Sunday With The Secretary 2022 #37

[Daniel Giacomelli]

Evening Brethren-

I’m a little late today as we just rolled in from Rhode Island having attended the 69th International Gathering of Lodges Named for St. Alban. It was a great weekend hosted by St. Alban Lodge No. 6 from Bristol, R.I.. We have officially extended our invitation and the torch has been passed to us as the next host. As there is no host for 2023, we will host the 70th Annual Gathering September 13-15, 2024 in conjunction with our 150th Anniversary year. I know 2 years may sound like a ways away, but we have already started much of the planning. I am asking for help from members willing to serve on committees. Committee assignments include things like working with the Hotel blocking rooms and arranging Breakfasts, Hospitality Room, Registration, Gift giveaways, etc. Br. Damian Sammons, P.M. has already offered himself up to design the logo and to create the website for the event so we can better communicate our plans to the St. Alban Lodges around the world. We are looking forward to this event culminating our plans for our 150th anniversary year at a banquet at the Grand Lodge on Saturday, September 14th which will be attended by the attendees of the Gathering as well as our presumptive Right Worshipful Grand Master and his party. If you would like to get involved in some way with the planning, please let me know and we can figure out what area best suits your interest.

Br. Kyle is finalizing his plans for 2023 which is shaping up to be a great upcoming year for the Lodge with a dynamic Officer Corps lined up. As we most likely will be merging with Equity Lodge this December, Kyle is actively planning for a very worthwhile first official combined meeting in January 2023. We held our final merger meeting this past week and we are wrapping up the paperwork which will be presented to Grand Lodge for their approval at the next Quarterly Communication in December.

Our Stated Meeting in October is set for the 12th at 7:30pm with dinner at Maggiano’s at 5:30pm. Our DDGM, Samuel Freeman, will be making an official visit, we will be voting on the merger with Equity Lodge, proposing 2 by-law changes and balloting on 3 new petitions. We will also be recognizing our Past Masters. Please make your dinner reservations now so I have a sense of how many will be coming. Once again, the copay for dinner is $15, parking $5

October is going to be an ambitious month with 3 Extra Meetings planned to confer 6 Master Mason Degrees on our current FC Masons. The Extra Meeting dates are October 17, 19 & 24th. Br. Ozer has already offered to confer the first 4 MM Degrees on the 17th & 19th. We have also invited Equity to assist us to give our Brethren a break.

The Grand Lodge has set up a Leadership Training Seminar to be held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Allentown on October 15th. This will be a good program to better prepare you for the day to day operations of running a Lodge or any other organization to which you may be involved. If interested, you can register on the Grand Lodge website.

This is a final call for volunteers for the upcoming baby shower for Masonic military families being held on October 30th. Volunteers are needed to wrap gifts on the 29th and to work the event on the 30th. The shower is being held at the Masonic Temple in Philly and will be attended by our RWGM. Please contact me this week if interested.

Dues notices are going out for October with the deadline to pay dues on 12/31. Let me know if you have any issues paying dues or accessing the online payment portal.

On a fun note, I’m considering traveling to New York later this year to attend the Titanic exhibit. If anyone is interested in traveling with me to attend, we can make a fun day out of it. Let me know and we can work out a date and purchase tickets.

That’s all for now. Time to unpack and unwind from a great weekend of fellowship. Have a great week and stay safe!

Frats- Jim

—
James T. Clancy, P.M., Secretary
St. Alban Lodge No. 529

[Author]

Posts