Saturday, September 26, 2015

First Fraternal Visit to Prince of Wales

What a great evening with the Brethren of Prince of Wales.  I was escorted into lodge under the wands, first to the Altar, then to the East, by Brothers Franco and Kaztis, accompanied by VW Brothers Graham Jameson, and Joe McGeough, presented by W Brother  Meritzzi and Brother Owens led the Brethren in Grand honours. The PDDGM from St Lawrence District, RW Brother Jack Smith came up from Spencerville to see Joe receive his regalia.
The evening was light and went very smooth and RW Brother Wright and myself presented VW Brother McGeough his regalia.  At the end of the night and after I had a few last words, the Master closed the lodge and invited VW Brother McGeough's family in, and we presented the regalia one more time.  At the Festive Board, VW Brother McGeough responded to the Toast to Grand Lodge.
Joe and I are traveling companions from the Masters group of 2012-13, the Journeymen and it was gratifying and an honour to have participated in this event.
Congratulations to our new VW Brother!
 The brethren and family of VW Bro Joe McGeough (without W Bro Ivan Harris-photographer)

RW Bro Wright, VW Bro McGeough and myself

                                             VW Bro McGeough and VW Bro Ed Denbiegh
                                                                 The McGeough Clan
                                           VW Bro McGeough and the WM-Kamil El-Dib


                                                    VW Bro McGeough and Bro Owens

                                                                  Up-coming Events
I will be attending the following events:
Oct. 1- Doric Lodge for a second degree
Oct. 6- Goodwood Lodge.
Starting October 14, I will begin my official visits with St. John's Lodge were I will be witnessing a first degree.
I hope to see you out there.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

First Fraternal Visit to Russel Lodge

Monday night I had the pleasure of sitting in lodge with the Brethren of Russel Lodge in Russel Ontario.  I was brought in under the wands by W Bro Smith and Bro Goodfellow, presented by W Bro Dennis Moor and Bro Wessle led the Brethren in Grand Honours.
W Bro Gutfriend and I presented the Past Masters Jewels to the IPM, W Bro Les Luck and to the Master of the previous year W Bro Ghislain Cormier.  The education of the night was presented by W Bro Gutfriend and was entitled 'Why I am a Mason'.  This particular piece, inspired by the passing of W Bro Gutfriend's mother, was emotional, inspiring and pulled at the heart strings of all present.
At the conclusion of the evening I took to the level and spoke to the Brethren briefly about the dress of a District Deputy Grand master and in particular, the cuffs and jewel of the office.  This year I am wearing the cuffs that belonged to RW Bro Robert Rowesome the last District Deputy of the combined Ottawa District.  As we had some newly made Masons as well as a Master Mason from outside our jurisdiction, I gave a brief history of the evolution of Masonry in the Ottawa Valley.  All in all it was a great night and I thank the Brethren of Russel for their kindness and hospitality.
Upcoming Events
I will be attending the following events:
Friday Sept. 25 - Prince of Wales Lodge- invest VW Bro Joe McGeough with his regalia
Thursday Oct 1- Doric Lodge- Degree
Tuesday Oct 6 - Goodwood Lodge - Accompany the GSW on his first fraternal visit to his Mother Lodge

I hope to see you out to some or all of these nights

Friday, September 18, 2015

Fraternal Visit to Carleton Lodge

I had a fantastic time with the Brethren of Carp last night.  I was escorted under the wands to the Altar, then the East by Bros Prospreen and Boivin.  W Bro Ken Fields presented me and introduced VW Bro Russel Williams to the Worshipful Master and Bro Downey led the Brethren in Grand Honours.  The work of the evening was education presented by VW Bro Doug Gray and afterwards a short presentation on Blood donations by W Bro Dan Gray.  At the end of the evening I gave a brief outline for my upcoming year and a more detailed plan for upcoming visits.
                                                  
                                                        Upcoming Events
I will be attending the following events:
1- Sept 21.  Russel Lodge
2- Sept 25.  Prince of Wales
3- Oct 1.     Doric Lodge
4- Oct 6.     Goodwood Lodge

