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Greetings Brethren,
Welcome to the new millennium!
A German expression "Guten rutsch ins' Neues Jahr", loosely translated, hopes that you all had a "good slide into the new year".
We had a busy December with, a very successful visit to the Masonic Home in Utica and the official visit of our DDGM RW Burt
Barrenger followed by a terrific dinner put on by the ladies of the OES.
A covered dish dinner honoring the Masons, again put on by the OES, with a great tribute to the many hats Masons wear described nicely by Judy Coons. A New Year's Eve party that brought many out in spite of Y2K fears (thanks to Mike & Judy Scott) and much more that went on behind the scenes driven by our Building Committee. We also contributed $1,000.00 to the Red Hook Rescue Squad's Ambulance Drive as a result of the proceeds we received from selling ads for our annual Charity Ball! Thanks to all that helped orchestrate all of these events.
So what do we have to look forward this year? A ton of stuff that will keep us busy with bringing new Brothers into the
Craft, fundraising dinners, scholarships, Little League, Save-A-Highway Program, Lodge "cleanups", etc. Also paying off our Modernization Fund loan (assuming those that pledged come through as quickly as they
are able to) and bringing interesting programs to Lodge nights that you want. Much may sound like the same and that's OK if, you want it that way. I'm counting on you to let me know if you want something different that will keep you coming (or returning) to Lodge. The last thing I want is to have the meetings become just business or ritual related sessions. What do you think it will take to overcome the TV sirens or other couch-potatoe activity? "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." Let me know what you think.
OK, on to other stuff... We are looking for nominations for the Dewitt Clinton Award. This award is given annually to local non-Masons who have either helped us or the community activities we support in a manner consistent with our charitable beliefs. Please let either myself or RW Fred Grieve know who you might think we can honor with this award.
The 12th of January will be our first meeting and we will balloting on two new candidates, as well as catching up on items we
had to defer until after the holidays. Please come by and get caught up on what's been going on with your Lodge.
On the 26th of January we will be conferring the Master Mason Degree on our Fellowcrafts. Please plan to attend and, not
only honor them with your presence, but help out in the drama section of the Degree. Knobby knees are not an excuse for not participating in the latter.
Lost... One Lodge wheelchair that was borrowed at the last dinner we hosted! Anyone know where it is????
With the new millennium upon us, as Master, I have this nagging feeling that I should provide a profound description of what it means to us as Masons. Actually, I'm not as creative or definitive as the Third Edition of The American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language. One of it's definitions of millennium is, "A hoped for period of joy, serenity, prosperity, and
justice". Who wouldn't want to wish this for all of his fellow Brother Masons? But actually, in reading the Poughkeepsie Journal, just before sitting down to do this Trestleboard, I found something
much more appropriate and ask for your forgiveness in plagiarizing an article. It's about a Georgia woman who wants to give something back to her Meals-on-Wheels benefactors
by, each day, providing the deliverer of her food with an original poem. One of her unpublished verses is as follows:
"The more you give, the more you get,
The more you laugh, the less you fret,
The more of everything you share,
The more you'll always have to spare,
The more you love, the more you'll find
That life is good and friends are kind;
For only what we give away, >
Enriches us from day to day."
Somewhere in her life, there must have been a Masonic
influence and I simply can't beat her way of thinking.
DATES TO REMEMBER
- 1/12/00 Stated Communication, Lodge opens at 7:30 PM
- 1/15/00 Baked Ham Dinner 4:30 - 7 PM (SELL TICKETS & PLEASE HELP AT DINNER)
- 1/23/00 Rehearsal for 3rd Degree at 7 PM
- 1/25/00 Rehearsal for 3rd Degree at 7 PM
- 1/26/00 Stated Communication for 3rd Degree, Lodge opens at 7 PM, Officers dress formal
- 1/31/00 Brotherhood Assn. Meeting at Rhinebeck Lodge at 7:30 PM
- 2/09/00 Official Visit of the Assistant Grand Lecturer (time to be determined)
Jules Riedel
julesr@netscape.net
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