How good and pleasant it was to have gathered together and come to order on Friday, March 10, to welcome our DDGM RW Bro. Elliott Velez on his Official Visit at our 1st meeting of the month. It was a great evening of brotherhood and fellowship as we saw a few familiar faces join us at Lodge after some time.
At dinner we broke bread with 4 prospects eager to learn more about our Fraternity as they start to explore their interest in joining our Lodge.
RW Bro. Velez gave a compelling presentation as he shared some useful knowledge on the current state of affairs and updated communications from our MW Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Illinois.
RW. Bro. Velez also reminded us of the Masonic Family Health Foundation and the upcoming live show performed by grandson of President Harry Truman, our Bro. Clifton Truman Daniel.
More info here > https://www.facebook.com/masonicfamilyhealthfoundation
He invited all Masons to attend the Grand Lodge Town Hall Meeting taking place on Wednesday, March 22 at A.O. Fay #676, 461 Laurel Avenue, Highland Park, IL. Sign up here > https://district-ne-05-il.ourlodgepage.com/calenda…/166714
Finally he invited us to attend the upcoming up is the “Extracting the Light — Ritual Lessons to Live By Series” District WORKSHOP on April 1 at 8:00 am, at Jefferson Masonic Temple facilitated by RWB Wayne Spooner.
RSVP here > https://district-ne-05-il.ourlodgepage.com/calenda…/151578
RW Bro. James P Smith, current WM at Hesperia 411, Grand Lodge Representative for Switzerland, and Illinois Masonic Charities Committee Chairman, was in attendance and reminded us of the Charities and Scholarships available through the Grand Lodge of Illinois.
Click on each of the following links for more info:
- https://ilmasonicoutreach.org/
- https://www.imsap.org/
- https://imcap.org/
- https://www.academicbowl.org/
Among our guests was Bro. Jaime Aponte, a professional accomplished magician, who shared news about the upcoming “Secrets of Magic” class. A 90 minute session where he will reveal it all to 40 enthusiasts of the art, age 6-13, accompanied by their parents. This event will follow the above mentioned WORKSHOP taking place on Saturday, April 1, April Fools Day, at Jefferson Masonic Temple, at 11:00.
If you plan to attend please RSVP and provide the age of the children you intend to bring > https://district-ne-05-il.ourlodgepage.com/calenda…/158528
Talking about fools day…our Lodge education piece was delivered by Bro. John Marquardt who read an essay taken from The Short Talk Bulletin of the Masonic Service Association on the Léo Taxil Masonic Hoax and the persistence of falsehoods that from the 1890s continues to fool some to this day!
For more information on the podcasts and to subscribe to the Short Talk Bulletin Online Audio Library visit > https://shorttalkbulletin.com/
Our WM Charles Bremner, on closing our Lodge, reminded us of the upcoming Lodge outing at the Oriental Institute – University of Chicago, a museum dedicated to the peoples of the Near East, that houses with artifacts from the ancient Middle East (Sumeria, Egypt, Persia, Syria, etc.).
Please RSVP here > https://855-il.ourlodgepage.com/calendar_events/166427-