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

First Fraternal Visit to Acacia Lodge

This visit was, coincidentally, the same night as the Grand Lodge Appreciation Night.  This event traditionally kicks off the Masonic year in the Ottawa Districts and was well attended by both current and past Grand Lodge Officers from both districts.
Our festive board was held at 6:00 pm and consisted of a very healthy portion of roast beef, vegetables and roast potatoes with Blueberry Cobbler for dessert.   I had the pleasure of sitting beside our guest speaker RW Bro Iain Wates and finally got to know the person with whom I was so acquainted on social media.
The Deputy Grand Master and I were brought in under the wands and after assuming the gavel, RW Bro Todd passed the gavel to me in order to convey my greetings as well as those of the constituent lodges of Ottawa District 1.
I had the pleasure of sitting beside RW Bro Richard Loomes, my traveling companion from District 2.  The business of the night was light and consisted of a 25 year presentation to W Bro David Gravelle, a traveling companion from my Masters group of 2012, the Journeymen and of course the presentation of the evening by RW Bro Wates.
The topic he chose was Leadership and i thoroughly enjoyed his grass roots approach to good leadership.  He chose to speak on leadership because the Masonic governance in this jurisdiction is in large part being led by men new to their roles. The bottom line was that in order to be a good leader, one must lead by example, have the ability to inspire and not be afraid to get their hands dirty.  As a Director of Nutritional Departments in Long Term Care Facilities for 20 years, I found myself agreeing with all the RW  points.  If I can get a copy of his paper, I will add it to this entry.
At the end of the evening, the W Bro Stathem, WM of Acacia, presented RW Bro Wates with an honorarium for his presentation which, very graciously, RW Bro Wates in turn presented it to me as a donation to our District Charity; Prostate Hope.  Thank you very much RW Sir!

 Group Shot at Acacia Lodge, Grand Lodge Appreciation Night
 
Current Grand Lodge officers with W Bro Gravelle
The Deputy, W Bro Stathem and Myself
RW Bro Wates and Myself




I will be attending:
1- Carleton Lodge in Carp on Thursday, Sept 17, 2015
2- Russel Lodge in Russel Ontario on Monday Sept 21, 2015
3- Prince of Wales Lodge on September 25, 2015 where I will see one of my Traveling Companions from the Masters group of 2012, VW Bro Joe McGeough, receive his Grand Steward regalia. 
  I am looking forward to seeing everyone.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Fraternal Visit to St John's Lodge

I accompanied the Deputy on his first visit to his Mother Lodge.  The evening began at 6:00 with the festive board.
The work of the evening was to receive the Deputy and myself, a travelling delegation from Sydney Albert Luke, take a ballot and finally, conduct a second degree for Bro MacGregor.
As the evening went on, the temperature in that lodge room must have rose 15 degrees but in spite of the heat (physical as well as all the Grand Lodge Officers present), the candidate did a fantastic job.
Taking part in the ceremony was Bro MacGregor's uncle, RW Bro Ray Dobbs who gave the secrets.
I was happy to be sitting in lodge with one of my travelling companions RW Bro Joseph  Burton, DDGM of Georgian North District.
RW Bro Todd gave an emotional speech at the end of the night after which the Lodge was closed.  All in all another great night.
                                                          Upcoming Events
Next week I plan on attending Grand Lodge Appreciation at Acacia on Sept. 15 and Carlton Lodge on Sept. 17.  Hope to see you there.

Fraternal Visit to Civil Service Lodge

I attended Civil Service Lodge on Tuesday Sept. 8 to witness VW Bro George Chiaban receive his Superintendant of Works regalia.  I accompanied MW Bro Mumby and the Deputy RW Bro Paul Todd.  We were joined by several current Grand Lodge Officers as well as many Past Grand Lodge Officers.  The evening was relaxed and went smoothly.  MW Bro Mumby gave a report on Grand Lodge this year.  Lodge was called off while VW Bro Chiabans family was brought in for the presentation.  RW Bro Todd presented the regalia and gave an explanation of the office.
Bro Robbie David (VW Bro Chiaban's sponsor) said a few words which were followed by myself, the Deputy and lastly by MW Bro Mumby.  After lodge we attended the feast from the east.
I hope to see as many people as possible on Wednesday Sept. 9 as St. John's 63 welcomes one of their very own; Deputy Grand Master, RW Bro Paul E. Todd.

Friday, September 4, 2015

Fraternal Visit to St Andrews

First Fraternal Visit to my Mother Lodge, St Andrew's 560
thursday Sept 4, 2015 I visited my Mother Lodge for the first time since being elected DDGM.
I was brought in under the wands and assumed the Gavel.  After the business of the Lodge had been completed, I presented MW Bro Mumby's report on the proceedings at Grand Lodge this year which the Brethren thoroughly enjoyed.
The work of the evening was ambitious, with my visit, a ballot, an investiture, a presentation made by Bro Hopkins and followed by a first degree.  The night went very smooth and there was no summer rust on the degree team.
RW Bro John Forster extended another St Andrew's tradition by presenting me with District deputy's Cuff that belonged to RW Bro Robert Rowesome (the last DDGM of the combined Districts).  For the last 45 or so years, these cuffs are presented to each District Deputy Grand Master who is from St Andrew's Lodge.  When RW Bro Forster became DD of District 2, he received them from RW Bro Doug Franklin with the instructions that when his year was up, he was to hold onto them until another member of St Andrew's reached that high office.  Well now I will wear them with pride for the duration of my office and will safe guard them until the time comes to pass them on to the next DD from my Mother Lodge




