Post by timbryce on Oct 17, 2008 13:02:28 GMT
RECENT MASONIC NEWS:
Masons plan open house, offer lodge tours
Marblehead Reporter - Marblehead, MA, USA - Oct 9th
www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/news/x1452588965/Masons-plan-open-house-offer-lodge-tours
MASONS: Lodge 336 begins season with new officers and new honors
Journal-Register - Medina, NY, USA - Oct 10th
www.journal-register.com/local/local_story_284010401.html
Is Bay City's Masonic Temple haunted? Maybe...
The Bay City Times - MLive.com - Bay City, MI, USA - Oct 10th
blog.mlive.com/bctimes_entertainment/2008/10/is_bay_citys_masonic_temple_ha.html
Masons have rock-solid stake in Mattoon history
Journal Gazette and Times-Courier - Charleston, IL, USA - Oct 11th
www.jg-tc.com/articles/2008/10/11/news/doc48effab80c3b0309449381.txt
Eureka Lodge Host “Make a Difference” Breakfast
Lincoln News Messenger - Lincoln, CA, USA - Oct 12th
www.lincolnnewsmessenger.com/detail/95605.html
Masonic Temple for sale in Portland Group wonders if value of ...
Morning Sentinel - Portland, Maine, USA - Oct 13th
morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/5500500.html
Masonic Temple marks 100 years
Enterprise-Record - Chico, CA, USA - Oct 13th
www.chicoer.com/news/oroville/ci_10713705
Edmore Masonic Lodge raises funds
The Morning Sun - Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA - Oct 14th
www.themorningsun.com/articles/2008/10/14/life/srv0000003784892.txt
Rare Masonic texts to visit Cooperstown
Oneonta Daily Star - Oneonta, NY, USA - Oct 15th
www.thedailystar.com/community/local_story_289041504.html
Health fair helps keep seniors well
Milan News-Leader - Milan, MI, USA - OCt 16th
www.milannews.com/stories/101608/loc_20081016002.shtml
Mysterious Masonry
The Massachusetts Daily Collegian - Amherst, MA, USA - Oct 16th
media.www.dailycollegian.com/media/storage/paper874/news/2008/10/16/ArtsLiving/Mysterious.Masonry-3489545.shtml
Masons start Gage fire fund
Cary Grove Countryside - Countryside, IL, USA - Oct 16th
www.pioneerlocal.com/carygrove/news/1223256,cg-gagefund-101608-s1.article
Freemasons' gifts to community groups
Midweek Herald - UK - Oct 16th
www.midweekherald.co.uk/midweekherald/news/story.aspx?brand=MDWOnline&category=news&tBrand=devon24&tCategory=newsmdw&itemid=DEED14%20Oct%202008%2012%3A35%3A34%3A813
Local Masons are opening their doors tomorrow
MetroWest Daily News - Framingham, MA, USA - Oct 17th
www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x152641104/Local-Masons-are-opening-their-doors-tomorrow
NOTICES:[/i][/u]
This Sunday (Oct 12th) the MASONIC CENTRAL talk show will be interviewing Dr. Jessica Harland-Jacobs on her book, "Builders of Empire."
Join in the conversation beginning at 9:00pm EDT (New York).
The talk show's main web site is at:
masoniccentral.blogspot.com/
The TalkShow forum is at:
www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=19162&cmd=tc
My "Pet Peeve of the Week" (not related the fraternity) can be found at:
www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm
MASONIC EDUCATION ARTICLE:
From Bro. Jonathan Horvath (jhorvath@garble.org)
Here is a little something I wrote as Lodge Education Officer for our Lodge’s program. It has been very well received around our District with a few other Lodges reading it to all their FC’s. Feel free to use it or not as you choose.
My Brothers,
How many of us have heard the Craft is in crisis? That membership is declining over 3% a year from a high in 1959 of over 4 million to less than 1.5 million today? Additionally the advent of the Internet has, to be sure, become a haven for anti-Masons to publish their misinformation; and Hollywood, at best, portrays a benevolent secret society that protects its own, and, at worst, portrays the Craft as a New World Order machine.
