2015 sept tb

TRESTLE BOARD

LEESBURG LODGE No. 58 FREE & ACCEPTED MASONS OF FLORIDA 200 Richey Road Leesburg, Florida 34748 Phone: 352-787-5696 Email: [email protected]

Meets the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of Each Month at 7:00pm Chartered January 15th, 1868

September 2015 Vol. XV Issue VIX

Happy Labor Day 2015

September 7, 2015

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Officers for 2015 Worshipful Master Bro. Ron Glover………………..874-9504 Senior Warden Br. Jeff Lamb (Sherri)..……….. .753-0277 Junior Warden Br. Wayne Reynolds.(Linda)407-484-0096

Treasurer WLarry Duff (Brenda)………..874-2164 Secretary W∴ Hank DeBerry (Paula)...….. 430-0238 Lodge ........................... …………….787-5696 Senior Deacon Br. Ed Spencer…………………..324-2134 Junior Deacon Br. Pedro Arroyo (Marcia)…386-804-2043 Senior Steward Br. James M. Thomas…………...568-1554 Junior Steward Br. Norman Novis (Alona)……...409-7669 Tyler W∴Jim Angelos…………………… 255-1724 Chaplain Vacant

Marshal W John Haas (Tina)………….360-9114 Organist Vacant Lodge Instructor W∴Hank DeBerry (Paula)……...330-7311 Lodge Historian Vacant Librarian W∴ Larry Duff (Brenda)……….874-2164

Trestle Board W∴Hank DeBerry (Paula)…….. 330-7311 Trestle Board Printing Leesburg Printing …………….. 787-3348 Lodge Web Mail [email protected] ............

Committees for 2015

Board of Relief

Chairman W∴M∴Ron Glover, Jeff Lamb, Wayne Reynolds

Lodge Property

Chairman Jeff Lamb, W∴Don McIntyre, W∴Jim Angelos,

W∴ John Haas, W∴M∴Ron Glover

Finance - Investments & Budget

Chairman Jeff Lamb, R∴W∴ Ken Graves,

W∴Tom Russell, W∴Larry Duff, W∴John Haas

Vigilance

Chairman W∴John Haas, W∴Bob Browning, Jeff Lamb,

Charity & Scholarships

Chairman W∴John Haas, Sec. W∴Hank DeBerry, Ed Spencer

Education

Chairman W∴Hank DeBerry, WMRon Glover, Jeff Lamb

Lodge Mentors

Chairman W∴Larry Duff, W∴Hank DeBerry, all Past Masters

Catechism

Chairman W∴Don McIntyre, Sr., W∴Bob Browning, Jeff Lamb

Petitions Investigation

Chairman W∴M∴Ron Glover, W∴Larry Duff, W∴ Hank DeBerry

Investigations Interviews

W∴M∴ Ron Glover will appoint as needed

Funeral

Chairman W∴Jim Angelos, W∴Bob Browning, Ed Spencer

Activities & Awards

Chairman W∴M∴ Ron Glover, W∴John Haas, Jeff Lamb,

Wayne Reynolds

Officers meet at 6:00pm, first stated meeting, Committee Chairman

meet the second meeting of each month for business and planning.

Living

Past Masters

Charles Porter 1959 R∴W∴Ray Richardson 1969* William “Ed” Davison 1974 Robert H. Smith 1977 R∴W∴Colin Crews 1980^* H. C. Connell 1985 R∴W∴Theodore Jansen 1986* Michael Dozier 1988 John H. Meier V 1989 Jay A. Frizzell, Jr. 1992 Raleigh Sorenson 1993/1994 Don Barfield 1996 Tom Russell 1997/1998/2002 Mervyn Harris 1999 R∴W∴Kenneth Graves 2000* R∴H∴ Thomas E. Beach 2001 Robert H. Browning 2003/2004 R∴W∴Dennis Ricker 2005/2007^* Roland P. Gibson 2006 Bill Green 2008 Richard Ecott 2009 Donald McIntyre, Sr. 2010 Randall Jesmok 2011 Larry Duff 2012 Jim Angelos 2013 John Haas 2014

Affiliated

Past Masters

M∴W∴Joseph Brearley Henry DeBerry Jack Delauter Robert C. Gleckler Robert Kennedy Clifford Moore Frank Peregrin Glenn A. Reynolds*^ Edwin Robbins Robert L. Welch Forest Case* Wayne Parks Fred Lint Raymond D Trudeau John R. Haas Gary Towne

