February 2018

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Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Trestleboard, February 2018 Mountain City Lodge No. 67 - Lexington, Virginia From the East Brethren….   Thanks to all of you who attended our February Stated Communication for the visit of our District Deputy Grand Master, our own RW Scott Cassell.  Many thanks also, to RW Scott for his indulgence with the agenda, and his patience with the ritual.  Finally special thanks to those who came in for additional practices to try and get the ritual right for the occasion!!  Of course, we only get to do this once a year, so it is hard to get this built in to regular ritual practice.   Some points for your consideration: As you are aware, I requested that we change Practice and Degree nights because my travel schedule, particular later on in the year, means that Mary Jo and I travel on Thursdays.  I thought it important that I be at as many practices and Degrees as possible.  However, it seems that this change presents an unacceptable burden on those Brethren who assist and instruct at our practices and Degrees as well as our neighboring Lodges, so it appears that we will revert to the “traditional nights” for our Work.  I will be having discussions with our seated Officers and others in our Lodge and from neighboring Lodges to see if there any viable alternatives and will keep everyone updated. We are working to produce a Lodge Directory for all who would like one.  Initially it will contain basic contact information, but we hope to be able to expand it to include services available from the Brethren.  Stay Tuned!!!!! The Shenandoah Shrine Club has been established and will be meeting monthly at our Lodge.  Blue Lodge members who wish to find out more about the Shrine are welcome to attend.  Please contact RW Gary Butler for more information.  I want to be clear that I m not placing the Shrine above any other appendant body, but certainly consider the Shrine worth everyone’s consideration. I hope you will all forgive the glitches in communications from me through our various officers to you.  I am trying to reduce some of the burden on our esteemed Bro, Secretary, and we are having some communications “glitches’ while we sort things out.  The responsibility is mine; Bro. Warren and I will be meeting to iron out the issues and get things moving more smoothly. As always, please consider making yourself available to learn parts in our various degree rituals and so making our degree work more memorable for ourselves and, more importantly, our Candidates.  I am always available for discussions or questions on any aspect of Lodge business, and if I don’t know I’ll certainly call on our Brethren who might!!!   Fraternally,   WM John Morman 160th Anniversary Proclamation At the January Stated Communication, Lexington Mayor Frank W. Friedman read this proclamation in honor of our 160th anniversary and our many contributions to the community.  Mile of Pennies Fundraiser Do you know how many pennies make a mile? A total of 84,480 pennies side-by-side make a length of one mile, and that translate into $844.80 for the Masonic Home of Virginia's Outreach Program. So can we have your used pennies? The Past Master Once in the East he sat, The jewel about his neck; And with a hat he covered his head When other heads were bare. The Brethren came and went In answer to his back; And stood and offered up the signs To him who wore the Square. Once like the coursing sun He rose up in the East. And all the brethren rose as one As work begun or ceased. Once he guarded treasure; The secrets of the Craft - The Charter, ritual, ancient work By wish the Craft increased. But when the year had closed Three steps he did take down; Down to the floor to take his place Among the Brethren there. So like his brethren, he; Yet somehow different, too; For he had sat up in the East And he had worn the Square. He is a man apart, A Mason marked for Time. To him who has with honor served. To him must honor be. -From the Texas Freemason & Maryland Master Mason Handbook Royal Arch and Knights Templar (Meet on 3rd Monday; 6:15pm Dinner, 7pm Meetings)   On January 20, our own Rockbridge Royal Arch Chapter No. 44 hosted a degree festival, our first since 2011. Together, we exalted fourteen new companions from Virginia to the most sublime degree of Royal Arch Mason. Twenty-one Royal Arch Masons from around the state came to comprise a super degree team, which conferred the six Royal Arch Degrees. Six new men joined our Chapter, including: Jimmy Southers, Steve McNeil, Eric Osborne, Brent Buswell, Jeff Jackson, and Matt Jackson. Congrats to our new Companions! Remember how Disaster Relief Helps When a natural disaster occurs, the Grand Jurisdiction(s) affected may request the MSA to make an appeal for assistance from all USA and Canadian Lodges.  MSA's first disaster relief was in 1923 to help the victims help the victims of an earthquake in Japan. Since that time many appeals have been made on behalf of individual Grand Lodges.  We also funded Masonic Service Centers from 1941 - 1946.  These centers were places where servicemen and women could go and have " a little touch of home."  From these Service Centers evolved the Hospital Visitation Program which is still our major charitable endeavor and supported by our donations to the Green Envelope Appeal. When a disaster relief appeal is made all of the monies received are sent , in their entirety,  to the Grand Jurisdiction involved.  No portion of donated funds is retained by the MSA for any reason whatsoever.  All donated funds are given to help the recovery within the Grand Jurisdiction for whom the appeal was made. Our Lodge gave $ 500 to the Texas Jurisdiction and we received a Thank You Letter which the Secretary read to the brethren at the February, 2018 Stated Communication last night. Warren Schmid, Secretary Officers Master - Wor. John William Morman S.W. - Br. Brent W. Fellows J.W. - Wor. John J. Mulligan Secretary - R.W. Warren Schmid Treasurer - R.W. Lyle Scott Cassell S.D. - Br. Steve McNeil J.D. - Br. Eric Osborne S.S. - Alex Greene J.S. - TBA Chaplain - Br. Jimmy Southers Tiler - Br. Howard Smith Marshal - R.W. Jackson Glisson Trustees Chair - R.W. Baldwin Gerard Locher Jr. Trustee - R.W. John Dester Trustee - Wor. Jesse S. Lyons Trustee - Wor. John J. Mulligan Trustee - R.W. Torben Pedersen Trustee - R.W. Frederick Vaughan Sr. Advisor - R.W. Warren Schmid   Calendar of Events Visit our website for dates of all entities.   Tues. Feb. 20: Buena Vista Degree - 6:00PM @ Buena Vista Lodge Mountain City Degree Practice - 7:00PM @ Mountain City Lodge Wed. Feb. 21: Mountain City Degree - 6:00PM @ Mountain City Lodge Mon. Feb. 26: Shrine Club Meeting - 7:30PM @ Mountain City Lodge Fellowship Hall Tues. Feb 27: Buena Vista Degree Practice - 6:00PM @ Buena Vista Lodge Wed. Feb. 28: Mountain City Degree - 6:00PM @ Mountain City Lodge Mon. Mar. 5: Mountain City Stated - 6:30PM Dinner, 7:30PM Stated @ Mountain City Lodge  Tues. Mar. 6: Buena Vista Degree Practice - 6:00PM @ Buena Vista Lodge Thurs. Mar. 8: Glasgow Stated - 6:30PM @ Glasgow Lodge Tues. Mar. 13: Buena Vista Stated Communication - 6:30pm @ Buena Vista Lodge Sat. Mar. 17: GM Visit to District 20 & 23 - Historic Masonic Theatre in Clifton Forge - $25 Dinner & Untiled Meeting Submissions   If you have submissions for the Trestleboard, please email them to Br. Brent Buswell at [email protected]. Copyright © 2018, Mountain City Lodge, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 103 W Nelson St, Lexington, VA 24450 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

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