Master's Degree in Rosebud on 12/30

All Master Masons in the area are invited to attend a Master's Degree at Rosebud Lodge #745 in Rosebud, TX on the evening of Wednesday, December 30 beginning at 7:00 p.m. Bros. Tommy McCormick and Barton Felton from Thorndale Lodge #978 are coordinating the degree team so please contact them if you would like to participate.

There will also be food and sweets so come early and join the fellowship beginning at 6:00.

Christmastime in Thorndale!

The brothers in Thorndale were busy this Christmas helping with their town's Christmas festivities. In addition to helping hang the town's decorations, the Lodge sponsored the Shriners from Ben Hur Shrine in Austin, who came to town and put on a show. They also had a booth selling sausage wraps and refreshments.

A few pics are included here. To see the whole album click here.


Brothers from the Ben Hur Shrine entertained the crowd. (Photo by Bill Crist of The Cameron Herald.)


Fun for the kids!


Thanks to all who came out to help!


Bro. Trey Gilchrist spreads Christmas cheer in preparation for the parade.

Lodges to Participate in Local Christmas Parades

The Christmas season kicks off during the first week in December with several area Christmas parades, and local Lodges will be participating. Brothers in Rosebud and Lott are putting together a float that will be used in several parades. In order of date:

On Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m. Carolina Lodge #330 in Lott will be participating in their city's parade with a float. All local brothers and family members are invited to come and ride along. Also the Lodge will be selling hot chocolate and coffee underneath its new awning on the main street in Lott.

On Thursday, Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m. Rosebud Lodge #745 will also have a float in their city's Christmas Parade. Santa will be riding along! (There is a rumor that he bears an uncanny resemblance to Bro. Charlie Groseclose.)

On Saturday, Dec. 5 at 9:30 a.m. Thorndale Lodge #978 will be having a BBQ sandwich and wraparound fundraiser during the Thorndale Christmas Parade. Anyone who’d like to help out, please contact Trey Felton at tfelton@ercot.com, or 512-638-5958. The Lodge is also selling raffle tickets and the winner will be drawn out during the parade. In addition the Lodge is sponsoring the Shriners in the parade, and will host a luncheon for them afterwards at the Lodge.

Also on Saturday Dec. 5 at 5:00 p.m. San Andres Lodge #170 in Cameron will have a float in their city's Christmas parade.

If your event is not listed here, send me an email!

Monroe Mortimer receives Golden Trowel

The Golden Trowel award was presented to Bro. Monroe Mortimer on the evening of Thursday, November 12 by San Andres Lodge #170 in Cameron. Here Monroe proudly displays his award:



Also present at the ceremony were other previous Golden Trowel recipients:


L-R: Barton Felton (2009, Thorndale #978), Eugene Morgan (2009, Milano #414), E.J. Provasek (2008, San Andres #170), Monroe Mortimer (2009, San Andres #170), Hank Clore (1995, Park Place #1172), Johnny Menges (2009, Lexington #138; 2000, San Andres #170; and 2004, Rockdale #414)

The award was presented by the Right Worshipful Roderick Holcombe, District Deputy Grand Master of Masonic District 104:


Worshipful Master Albert "Hootie" Weller presided over the meeting and Hank Clore, PM, served as Master of Ceremonies. The meal was catered by Bob and Collie Terry.

Thanks to Peggy Lanford for the photos. For more click here.

San Andres #170 to Present Golden Trowel

A Golden Trowel Award will be presented to Bro. Monroe Mortimer, PM, at a special open meeting prior to the regular stated meeting of San Andres Lodge #170 in Cameron on Thursday, November 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Presiding will be Worshipful Master Albert "Hootie" Weller, with Bro. Hank Clore, PM, performing as Master of Ceremonies. The meal will be catered. Hope to see you all there!

Area happenings

Sorry -- it's been a while since I've updated the Blog -- it's been a busy fall! In the meantime I've received some emails and wanted to update everyone on happenings in the area:

* Knob Creek Lodge #401 in Temple has their website up and running again and I have posted a link to it on this page. They have a calendar that they update regularly and they have a Master's Degree planned for Monday, November 16 at 6:30 p.m. Their web site is:
http://knobcreek401.com/

* Zerne Lodge #615 in Holland extends an invitation for assistance in putting on a Fellowcraft Degree on Tuesday, November 17 at 6:00 p.m. They are specifically in need of assistance with the lecture for this degree. For more information contact Bro. Tim Smith, PM, at (512) 635-2310 or at timothy_m_smith@msn.com. Driving directions to Zerne Lodge are available on their Lodge Locator Page on the Grand Lodge of Texas website and on their Lodge Website at http://zerne615.blogspot.com/.