^ Past District Instructor * Past DDGM # Past Grand Master

18th Masonic District

DDGM R∴W∴ Alan Heist 407-718-5841 District Instructor RH Ed Mayfield PDDGM 352-751-3532

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Chaplain’s Corner

As the Master noted above, we have had two Masonic Brothers go to that Celestial Lodge above to be with the Great Architect. I have recently learned of another Brother who passed back in November of 2013. We just found this out Brothers, because everyone assumed we knew about it. If we aren’t told

then, how can we know. One of the saddest duties of a Secretary or a Master of a Lodge is to make the call to the loved ones during their time of grief. This duty is made harder if they are not told and the family thinks we have forgotten them. We haven’t forgotten, we were never told. Brother James Trucks passed on November 21, 2013 and he was a 55 year Mason raised right here in Leesburg Lodge back in 1959. I wish I could have met him and asked him about our Lodge back then. Be at Peace Brothers and tell your families to let us know, so we can show our Fraternal Love for you at your time.

LIGHT FROM THE EAST

W∴M∴ Ron Glover

Unfortunately I have two deaths to report to the Brethren. On August 14th, the Craft lost MW John R. Givens, who served as Grand Mas-ter of Masons of FL in 2003. A Masonic service was held on August 20th at the Ocala Scottish Rite Masonic Center. Leesburg Lodge lost one of our Brothers as well as we were informed by his family that Brother Jack O'Connell passed away. His family did not request a Masonic Service. Please keep the families in your prayers. September is upon us and the year is two-thirds of the way over already. I would like to remind everybody that Friday, September 25th is the official visit of MW Steven P. Boring to the Grand 18th Masonic District. Clermont will be hosting the visit this year. The reception starts at the new Clermont Community Center at 5:30 with supper to follow at 6:30. The meeting will be held down the street at Clermont Lodge at 7:30 PM It looks like we are going to be putting on a EA and MM degree shortly. During our monthly Masters & Wardens meeting it was discov-ered that there are several lodges in the district that need to put these degrees on as well, so it looks like we will be having some joint degree work coming up in the near future. The District's raffle for the Glock 42 .380 is still ongoing with the drawing scheduled to be at the next Masters & Wardens meeting which will be in Wildwood on September 16th. For those unaware the raffle tickets are $10.00 and the prize is a Glock 42-.380 with 2 factory magazines, an extended magazine with finger rest, and a 20 round box of Critical Defense ammunition. If anybody is interested in tickets you can see either Hank or myself at our first meeting on September 1st or call the Lodge. I would also like to encourage our Brothers to try and attend the Rainbow Girls meeting at Mt. Dora Lodge at 7:00 PM on September 14th . The Rainbow Girls can always use the support and love having visitors. Dress is coat and tie for all meetings. There is a bonus treat for any that can attend this meeting because thanks to donations to our youth groups from across the district, our own Secretary, W Hank DeBerry, will be participating in an Ice Bucket challenge. For you Brothers that have been waiting to see Hank doused in ice-water, now is our chance! I am happy to announce that we are adopting a teacher again this year. We are supplying Mrs. Elizabeth Carlson a special needs educator at Beverly Shores. We have purchased and donated Mrs. Carlson with almost $300 worth of supplies and snacks that she needed for the kids. I think this is such a great cause and I thank the Brothers of our Lodge for allowing us to continue with this great charity again this year. In closing, I need to discuss the state of our Sunday Dinner fundraisers. I would like to take a moment to thank the Brothers and their families that have been helping in the kitchen this year. Your support has been outstanding and there is no way I can thank you enough for every-thing that you have done. I would also like to thank all the Brothers and their families that do come and support us by purchasing the dinners. I fully understand that there are other obligations such as family, church, and work that may make it difficult or impossible to attend. With that being said, there has been a decline in the attendance over the last couple of years and it has come to the point that there are going to have to be some serious decisions made for next year about the number of dinners we can offer. For example, the Sunday dinner in August resulted in a net loss of $50. The kitchen crew shows up early in the morning to start preparing the food and after cleaning the kitchen and dining hall it is after 2pm before some of us leave. That's not counting the time our JW Wayne Reynolds puts in ordering and receiving the food and supplies or the time that some put in on Friday or Saturday evenings to help decorate. That's also not figuring in the amount of energy we consume in running the equipment and AC for the dinners. It's not all about our time though. I know I speak for everybody in the kitchen in saying that we enjoy the camaraderie and fellowship that we get from each other when we come together for these events. We don't mind putting in the time but it's not fair to us or more especially the Lodge for us to hold these fundraisers only to lose money. Some of the poor attendance could be due to some of the Brothers being gone for the summer. This is all going to have to be discussed. There are thoughts of, if not going away from the dinners, to maybe only having dinners once every 3 or 4 months to coincide with special events. This is your Lodge Brothers so if you have any ideas or thoughts, please let us know.