Bro Hopkins along with W Bro Lenny Storms and myself presented St Andrew's with two books written by his Brother in Law on the life of Robbie Burns

Fraternal Visit to Edinburgh

First Fraternal Visit to Edinburgh
I had a great time at Edinburgh on Wednesday night.  The night started off very well with VW Bro Russ Williams and I being piped into the Lodge room where we were presented and introduced respectively.
The program for the evening was light and well run, culminating with an educational piece by RW Bro Jim Cale on Happiness in Masonry.  I will endeavor to get a copy of that presentation and add it to this entry.
Just as the evening was about to end and as the Master was saying..."and now for the last word, RW Sir" there was a loud band and a blinding flash of light then darkness.  At first i thought great visual aid WM, but as the reality of the situation came to light (pardon the pun), we discovered that lightning had hit a transformer right outside the Lodge building knocking out the power all over the area.
We enjoyed a candle light dinner of Lasagna and made the best of the situation.  Edinburgh has a great tradition of inviting prospective applicants to their festive boards.  There were five out that  night all enthusiastic abut joining the Craft.


With the author's permission the following is the presentation RW Bro Cale gave on Masonic happiness.




MASONIC HAPPINESS
BRETHREN;
DO YOU REMEMBER THE OLD SONG “DON’T  WORRY, BE HAPPY”? WELL
IT’S THE START OF A NEW MASONIC YEAR SO LET’S BE HAPPY!
HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THE TERM HAPPINESS WHEN THINKING OF MASONRY? PERHAPS NOT. IT IS NOT A TERM WE USUALLY USE WHEN TALKING ABOUT MASONRY, YET I AM CERTAIN THAT YOU ARE ALL HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT OR YOU WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY BE SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO I THINK THAT HAPPINESS IN A MASONIC CONTEXT MIGHT BE A SUBJECT WORTH EXPLORING, ESPECIALLY AT THE OUTSET OF A NEW MASONIC YEAR.
WHAT IS HAPPINESS?  OUR INDIVIDUAL DEFINITIONS MAY VARY, BUT I SUSPECT THAT THERE WILL BE SOME THINGS IN COMMON. THE DEFINITION THAT I HAVE CHOSEN IS: “HAVING, SHOWING OR CAUSING A FEELING OF GREAT PLEASURE, CONTENTMENT OR JOY.”
I REVIEWED OUR RITUAL FOR REFERENCES TO HAPPINESS AND FOUND ONLY THREE PRINCIPAL ONES. IN THE CEREMONY OF INSTALLATION AND INVESTITURE, THE CHARGE TO THE W.M. TELLS HIM: “THE HAPPINESS OF THE BRETHREN WILL BE GENERALLY PROMOTED IN PROPORTION TO THE ZEAL AND ASSIDUITY WITH WHICH YOU PROMULGATE THE GENUINE TENETS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE FRATERNITY.” IN THE GENERAL CHARGE WE ARE TOLD: “I TRUST THAT YOU WILL HAVE BUT ONE AIM, TO PLEASE EACH OTHER AND UNITE IN THE GRAND DESIGN OF BEING HAPPY AND COMMUNICATING HAPPINESS.” FINALLY, IN THE CLOSING OF THE LODGE THE J.W. SAYS THOSE MEMORABLE WORDS: “HAPPY TO MEET, SORRY TO PART, HAPPY TO MEET AGAIN.” SO THIS TELLS ME THAT THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING ABOUT FREEMASONRY WHICH IS MEANT TO MAKE US HAPPY.
I ASKED MYSELF WHAT IT IS ABOUT MASONRY THAT MAKES ME HAPPY. ON THINKING ABOUT THIS QUESTION, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS NOT A SINGLE ANSWER. CERTAINLY ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO MY HAPPINESS HAS BEEN THE FRIENDSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP THAT I HAVE FOUND, NOT ONLY IN MY OWN LODGES, BUT WHEREVER I HAVE TRAVELLED IN MASONRY. FURTHERMORE THIS BOND OF FRIENDSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP IS MUCH STRONGER THAN I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION AND THESE BONDS ARE LASTING AND CONTINUE TO GROW. THROUGH THESE AFFILIATIONS I HAVE LEARNED VALUABLE LESSONS FROM MANY BRETHREN THAT HAVE HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON MY OUTLOOK AND ON MY ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF THE FRATERNITY. FREEMASONRY HAS, AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT, LIVED UP TO ITS PROMISE TO MAKE ME A BETTER MAN, AND THIS I BELIEVE MAKES ME A HAPPIER MAN.
YET THERE HAS TO BE MORE TO MASONIC HAPPINESS  – SOMETHING DEEPER. LIKE MANY OF THE LONGER SERVING BRETHREN, I HAVE SAT THROUGH COUNTLESS DEGREE AND INSTALLATION CEREMONIES AND I ASK MYSELF WHAT IT IS ABOUT THESE CEREMONIES THAT DRAWS US BACK TIME AND TIME AGAIN? I AM CONVINCED THAT IT IS THE MESSAGE THAT FREEMASONRY CONVEYS THROUGH THOSE RITUALS. THE WORDS AND THEIR MEANINGS SINK INTO OUR SUB-CONSCIOUS. THE CONCEPTS OF BROTHERLY LOVE, RELIEF, TRUTH, CHARITY, TRUST, FIDELITY, FAITH IN GOD, LEARNING AND LIGHT ARE CONSTANTLY BEFORE US. THESE CONCEPTS CANNOT HAVE ANYTHING BUT A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR FEELINGS AND ARE MEANT TO GUIDE OUR ACTIONS IN LIFE.

