Michigan Masons Cornerstone

CORNERSTONE

Michigan Masons

WINTER 2022 ISSUE 10

You CAN OFFER Hope

with the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation

Way to Go, Lodges!

Brothers Making a Difference through the LCA Program

Home FOR THE Holidays

Our Favorite Holiday Traditions at the Michigan Masonic Home

H O L I D AY E D I T I O N

TABLE of CONTENTS

03 07

04 08

Holiday Greetings & Lodge Recognition

Way to Go, Lodges!

LCA Program Success

Because of You: Stories from Outreach & Member Care

Home for the Holidays with the Michigan Masonic Home

06 10

Offer Hope with the MMCF

Grateful for You: Holiday Edition Highlight

Visit your

Grand Lodge Store!

Looking for the perfect gift for a Brother or a treat for yourself this holiday season?

Your Grand Lodge Store is open, and products are available to help you represent your favorite Fraternity!

michiganmasonicstore.com

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Michigan Masons - Cornerstone Magazine - Winter 2022

Congratulations to the following lodges who raised Master Masons in April through August!

Alcona #292 Ann Arbor-Fraternity #262 Au Sable #243 Belding-Ionia #355 Bellaire #398 Berkley #536 Bridgeport #258 Brookfield #439 Cadillac Clam Lake #331 Cedar #60 Cement City #435 Charlevoix #282 Charlotte #120 Clinton #175 Coloma #162 Corinthian #241 East Bay #264 Evart #320 Farmington #151 Ferndale #506 Fowlerville #164 Genesee #174 Golden Ark #595 Hamilton #113 Hiram-Findlater #110 Holly #134 Houghton Lake/ Roscommon #579 Howell #38 Jackson #17 James E. Dillon #466 John J. Carton #436 Joppa #315 Kalamazoo-Anchor #22 Karnak #442 Lansing #33 Lincoln Park - Ionic #539 Linden #132

Livonia United #152 Lola Valley #583 Lou B. Winsor #363 Marysville #498 Mason #70 Millington #470 Monroe #27 Mount Clemens #6 Mt. Morris #535 Mystic #141 Napoleon #301 Northwood-Ancient Craft #551 Olive #156 Olive Branch #542 Ortonville #339 Owosso #81 Phoenix #13 Pontiac #21 Port Huron #58 Romeo #41 Roosevelt #510 Roseville #522 S. Ward #62 Saginaw #77 Saline #133 Smith's Creek #491 Sojourners #483 Solomon's Key #580 South Lyon #319 St. Charles #313 Star of the Lake #158 Tawas #274 Trenton-Wyandotte #8 Tyre #18 Vassar #163 Vienna #205 Volinia-Marcellus #227 Wayne #112 Welfare #517

November is a unique and cherished time of year; a time filled with reflection, gratitude, and the beginning of a season filled with timehonored holiday traditions. It is a special time when we put aside our differences, embrace our diversity, and unite in giving thanks for the blessings of freedom, family, fraternity, and faith.

Given the crazy and sometimes tumultuous times we have had, it is more important than ever to remember all for which we are thankful and at the top of my list is all of YOU! I offer my sincere gratitude for your continued engagement and generosity, your attendance in lodge, your leadership amongst Brothers, your attention to our widows and Masonic family in need, and of course your outreach within your communities.

By sharing the gifts of service, friendship, kindness, and compassion, we can spread the blessings of Thanksgiving every day of the year and, together, help build a better and brighter future for all. After all, what unifies us as Masons is not what we were, but what we aspire to be.

Sending you my warm wishes from home to home and from heart to heart.

Robert P. Conley

Michigan Masons, SCEO

Michigan Masons - www.michiganmasons.org - Winter 2022

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I

n fiscal year 2019-2020, only 140 lodges were able to participate in the matching grants programs; but just one year from the inception of the Lodge Charity Account ( LCA) program in 2021, 257 lodges are actively reaching out and embracing their communities and Masonic family members. This program has allowed all lodges, regardless of financial status, to be a part of something bigger than themselves; an opportunity to give back, to incite change, and to make the world a better place. Whether it’s helping a Brother in need or creatively harnessing the power of LCA to touch their community, our lodges have stepped up in remarkable ways and the impact is being felt throughout the state. Here are just a few of the unique ways lodges found to utilize their funds this year! Keep up the great work, Brothers! You are doing amazing things in your communities.