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From the West

Bro. Jeff Lamb

From the Secretary

WHank DeBerry

Brothers I would like to thank you for the responses some of you have given to the recent letter I sent regarding the By-Law change that is coming up for vote. There has been some confusion about why it is needed. The change to our By-Laws is strictly a “housekeeping” problem. The Grand Lodge voted in 2014 to change the Per Capita for each member from $14 to $20 and change the word-ing to say “plus the per capita” instead of “including the per capita” and here is where it got crazy. Over 200 Lodges thought just like we did, that the GL was going to change our By-Laws automatically. This was not the case! By Masonic Law in the Digest, only the individual Lodges may change their By-Laws and there is a procedure for this that must be followed. That procedure says we must write the change, read the change, vote to send the change on, then send a letter (which you all got I hope) and then at the next Stated Communication, vote again on the resolution to change and it must pass by a 3/4 favor-able margin. This is NOT a dues raising issue! The dues this year will be the same as they were last year! No one is trying to pull the wool over any eyes and sneak in more dues. Okay enough on that. I want to congratulate Fellow Craft Brother Jayson Wood on passing his catechism and we are trying to get a Master Mason degree put together quickly so he can be raised. Also will be needing to get an Entered Apprentice degree ready very soon because we have Mr. Johnny Sutton to bring in. We need to keep bringing more members into our Lodge and lets get more active! We have had really poor attendance at the last several breakfasts and dinners and I know it wasn’t the food because those meals were delicious! Once again I will be having the sad duty to bring before the Lodge several Brothers who have not paid their dues for the year 2015. The By-Laws of our Lodge states that dues are due and payable on or before the 27th of December which is the end of the Masonic year. Notice is then given at three and again at six months that a Brother is past due on his dues. If he doesn’t respond or come forward with a just reason why he has not paid them he may be sus-pended for non-payment at the discretion of the Lodge by a vote at the first Stated Communication in September. These are not my rules Brothers, anyone may read them and I will be happy to provide a copy of them at any time. Until next time Brothers, safe travels to those who will be coming back into Florida and Fraternal Best Wishes to all.

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Sept. 1 - Stated Communication - 7:00 PM

Sept 5 - First Saturday Breakfast - 8:30-10:00 AM

Sept 9 - Open Books/School of Inst. - Tavares - 6:30 -

9:00

Sept 13 - Second Sunday Dinner - 11:30-1:00 PM

Sept 14 - Rainbow Mtg - 6:45 PM - Mt Dora - “Ice

Bucket for Hank”

Sept 15 - Stated Communication - 7:00 PM

Sept 16 - M & W/ Memorial Lodge - The Villages -

7:30PM

Sept 16 - Raffle Drawing at M&W Mtg.

Sept 25 - Grand Master Visit 18th District- Clermont-

5:30PM sign-in; 6:30 PM Supper; 7:30 PM

Meeting

UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES September 2015

From the South Bro. Wayne Reynolds

Once again Brothers and Sis-ters we ask that you please DO NOT drive on the grass next to the Lodge parking lot. It is leaving ruts in the ground and they are hard to mow over. Thank You!

-Yard Maintenance Guy-

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Name(s) of Those Who Attended:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Date(s) Attended: _____________________________________________________________________

Function/Activity/Training/Etc. Attended:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Number of Hours Involved:______________________________________________________________

Location of Activity: ___________________________________________________________________

Please leave completed slips on the Secretary’s desk at the Stated Communications, or email W. Hank DeBerry

with this information at [email protected]


____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Date(s) Attended: _____________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________




with this information at [email protected], or place them in the slot in the Secretary’s door


____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Date(s) Attended: _____________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________




with this information at [email protected], or place them in the slot on the Secretary’s door.


