for those of you who were not able to be present. The following were elected/appointed to their respective stations and places for 2017:
Bill Stout – Master
Chris Lueck – Sr. Deacon
WB John Harder – Senior Warden
Jeffrey Ordonio – Jr. Deacon
WB Jim Lofton – Junior Warden
Robby Saye, Jr. – Sr. Steward
WB Neil Crossley – Treasurer
Matthew Richter – Jr. Steward
WB Mike Hamrick – Secretary
WB Dave Morgan – Chaplain
WB’s Rocky Boyle and Bill Robertson – Trustees
WB Mack Wilson – Tyler
We’ve scheduled the Installation of the 2017 officers for Tuesday, Dec. 20. As this does not take place in a tiled lodge, this is a wonderful opportunity to invite family and friends, as well as perhaps a friend who you believe may both be a benefit to as well as benefit from Masonry.
Please plan to join us in the Lodge.
Fraternally,
Mike Hamrick, PM
Secretary