From the East
Greetings from the East,
I hope everyone had a great February; we had a busy month with the Sweetheart’s Luncheon, the Super Bowl party, and our regular business. I would like to thank everyone who attended our events and assisted with making them a success. Please check out photos from the events below.
| The “Hiram Award” is the official recognition of a Brother by his own Lodge for his devoted service to that Lodge and to Masonic principles in general. As previously announced, I am honored to share that the recipient of the Hiram Award for 2023 from Natoma Lodge #64 is Cecil Jaquess Jr., PM. Cecil will join the prestigious ranks of some of the finest brothers from our lodge. Be sure to check out the list of past honorees below. The award presentation and dinner will be on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. Please plan to attend this special event and be on the lookout for RSVP information to follow shortly. | |
It’s that time of year again when we look forward to our annual corned beef stated dinner on Thursday, March 2. Our stated dinners are open to families, friends, and especially anyone you know who is interested in Masonry. Please RSVP for everyone attending.
Brethren, please not only attend our stated dinners but also our stated meetings. We need everyone’s input on any old and new business, and to bring new ideas to the table. If you would like to make a presentation at a meeting, please let me know. Though we have not had any 3rd degree proficiencies given in some time, I am pleased to announce that at the March stated meeting we have two brothers giving their 3rd degree proficiencies. I encourage you to come and support these brothers who have put in the work to reach this point in their masonic journey.
We should also be having a few 1st degree initiations in the near future. Please make every effort to attend degrees, this is very important to the candidates and to the strength of our lodge. An important segment of a degree is when the candidate is given his Masonic Charge for his newly obtained degree. One way to participate in the ritual of the degree is to give the charge to the candidate, if you are interested in giving a charge, please let me know.
We are in the process of bringing back the Child ID program to the lodge. This program aids in the identification and recovery of missing children. It is a service we can offer to the community at events we hold or community events that we attend. We will keep you updated on the progress.
Please have a great March 2023! Feel free to contact me at 916-990-1469. Thank you and stay safe.
Fraternally Parting Upon the Square,
Joseph R. Nielsen
2022-2023 Master
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From the West
There are many ways to enrich yourself with masonic education. This month, let’s focus on how to get answers to some of the most frequently asked questions I receive, like:
- How do I access and print my dues card?
- How do I get contact info for another brother?
- How do I update my profile with a photo, new email, phone or update information for my spouse or partner?
- How do I brush up on my degree education?
Getting the answers to these questions is as easy as 1 -2 -3! To get started, simply go to the Grand Lodge of California website https://freemason.org and get the mobile app iMember 2.0. I highly recommend you bookmark the Grand Lodge page on your computer or laptop and add the mobile app to your phone for easy access. Instructions to add the mobile app are in Step 3 below.
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STEP 1: Go to the Grand Lodge Home page (freemason.org) and click on the Member Sign In button on the upper right navigation bar (screenshot below). There, you'll be prompted to sign in or create a membership account if you've not registered before. | |
STEP 2: Sign in. If you've previously created an account, sign in. If you’ve never registered before, you’ll need to create an account. Click on Member Registration - top right on the nav bar (screenshot below) and have your email address, membership number, and a unique password ready to go. | |
Once you've signed in, voilà! You'll be at the dedicated, easy-to-use Natoma Lodge #64 navigation page (screenshot below) to make any changes to your account, find other brothers, print your dues card, and so much more. Big request! Please add your photo to your profile so we can connect names and faces. | |
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STEP 3: Installing the iMember 2.0 App to your phone or other mobile device
O.k. we're almost done. If you haven’t downloaded the iMember app yet, please follow these directions so you’ll have easy access to the Grand Lodge site where you can get a ton of useful information on-the-go. The process of installing is a little different than what you may be used to. The following mobile devices/browsers are supported: iPhone/Safari, Android/Chrome, Android/Firefox
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Pro Tip: If you want a tutorial on the Grand Lodge Navigation page and where you can find specific things, login and watch this short video for further instruction.
Is the mobile app private/secure?