____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Date(s) Attended: _____________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________




with this information at [email protected], or place them in the slot in the Secretary’s door

Masonic Education Worksheet

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Leesburg Announcement Forms

Please Print Clearly

Event:_________________________________________________________

Date (s):__________________________ Time:_________________________

Description/Comments____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

For further information contact:____________________ at ________________

Submitted by:_____________________________________________________

Please Print Clearly

Event:_________________________________________________________

Date (s):__________________________ Time:_________________________

Description/Comments____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

For further information contact:____________________ at ________________

Submitted by:_____________________________________________________

Leesburg Announcement Forms

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2014 TRESTLE BOARD SPONSORS

YOUR NAME HERE - INDIVIDUAL OR COUPLE FOR ONLY $20.00

Current year or any part thereof - HELP US KEEP YOU INFORMED!

John Dean Hank & Paula DeBerry Larry & Brenda Duff

Jim Angelos William & Sharen Aston Joe Schlegal

Suzanne Mina John & Tina Haas Jim & Becky Campbell

Richard Follett Ed Spencer George A. Brown

Bob & Carolyn Browning Ken Graves George Shoemaker

Betsey Jordan Bill & Sharon Staple RW Ed Mayfield

Gary & Alberta Grimes Dennis & Ginny Ricker Ronald J. Glover

Ronald W. Glover Ed Spencer Charles and Marlene White

If you would like to be a sponsor in 2015, please see the secretary with your donation. Your

donations are applied to the monthly mailing costs of the Trestle Board, we need 60 sponsors to

cover the yearly mailing costs. Sponsorship is $20.00 for the year or any part thereof. Our Goal

for this year is 60 sponsors. Please consider a sponsorship.

"You get out of Masonry only what you put in it."

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RAINBOW ASSEMBLY

No. 79 at Mt. Dora

Let’s not forget the young Ladies of our

local Rainbow Chapter. They need our support. We should also remember they are the fu-ture of our Ladies organizations and future leaders in our communities. Meetings are at 7:00pm on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at Mt. Dora Lodge. Know a young Lady who might want to join, you can contact Chapter Mom Debbie Dyer at 407-908-6973 or Chapter Dad Warren Shippee at 321-689-6661.

Attend a meeting and be impressed.

DEMOLAY CHAPTER At Eustis

Let’s also not forget the young Men of our local De-Molay Chapter. They also need our support. We should also remember they are the future of Masonry and fu-ture leaders in our communities. Meetings are at

7:00pm on the 1 and 3rd Monday’s of each month at Eustis Lodge. Know a Man who might want to join, you can contact “Granddaddy” Philip Paul at

407-832-8771. Attend a meeting and be impressed.

HELP BY SUPPORTING OUR MASONIC YOUTH

18th MASONIC DISTRICT LODGES

Stated Communication Meetings

Leesburg No. 58 1st and 3rd Tuesday

Umatilla No. 65 1st and 3rd Monday

Clermont No. 226 1st and 3rd Monday

Eustis No. 85 2nd and 4th Monday

Villages No. 394 2nd Monday

Tavares No. 234 2nd and 4th Tuesday

Wildwood No. 92 2nd and 4th Tuesday

Groveland No. 190 2nd and 4th Thursday

Mt. Dora No. 238 1st and 3rd Thursday

Have YOU Traveled Lately?

HIGH TWELVE Meeting Times & Locations

Hawthorne Masonic High Twelve No. 547 - Meets at 11:00 a.m. on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of each month at Golden Corral, 1720 Citrus Blvd. (Hwy 27/441) – Leesburg, FL. Tel: 352-728-3911.

Tri-County Masonic High Twelve meets 10:30 a.m. 1st Wednesday of each month at La Haci-enda Recreation Center, The Villages. Reserva-tions for lunch due by the Thursday before the meeting, call Rita at 750-5561.

Real joy comes not from

ease or riches or from the

praise of men, but from

doing something worth-

while.

Sir Wilfred Grenfell

Well done is better

than well said.

