Volume XL No. 5, January 2023
The Grand Master’s Message: Masonic Visitation
W
ith the holiday season behind us, the beginning of a new year is an excellent time to plan for future events. The Worshipful Masters are creating schedules of upcoming Lodge events to add to your calendar, but you have an opportunity to plan additional events which appeal to you. As you make your plans, consider including Masonic visitation. Landmark #14 in the Oregon Masonic Constitution provides “the right of every Mason to visit and sit in every regular Lodge.” Masonic visitation was obviously important to the founders of Oregon Freemasonry. The first and most obvious reason for the visitation right is to ensure the Freemasons of Oregon are allowed to freely meet on the level. This is to make certain that Lodges do not become insulated from one another, which could lead to the M.W.B. Mark L. Posler development of cliques and disharmony. Grand Master Masonic visitation has many additional benefits. One such is the value of the exchange of Masonic ideas. Visitation exposes the Brother to different Lodge customs and strategies to accomplish the goals of Freemasonry. It also promotes Masonic education and discussion of Masonic topics. The visiting Brother may suggest improvements to how things are done at his home Lodge as a result. Another is the development of personal contacts with other Brothers, which can be of great value. Cooperation with Brothers from other Lodges can help accomplish degree work, enable shared special events, fill chairs during Stated Communications, and facilitate outreach to our communities. Most of all, visiting other Lodges and jurisdictions is fun! Brothers who only attend their own Lodge are missing out. A trip to visit other Masons is a special event, whether it be here in Oregon or to another jurisdiction. It provides a chance to do something new and different, with the assurance you will be interacting with Brothers who are trustworthy and interested in meeting you. I look forward to my upcoming Official Visits and hope to see you during my travels. I also hope you plan to visit some other Lodges this year. I am sure if you go visiting, you will not be disappointed. Fraternally, M.W.B. Mark L. Posler, Grand Master, The Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Oregon
Lodge Anniversaries
A
s we begin a new year, Lodges are looking forward to many things: a new Master full of energy and ideas, a continuation of traditional activities, and a chance to celebrate the brotherhood we have. One thing often overlooked is the Lodge’s anniversary. Be it the third, 27th, or 88th — all are important. They give us a date to celebrate the continuity and the enduring fraternal W.B. Eric Headley bond that we all have. Grand Marshal They place a mark on the calendar so we may remember the successes and achievements our Lodge has accomplished. They make us aware that time has passed and with that comes inevitable change. Anniversaries should be celebrated to remind us that we have continued to bear the burdens, continued to hew on the mountains and in the quarries, and continued to oversee the work that makes a Lodge thrive. Each year, every Lodge has an anniversary. It should be an opportunity to recognize the successes, reflect on the past, and look at the progress we have made. It should be a way to remember
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IN THIS ISSUE 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 6 7
Grand Master’s Message Lodge Anniversaries Secretary Seminar Grave Matters Oregon’s 22nd Grand Secretary Masonic Community & Youth Groups Grand Master’s Itinerary Classroom of the Month News from Our Lodges