Even though the news hasn't been updated, the calendar events are correct so that we can all make plans to attend Lodge. As always, I can't post anything unless I find out about it, so don't forget to keep me in the loop!

Masters Degree in Holland on Sat 8/29

To all District Deputy Grand Masters, Masters, Wardens and Brethren
of Lodges in Districts 45, 47, 48, 61-A, 69, and 104 of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, greetings!


The Master of Zerne Lodge #615, Worshipful Guy D. Wilson, extends to the brethren
of our home District 48 and adjacent Districts of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas, AF&AM, an invitation to witness the raising of a Master Mason at
our Lodge on Saturday, August 29, 2009, at 8:00 A.M. in Holland, Texas.

We welcome all Master Masons who are in good standing with their Lodge and the
Grand Lodge of Texas, AF&AM, who can attend this ceremony. If there are those in your Lodge who are able and willing to assist with this degree, please contact
our Lodge degree team coordinator, Bro. E. Guy Willson at gwilson11@embarqmail.com.

Our degree team will rehearse on Tuesday, August 18th, at 7:30 P.M. at our Lodge Room. Driving directions are available on our Lodge Locator Page on the Grand Lodge
of Texas website and on our Lodge Website at http://zerne615.blogspot.com/.

This is the first of what will hopefully be three Master Mason degrees our
Lodge will conduct in Holland this year. Your efforts
to promulgate this event amongst the Brethren of your
respective lodges is earnestly solicited and greatly
appreciated.

With brotherly love and warm personal regards, I remain,

Fraternally
yours,

Bro. Tim Smith,
PM
Senior Warden, Zerne Lodge #615
Holland, Texas

Masters Degree in Thorndale on 8/22

There will be a Master's degree at Thorndale Lodge #978 on Saturday, August 22 at 9:00 a.m. Come and help! For more info contact Tommy McCormick or Barton Felton.

Thorndale FC Degree on Sat 7/18

There will be a Fellowcraft Degree this Saturday morning at Thorndale Lodge #978 beginning at 7:30 a.m. Come on out before it gets hot! Help is needed so if you're available contact Barton Felton or Tommy McCormick.

See you there!

Joint Installation for Tempe Lodges on July 27

Brethren,

Please join us for a joint installation of officers for Knob Creek Lodge #401 & King Solomon Lodge #1427 on Monday, July 27, 2009 at 7:30 pm with dinner prior at 6:30.
This meeting will be in place of King Solomon's regular stated meeting and will be held downtown at Knob Creek Lodge at 16 E. Central Ave., in Temple.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
Randy Clifton, Secretary
Knob Creek #401
King Solomon #1427

Joint Installation Ceremony Sat 7/11

There will be a joint ceremony for the installation of officers for the upcoming Masonic year for the following Lodges:
San Andres #170 (Cameron)
Rockdale #414
Rosebud #745
Thorndale #978

The open ceremony will be held at First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall in Cameron at 10:30 a.m. Installing Officer will be Bro. Hank Clore; Installing Marshall will be Bro. James Wheeler. Brothers are invited to attend a joint opening of all Lodges at San Andres Lodge beginning at 9:30, with family and guests meeting at the fellowship hall (one block away) and brothers joining them after Lodge is called to refreshment.

A light lunch will be served afterward.

The list of officers is as follows:

San Andres #170:
WM - Albert Weller
SW - Norman Lanford, Jr.
JW - Tommy McCormick
Treas. - James Wheeler
Sec. - Hank Clore
SD - Monroe Mortimer
JD - Dan Jones
SS - John Hairston
JS - Roy Martinez
Tiler - E.E. McCormick
Chap. - E.J. Provasek

Rockdale #414:
WM - Johnny Menges Sr.
SW - David Pendleton
JW - James Wright Jr.
Treas. - Albert Weller
Sec - James Maines
SD - Doug Davenport
JD - Bob Stephens
Tiler - James Powell
Chap. - Monroe Mortimer

Rosebud #745:
WM - Maurice Goza
SW - Stacey Maness
JW - Dan Jones
Treas. - Casey Stanislaw
Sec. - Joe Wallace
Tiler - Charles Groseclose

Thorndale #978:
WM - Tommy McCormick
SW - Johnny Menges, Sr.
JW - E.E. McCormick
Treas. - Edward Weise
Sec. - Barton Felton
SD - Jimmy D. Gilmore
JD - Delan Decker
Tiler - Albert Weller
Chap. - Alton Leroy Cast

EA in Lott on Friday 7/10

There will be an EA degree at Carolina Lodge in Lott on Friday evening, July 10, beginning at 7:30. Tommy McCormick will be sitting in the East. We can use your help!