Bro. Benjamin Franklin

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Scottish Rite

www.OcalaSR.com or www.SROrlando.com

Ocala Scottish Rite meets the first Monday of each month, at 7:30pm.at Ocala Scottish Rite Center, 3632 NE 7th Street, Ocala, Fl. Orlando Scottish Rite meets at 1485 Grand Road, Winter Park, Fla. on the 4th Friday of each month, except, November, which is on the third Friday and dark in December, meetings at 7:30pm.

York Rite Bodies

“A Continuation of the Blue Lodge”

www.flgyr.org

Ocala York Rite Bodies – Meetings at Belleview Lodge No. 95

Ocala Chapter No. 13 - Meets Second Wednesday of January, March, May, September and November beginning at 7:30 PM. Ocala Council No. 22 - R&S Masters - Meets Second Wednes-day of February, April, June, October and December beginning at 7:30 PM. Ocala Commandry No. 19 - Knights Templar - Meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM.

Lake/Sumter York Rite Bodies - Meetings at Leesburg Lodge 58 Eustis Chapter No. 33, Meets on the first Wednesday at 7:30 PM Golden Triangle Council No. 28—Royal & Select Masters - Meets first Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Chapter and Council will alternate on who begins first. Triangle Commandery No. 38 –Knights Templar—Meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 PM, except in July and August.

Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter No. 84

Lady Paula DeBerry PM– Worthy Matron W∴ Hank DeBerry PP—Worthy Patron Lady Orrissa Maurer PM—Secretary W∴ Robert Welch PGP – Treasurer

Attention Brothers and Sisters! The Chapter will be dark in the months of July, August and September. The Only thing going is the Profi-ciency class and the Rob Morris picnic both on August 29th.

Editors Note: All articles and infor-

mation must be received by the editor

prior to the 23rd of the publishing

month for inclusion in the next issue.

Articles can be e-mailed to:

[email protected]

September Birthdays

Sept 1 - Robert Humiston Sept 2 - Ed Rucinski Sept 3 - Jay Rubin Sept 5 - Stan Westfall Sept 7 - Bob Welch Sept 8 - William Fortin Sept 11 - Claude Locke Sept 12 - Glen Bryan Sept 16 - Jimmie Weekley Sept 22 - Terry Shook Sept 22 - Howard Seeberg Sept 23 - Douglas Hasley Sept 25 - Charles Strickland Sept 25 - Wayne Reynolds Sept 26 - Chris Ball Sept 27 - Don Gregory Sept 30 - George Shoemaker Sept 30 - Terry Carter Sept 30 - Mayo Griner

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, .

From The Treasurers Desk Like any good Masonic journey, there comes a time when we are given a good dose of Masonic light. Sometimes, that light is more revealing than we would like it to be, and it shows us the truth about the paths that we have chosen. And, while the truth can shake us to our very foundation many times, it will ultimately lead us to where

we need to be. We know there are challenges before us. As Masons and leaders, we know action will be needed. We

know things will need to be done. This is part of our journey. When history takes a look at what was done, the question is “How do you want it to judge you?”

As your Treasurer it is my duty and responsibility to keep you apprised of the financial status of our Lodge. At each Stated Meeting (First & Third Tuesday of each month – 7:00pm) I do so when called upon by the Worshipful Master. I’ve noticed, of our 223 members, I’m speaking to the officers and ten to fifteen members of our lodge on any given night.

Our current financial balances are such that we have again needed to draw funds from of the Invest-ment funds to meet the operating costs of the lodge to get through the rest of the year. Financial support from the Kitchen Account appears to be 50% from previous years as our Kitchen is operating at a loss through the first eight months of the year. Our Charity Funds are meager at best, less than $500.00.

Did you know that it costs the Lodge $111.00 per day to keep the Lodge open? Did you know that our membership dues are woefully short of the funds needed?

Why is this? Of our 223 members, 153 pay the full dues noticed to them ($86.00 lodge dues + $20.00 Grand Lodge per capita tax for a total of $106.00). We have some members who only paid $100.00, your Lodge will have to make up the $6.00 difference. The remaining members fall into the 50+ year status, have acquired perpetual memberships and emeritus members. Of the 153 members, several have not responded to the dues notices sent out in October of 2014 – which were payable by January 1st, 2015, thus a current loss of available funds and the inability to accurately budget, plan and project available funds for the rest of the Year.

It really is nice to know how much money is available when preparing a yearly budget or the poten-tial status of what one considers as possible funds.