Countless articles and books have been written and even more studies are planned to understand why men leave the Craft. After all, if we wish to turn the tide, we need hard data to tell us what is wrong and how to fix it, right?!?.
There is a modern adage that says, "The real secret of Masonry, making good men better." I think we do not need to look much beyond this statement to understand the problem and the solution.
Good men, good leaders, have never needed data to tell them what is right, nor what is wrong and how to fix it, they knew. We say we make good men better, but just how are we doing that? By getting them out of the house once or twice a month so they can socialize with "the boys" and practice some ritual work? But do we explain why we do the rituals? What they mean? Do we study them, or any other element of Masonry? Making good men better means progressing them, not through degrees or chairs, but through life, intellectually and spiritually, and that means education. Education is the cornerstone of progress.
There are no acceptable reasons why a good man cannot do these; we are all burdened by more work and responsibility than time, more debts and desires than funds. Good men become great by finding ways to progress in spite of these difficulties, perhaps even because of these difficulties. The Craft has an obligation to those who it allows through the West gate to help them progress.
While others continue to look for answers that do not exist in data that is not available, (Lodge name and number) is working to make its men better by providing an opportunity for education at each Stated Meeting. To you, my Brothers, I offer the following commitments and challenges as your Lodge Education Officer:
* I challenge you to work to improve yourself.
* I challenge you to help your Brothers improve themselves.
* I challenge you to volunteer to facilitate the Lodge Instruction at a future Stated Meeting.
* I challenge you to push me to help you in these laudable endeavors.
* I commit to help you in every way possible.
* I commit to challenge myself.
* I commit to use my cable tow, not as a shield against inconveniencing myself, but as a reminder of the obligations I have taken to you and to this great Fraternity.
Please join me Brothers, in helping to make the Craft prosper, to make (Lodge name and number) an example by which others in the Craft may progress, to be not satisfied with a memory of the way it used to be but with the promise of what it will come to be.
Amen.
(***END***)
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
All the Best,
Masons plan open house, offer lodge tours
Marblehead Reporter - Marblehead, MA, USA - Oct 9th
www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/news/x1452588965/Masons-plan-open-house-offer-lodge-tours
MASONS: Lodge 336 begins season with new officers and new honors
Journal-Register - Medina, NY, USA - Oct 10th
www.journal-register.com/local/local_story_284010401.html
Is Bay City's Masonic Temple haunted? Maybe...
The Bay City Times - MLive.com - Bay City, MI, USA - Oct 10th
blog.mlive.com/bctimes_entertainment/2008/10/is_bay_citys_masonic_temple_ha.html
Masons have rock-solid stake in Mattoon history
Journal Gazette and Times-Courier - Charleston, IL, USA - Oct 11th
www.jg-tc.com/articles/2008/10/11/news/doc48effab80c3b0309449381.txt
Eureka Lodge Host “Make a Difference” Breakfast
Lincoln News Messenger - Lincoln, CA, USA - Oct 12th
www.lincolnnewsmessenger.com/detail/95605.html
Masonic Temple for sale in Portland Group wonders if value of ...