For $403, Ortonville Lodge #339 sponsored a little league team. They received a large logo banner at the field, 25 team shirts, and 25 logoed shirts for the kids to wear off the field.

James E. Dillon Lodge #466 in Mesick awarded six scholarships to area students to cover Driver’s Training Segments 1 and 2, plus the road test.

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Michigan Masons - Cornerstone Magazine - Winter 2022

7

48

Preservation

LCAs used for ts for Historical Asse Lodge Renovation $8,231.20

196

479

LCAs used for

Relief

LCAs used for · Brothers · Widows Need In rs be Community Mem 08 4. $41,85

Education

Leadership Training · Books · Masonic Education Classes · Scholarships $172,818.01

LCAs used for

Community C

Food Pantrie

harities

s · Bikes for B ooks · Sponso rships $291,740.81

In 2021 45th Parallel Lodge #581 sponsored all 11 of the incoming welding students of Kirtland Community College in Grayling to provide their needed welding supplies and safety gear.

St. Joseph Valley Lodge #4 in Niles promotes a long active lifestyle by donating $150 to purchase DialA-Ride tickets for seniors who can’t afford the fee.

The Disability Network hosts an annual fundraising event where anyone who raises $500 or more qualifies to rappel from a building during Back to the Bricks in Flint. Fellowship Lodge #236 accepted this challenge through Brother Tony Tucker.

Michigan Masons - www.michiganmasons.org - Winter 2022

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Please see enclosed envelope.

W

e have all said at some point, “If we can just help one person, it will have been worth the effort.” During the last year, a year full of seemingly endless obstacles... YOU did it! Your collective efforts have helped to aid and heal not just one person, but hundreds, while providing hope to those still in need. Your collaboration through the Lodge Charity Account program inspired lodges throughout the state into action; increasing outreach, partnerships, and community involvement.

Your generosity expanded support to our Brethren, widows, and orphans through Outreach and Member Care, and it continued to maintain compassionate, person-centered care to your Masonic family at the Michigan Masonic Home.

We cannot thank you enough for your commitment; but we all know, there is much more to be done.

It’s moments like this, when we all come together, that prove our power to incite change. With every dollar you give, you are offering hope, healing, and quality of life. Please consider making a donation in the enclosed envelope or at michiganmasons.org/foundation.

It is said, “People can live days without water, a week without food, but they cannot live one moment without hope,” and that is exactly what your generosity does…it offers hope!

With an abundance of gratitude,

Leonard K. Davis, MWGM

Kelly Thompson, MMCF Director

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Michigan Masons - Cornerstone Magazine - Winter 2022

B

Because of You

ecause of you, the Outreach and Member Care department has been able to provide exceptional care for our Masonic family. Supporting the mission to enhance lives, the Outreach and Member Care department serves as your Masonic resource center supporting our entire membership. The program is designed to help our lodges assist our Brothers in need, as well as their wives, widows, mothers, and orphans.

During the past year we have been able to make a difference for almost 1,500 members of our Masonic family. A majority of the requests for help are related to individuals experiencing hardships with meeting their basic needs, such as housing, food, utility assistance, and transportation. Senior needs are also prevalent in regards to helping find resources that promote their independence, both in their home and community, for as long as possible. Lastly, the department works closely with the Michigan Masonic Home to assist those planning for their long term care future.

“I know who to call if I need help again! Thank you so much!”- Masonic Widow

Every month our department completes outreach calls to our new widows. We contacted a widow and discovered she was living alone and did not have family near her to assist with a variety of things, such as driving to appointments, grocery shopping, walking her trash to the curb, etc. She also was feeling out of touch with some of her Masonic friends, since her husband has passed. Member Care staff were able to help reconnect her with her husband’s lodge, who now visits regularly and offers her assistance around her home.