Our Monthly 1st Saturday breakfasts and Monthly 2nd Sunday dinner’s attendance is substantially down. The loss of attendance and subsequent revenue has a direct impact on our operating funds as histori-cally we have transferred funds from the kitchen account to the General operating account during the year. Why, one very voiced opinion is “It keeps the dues low”.

Why is attendance down? I can’t tell you, no one has told me or any of the other officers, it must be one of those masonic secrets. How can a problem be fixed if one doesn’t know what the problem is?

Is this article leading to a recommendation of a dues increase? Yes it is. Please, continue to read. A Past Masters dinner was held during my year as Worshipful Master (2012), I was asked by a Past

Master, “How many members does the Lodge I have”, I replied 277, he replied “I remember when we had almost 400”. Today, that number is 223. Fraternally are we failing? Is it more important that we labor only to pay the bills and keep the doors open?

Another Past Master once said to me during a conversation, that he felt an allied body should separate itself from Freemasonry, “the lodges are not making enough Masons to draw membership from”. My reply question was “As a member of this Lodge is it not your duty to help make Masons thus the Lodge having membership for the allied body to draw from?” Going back to previous paragraph, if we had 400 active and participating Masons we probably wouldn’t have any financial or membership problems. But we don’t.

Dues is what pays the bills and financially keeps us going. Other funding such as the Kitchen or spe-cial events are funds that we should use to fulfill our obligations when a Brother, his wife or widow, or a child is in need. Other funds are also how we give back to our community, gives us name recognition to at-tract likeminded men into out Fraternity. One of the beauties of our Fraternity ………. you are free to disa-gree.

To all outward appearances, it seems that the enjoyment of fellowship, commitment, learning and purpose of local lodge masonry may not be as great anymore. All of us came to the Lodge searching; as we go forward we must not let that search be in vain, for it takes all of us to continue the existence of our Lodge. You should be demanding that which you came seeking and what was offered is provided. It does though require your participation, where needed to achieve this.

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NPD (Non Payment of Dues) suspensions appear to be 6 - 8 this year. Why, could it be “Value”. What value to you get out of the Lodge? You’re somewhere reading this article, in your easy chair, at the kitchen table, maybe on the porcelain throne, you paid for that object and you put an effort into obtaining it and in a manner that pleases you to get value from it. What do you put into the Lodge to get value? Why not the same for your Masonic Lodge?

I believe there are many aspects to masonry. Two of which are the business and fraternal sides. I be-lieve that the business side (keeping the doors open and the bills paid) has overtaken the fraternal side (membership personal growth and development) and this needs to change. I believe if we refocus and take care of the fraternal side the business side will for the most part take care of itself through membership growth. From the business side we are in pretty good shape, for now, questionable, for how long if we continue to pull funds from our investment account; fraternally that remains to be seen.

Our attendance at stated meetings has dwindled; degrees even less, participation in our Mentors Pro-gram, Catechism instructions, investigations and petitions committees, and the list goes on, is still done by the same few. I have searched and failed to find in any Masonic writings or in the Digest of Masonic Law, that there is a point in Masonry that your labors (efforts) stop. Masonry is a continual growth of oneself and shar-ing that growth with a fellow Brother, that is how we make good better.

Since its inception on January 15, 1868, Leesburg Lodge No. 58 has celebrated a legacy unlike any other. It’s a legacy rich in history and ancient traditions - upholding three values that are the heart and soul of all men: Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. Leesburg Lodge No. 58 characterizes itself with discipline, honor, esprit de corps, and an unquenchable thirst for more light, or do we?

A look around our building one sees the current level of OUR Lodge, one also sees OUR history, GROTTO (gone), Leesburg York Rite Bodies (gone), Leesburg Shrine Club (gone), Leesburg DeMolay (gone), Leesburg Rainbow Girls (gone), Amaranth (Gone), Leesburg Hi-Twelve (gone).

We have the capacity to pull together persistently and consistently in pursuit of our Masonic beliefs and teachings or has apathy taken a foothold. The question is poised - What today is the common spirit exist-ing in the members of Leesburg Lodge No. 58 towards inspiring enthusiasm, devotion, and the strong regard for the honor of our Lodge and Freemasonry.

