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FROM
THE EAST
Where has the Summer
gone? What ever happened to our “monsoon?” I hope
this finds you all well and rested. That if you have not yet
taken your well earned vacation, that you soon will.
We’d like to see
you all back in Lodge soon.
Please mark down
Saturday, September 12th
on your calendars. That is our next stated meeting. We have a
lot planned for that day. First, we will have an official visit
from our Grand Junior Deacon, W Bro Jeff Carlton, who is coming
all the way down from Kingman to join us that day. Let’s
not let him down and show him a very warm White Mountain Lodge #3
welcome. Secondly, we would like to hear from W Bro Bill Greenen
about the trip he and W Bro Howard Billingsley took to the New
Mexico Rendezvous last month. And lastly, we plan to put on at
least one Fellow Craft degree and possibly two just after our
stated meeting. It is always good to pack the sidelines with our
brothers as we guide our newest brothers to “further
light.”
Much has happened
since our last stated meeting. The Grand York Rite held its
annual Convocation in Scottsdale. Our own W Bro and Secretary
Paul Dore, Sr. was elected to serve as our new Grand Treasurer.
He was also honored to receive the Bronze Medal for Capitular or
the York Rite Royal Arch Masons. There is only one of these
awarded in the whole state each year to a Companion who has shown
outstanding dedication to the fraternity. A great big “Boo
Ya” to W Bro Paul. We also want to pay due “wages”
to W Bro Howard Billingsley for his election and upcoming
initiation into the K.Y.C.H. (Knight York Court of Honor). He
will not be with us for this month’s stated meeting, but
will be in Tucson to receive this distinguished and well deserved
honor.
Speaking of the York
Rite (and there will be more at our upcoming Stated Meeting). W
Bro and Very Excellent Companion Paul Dore (one of his new
honorifics) has been talking with several of our fellow York Rite
brothers in the Globe-Miami-Kearney area about reviving the York
Rite Chapter at White Mountain once again. Years ago, the
Companions of the Globe Chapter voted to merge with the
Companions in Safford. However, the Safford lodge and York Rite
bodies have suffered from a declining membership and now would be
a good time to take a serious look at the possibility of reviving
our own Chapter of Royal Arch Masons here. Come and listen to
more!
Finally, mark October
10th on your
calendars for our October Stated Meeting and a VERY special
second degree immediately after Lodge that will be put on by the
Grand Lodge Military Degree Team. We are honored that this most
special unit of Military Veteran and fellow Arizona Masons will
be putting this degree on at our Lodge. For those of you who
have not seen this, it is a MOST moving event! For those of you
who have been privileged to see it, you know that you will not
want to miss this. I know that a good number of our brothers
from several of the Lodges in the Valley plan to drive up that
day to be a part of this special event. Let’s show them a
warm welcome from White Mountain Lodge #3 as we fill all of the
sidelines for this degree.
Keep up your good
work. Talk to those men in the community that you feel are
worthy to be called a brother and invite them to join us. Our
Masonic fraternity is not for all men, but for those we deem to
be worthy to be called our brothers and who desire to become
truly better men. The history of our fraternity has a long and
honored past. It is one of our duties to pass this legacy on to
future generations that Masonry will grow and prosper.
God Bless. I’ll
see you soon.
Bill Garrard
WM
FROM THE SOUTH
Brothers,
Wow! What a neat trip, WB Howard
and I had last month. As always, it was a pleasure to spend 16
hours on the road with Howard. I learn so much from him. We left
Friday morning and drove to Las Vega New Mexico and found our
hotel then scouted for the lodge. We found it eventually right
down town. Apparently my e-mail didn't get to the appropriate
people and they didn't realize that we were coming. They were,
however, very happy that we did attend. They opened lodge and
after introductions, we went to refreshment and had a nice meal
with the ladies, They had a program for the ladies while we were
in lodge concerning Ft Union which was the original meeting place
of the first lodges in New Mexico and has been designated a
Historic Monument. At dinner, we had a nice lecture on the
formation of the Grand Lodge of New Mexico which was very
informative.
We re adjourned after dinner and
discussed the future of the event and it was a resounding YES for
continuance. They thanked us again for joining and they voted
overwhelmingly to invite us each year. I mentioned the
possibility of another Search for the Charter in the spring and
many expressed interest in coming. The Grand Master, SGW, and JGW
were in attendance. Unfortunately, they forgot to bring our
banner so we could retrieve it. I also mentioned to them that the
2nd Saturday was a bad time and request them to move
it next year so we can bring a whole bunch of us next year.
Bill Greenen, JW
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