Rockdale OES Installation Sat. 6/13

Rockdale Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 23 is holding its Officer Installation Ceremony on Saturday, June 13 at Rockdale Masonic Lodge, beginning at 5:00 with sandwiches and the ceremony starting at 6:00. Cake, punch and coffee will be served afterward.

Everyone is invited!

Here is the list of officers for the upcoming year:

Worthy Matron: Betty Alford
Worthy Patron: Aaron Alford
Associate Matron: Lois Love
Associate Patron: Jesse Love
Secretary: Gail Blackmon
Treasurer: Johnny Menges
Conductress: Mary Alice Poe
Associate Conductress: Sue Davenport
Organist: Dee Maines
Marshall: James Maines
Chaplain: Barbara Wright
Adah: Shirley Lane
Ruth: Mary Brannam
Esther: Nancy Clark
Martha: Deborah Reagan
Electa: Lola Pevehouse
Warder: James Wright
Sentinel: Eugene Lane

For more information contact Aaron or Betty Alford.

San Andres: Garage Sale on June 6

San Andres Lodge #170 in Cameron will be holding a garage sale at the Lodge on Saturday, June 6. The event is being held in conjunction with the "City Wide Garage Sale", sponsored by the Cameron Chamber of Commerce.

Details:

• Meet at the Lodge at 6:30 on Friday night to tag and organize items, and to put out signs.
  
• At 7:00 on Saturday morning meet to set up and organize items.
  
• All types of items welcome -- clothes, books, furniture and household items.
  
• Left-over items will be donated to local charities.
  
• Proceeds will be used to offset the cost of the new fence.
  

Help and donations are needed! For more information call Casey on 254-913-7913.

See you there!

San Andres: EA Degree to preceede workshop on 5/23

An EA degree will be conducted at San Andres Lodge #170 in Cameron prior to the District Education Workshop on Saturday, May 23, beginning at 8:00 a.m. The Master will bring donuts and put a pot of coffee on, so come on out.

District Education Workshop 5/23

The 2009 Masonic Education Workshop for Masonic District 104 and surrounding districts will be held Saturday, May 23, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at San Andres Lodge #170, 106 W. 6th St. in Cameron. The workshop will be conducted by Bro. David R. Kale, Chairman of Area "F". Light refreshments will be served. This workshop is for Masons only, but EAs and FCs are also invited to attend.

For more information click here to view the flier.

EA Degre in Thorndale Fri 5/15

There will be an EA degree in Thorndale on Friday, May 15 at 6:00 p.m. Come on out, we need your help!

Rockdale: EA Degree on Tuesday night

A EA degree will be conducted for two candidates on the evening of Tuesday, May 12 beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Rockdale Lodge #414.

York Rite Festival in Temple on June 20

Temple Chapter and Council are sponsoring a York Rite festival on June 20 to be held at Knob Creek Lodge #401 in downtown Temple at 16 E. Central Ave.

Registration/breakfast at 7am, degrees begin at 8am. The fee is $150 and covers Chapter, Council and Commandery degree fees and first years dues.

For more details please contact Bro. Randy Clifton at 254-931-6907.

Bro. Randy is also Secretary of Knob Creek Lodge #401 and King Solomon Lodge #1427 in Temple and extends an open invitation for brothers to visit.

Meeting nights are:
Knob Creek #401 : 1st Monday
King Solomon #1427 : 2nd and 4th Monday

Also there is ritual practice at King Solomon Lodge every Thursday night from 6-9, come and go.

Carolina: EA Degree on Saturday

An EA Degree will be held at Carolina Lodge #330 in Lott at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2009. If you feel like helping out with the degree please contact Joe Wallace.

Zerne Lodge (Holland) Cornerstone Dedication on May 15

To all District Deputy Grand Masters, Masters, Wardens and Brethren of the Lodges of Districts 45, 47, 48, 61-A, 69, and 104 of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas, greetings!

The Master of Zerne Lodge #615, Worshipful E. Guy Wilson, extends to the brethren of our home District 48 and adjacent Districts of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas, AF&AM, an invitation to witness the leveling of a cornerstone at a Holland ISD School on Friday, May 15, 2009, in Holland, Texas.