I encourage you the membership to attend our meetings and activities, interact with the officers and brethren, and access each for their commitment to you the membership, our Lodge, our Masonic ideals and values and themselves. It is you, who will decide the continued existence of Leesburg Lodge. It is you who will decide, by your actions or inactions, if Leesburg Lodge goes the way of those Masonic bodies who have passed before.

Freemasonry is a sacred retreat away from the outside world where we live our day-to-day lives. The Lodge is meant to be different from that world. In the outside world men are separated by politics, religion, property, money, status and you-name-it; in the Lodge that is all cast away, we meet on the level. In that out-side world men solicit members into their own like minded groups; in the Lodge we do not. The Lodge should not be made up of groups of members but one membership group. In that outside world men are egotistical, materialistic, domineering, and self serving; in the Lodge we should experience the death of the ego, the mate-rialism, the urge to dominate, the selfishness and realize the birth of the spirit, the spirit of Freemasonry. In that outside world men are too busy to join and be active in a fraternity; in the Lodge some men, somehow, find that they really do have time for their local Lodge, for Freemasonry; others just fade away and contribute nothing and get nothing from their Lodge, or from Freemasonry.

My Brothers, COMMUNICATION is the key to success. It is important to communicate any concerns that you may have, so that problems or issues that may arise, solutions can be found.

Back to this question, “Is this article leading to a recommendation for a dues increase?” Yes it is. I will be presenting a Resolution, come to your Lodge during a stated meeting, hear it and discuss it.

Respectfully and Fraternally; Brother Larry D. Duff Past Master - 2012 Leesburg Lodge No. 58 F&AM

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Pictures from around the Lodge

Once again the Brothers of Leesburg Lodge were pleased to be able to support a local

teacher in the coming year. Mrs. Elizabeth Carlson who teaches special needs children

at Beverly Shores Elementary received a table load of supplies for her year.

Worshipful Master—Ron

Glover and Mrs. Elizabeth

Carlson

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Pictures from around the Lodge

Some of the Lodge Officers with their wives at the presentation of the school supplies.

Left to Right — W. Hank DeBerry ; Paula DeBerry; W.M. Ron Glover; W. John

Haas; Tina Horvath; Elizabeth Carlson; Bro. Rich Follett; Tonda Stockwell; Brenda

Duff; W. Larry Duff

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Parting Shots

Mediocrity in Masonry . . . Shame on us!

B Y : R O B E R T G . D A V I S , 3 3 * , G R A N D C R O S S

One of the questions that occasionally eats at me when I am driving home from a Masonic event, degree, or function that has been woefully mediocre is how our members can sit through such Masonic happenings month after month and still believe our fraternity is relevant and meaningful to men ’s lives? How honest are we in claiming we make good men better while persistently repeating practices and be-haviors which are so distinctively average, or worse?

Self-improvement involves some form of positive change. It requires some level of progress; en-tails some elevated sense of being. Explain to me how a lodge facilitates self-improvement by offering its members a venue that doesn’t “feel” any different when they are inside the lodge than outside of it.

Perhaps many of us come into Masonry looking for nothing more than fraternal association. But, if that’s the case, it ought to be the best fraternal association we have ever had!

Once we encounter the preparation room, or make our progress through the degrees, it is hard to dismiss the awareness that we are engaged in something wholly different from our other community ex-periences. We quickly learn that Masonry has a higher calling which requires that we make an ascent into the very center of our being.

An endeavor of such high importance and due solemnity is not a run of the mill undertaking. It becomes clear there is nothing mediocre about Masonry. So why do we make it that way?

Here’s the problem. Accepting mediocrity in our lodge practices is the same as living a mediocre life. By making un-extraordinary acts and behaviors our ordinary practice, we entrap ourselves from knowing how precious life really is. We don’t use opportunities that come our way as a means of ex-pressing how special we really are. Instead, we walk the walk with the rest of the herd and soon find ourselves in such a deep rut of limitations we lose sight of our own value. We become trapped in medi-ocrity.

Regrettably, this too often seems the condition in which lodges, Scottish Rite Valleys, York Rite Chapters, Councils and Commanderies find themselves. When nothing extraordinary, educational, in-sightful, compelling, intellectual, contemplative, spiritual, or fraternal occurs in our private, sacred, fra-ternal spaces, then we become only another ordinary, average, run of the mill, dime -a-dozen organiza-tion. It is hard to see how this kind of Masonry takes good men and makes them better.

