Master’s Letter | September 2010
Well, summer is behind us. I hope you all had the opportunity to have a vacation break away and enjoy a little time with family and friends. I had a nice couple days up in Leland, visiting nearby Sleeping Bear Dune, and even had the pleasure of running into Bro. Mike Shehan and his family at an ice cream shop. I had a further Masonic surprise when I walked into the Glen Haven General Store, dating to the late 1800s, which is now preserved by the National Park Service. Its original owner, D.H. Day, was a Mason and a Knight Templar. Carved into an archway in the store are a golden square and compasses, an eye, and a cross! Glen Haven at the time was sparsely populated and was unlikely able to support a lodge. Still, it is interesting to see how important Bro. Day’s Masonry was to him in that, at the time, far-flung corner of Michigan.
The first annual Tri-lodge Picnic, being AAF 262, Golden Rule 159, and St. Mary’s No. 4, Prince Hall, took place in Gallup Park on August 8. It was a marvelous time and special “thanks” are due to our JW Clinton Bartholomew and JW Jim Lakin of 159. Attendees, who also included Masons and their families from Jackson, Belleville, Milan, Saline, Manchester and Prince Hall brothers from Romulus, enjoyed barbecued pork and chicken and potluck side dishes. The many children particularly enjoyed the two “tug of wars” that were held. PM Ray Holcomb of Golden Rule crafted special triangular sounding board for the occasion. On each side is small brass plaque with one of the lodge’s names. It was agreed that it will serve as a trophy, much a like a traveling gavel, for AAF 262, Golden Rule 159 (where it is presently housed), and St. Mary’s No. 4. W.Bro. Holcomb put a lot of thought into its symbolism; if you see him, you should ask about it. I stayed to the end to help with clean up and was really excited to hear how everyone looked forward to next year’s Tri-Lodge picnic.
September will be a very busy month for AAF 262. First, the September 1 regular meeting will NOT be taking place at Hathaway’s Hideaway NOR will there be a pre-lodge meal (there are many nearby restaurants and perhaps we can adjourn to one following our meeting). Instead, we will be holding it at the Pittsfield Grange, located at 3337 Ann Arbor – Saline Road, just a mile or so south of I-94. If the brethren like the space, we will make final arrangements with Grand Lodge to shift to this new location which will provide us with some much needed elbow room. It is my hope to wrap up our MMs for the year this month. We will have MM degrees on Sept. 15 and, it is hoped, on Saturday Sept. 25 at 10 a.m. in the Detroit Masonic Temple. The Study Club, lead by PM Seymour Greenstone, will meet at Hathaway’s at 7 p.m. on Sept. 22 to discuss “Music and Masonry.” Lastly, Masters Table this month, on Sept. 29, will be at Knight’s Steakhouse, at 6:30 p.m. This is an annual bring your wife and/or lady event (just kidding, please do not bring both!). Please RSVP with PM Justin Krasnoff at 734-665-2236
We have a lot on our plate brothers. We will have raised 14 new masons by the end of this month and STILL have a backlog of work to do! Key to our continued growth and success is everyone’s active participation. We want to hear from you and, if you are able to make it, SEE you. I remain hopeful that we can put together a proper Master Mason degree team, with understudies so we can mix things up, and perhaps flesh out some standing committees. So even if you are not in the line, or don’t want to be, there are meaningful and fulfilling ways you can participate in lodge. Of course, we are also happy just to share a meal with you and have you on the sidelines. Lodge should be an oasis from the headaches and responsibilities of everyday life. Make the most of it.
Sincerely and Fraternally,
Robert Blackburn, WM
UPCOMING EVENTS from Our Trestleboard
- September 1, 2010
Regular Communication - No dinner before, meeting 7:00pm
LOCATION CHANGE: Pittsfield Grange, located at 3337 Ann Arbor-Saline Road See Trestleboard for details - September 15, 2010
MM Degree
Pittsfield Grange - September 22, 2010
Quarterly Study Club: Music and Masonry
Hathaway’s Hideaway
Masons of all degrees are encouraged to attend this event. - September 25, 2010
MM Degree
Detroit Masonic Temple - September 29, 2010
Masters Table Dinner
Knights Steakhouse
All masons, and men interested in masonry, should attend. Ladies too!
Tri-Lodge Picnic | A time to remember!
August 8, 2010: Ann Arbor Masons enjoyed a wonderful and historic day of family, food, and fellowship. The occasion was the first annual Tri-lodge Picnic, being Ann Arbor–Fraternity 262, Golden Rule 159, and St. Mary’s 4, Prince Hall Masons. The event was held at the Old Picnic Shelter in Gallup Park. Not only were Masons and family members from the three lodges present, but also from Belleville, Milan, Jackson, Saline, Romulus, and Manchester lodges. 
