It seems a universal human maxim – The change of seasons is auspicious, full of mystic meaning, and not to be overlooked. The Freemasons of Friendship Lodge agree.
Cooling temperatures, longer and earlier nights, the tomatoes coming in… it can only mean that summer has given way to autumn. Delighting in a milder climate, the Brethren of Friendship Masonic Lodge have returned to a regular pace of life once again and found ample opportunities to practice our noble craft in September.
We kicked off autumn with a stunning stated meeting
As always the inimitable Bro. Eric Pease’s cookery left us nourished, satiated, and eager to get to work. September was one of our longer meetings yet this year, with several key highlights:
- The Charity Committee announced all supplies for our homeless relief project had arrived.
- Brother Russ Peterson was unanimously elected to the membership of Friendship Lodge.
- Two additional petitions were accepted and have proceeded to investigation.
- The lodge prudently voted to make necessary adjustments to our investment accounts.
- Honoring several past masters for their commitment to Friendship Masonic Lodge.
I think the show-stopper was our esteemed Worshipful Brother Damon Scribner’s lecture on the Elder Runes and the conceptual overlaps between their system design and some of the working tools of Freemasonry. Personally, my favorite moment was when WB Scribner asserted he didn’t think these conceptual overlaps were intentionally in the minds of the framers of our fraternity; but that the existence of these ideas in two separate fields alludes to the power and universality of Masonic philosophy.
Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth
Staying the course despite it having been a longer meeting, WB Scribner and the Brethren remained afterward for our customary focus conversation in the Library, where we were able to rejoin our friend, Matt, and share the good news that his petition was accepted. We ended up getting into the idea of cultural overlap being borne of common cultural precedent – Indo-European cultures sharing one common ancestry, while other regions would differ – and how that can contribute to striking cultural, linguistic, and philosophical overlaps in seemingly distant and disparate peoples.
The gift of thought was shared with us this month in the form of two essays on topics Masonic, drafted by our own brethren. Bro. Kent Smith having been musing on the idea of “maleness”after the revelations of the UGLE’s position on transgender Masons. And WBro. Bob Casey’s argument for Lodge-Level legislation of offenses. Strong opinions, respectfully shared make for engaging food for thought.
By the second Wednesday the time had come to assemble the second round of 2018’s homeless relief kits – to be distributed to Hereford House and Operation Nightwatch; to give to those people they don’t have space to accept. The Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Oregon was intrumental in our efforts this year – their contribution enabled Friendship Masonic Lodge to reach out to more than 450people. You can read more about the project here.
Freemasonry’s greatest strength is its power to create true friendships between men who would otherwise remained strangers forever.
We can’t be all work and no play – so we had a couple fellowship events to keep us all level. First was our regular game night, wich this time was devoted to card games. Magic: the Gathering and Fluxx were the all-stars of the night, culminating in a 5-way Fluxx slugfest. Fluxx is perhaps the closest thing to a popularized version of Calvin-Ball you’ll ever find. Not sure? Learn more here. Or better yet – come over for our next game night in October.
Our beloved Junior Warden sought to host a second summer barbecue. Why not celebrate the end of summer with more summer fare? On the third weekend of September he opened his home once again to the various Masonic Lodges of North Portland to enjoy a night of fellowship and refreshment together.
Freemasonry. What else could bring Jacques Derrida, Viking divination, public service, and Calvin-ball under one roof?
