Hi Brethren, family and friends.
It is almost unbelievable that another year has almost passed. I was out running yesterday when my running partner commented,
“are you aware that only a few years ago we thought of the year 2020 as mere science fiction”? Well it is almost upon us.
I hope everyone is in good health and even better spirits. Please remember that all year round especially at this time of the year, a phone call or a cup of coffee can make someone feel pretty good. After all, Friendship, Fraternity and Fellowship are one of the cornerstones of Freemasonry.
I would like to thank all the brethren for their support over the past 2 years. I think we are growing as a Lodge and need to keep the trend going. Most importantly, I would like to thank the ladies who continue to brighten our lodge. Many lodges I feel, would like to have such support but it takes generations to develop. Again it is important for the new Brethren to bring their wives along to show them what we are all about. While we are in the Temple, the ladies prepare a great feast, enjoy a wine or two, a coffee and watch a video every month and as usual Mrs Pat Brown has the Lodge looking fantastic for this year’s Christmas function.
This year the entertainment will consist of that remarkable trio, Rt Wor Bro Kevin Chambers on the piano, VWor Bro Malcolm Murray on the saxophone and our very own VWor Bro Laurie Appleby on the drums. Although my wife and I cannot make it to the function this year as we are having Xmas with our grandchildren in Darwin, I would like to think that once again that harmonising voice Bro Ross Brown will lead the Roland Masonic Choir in a rendition of Silent Night for the ladies and visitors.
Our October meeting saw the installation of a new group of officers in the Roland Lodge. They are:
Worshipful Master: Wor Bro Gerry McGlone
Immediate Past Master: Wor Bro Scott Whiley
Senior Warden: VWor Bro Geoff Fox
Junior Warden: Wor Bro Max Boyles
Chaplin: VWor Bro Alan Braid ODS
Treasurer: VWor Bro Laurie Appleby
Secretary: Bro Andrew Bruce
Director of Ceremonies: VWor Bro Leigh Clark
Senior Deacon: Bro Craig Foster
Junior Deacon: Wor Bro Wayne Cooper
Almoner: VWor Bro Alan Braid ODS, Wor Bro Scott Whiley
Wor Bro Scott Whiley
Organist: NA
Inner Guard: Bro Ross Brown
Tyler: Wor Bro Carl Cox
We wish the new Master all the best for the coming year. He would like to pass on his best wishes to all Brethren and their families for the Christmas period and the coming New Year.
Our October/November meeting saw the greeting into the Lodge of Bro Simon Habens from Queensland who now lives at Mole Creek with his wife, Toni. Simon will be a great asset to Roland Lodge even though he finished his career as a Naval Warrant Officer. On the other hand his wife Toni had a great and very worthwhile career with the Royal Australian Air Force. That period also saw the welcoming into the Lodge VWor Bro Geoff Fox and VWor Bro Leigh Clark who is affiliating from Lodge of Peace. As we all know both Geoff and Leigh are respected Freemasons and good blokes. Their forward thinking, positivity and enthusiasm are most welcome at Roland as the future of the Lodge is with Masons of this calibre.
We have a busy year ahead somewhat similar to the past 18 months. We have a 1st Degree in February (Mr Darren Hyland from Sheffield). In March we have the raising of Bro Paul Grabe. This could be a special night. April will see our Anzac night which draws a very good audience. We also have the Passing and Raising of Bro Craig Davey, Passing and Raising of Bro Craig Dempsey, Raising of Bro Craig Wright.
This does not mean that there is an opportunity to rest on our laurels. Freemasonry is looking for good men and there are many of them in the community who would enjoy the fraternity. They need to be aware that we exist and then they may approach a Brother.
Roof replacement
The application for a Grant to replace our Lodge roof has been submitted to the Grand Secretary. It just requires a wee bit more info and it will then be forwarded to the Board of General Purposes. I am quietly confident that it will be approved over the coming weeks.
General Maintenance
If any Brother has a glass cabinet that they no longer use and it could be used to display a very good range of masonic books, please let Bro Ross Brown, Bro Simon Habens or Wor Bro Carl Cox know. We have a fantastic selection of masonic reading available which has been discovered in the murky depths of a cupboard and would like it on display or for Brethren to borrow.
VWor Bro Leigh Clark has designed a few changes in our kitchen to all allow for the addition of a stove and a double sink. The brethren are keen for the ladies (who use this area far more often than the Masons) to put their stamp of approval on this or to perhaps make a few alterations.
We are getting closer to having music run thru our television in the Temple. Hopefully this will be fully operational in the New Year.
Lodge Trailer
The trailer with the Lodge advertising is looking great and is parked on the main road to Gowrie Park. We need a list of brethren who can occasionally tow it from place to place. It should spend no longer that 2 weeks in any location. We can move it in areas such as Port Sorell, Hawley, Wesley Vale, Latrobe, Railton, Sheffield, Mole Creek and South Spreyton to name a few. It would be great if brethren could identify places and pass that information on to the Worshipful Master.
Lodge Trailer with new signage at VWOR Bro Braids farm.
Functions
Sausage sizzle - We should have our dates for the Bunnings sausage sizzle be mid December. Bunnings have said that these dates are for the first quarter 2020.
Grand Master bar-b-que – A thankyou bar-b-que has been organised for the Grand Master, John Slore, who steps down at the end of February and is replaced by Phillip Oddie. The function will be held on Sunday 19 January and the home of Laurie and Gill Appleby and all Grand Lodge brethren and brethren from NW lodges are invited. It is $25 a head and BYO drinks. If you wish to spend the night in a camper you are most welcome but please let Laurie know in advance.
Kentish Mountaineers relay for life – It is planned to hold a similar function to that which was held last year for the Kentish Mountaineers. This group works hard to raise funds for cancer all year and it ends with the Relay For Life. It is planned to hold it at the Braid ranch in Sheffield in February. More details to follow.
Message from the Secretary
Over the last couple of months, we have been updating our website for the lodge.
More and more people these days are obtaining services and getting information online. If you think about it Telephone books and even Call boxes are all becoming scarce as people are communicating and engaging with each other differently.
And Masonry is no different, with dwindling membership in freemasonry as a whole, we are unable to rely upon word of mouth to help attract new members to our fraternity, we have got a trailer set up to help capture the attention of people as they drive past, but we can not only rely upon that as our only method of attracting new members.
We believe that having a website will allow us to also attract new potential members. The Website will enable people that might be interested to quickly find out about freemasonry and provide an easy process to make contact with us.
A key aspect of running a Webpage is to ensure that the information remains relevant and is kept up to date.
This is not meant to be a rapid change and will take a year or two to be integrated into the Lodge way of doing business. Until all brethren are happy with this process those brethren that get their mail in the post will continue to do so. Over the coming months this may be linked to other forms of social media such as Facebook as this has proven to be very successful in mainland lodges that have taken this approach. Also on the drawing board is the opportunity to link into board meeting electronically if members are unable to attend a meeting in Roland. These are not radical changes but are simply the modern method of communication.
And that is where you all come in, we need information, content and ideas from you all to help provide interest in freemasonry and in particular Roland Lodge. Our website is www.rolandlodge.org
Sincerely
Andrew
Bro Andrew Bruce
Secretary - Roland Lodge 36TC
Xmas 2017 Roland Masonic Choir
Early morning run at Turners Beach
If I have omitted anything I apologise. If any brother wished to add something to next months edition just let me know as I am not the fastest typist going around and a break would be good. Thanks for the support of all Brothers and their family
Fraternal greetings
Scott Whiley
IPM Roland Lodge 36TC
0467 830 439