Master’s Letter | February 2010
Brothers, we are off to a great start!
On December 23, several of us gathered with wives and guests at Knight’s Steakhouse to commemorate the Feast of St. John the Evangelist (Dec. 27) in accordance with early Masonic tradition. Of course Masons and Christians were not the first to recognize this date which roughly coincides with the winter solstice. Humans have acknowledged the solstices for at least 5,000 years and the Romans, by 300 B.C.E., had incorporated Dec. 27 into a larger week-long festival called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (Birthday of the Unconquered Sun) that ran from Dec. 21, had its main feast on Dec. 25, and ended on Dec. 27. As always on our forays to Knight’s, we enjoyed some great food and even finer fellowship.
Following an outstanding home-cooked chili dinner provided by our JW Clinton, we had a very busy regular on Jan. 13. We approved another new petition, a reinstatement, and conducted both E.A. and M.M. proficiency examinations (Congrats Bro. Matt Beste on earning your MM Card). Moreover, the lodge voted to move our meeting nights back to the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month beginning this February (Pending Grand Lodge approval; please watch your email for an update and the trestle board!) Bro. Clinton presented a very interesting and informative “Who am I?” (Did you know he speaks Japanese?), while W.Bro. Art Davidge not only showed the lodge Ann Arbor No. 85’s (one of our predecessor lodges) 1869 minute book and 262’s Centennial Celebration Leger, he also demonstrated how the old E.A. proficiency examinations were conducted - amazing us all with the beautiful job he did.
At the time of writing, we look forward to initiating four new brothers into Freemasonry on January 27. We have a lot of degree work ahead of us and I would like everyone who wants a part in the ritual to have a chance to hone his skills. So please speak up - even if it’s something small to start like the coin basket or working tools. I would also like to encourage our Past Masters to drop in and maybe try their hand at a lecture or degree conferral. We also need good mentors for our many new initiates. Please give it some thought.
Lastly, we are accepting scholarship applications at this time for the 2010-2011 academic year. The deadline to file is Friday, March 12. They should be submitted to our lodge Secretary, W.Bro. Seymour Greenstone. If you would like an application, copies will be available at lodge or you can contact me directly to pick one up.
Upcoming dates to consider:
- Jan. 29 - Freemasons Haiti Relief Party
7:30PM at Zal Gaz Grotto
Benefit party to raise funds for Haiti! - Feb. 3 - Master’s Table Dinner
Metzger’s German Restaurant
(Date subject to change, watch the Trestleboard) - Feb. 10 - Regular
(Including a short presentation on Freemasonry in Columbia by Bro. Luis Serrano) - Feb. 19 - Awards Night/ Past Master Night
(TBA) - Feb. 24 - EA Degree
- Mar. 13 - Roller Derby Night
Detroit Masonic Temple
($12/ person limited to 20 people) - Apr. 23 - Ladies Night at the Hunt Club
As always Brothers, I hope to see you at lodge.
Sincerely and fraternally,
Robert C. Blackburn, WM.