It is not the kind of Masonry we should want to share with our friends.

http://www.thelaudablepursuit.com/robert-g-davis

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Parting Shots

I believe that if we truly want to move “from the square to the compasses,” we have to dare to be different. And we can’t dare to be different by following someone else’s expectations. When a lodge does the same thing year after year, it is accepting by default someone else ’s expectations. There is nothing creative, inspiring, or different about parroting ritual, paying bills, and going home. That ’s do-ing only what many others have done before us.

To distinguish ourselves among men and organizations, we first have to perceive in our own minds that we have something to do which will ultimately set us above the average. We start by think-ing about the choices before us.

Do we choose what is safe rather than what is right? Do we only do things right, or do we do the right things? Do we set out on a new path, or take the same old, comfortable way? Do we bring credit to our teachings, or debit them as ideals of the past? Do we become the examples that young men want to emulate, or do we seem to them as just another group of ho hum guys?

You see, the choice always controls the chooser. To be exemplary men, or an exemplary organi-zation, we have to be exceptional in our awareness of who we are, what we are here to be doing, what we know, and how we practice what we know. We have to have the courage to be different from the rest of the crowd—nobler in our expectations and more refined in our state of mind.

Because that’s just the way Masonry is. He who wants milk should not sit himself in the middle of a pasture and wait for a cow to back

up to him. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

REMEMBER YOU'RE A MASON

When the pressures of recession Make us concentrate on greed,

Take heed, a worthy Mason Cares about another's needs;

Don't let pressures of the moment Make your obligation sway,

Stop and help a fallen brother Or another by the way;

What you give is like a bubble Whenever you assist,

What it costs in time and trouble Is, soon after, never missed; Brother, bear that obligation You accepted on your knee,

It's in direct relation To your own security;

Never hesitate, my brother Square your actions now and say,

"I'll remember I'm a Mason, "And behave like that today;"

"With regard to human kindness And the 'Golden Rule', I pray, I'll remember I'm a Mason... And behave like that today."

Author unknown

17

SUNDAY DINNER Leesburg Lodge No. 58

Sept 13, 2015

Menu Meat Loaf or Baked Chicken

with mashed potatoes, gravy and Green beans

Salad, Desserts both ( Sugared and Sugar free),

Drinks (Iced Tea, Coffee or Lemonade)

$8.37 + .63 tax - Adults, under 14 - $3.72 + .28 tax

11:30 AM until 1:00 PM Please call the Lodge at 787-5696 or sign the guest list in the lobby

and provide the number attending with you,. This ensures enough food is pur-

chased and prepared for all.

ALL MASONS, their families and friends are invited to our Monthly

Second Sunday Dinners and First Saturday Breakfasts

Help support your Blue Lodge, IT IS where all other Masonic Bodies Begin.

Future menu suggestions are always welcome!

Introducing 2015 Chef Crew JW Wayne Reynolds

SS James Michael Thomas JS Norman Novis

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NONPROFIT US Postage

PAID Permit#1040 Leesburg,, FL

34748

Leesburg Masonic Lodge No. 58 F&AM PO Box 985 Fruitland Park, Florida 34731 [email protected]

SUNDAY DINNERS 11:30 a.m. TO 1:00 p.m.

Menu items: June 14, 2015

Meat Loaf or Baked Chicken Mashed Potatoes w/gravy and Green Beans

Garden Salad, Desserts (Sugared & Sugar-Free) Coffee, Iced Tea and Lemonade

$8.37 + .63 tax per person, Children under 14 years of age $3.72 + .28 tax

PLEASE call the Lodge at 787-5696, or sign the guest list in the foyer, provide the number of guests attending with you, this ensures enough food is prepared for all. ALL MASONS, their families and friends are invited . Menu suggestions welcomed, just fill out a comment card.

Don’t forget to call or sign -up!!!

Celebrating 147 years (1868 — 2015) in Leesburg, Fla. “The Lakefront City”

1st Saturday Monthly Coffee Klatch & Breakfast 8:00am to 10:00am

Eggs (cooked to order), Pancakes, Waffles, Bacon, Sausages

(Patty’s or Links), Breakfast Potatoes, Grits, Sausage Gravy, Bis-cuits, Toast

Coffee, Orange Juice $5.58 +.42 sales tax per person

2015 sept tb

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