IF WE LOOK AT THE CHARGE TO THE W.M. AND BRING IT TO A PERSONAL LEVEL I BEIEVE THAT WE WILL FIND ONE OF THE MAIN CLUES TO OUR OWN HAPPINESS. IN THIS CHARGE, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HAPPINESS OF THE LODGE AS A WHOLE IS PLACED ON THE W.M. BUT IF WE LOOK AT IT FROM A MORE PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, AS INDIVIDUALS AND MASTERS OF OUR OWN INTERNAL LODGE, OUR HAPPINESS WILL BE PROMOTED IN PROPORTION TO THE ZEAL AND ASSIDUITY WITH WHICH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US PROMULGATE THE GENUINE TENETS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE FRATERNITY IN OUR LIVES AND ACTIONS TOWARD ONE ANOTHER. WE MUST ALL DO THIS, AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE PROMULGATE, PRACTICE AND LIVE BY THOSE TENETS AND PRINCIPLES WILL DETERMINE THE DEGREE OF HAPPINESS WHICH WE DERIVE FROM THEM AND FROM MASONRY. BRETHREN, THIS IS HOW WE PLEASE EACH OTHER AND UNITE IN THE GRAND DESIGN OF BEING HAPPY AND COMMUNICATING HAPPINESS.
FRIENDSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP ARE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO BEING A HAPPY MAN, BUT I THINK THAT IT IS IN ATTEMPTING TO LIVE OUR LIVES,  BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE LODGE, BY THE TENETS AND PRINCIPLES TAUGHT IN OUR RITUAL THAT INEVITABLY LEADS TO THE STRONG BONDS WHICH UNITE US, THAT MAKES US BETTER MEN, AND WHICH TRULY CONSTITUTES MASONIC HAPPINESS.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EACH OF YOU TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE BY THE PRINCIPLES AND TENETS OF FREEMASONRY AND WHAT IN THEM TRULY MAKES YOU HAPPY TO MEET, SORRY TO PART AND HAPPY TO MEET AGAIN.

THANK YOU



Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Fraternal Visit to Temple

 First Fraternal Visit to Temple Lodge Sept 1, 2015 and the presentation of Grand Tyler regalia to VW Bro Russel Williams.

I now have my first visit in my own District as DDGM under my belt and it was a great night.
I was received under the wands accompanied by RW's Richard Loomes, Barry Burchill, Mike Jenkins, John Forster, Bob Ludingham and VW's George Chaiban, Grand Jameson and of course Rusty Williams.
The night was equal parts entertainment, education and inspiration, three attributes that I hope to promote throughout the District this year.  RW Bro Ivor Bayley presented an educational piece on the Masonic Memorial Service, which was well timed as we have that duty to perform on Sunday for VW Bro Cliff Churchill.  There was a casual festive board at the end of the evening where all the toasts were observed.  VW Bro Williams returned the toast to Grand Lodge and I toasted him by reading aloud a letter from our Deputy Grand Master, RW Bro Paul E Todd. 





I will be attending Edinburgh Lodge Wednesday September 2, 2015 and I will be at my Mother Lodge St. Andrew's 560 on Thursday September 3, 2015.
Sunday September 6, 2015 I will be taking part in the Masonic Memorial Service for VW Bro Cliff Churchill (see details)

 It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of V.W.Bro. Clifford
Churchill. There will be a Masonic Service at Hulse Playfair and McGary at
the intersection of Woodroffe Ave and Byron Ave.. Sunday September 6, 2015
with assembly at 1330 hrs and the service at 1400 hrs.
There will be
visitation on Saturday. Details will follow as soon as confirmed.


I would encourage all Brethren to join the Deputy and I at Civil Service Lodge on
Tuesday Sept 8, 2015 when VW George Chaiban is presented his Grand Superintendent of the Work regalia and,
Wednesday September 9, 2015 when I will attend the Deputy's First Visit to  his Mother Lodge,  St John's Lodge in Carlton Place.  Festive Board is at 6:00 pm