Greetings from the East!

As the days grow short and the air starts to chill, we welcome the Fall season.

Fall is an amazing time of year that seems to kick our senses into high gear. Fall welcomes our favorite flannel shirt and football jersey back into service as nature treats us to an explosion of fall colors of reds, maroon, shades of orange, and yellows that contrast with the rich earth tones of farm fields at harvest time. Some days the air smells crisp and cold or damp and earthy, and on other days we enjoy of the smells of leaves; wet leaves, dry leaves, burning leaves, and the subtle smell of decaying leaves. Fall is a season to hunt and gather, to bring in the crops, harvest the garden, or take a trip to the pumpkin patch, farmers’ market, or apple orchard. Fall is a time of plenty; however, things don’t last unless we take care to preserve our harvest.

Every member of our Masonic family needs to reach out and make an extra special effort to welcome our new Brothers and their families into our fraternity. To make them feel part of our Masonic family. As we work with these new Brothers, we must also take time to find out why they joined our fraternity, and then help them to realize their expectations.

For each new Mason we initiate, pass, and raise, we should keep in mind the need to balance today’s rapidly paced schedule and demands of working families. In other words, we need to respect time and provide value.

We initiated, passed, and raised a great crop of Masons this year but it’s what we do after they are raised that will determine if we retain and engage them. The degree of care we take in our Lodges after they become Master Masons will determine if we preserve them in our years to come. I appreciate the support, and your efforts, to keep our Lodge healthy and growing.

Peace and Harmony,
Br. Lee Friedland
Worshipful Master