We were also able to identify some community programs that she was eligible to receive services for and now has someone helping her get to the store and drive her to appointments.

"We have called many places, and you have been the first to listen to me. I appreciate the help and even the follow up to make sure all my needs were met! Thank you!" – Michigan Mason This summer, staff received a referral from one of our lodges regarding a Brother who lost his wife and was struggling to manage his household and teen children.

Between grief and continuing to work, he was having difficulty with becoming a one-income household, managing the grief of his children, and the day-today household affairs. Staff were able to provide the lodge with some suggestions on how to help, as well as identify some mental health and grief resources during this difficult period of time. Connecting him to our new Masonic partner, GreenPath Financial Wellness, staff were able to help him develop a plan to meet his household expenses and work towards financial sustainability. He expressed that he has attempted to contact some agencies, but just didn’t know what to ask for or how to access services. With the guidance of Member Care staff, appropriate resources were identified, shared, and implemented to help him navigate the different resources.

As you can see, we're your trusted resource for connecting you to programs and services. No matter your age, where you choose to make your home, or whether calling for yourself or a loved one, we are here to help you access information and help our members.

Our knowledgeable team of information and referral specialists are just a phone call away. You might not need us today, but when you do, contact us!

Michigan Masons - www.michiganmasons.org - Winter 2022

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Dave and Betty Bradley have been

married for sixty-five years, which they mutually agree is not nearly long enough! They have lived in the Masonic Village Estates for over twentytwo years, and their generosity and passion for the Michigan Masonic Home and their community has made them friends to everyone.

When asked about their favorite holiday traditions, their special suet pudding came to mind! When their kids grew older and discovered what suet was, they quickly had to change the name to date pudding; but nonetheless, it's still enjoyed by all this time of year.

According to the

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Bradleys, the sauce is what makes it special.

Dave and Betty are grateful for their good health and the health of their family. They are also grateful for their Masonic affiliation; they can't imagine living anywhere else but the Michigan Masonic Home. Though they do enjoy their winters in Florida, and have proven you don't need snow to enjoy the holiday, they love seeing the Christmas trees going up around the Home. Their favorite is the "Snowman Tree," one of the many specially decorated trees inside the Home that features boots and a snowman head in place of the traditional star.

To the Bradleys, the holidays mean family.

Gathering with their loved ones is what it's all about; but they also find time to enjoy the simple traditions that make this season so magical, like hanging decorations. Whether it's playing Mr. and Mrs. Claus for residents and school children, or lending a helping hand in lodge whenever it's needed, Dave and Betty embody the spirit of the holidays every day.

Michigan Masons - Cornerstone Magazine - Winter 2022

F

rom the sparkling drive up the boulevard, through the Grand Living Room with its twin angelic trees and fireplaces beautifully adorned with garland, to the festively decorated OES Dining Room and its numerous uniquely ornamented trees, there truly is no place like the Michigan Masonic Home during the holidays.

Along with the decorations, the residents seem to brighten with anticipation as the most wonderful time of the year draws near. As the year comes to a close and colder weather creeps in, some of our Masonic Village Estate residents winter in Florida, while others celebrate in their own individual way. Regardless of where our Masons spend their winters, the traditions of the holidays provide a special opportunity to reflect on the spirit of the season and the values the Craft embodies.

This season we want to share some of those treasured memories, starting with four of our current MVE residents.

Jim and Jayne Peters have a holiday

Jim and Jayne are grateful to still be together at ninety-one and eighty-seven, as well as mobile and story better than any romantic Christmas movie! active. They are thankful to stay at the Michigan Their favorite holiday memory proves that there's Masonic Home with good friends, the opportunity magic to be found in even the most unlikely places. to attend church, and participate in weekly activities.

Jim and Jayne had briefly met when she was fourteen The Peters are a wonderful example of how the holiday season brings people together when we need and he was seventeen, when they were both in high it most. school in Indiana. Jim only stayed at that school for one semester, and they lost contact for almost fifty years. Jim had been married for forty-eight years when his wife passed, and Jayne's husband passed away in 1998. Just before the holidays in 2002, Jayne received an email from Jim on his brand-new computer saying that he was going to St. Louis for Christmas, and he wondered if he could stop by her house in Indiana on the way to get reacquainted.