The three lodges provided a pig roast and chicken BBQ entree, while guests contributed side dishes and deserts. The children, it seems, had most fun with the two tug-of-wars that were held.
A special moment was shared by all when PM Ray Holcomb of Golden Rule 159 presented the three WMs (pictured above: Bill Krebaum-159, Robert Blackburn-262, Bryan Campbell-4) with a commemorative sounding board he made in honor of the day. 
The sounding board, on which a Master raps his gavel, will serve as a traveling trophy between the three Ann Arbor lodges and serve as a centerpiece at future Tri-Lodge picnics.
UPCOMING EVENTS from Our Trestleboard
- August 25, 2010
Masters Table Dinner - Masons and interested non-masons are welcome! Location TBD - September 1, 2010
Regular Communication - Meeting at 7:00. LOCATION CHANGE: Pittsfield Grange, located at 3337 Ann Arbor-Saline Road See Trestleboard for details
Master’s Letter | August 2010
I hope that everyone is enjoying their summer, wherever this newsletter finds you. For those of us living in Ann Arbor, we’ve seen the end of this year’s Top of the Park season and the Arts Festival, but there are still many more local festivals and events to enjoy before summer is over. At AAF 262 we have two social events this month – our annual lodge picnic and regular Master’s Table night. As the lodge is dark, I hope I’ll see many of you there.
The July 7 MM degree proved to be a hot one. My car thermometer read 96 F. Still, we had a great turnout and a festive night despite our lack of A.C. We had a night of informal attire (Hawaiian shirts and shorts preferred) and a tropic inspired meal to make light of weather. Several guests were present, including the new Grand Lecturer. Congratulations again to our three newest Master Masons.
August 8 is the first ever “Tri Lodge Picnic,” that being AAF 262, Golden Rule 159, and St. Mary’s No. 4, Prince Hall Masons. The event will take place at 3 p.m. at the Old Picnic Shelter in Gallop Park, Ann Arbor. A reservation is required; details are available on our lodge website or by contacting our JW Clinton Bartholomew.
Solomon’s Temple is one of the most significant symbols in our Craft. We “walk” through it during our degrees and share in one of its legendary, though not historic, events. As Freemasons, we cannot spend enough time contemplating this important element of our work and what it means to each of us as individuals. A recent book, well worth reading on the subject, is William J. Hamblin’s “Solomon’s Temple: Myth and History” (Thames & Hudson 2007). Hamblin moves from a review of early Near Eastern temple architecture, to conjectures about the historic first Jerusalem temple, the history of the Temple Mount, and the significance of KST to Jews, Christians, Muslims, and other groups, including the Freemasons, following the destruction of Herod’s temple in 70 C.E. The book is well laid out and nicely illustrated. It’s a little too big to take to the beach, but it is a great introduction to the subject and well worth the read.
Lastly, keep your eyes open for email notices or trestle board updates concerning our September regular meeting. As you may know, your officers are investigating alternate meeting places to Hathaway’s Hideaway. We may have a trial run coming up at the Pittsfield Grange. We are growing and need more room to do our work. The hope remains that all Ann Arbor Masonry will one day reunite in a single venue. In the meantime, we may have to make do with other cost-effective options while we grow our building fund.
Sincerely & fraternally,
Robert Blackburn, WM
UPCOMING EVENTS from Our Trestleboard
- August 8, 2010
Tri-Lodge Family Picnic
Gallup Park - August 25, 2010
Masters Table Dinner - Masons and interested non-masons are welcome! Location TBD
Master’s Table | July Event a Success!
We had a phenomenal night at Joe’s Crab Shack this past Wednesday. We had close to 30 people there, including three new candidates and visiting brothers from as far away as Detroit and Jackson! We are also receiving many requests for plural membership! Clearly we have a great thing going on at AAF262.
Tri-Lodge Picnic | Sunday, August 8
Sunday, August 8, 3:00pm-7:00pm
Join ALL the brothers, friends, and families for a new summertime tradition! This picnic is sponsored and hosted by Ann Arbor’s 3 great lodges:
Ann Arbor-Fraternity # 262 ~ St. Mary’s Lodge # 4 ~ Golden Rule # 159
Food will be provided, games and prizes!
The lodges will be providing a meat entree of roast pork and beef! the rest is POTLUCK. What to bring? If your last name begins with:
A-I Dessert
J-Z Side Dish or Salad
Bring your own beverage and place setting.
We have a permit for adult beverages, so you can bring that too!
Where: Gallup Park, in the “Old Wooden Picnic Shelter” here is a MAP
Please RSVP by email to our JW at: juniorwarden@aaf262.org
There will be a group canoeing on the Huron river before the picnic. Send an email to our WM for more info at: worshipfulmaster@aaf262.org
