December, 2016

Our last meeting of the year was an eventful one.  Prior to the meeting we had our pre-inspection with RWB John Cooper.  All went well and we are excited to be the first inspection of the coming year.  It will be January 4 in the Fellowcraft degree.  Dinner will be at 6:00 PM with the degree to start at 7:00.  RWB Cooper then installed the new officers for 2017. 

Worshipful Master H. Dean Cordell

The Worshipful Master and RWB John Cooper

All the officers except our Senior Steward

We have new candidates waiting for degrees so it will be a busy year again.  Come on out to lodge and help support the new officers.

More photos from November meeting

From left: Nancy McCollum, John McCollum, Grand Master Kaylor and Pat Cloke

We were also honored by the presence of Francesco Canale, Provincial Grand Secretary of Madrid, Grand Lodge of Spain, and Rich Dickersheid, Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Ohio

November 2016

We had a very memorable evening on the 19th of November.  We initiated a new Entered Apprentice at 6 PM.  The Grand Master and Grand Orator, as well as the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Madrid, Spain, saw our officers perform their work in a fine manner.  After the degree we went to refreshment and got to the reason the Grand Master was with us.  He presented John McCollum his 75 year service award after a fine dinner prepared by Pat Cloke and our Senior Steward and his family and friends.  John's family and friends were invited to be with him as he received this honor.  No one has been more influential in the activities of Edenton Lodge over those years than John.

Nancy, John's wife, John, Grand Master Douglas Kaylor and Pat.

John making a few comments

When the festivities ended we still had to hold our stated meeting.  We dispensed with any unnecessary business and paid our bills, accepted a new petition, read the Grand Lodge recap, made plans for our annual Christmas party to be held at 6:30 PM on December 16 at the lodge and held the election of officers.  Our Senior Warden, H. Dean Cordell, was elected to serve as Worshipful Master next year.  His installation will be at our stated meeting in December.  The list of officers will be published after the installation.  Have a happy Thanksgiving and we hope to see you at the Christmas party and our December meeting.   

October, 2016

Our October meeting saw the return of a Master Mason proficiency and a new petition voted on.  The petition was accepted and we will have an entered apprentice degree at 6:00 PM before our stated meeting on November 19.  Remember, this is also our annual meeting, which means dues are due and it is the election of officers.  Since there was not much business to cover, it was a short meeting.  The Grand Lodge session legislative results were gone over.  The biggest surprise to me is they voted to allow lodges to rent out their banquet rooms to groups that serve alcohol.  There are restrictions, however.  Learn more at lodge.  Also, we just learned that the Grand Master can be at our November meeting to give out service awards.  There will be a dinner and ceremony between our Entered Apprentice degree and the stated meeting.  John McCollum will receive his 75 year award, Fred Kuhnhenn will receive his 65 year award and Charles Gregory will receive his 60 year award.  It will be an open ceremony so spouses and guests are invited.  Other service award recipients are also invited.  See you at lodge.

September, 2016

The weather did not cooperate with us for the outdoor raising so we performed the degree at the lodge.  We now have a new Master Mason among us.  We also received a new petition at our stated meeting and we should vote on him in October.  It is also coming up on dues collection season.  Look for your dues invoice in the mail in the coming couple of weeks.  The dues are still $55 and are due November 19.  Please pay them promptly and save the lodge excess postage.  In with the invoice will be your permanent dues card.  An explanation will be enclosed with it.  it will be activated as soon as your dues are paid.  As far as any other business there wasn't much.  Come out to lodge and welcome our newer members and visit with the rest of your brethren.

August, 2016

We had a Fellowcraft degree before our August stated meeting with the officers moving up a station.  For their first time they did a good job.
There was not a lot of business discussed at our stated meeting but there were some interesting items.  The awards and widows night went well with over 30 members and family present.  Our outdoor degree was discussed and this year's Grand Master will not let us have our stated meeting in the morning so we will have the morning degree at Charlotte Back's and our stated meeting that evening at our regular time.  Lunch will be served between the first and second sections of the degree.  the LEO gave a program on how people learn.  That's about it.  I hope to see you in September.

July, 2016

We initiated another new candidate just before our July stated meeting and examined a brother in the EA degree and another in the MM degree.  We have some fine men joining our lodge, as usual.  At 6:30 before our August meeting we will have a FC degree.  We are definitely staying busy this summer.  Our awards and ladies night is coming up on July 23, with dinner at 6:00 PM.  Our District Deputy Grand Master, RWB John Cooper will be with us.  We will also have a Master Mason degree on August 27 at 6:00 PM.  Come on out and help if you can.  The lodge is again planning to hold its September stated meeting at 10:00 AM at Charlotte Back's place.  We should have a Master Mason candidate ready.  The degree will be exemplified by as many Past Masters as can be there.  The rest of the meeting was mostly regular business.  We do have a number of brethren in need of prayers, so remember them.  Hope to see you at lodge. 