Morning Sentinel - Portland, Maine, USA - Oct 13th
morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/5500500.html
Masonic Temple marks 100 years
Enterprise-Record - Chico, CA, USA - Oct 13th
www.chicoer.com/news/oroville/ci_10713705
Edmore Masonic Lodge raises funds
The Morning Sun - Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA - Oct 14th
www.themorningsun.com/articles/2008/10/14/life/srv0000003784892.txt
Rare Masonic texts to visit Cooperstown
Oneonta Daily Star - Oneonta, NY, USA - Oct 15th
www.thedailystar.com/community/local_story_289041504.html
Health fair helps keep seniors well
Milan News-Leader - Milan, MI, USA - OCt 16th
www.milannews.com/stories/101608/loc_20081016002.shtml
Mysterious Masonry
The Massachusetts Daily Collegian - Amherst, MA, USA - Oct 16th
media.www.dailycollegian.com/media/storage/paper874/news/2008/10/16/ArtsLiving/Mysterious.Masonry-3489545.shtml
Masons start Gage fire fund
Cary Grove Countryside - Countryside, IL, USA - Oct 16th
www.pioneerlocal.com/carygrove/news/1223256,cg-gagefund-101608-s1.article
Freemasons' gifts to community groups
Midweek Herald - UK - Oct 16th
www.midweekherald.co.uk/midweekherald/news/story.aspx?brand=MDWOnline&category=news&tBrand=devon24&tCategory=newsmdw&itemid=DEED14%20Oct%202008%2012%3A35%3A34%3A813
Local Masons are opening their doors tomorrow
MetroWest Daily News - Framingham, MA, USA - Oct 17th
www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x152641104/Local-Masons-are-opening-their-doors-tomorrow
NOTICES:[/i][/u]
This Sunday (Oct 12th) the MASONIC CENTRAL talk show will be interviewing Dr. Jessica Harland-Jacobs on her book, "Builders of Empire."
Join in the conversation beginning at 9:00pm EDT (New York).
The talk show's main web site is at:
masoniccentral.blogspot.com/
The TalkShow forum is at:
www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=19162&cmd=tc
My "Pet Peeve of the Week" (not related the fraternity) can be found at:
www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm
MASONIC EDUCATION ARTICLE:
From Bro. Jonathan Horvath (jhorvath@garble.org)
Here is a little something I wrote as Lodge Education Officer for our Lodge’s program. It has been very well received around our District with a few other Lodges reading it to all their FC’s. Feel free to use it or not as you choose.
My Brothers,
How many of us have heard the Craft is in crisis? That membership is declining over 3% a year from a high in 1959 of over 4 million to less than 1.5 million today? Additionally the advent of the Internet has, to be sure, become a haven for anti-Masons to publish their misinformation; and Hollywood, at best, portrays a benevolent secret society that protects its own, and, at worst, portrays the Craft as a New World Order machine.
Countless articles and books have been written and even more studies are planned to understand why men leave the Craft. After all, if we wish to turn the tide, we need hard data to tell us what is wrong and how to fix it, right?!?.
There is a modern adage that says, "The real secret of Masonry, making good men better." I think we do not need to look much beyond this statement to understand the problem and the solution.
Good men, good leaders, have never needed data to tell them what is right, nor what is wrong and how to fix it, they knew. We say we make good men better, but just how are we doing that? By getting them out of the house once or twice a month so they can socialize with "the boys" and practice some ritual work? But do we explain why we do the rituals? What they mean? Do we study them, or any other element of Masonry? Making good men better means progressing them, not through degrees or chairs, but through life, intellectually and spiritually, and that means education. Education is the cornerstone of progress.
There are no acceptable reasons why a good man cannot do these; we are all burdened by more work and responsibility than time, more debts and desires than funds. Good men become great by finding ways to progress in spite of these difficulties, perhaps even because of these difficulties. The Craft has an obligation to those who it allows through the West gate to help them progress.
While others continue to look for answers that do not exist in data that is not available, (Lodge name and number) is working to make its men better by providing an opportunity for education at each Stated Meeting. To you, my Brothers, I offer the following commitments and challenges as your Lodge Education Officer:
* I challenge you to work to improve yourself.
* I challenge you to help your Brothers improve themselves.
* I challenge you to volunteer to facilitate the Lodge Instruction at a future Stated Meeting.
* I challenge you to push me to help you in these laudable endeavors.
* I commit to help you in every way possible.
* I commit to challenge myself.
* I commit to use my cable tow, not as a shield against inconveniencing myself, but as a reminder of the obligations I have taken to you and to this great Fraternity.
Please join me Brothers, in helping to make the Craft prosper, to make (Lodge name and number) an example by which others in the Craft may progress, to be not satisfied with a memory of the way it used to be but with the promise of what it will come to be.
Amen.
(***END***)
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
All the Best,