Our main reason for reaching out to adjacent districts is that we attempted this Leveling Ceremony once this morning with insufficient attendance by Past Masters to legally open a representation of the Grand Lodge of Texas, thus prompting us to have to reschedule at the last minute, which no doubt reflected negatively on Masonry and our Lodge. We beseech all Past Masters who can attend this ceremony and assist with the opening of the representation of the Grand Lodge to come to Zerne Lodge 615 in Holland, TX, on May 15, at 9:00 a.m. Driving directions are available on our Lodge Locator Page on the Grand Lodge of Texas website.

Zerne Lodge #615 will open a called meeting at 9 AM in our Lodge Room in Holland, followed soon thereafter by the opening of a represenatation of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas. We will then adjourn to the school construction site to conduct the ceremony which is expected to be wtnessed by many of the students of the school district. The ceremony is to be officiated by R:W: Archie W. Scott, the Grand Treasurer of the MW GLofTX.

This is the third Cornerstone Leveling ceremony to be conducted in Holland in 10 years and continues the great Texas Masonic tradition of supporting public education in our communities. Your efforts to promulgate this event amongst the Brethren, especially Past Masters, of your respective lodges is earnestly solicited and greatly appreciated.

With brotherly love and warm personal regards, I remain,

Fraternally yours,

Bro. Tim Smith, PM
Junior Warden, Zerne Lodge #615
Holland, Texas

Local activities for May 9

Several things happening on Saturday, May 9:

* San Andres has a Lodge cleanup day starting at 8:00 a.m. The main goal is to tear down the old fence on the east side of the parking lot, but we will also spend time cleaning the inside of the Lodge. Bring your tools!

* Rockdale Lodge has a fish fry benefiting their scholarship fund, from 11-2 at the Lodge. Tickets are $7 per plate.

* Carolina Lodge in Lott is putting on an EA for Austin Parker at 5 p.m.

If there is something else going on that's not listed it's because nobody told me about it! Please send email to sanandreslodge@gmail.com.

Master's Degree in Rosebud on Mon. 5/4

A Master's Degree will be put on at Rosebud Lodge #745 on Monday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. For more info or if you want to participate please contact Joe Wallace or Maurice Goza.

Milano Lodge Golf Tourney Rescheduled for 5/16

The annual golf scramble for Milano Lodge #605 has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 16 at the Cameron Country Club. Cost is $40 per golfer and carts are available upon request. Sponsorships are also available for $150 each. Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. with a 9:00 shotgun start. The event was originally scheduled for April 18 but was rained out.

Rockdale OES Hamburger Luncheon 4/25

The Rockdale Order of the Eastern Star is holding a hamburger and hot dog luncheon on Saturday, April 25 at the New Salem Home Demonstration Building at Fair Park in Rockdale, starting at 10:00 a.m. Tickets are $6.00 each for a hamburger or two hot dogs, chips and a drink. Desserts are available for $1.00 a slice. There will also be a silent auction. For more information or to make a donation please call 512-446-5450 or 512-760-6911.

See you there!

San Andres booth at the Dewberry Festival 4/25

Cameron's annual Dewberry Festival will be held on Saturday, April 25 at Wilson Ledbetter Park in Cameron and San Andres Lodge will have a booth selling lemonade, limeade, sausage wraps and iced tea. We will meet at the Lodge at 7:30 on Saturday morning to load up and we will tear down the booth starting about 4:00.

Please give Casey a call on 254-913-7913 and let him know your availability. Everyone's help is needed and I have composed a checklist of things that need to be done. I will email the current status of the checklist so check your email.

See you there!

Preparation tasks:
Pay the C of C for the booth
Contact Steve Howeth about his juicer
Contact John Shuffield about his juicer
Get the sausage
Check the Lodge, find out what we have and what we need: cups, wraps, sugar,
splenda, foil wraps, mustard, ketchup, etc.
Get lemons, limes, other supplies, prob. in Temple at Sam's
Get tent
Get ice chests
Get water jugs
Get firewood, kindling and lighter fluid
Get a bbq pit
Get $100 of change and a money bag

Saturday tasks:
Get ice & water
Get bbq pit
6 people for load up at the Lodge at 7:30 supplies, drinks, ice, tables, chairs
Set up at booth site
Make a sign
4 Workers for 7:30 to 10:00
4 Workers for 10:00 to 2:00
4 Workers for 2:00 to end
6 people load out & haul back to Lodge
Take the pit back
Clean up juicers and tidy the Lodge
Count and deposit the money

Stan Parker is turning 50!

Everyone is invited to Stan Parker's 50th Birthday Party on Saturday night, April 25. There will be food and music at his house near Lott. See the attached document for more info and a map.

See you there!

birthday_party_invitation.pdf