He did stop by, and again on the way back home... and as the best stories go, there is a happy ending.

They will be married for twenty years in April!

Holiday traditions for Jayne meant quality time with her boys. They always had toys and lots of wrapped packages.

Most of them were small gifts, but the boxes were disguised. They would wrap bricks or rolls of pennies inside larger boxes to keep the children guessing!

Michigan Masons - www.michiganmasons.org - Winter 2022

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The Army used to have a motto: “Be all that you can be.” Thomas Black became a Mason to “be all he could be” as a man. He states, “This may sound corny, but I believed that then, and I believe that to this day.”

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Michigan Masons - Cornerstone Magazine - Winter 2022

T

homas Black of Lisbon-Crescent Lodge #229 is a retired Navy SEAL and private military contractor. He was deployed twenty-three times to Afghanistan, Iraq, and different locations in the Middle East. His deployments lasted from two months to two years, with most in the three-to-six month range. He considers Masonry his life now.

When asked what Brotherly love, relief, and truth means to him he explains, “For me, the term ‘Brotherly love’ is showing pure love for a Brother Master Mason. Brotherly love is a phrase bound by conditions and a finite use of the word love. Love should be unbounded, infinite, and unconditional.

We are all woven together by the all-seeing eye of God; and since God is love, we should be also.

Relief is taking the load off of your Brother’s shoulders. This is not always regarding financial assistance. The best relief is just sitting next to your Brother and listening: being happy for him when he is happy, celebrating with him when good things happen, or mourning with him when bad things happen. Taking the burden off your Brother’s shoulders, even if only for a moment, will allow him the respite needed to keep moving forward."

Tom thinks it’s very important for Masons and lodges to impact their community. He says, “It’s called the concentric circle theory. If anyone wishes to make an impact in the lives of others (especially Masons), they must first look inward to themselves.

Once that is accomplished, Masons can look to their family and friends, and then community, then city, then county, then state, then country, and then the world. Like a champagne tower that starts filling from the top, the other glasses cannot receive any champagne until the first glass is filled. We as Masons need to start within our own communities to make life better for others through our good works, and also to lead by example. Giving to others and doing for others is an obligation we all took as Masons. To me, this is why the Lodge Charity Account is vitally important, it puts the money into the community through the local Masonic lodges.”

Tom also recommends, “All Masons who wish to further light in Masonry, join as many Masonic organizations as possible. The more degrees in more organizations will bring a better understanding of Masons and Masonry. The York Rite starts where symbolic lodge leaves off in the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. The Council of Royal and Select Masons amplifies the lessons taught from a different perspective. The Orders of Commandery share valuable knowledge through The Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, The Order of Malta, and The Order of the Temple. Scottish Rite also teaches valuable lessons in their degrees; from the 4th through and including the 32nd degree, each teach different lessons.”

When not involved in some kind of Masonic function he also builds things for others (decks, sheds, wheelchair ramps, bird feeders, etc.) and when they want to pay him, he tells them instead to make a donation to the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation for whatever they think his work is worth.

Tom spends any leftover time with his best friend and companion, Loki (pictured). They have been together since November 17th, 2020, when Tom got him from the shelter. Loki loves going to the park and playing with all his friends for hours. He enjoys snacks after walks, snacks after Tom comes home from his Masonic obligations, and snacks for no reason at all. Loki is a rock star around the neighborhood when it’s time for walks. Everyone knows Loki and comes to say hi to him when they are out. One of his best qualities is when Tom is sitting down and Loki will run in from outside, jump on the couch next to Tom, and smile like he just heard the best joke ever and wants to share it.

He also listens very well when Tom works on ritual.

Needless to say, Tom doesn’t have any trouble filling his days. We are grateful for Tom Black and the countless number of our Masonic family who work tirelessly for our Craft.

Michigan Masons - www.michiganmasons.org - Winter 2022

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