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FROM THE EAST

HANOVER, MASSACHUSETTS

May 25, 2010

I would like to congratulate the Line Officers on their fine job on step up night. I would also like to thank Brother John McIntyre for his outstanding job in delivering the Middle Chamber Lecture, and for stepping in to teach the cipher to our newest Masons on the Entered Apprentice Degree. We do need an instructor for the first degree classes if anyone is interested please contact me and we will get you going.

We will be having two meetings in June with our annual Scholarship Night and Elections taking place at our first meeting, with our second meeting in the form of an outdoor degree and cookout. Last month at the suggestion of Wor. Joe DeNicola and the vote of the Lodge the Phoenix Lodge Scholarship was changed to the Ed Skarbek Memorial Scholarship. Please come to the dinner that night as the first scholarship is presented in Bro. Ed’s name.

Our second meeting will be taking place on Saturday June 5^th in the form of an Outdoor Degree to be conducted at the Rainbow Camp in Hanson. This will be a rain or shine event as there are indoor facilities which we can use in the event of bad weather. The Degree will commence at 10 AM and should be finished by Noon. There will be a cookout following the Degree under the direction of Bro. Jim (sauce) Veneto and families are invited to attend. The pavilion will be open with appetizers and beverages while we conduct the Degree in another part of the Camp. We have not had an outdoor degree since 1994 and every one has been memorable with our own Wor. Bob Hammond being the first candidate raised in this form. We will also need help in moving the Lodge to Hanson please call myself or Wor. Bob if you can assist on that Saturday morning.

We will also observe St John’s Sunday at The Hanover Congregational Church on Sunday June 6^th under the direction of Wor. Bud Mosher who has put together an impressive program to showcase Masonry and Phoenix Lodge to the community. Our Brothers from Old Colony Lodge will also be celebrating with us that morning as well so lets have a great turnout of Brothers to fill the Church to capacity. We will be having a continental breakfast at Phoenix prior to the service starting at 8AM.

Phoenix will be participating in the Relay for Life in Marshfield on June 25^th and 26^th. The Team Captain is Bro. Wayne Kirby. Please contact him for information on walking or to make a donation so that we may someday find a cure for this dreaded group of diseases. We have lost two Brothers to this disease in the past month. Bro. Richard Backer who served our lodge as Assistant Treasurer for many years and was a strong supporter at all of our activities and was very active in Grotto serving as a Grand Officer for our own Grand Monarch Richard Faust. It was great that he was able to come to his lodge last fall and have dinner with his friends and we wish Elaine and family our prayers and support as they deal with his loss.

We also lost a big part of the fabric of Phoenix Lodge with the passing last week of our beloved Chaplain Ed Skarbek affectionately known as the Padre. If there was an event at Phoenix Ed was there to help and support from teaching countless candidates on the first degree to helping us at our softball games. I remember Ed always well dressed with that great smile of his and a good story to tell. His work as Chaplain was incredible with all the prayers memorized and personalized for whatever the occasion required. I will certainly miss him sitting in the East of our Lodge as Chaplain and advisor to countless Masters. We pray that his suffering has now ended and he is in the Celestial Lodge above with his Brothers looking down on us as we continue our labors albeit with a heavy heart.

Please have a safe and relaxing Summer and we will see you all in the fall.

Fraternally; R.W.  Arnie  ~  Master ‘The’ Phoenix Lodge

The Worshipful's - Johnson & Friedman - October 2009

BEHAVIOUR after the LODGE is over and the BRETHREN not GONE
You may enjoy yourself with innocent Mirth, treating one another according to Ability, but avoiding all Excess, or forcing any Brother to eat or drink beyond his Inclination, or hindering him from going when his Occasions call him, or doing or saying anything offensive, or that may forbid an easy and free Conversation, for that would blast our Harmony, and defeat our laudable Purposes. Therefore no private Piques or Quarrels must be brought within the Door of the Lodge, far less any Quarrels about Religion, or Nations, or State Policy, we being only, as Masons, of the Universal Religion above mention'd, we are also of all Nations, Tongues, Kindreds, and Languages, and are resolv’d against all Politics, as what never yet conduct'd to the Welfare of the Lodge, nor ever will.