June, 2016

Our meeting was well attended for the beginning of summer with six Past Masters in attendance.  We examined a candidate in the EA degree and he did a fine job.  We will exemplify the FC degree on him June 25 at 7:00 PM.  We also elected another man to receive the degrees and will exemplify the EA degree on him at 6:00 PM before our July 16 stated meeting.  Another date to keep in mind is July 23 at 6:00 PM for our annual awards and ladies night.  We will have the awards after the dinner.  The lodge also was gifted with officers chairs from Gerard Lodge in the First District.  They are merging with Yeatman lodge and no longer need them.  I feel they add some character to our old lodge hall.  Thanks go out to Bro's. Conn and Brewer for getting them into the lodge and cleaning them up.  Thanks to Al and Adam for also helping.  The next time you drive by the lodge you will notice that the lodge sign is once again hanging out by the road, thanks to a couple of our trustees.  So, as you can see, we have been and continue to be busy.  Come on up to lodge when you can.

May, 2016

Brethren, the lodge continues to be busy with candidates going through the degrees and more petitions coming in.  Any meeting may see a degree or a proficiency.  Our new members are showing interest in the work and are being encouraged to learn so they can participate.  At our June meeting we will be setting the date for our annual awards and widows night so stay tuned.  We made our annual donation to the Special Olympics and we also donated some money to the 4H group that served the meal at our inspection.  We also found out there will be a Grand Master's class next year.  So, that's it for now.  I hope to see you at lodge.

Inspection, etc.

Our inspection on the 27th of April went very well.  We had around 70 in attendance and our newest member got a good Entered Apprentice degree.  The officers performed well and the inspecting officer, RWB Cooper, commended them on their work.  Then, on the 30th, we raised two brethren in the Master Mason degree.  The officers and brethren gave them each a good degree, even though this was their first effort with it.  We have some good new brethren.  Come out and visit with us at the next meeting.

April, 2016

Our April stated meeting saw another Fellowcraft give back his exam.  it was one of the best in a long time.  This means we will have two brethren to get their Master Mason degrees on April 30.  The lodge could use your help that evening.  There were a number of sick and distressed that need our prayers.  The lodge donated $200 to Cub Scout Pack 401 in Mt. Orab last month and WB Al Cloke remarked that the money will help them do things they might not have otherwise been able to.  Our inspection is a week away and we have a new candidate for the evening.  This year promises to be one of the busiest we've seen in a while.  The Sixth District golf outing is May 21 at Cedar Trace golf club outside Owensville again but this year they will start at 9 AM.  We did have a little excitement last week.  There was a water main leak in front of the lodge.  Fortunately, Western Water fixed it quickly.  The Worshipful Master has more plans for the rest of the year and will be communicated later.  I hope to see you in lodge.

March, 2016

One of the first orders of business was to examine a candidate in the EA degree, which was done.  We then exemplified the Fellowcraft degree on him.  Then it was on to our regular business.  it was unfortunate that we had to suspend some brethren for not paying their dues.  If things don't change we might have to suspend more next year.  If your dues card does not say 2016 on it then you owe dues.  Please pay them so you will continue as a member of this lodge.  The Grand Master's reception is coming up and six brethren are going.  Our lodge has also sponsored the Deputy Grand Master and his wife.  He has been a good friend to our lodge.  We also voted to donate $200 to a Cub Scout pack in Mt. Orab, since the grandson of one of our members is a member there.  So, that's it for this month.  I hope to see you at lodge.

February, 2016

Our February meeting is now history and we have another new Entered Apprentice.  The lodge also looks to have another candidate ready for our inspection.  Your officers are working hard to put on good degrees and it showed on the 20th.  Our pre-inspection will be April 6 at 7:00 PM.  The typewritten ritual will be there so if you have been wondering about anything in the ritual you can get answers then.  Since we did not have much business, other than authorizing the purchase of a new vacuum cleaner, the meeting was a quick one.  If you want to go the the Grand Master's reception this year it will be May6 at Norlyn Manor in Batavia.  It will be $25 per person and reservations need to be made with the lodge.  After April 1st the cost will be $35 per person.  There is a social hour starting at 6:00 PM with dinner served at 7:00 PM.  Our lodge is sponsoring the Deputy Grand Master, Douglas Kaylor, this year.  He has been of great help to our lodge in times of need.  The last thing I would like to report on is the Lodge Education Officer's program.  He presented a program on Masonic odes.  Apparently, in ages past, Masons did a lot of singing.  There were numerous ones but I would like to share one with you.  It was written by Giles P. Yates and sung to Auld Lang Syne:

Behold how pleasant and good

For Brethren such as we,

Of the united Brotherhood, To dwell in unity.

'Tis like the oil on Aaron's head,

Which to his feet distills,

Like Hermon's dew so richly shed

On Zion's sacred hills.

For there the Lord of Light and Love

A blessing sent with power:-

Oh may we all this blessing prove

Even life forever more.

On Friendship's altar, rising here,

Our hands now plighted be,

To live in love with hearts sincere, 

In peace and unity.

Until next time, peace be with you all, my brethren.

January, 2016

There is not a lot to report on this month.  We did vote for a new candidate and we will be exemplifying the Entered Apprentice degree at 6:30 PM before our February 20 stated meeting.  We are also in the thick of inspection season and if you would like to attend some check out the Sixth District's blog.  I hope to see you at the meeting.  Also, check your dues card.  If it says 2015 then you haven't paid your dues yet.