Brothers of the First Erie District:
What a wonderful summer we have shared. It has been warm but not too hot, sunny but with enough rain for a bountiful harvest. Our Lodges have been busy with Stags, Picnics, Golf, Pig Roasts and other Social Events. The Brotherhood has been tremendous. It is a great time to be a Mason in the Erie Districts and in the Grand Jurisdiction of New York!
The late spring and summer has seen some tremendously successful activities such as the very-well attended Erie Districts Interfaith Worship Service and Breakfast, an excellent Testimonial Dinner for outgoing Grand Lodge Officers, a huge showing by the Erie Districts at Saint John’s Day in Utica and a tremendous Reception and Apron Presentation for our new Grand Lodge Officers at the Districts level. These were smashing successes and much thanks to those who planned and executed these gala events.
Petitions are coming into Lodges at a brisk rate, some Lodges are even holding Special Communications this Summer to read these petitions and accelerate their degree schedules, and let there be no doubt that this is what we are meant to do – make Masons. Still this is only the beginning of the process, for without proper education, engagement, mentoring and study of the catechisms by these new Brothers, we have not completed their instruction and failed in our most sacred duty – the communication of Masonic Light to our new Brothers.
We are developing an educational program drawing in very large measure upon the Harmonie Lodge Concordia Collegium Education System as well as the well-known Grand Lodge LSOME Program. We have also reviewed similar programs of other Grand Lodges including California, Florida and Pennsylvania. Our thanks go out to the Brothers of Harmonie Lodge for their assistance!
This Membership Development and Mentoring Program is complete in itself. There will be no references to books or other external sources for its content. While there may be references to additional materials, these are purely supplementary. It is an excellent way to assure that our new Brothers are given the tools to maximize their experience in the Craft. We will release this program at a Master’s and Wardens’ Council Meeting at Sweet Home Masonic Hall on August 28, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. where we will also discuss matters pertinent to our District and our Grand Lodge. All Master and Wardens of the First Erie District have been invited and are strongly encouraged to attend.
It takes time to and great effort to properly educate and mentor candidates and new Brothers. Some may question whether their Lodges have the resources, time and manpower to execute this new program. While we understand it presents a significant investment of time and effort, we also believe unreservedly that to stem the tide of new Brothers dropping from our rolls a few short years after joining and to provide the best Masonic experience to our new members, we must do something dramatically different. We owe this to those who have gone this way before us….We owe this to ourselves…and We owe this to the new Brothers craving above all…Masonic Light. Worshipful Masters and Wardens of the First Erie District, implement this program and your Lodge will be significantly stronger, no matter what its size, activity and strength.
I want to spend some time talking about Masonic Youth. Of all the investments we can make in our Lodges, there are none that require less time and less effort than encouraging young people to join our Masonic youth organizations. These are tremendous programs of moral, social and intellectual improvement with proven success in making young men and women more responsible, successful adults. All we need to do is provide the names of prospective members to the leaders of these organizations, who will take it from there. Grand Master Jim Sullivan observed in 2013 that each Mason knows a young person or two and asked that Brothers tell them about our Masonic Youth. Grand Master William J. Thomas is also a great supporter of Masonic Youth who has encouraged the adult leaders of our Masonic Youth in New York to open new local Chapters, Assemblies and Triangles, and they are doing this – even as I write these words. Let’s heed the Call of our Grand Master and get behind our Masonic Youth.
Brother Chris Siegel of First Erie and Worshipful Ed Draves of Second Erie will be contacting the Masters of each Lodge very soon for the names of parents and prospective members for our Youth Programs. Their parents will be notified by mail that their young man or young lady has been nominated for membership in one of our New York Masonic youth organizations, DeMolay, Triangle or Rainbow. Thereafter there will be a well-organized informational meeting where the purposes and activities of the organizations will be explained to the parents and the young people in detail.
This is part of a new membership program known as the WAVE which has been tremendously successful in other States. The leads of names of eligible youth and their parents is where this all begins, however, and its success depends upon you helping us get these organizations these leads my Brothers. Brother Siegel and Worshipful Draves will shortly be providing each Lodge with Prospect Information Sheets for providing this information. Thank you for your assistance in keeping Erie Districts Youth Programs among the strongest in New York State.
The Masters and Secretaries of the First Erie District Lodges have been informed of the dates for our Official Visits in 2014. They have also been published on the First Erie and Second Erie Facebook pages and the new Erie Districts website www.eriecountymasons.org.
I and my team are looking forward to making these interesting and useful to the Lodges. We are here to help in any and as many ways as possible. I will be encouraging all First Erie District Masters to call on our Team for Programs and to help our Lodges meaningfully participate in Grand Lodge’s Programs.
Going forward in 2014 there will be a number of interesting, fun activities that the Erie Districts will engage in. We hope our Brothers of the Erie Districts will participate in these activities and enjoy the Brotherhood they offer. In particular, we have the following District or Grand Lodge events coming up:
August 31, 3:00 p.m. – $10 -Grand Master’s Family
Day at the Ball Park
3:00 p.m. – Tailgating
6:30 p.m. – Game, Syracuse, New York
October 18, 5:30 p.m. – $45- Deputy Grand Master Jeffrey Williamson and Grand Lecturer Richard J. Kessler Apron Reception and Presentation.
Michael’s Banquet Facility, Hamburg, NY
October 25, 5:30 p.m. – $125 – Grand Master’s Ball
Russo’s on the Bay
Howard Beach, New York
October 27, 6:00 p.m. –Dinner and First Erie District Convention Grand Lecturer’s Convention
Sweet Home Masonic Hall
6:00 p.m. – Dinner -$15
7:00 p.m. – Convention
November 1, 10:00 a.m. – Ritual Renaissance Program,
Sweet Home Masonic Hall
6:00 p.m. – MW James E. Sullivan Homecoming Reception,
Buffalo Marriott
November 15, 5:00 p.m. – Western New York Masonic Ball
December 27, 5:00 p.m. – Erie Districts Table Lodge
Feast of Saint John the Evangelist
$40 –Century Grill, 318 Pearl St.,
Buffalo, New York
There are a few administrative details I should like to call to the Brethren’s attention relative to Grand Lodge. The Grand Master has advised all District Deputy Grand Masters that going forward in 2014, the program for 50 year aprons will be administered by Grand Lodge the same as other service-based awards i.e. pins and certificates. District Deputy Grand Masters will no longer have an inventory of 50 year aprons. In addition there will also be 60 and 70 year aprons available through Grand Lodge for Brethren attaining such long tenure of membership.
The Grand Master encourages, but is not requiring, Veterans of the United States to use the Military hand salute when coming to attention before the Flag of the United States of America. The Grand Master, as a Veteran of the Navy, has been using the hand salute. Again this is not a requirement but he wants all brethren to know he has authorized them to do so if they wish.
Grand Master new recognizes the Lewis Jewel to honor sons of Masons who join our Fraternity. The Jewel may be purchased through the Grand Lodge website and may be worn by Brothers whose father, step-father or father-in-law is a Mason. It is a great way to demonstrate how Masonic love can be shared with our sons. The Grand Master now encourages the wearing of this Jewel in the Grand Jurisdiction of New York.
Looking forward I see a bright future for our Fraternity and particularly our Erie Districts. May we always work with zeal to make our Lodges and our Districts the best they can be. May we always remember our obligations and strive to be the best men we can be. On behalf of my Lady Stephanie and myself I wish you joy and success in all your endeavors Masonic and otherwise for the balance of 2014. God Bless you and your families as we return to Labor in our Quarries.
Michael E. Storck
District Deputy Grand Master
First Erie Masonic District