Yes, the app is secure as all information is transmitted and stored using industry-standard encryption practices. If you choose to stay logged in to the app or have your phone manage the password for your app, we suggest you make sure your phone has a password or biometric security enabled to prevent someone from accessing the app should your phone be lost or stolen.
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Fraternally and On the Level,
Stuart Stackhouse
Senior Warden
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From the South
Brethren and Ladies, welcome to March,
We had a wonderful February, filled with fun and fellowship. The Sweethearts luncheon was a hit, and of course, everyone loved Brother George Wyatt's delicious dishes. Please join me in thanking Brother Wyatt when you see him. The support he showed and that of the other brothers who helped with set up and the lunch helped make this luncheon a very successful and appreciated one. Special thanks goes out to Nicole Williams, who hand made those amazing cards that we were able to hand out to our ladies. That added a nice personal touch. One last thanks to Dale and Lori Jordan, for their donations of the adorable teddy bears for the ladies. They were loved by our guests.
Looking into March, we start by kicking off with an early Saint Patrick’s Day dinner. For over a decade our Tiler, Dennis Davis, has made his wonderful corned beef to rave reviews. This year, because of medical issues, Dennis must step back, but he has trained a team of brother leprechauns in the ways of the corned beef. So, please come join us at the stated meeting dinner on March 2 as we cook a meal of corned beef, cabbage, baby carrots, Colcannon, Bubble and Squeak, and of course soda bread. This will be followed by a delicious Pot O’ Gold cake dessert. Make sure to get those RSVP’s in by Tuesday, February 28. You'll be green with envy if ye miss it!
On Saturday, March 4, we will be having our monthly lodge breakfast, for only a small donation of $5. And yes, we will have bacon, bacon and more bacon.
Last and certainly not least, we will be celebrating the Hiram Award Recipient Worshipful Cecil Leo Jaquess Jr. His ceremony will be on March 25 at 6:00 p.m. followed by a dinner to honor him and the work he has done to help the Fraternity, Shrine, Rainbow Girls and so many others. There will be more details coming out soon along with the RSVP, so please do what you can to come out and celebrate.
Please feel free to reach out to me directly if you need any assistance with any RSVP, for any event.
Until next month, fraternally and By the Plumb,
Noel Lukas
Junior Warden
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See more photos from Sweethearts luncheon below | |
From the Northeast Corner
Greetings Brethren:
In Masonry, everything is accomplished because we volunteer our time, our energy and our desire to give back. This is our task if we are to see the membership improve and the to Lodge grow.
The good news is that by volunteering as a Coach it is not only the candidate that profits. You can make our Lodge and our Craft better than it was when you joined.
Perhaps now is the time for you to “step up” and “aid and assist” a worthy candidate who is in need of your knowledge and make a difference in someone’s life. Remember, “To Be One---Ask One.”
We meet every Thursday at 5:00 p.m. and you are welcome to join. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (916) 203-3656 or jfreidson@hotmail.com.
Fraternally Yours,
Joe Freidson P.M.
Head Candidates Coach
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From Natoma Rainbow Assembly #90
Being the Grand Worthy Advisor for the state of California takes hard work, leadership and dedication. So, when Sydney Warney's celebration reception of her prominent role in Rainbow was being planned, she went with a theme that was near and dear to her heart - Disney. As a life-long Disney lover whose favorite movie is Fantasia, Sydney aptly chose, "Use Your Imagination and Dream a Fantastic Dream" as her theme. The beautiful Sacramento Scottish Rite Center in Sacramento was the site of her reception held on Sunday, February 19. In keeping with Sydney's theme, Mickey Mouse ears and decorations resembling fireworks created by the Natoma Rainbow Assembly adorned the room. During the reception, Sydney's journey through Rainbow - from Pledge to Grand Worthy Advisor - was highlighted. She introduced us to her family and friends as well as all her Grand Officers. The Grand Worthy Advisors from Nevada and Oregon traveled to the event to show their support as well. We were treated to skits and Sydney had to sing and dance during a couple of them! It was fantastic day of good-natured fun celebrating Sydney.
The next big event is the Grand Assembly for the state of CA on April 1 - 4 in Visalia where the new Grands will be announced.
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