Tuesday, October 8, 2013



Autumn?  Yes!


After a warm start, we’ve finally settled into the fall weather patterns we all enjoy:  high winds, heavy rains, freezing nights, and the occasional blaze of sunshine.  OK, possibly those aren’t the best parts of fall, but they are pretty common.  Also common are the start of the NHL and NBA seasons, baseball playoffs, and football in mid-season form.  And don’t forget soccer!

In addition to all these activities, we have interesting things happening in Lodge.  In September we hosted the 15th District Annual Awards program at The Plaza Inn in Mt. Victory.  We came away that evening with an award for Excellence in the FC Degree.  It looks quite nice beside our award for 2012, Excellence in the EA Degree.    We also hosted a pizza dinner for our members, initiated our most recent candidate, and announced a host of future activities. 

But wait!  There’s more!  The calendar below lists the important dates.


October 16, 2013.               Dinner at 6:30pm, prepared by our WM, featuring chicken as the main course.  Meeting at 7:30pm.

October 18-19, 2013           The annual communication of The Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Ohio will be held at the John S. Knight Center in Akron, Ohio on Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19.  Be sure to take your dues card and an apron.

November 6, 2013              Dinner at 6:30pm, menu to be determined.  Meeting at 7:30pm for election of officers for 2013-14.

November 9, 2013.             15th District Education Meeting.  Held at Palestine #158 at 9am.  Primary focus of the meeting will be the MM degree.  The type-written ritual will be available.

November 20, 2013            Conferring the FC degree.

December 7, 2013.             15th District Past Master’s Convocation.  Held at East Liberty #247 at 9am.

January 11, 2014                15th District Work Day, held at Indian Lake #722, starting at 9am. 

January 18, 2014                LaRue Lodge #463, Inspection in the MM degree.  Currently scheduled for an opening at 5:30pm, dinner at 6:30pm, and the Second Section at 7:30pm. 
* Please see below.

April 5, 2014                         Grand Master’s One Day Class, held at Marion #70, starting at 8am.

April 10, 2014                       EA Inspection at East Liberty #247.  The Grand Master will be attending, so get your dinner reservations in early.

April 25, 2014                       15th District, Grand Master’s Reception, held at Bellefontaine #209. 


There is additional information on the Inspection process that will be important to us this year.  A copy of the 2014-15 MM Inspection Standards provided at our District’s Annual Meeting identifies that the full MM degree experience requires 27 members plus the candidate.  As an acceptable substitute for a MM Inspection, 18 parts have been identified as the minimum required to confer the degree.  Dues-paying members of our Lodge are required to fill each of the 18 speaking or moving parts identified, plus the candidate.  Honorary members are not eligible to assist. 

This is where you come in.  We need all the help we can muster for Inspection on January 18th.  If you are willing and able to do a speaking part, we need you! 
Just let us know that you are comfortable with and we’ll work from there.

Finally, in 2013 the Governor signed the State budget, which included language exempting certain not-for-profit organizations from paying property tax.  Masonic Lodges fit into this category, and Grand Lodge has been working to determine the process needed to apply for this consideration.  We now have the guidelines for filing, and the list of documents necessary for consideration.  We will submit our documentation for initial review by Grand Lodge next month, then to the Marion County Auditor for approval.  From the information provided, if approved this will not impact our property taxes until 2014.  More will be posted on this topic as it comes available.

That’s all for now. 


See you in Lodge!


.

No comments:

Post a Comment