After a packed and eventful monthly meeting on the 1st, continuing rehearsals for After the Storm, new charity partnerships, a Roman holiday, two degrees, and extensive travel, May might well have been our busiest month yet of 2019!
Entered Apprentices and Master Masons bring light to the Stated Meeting
The centerpiece of the May Stated Meeting was Brother Matt Goosen’s original lecture on the symbolism of the Entered Apprentice degree. Given the opportunity to choose whatever aspect he wished, Bro. Goosen zeroed in on the historical and allegorical significance of chalk, charcoal, and clay. Which in addition to Brother Miller-Conley’s pristine performance in his Master Mason examination gave us all plenty to discuss during our focus conversation after the meeting.
A Brother Comes Home
This was also the first time we got to visit with our Junior Deacon, Brother Quinn, who’d been vacationing in Italy with his wife and son for the past several weeks. His lively and engaged personality added to the night’s joy as he regaled us with tales and presented several gifts from abroad.
As an added bonus, Brother Quinn organized a garden party at his house for the next night, to more casually greet and rejoin everyone. Friends, brothers and family all came together for a delightful potluck and prosecco party during a fabulously warm evening of games and songs and stories.
St. Johns Parade
For more than a year, Brother Miller-Conley has been planting the seed crystal that we should march in the annual Saint Johns Parade. With multiple brothers residing there (proud enough to be mistaken as St. Johns natives) it was clearly a go in 2019.
So on a brilliant Saturday morning, the Worshipful Master, Wardens, and a coterie of members assembled just blocks away from Roosevelt High School and set out on a two hour march to shine the light of North Portland Masonry.
Warm and gregarious as always, our Senior Warden lead the pack for a time; proudly brandishing the flag of Oregon Freemasonry while engaging the spectators.
Multiple brothers saw friends and family along the road as they marched, but perhaps Bro. Tranel got the warmest reception of all. Amusingly, Brother Miller-Conley had to attend a professional obligation that day, and couldn’t be a part of the project he’d spearheaded. A point he himself made later on that day.
Mercury Passed: a Fellowcraft Degree
After passing his proficiency examination on the Entered Apprentice Degree with flying colors, and presenting his original research on that degree at the May Stated Meeting, Brother Matt Goosen was absolutely entitled to and enthusiastic about his advancement in Masonry.
Fatefully, Bro. Goosen’s night happened to fall on May 15th (the Mercuralia); and though our own mystic rituals and traditions differ significantly from those of ancient Rome (and none of our active members worship the Roman Pantheon of deities) it was certainly an auspicious night to confer the Fellowcraft Degree.
There were many highlights In addition to the joy of giving a brother more light in Masonry. You can read more about that night and how Friendship Lodge treats its degree work here.
Getting to work in Downtown Portland
The leadership of Friendship and Columbia Lodges have been eager to cooperate on service work for some time. Both lodges embrace a strong commitment to giving relief to our most vulnerable citizens. So it came as no surprise that in May we cemented our partnership on a popup soup kitchen project. Every Tuesday evening you can find brethren from both lodges at Director Park in downtown Portland.
Friendship Lodge brothers walk a long, winding path
Friendship Lodge saw prolific travel this May, too. Some brothers have visited us, we have visited some others, and a few followed paths outside the jurisdiction of Ancient, Free, and Accepted Masons of Oregon.
On May 18th WB Walter Lee traveled to Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. Where he was the featured speaker, delivering his lecture, “Designing Harmony: a Craftsman’s Challenge”. This lecture is available to Friendship Lodge members in our Original Content section on our Library page.
The following Saturday, seven Friendship Masons accompanied the Worshipful Master and Senior Warden to travel to Enlightenment Lodge No. 228 to assist in conferring the Master Mason Degree. WB Chase presented WB John Kent with the 2019 Master’s Challengeaward in gratitude for inviting us to participate in this great event.
And… in the process stole Enlightenment’s Master’s gavel. It seems everything in life is a matter of balance.
Brothers Miller-Conley, Ramirez, Keatinge, and Schuman also traveled, but considerably farther in all cases. Their respective journeys took them far and wide, from modest rural enclaves to some of the most famed and majestic Masonic houses in the world.
Lavina, MT 
Los Angeles, CA 
Tampa, FL 
Bergen, Norway
May has been a perfect gateway to the 2nd half of this Masonic year. The Brethren of Friendship Masonic Lodge have been hard at work, individually and collectively, to grow together and engage the world for the better. The Worshipful Master and all officers of the lodge have worked hard to give us these opportunities, and we wish them the best of times at the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Oregon next week.
