From the East
Brethren,
I honestly can’t believe October is already here. After a number of attempts we were finally able to hold a wonderful fellowcraft degree. Santa Maria was host to the 931st district who attended in support of our lodge and brother. Congratulations to brother Elijah.
We have so much work yet to do. We have applicants in the pipeline for approval, Entered Apprentices working on their proficiencies, and brothers standing for their Passing. In addition, we have had a number of potential applicants joining us for Stated Dinners and Saturday coffee. The future of Santa Maria is bright my brothers.
The Master Craftsman of our time
The past couple of years I’ve read a few books and articles from the late 1800s and early 1900s. It’s interesting how often I find a writing from 100+ years ago that is so relevant to today’s environment. Times goes on, but as they say “history repeats itself”.
Masonry was organized in recognition of the dignity of the common man. It’s program and teachings are based upon his right to know, to think, and to act in his own right. To all mankind it has become a symbol of resistance to thought control in every form. Such standards require that every Mason know his part.
The time has arrived for us to assume the leadership that the present situation demands; not always by officially sponsored action, but by the building of better men.
Masonry, like all free institutions, stands today at the crossroad. We can choose the easy path that ultimately leads to failure and destruction, or we can accept the challenge of our founders and make safe for ourselves and our childrens’ children the highway to a free and better world. Although we may be assailed by forces from without and sometimes misled by misguided prophets from within, our mission still remains the same. Whether it be in service of God, or in the service of mankind, we must always be the master craftsman of our time – men with vision and the character to remain free.
Ref; Life in the Triangle, Robert Morris (1818-1888)
Dave Murray - Worshipful Master
Senior Warden Chase Murray
From The West
Welcome to the month of October my Brothers and friends.
This month we will be celebrating a holiday which is my personal favorite, Halloween.
Halloween is among the oldest traditions in the world as it touches on an essential element of the human condition: the relationship between the living and the dead. The observance evolved from ancient rituals marking the transition from summer to winter, thereby associating it with transformation, which is still a central theme of the holiday.
Every recorded civilization has created some form of ritual observance focused on what happens to people when they die, where they go, and how the living should best honor those who have passed or respond to the dead who seem unwilling or unable to move on. Countries around the world today celebrate Halloween in one form or another, from Mexico's Day of the Dead to China's Tomb Sweeping Day. The modern-day observance of Halloween in countries such as the United States and Canada – where this tradition is most popular – share in this ancient tradition, even though some aspects of the holiday are relatively recent developments, and can be traced back to the Celtic festival of Samhain.
The jack o' lantern is associated with the Irish folk tale of Stingy Jack, a clever drunk and con man who fooled the devil into banning him from hell but, because of his sinful life, could not enter heaven. After his death, he roamed the world carrying a small lantern made of a turnip with a red-hot ember from hell inside to light his way. Scholars believe this legend evolved from sightings of will-o-the-wisp, swamp and marsh gasses which glowed in the night. On All Hallows Eve, the Irish hollowed out turnips and carved them with faces, placing a candle inside, so that as they went about “souling” on the night when the veil between life and death was thinnest, they would be protected from spirits like Stingy Jack.
Chase Murray - Senior Warden
Worshipful Bill Graham (PM)
Secretary’s Corner
October is here and the Masonic Year is almost over. The Master and Senior Warden will be attending Grand Lodge Annual Communication this month. The proposed Legislation is in a binder in the upstairs Dining Room for anyone that would like to review it. After review, if you have thoughts or suggestions, please present them to the Master. We had two Fellow Craft Degrees, for Brother Elijah Descoteaux and Brother Wade Hendry. If you missed them you missed out! We have more Degrees upcoming in the near future. Please join us if your cable-tow allows.
Dues Notices for 2023 will be going out in early November. Remember, if you send a payment in and are in arrears, that payment will go to the past due amount. You will still need to come back to good standing for the current year to receive your Dues Card. Please contact the Master or myself to discuss this if you have any questions.
iMember 2.0 is in full swing. Please go check it out at member.freemason.org. There are many things you can do there such as changing your address, your personal information, locate lodges, find resources and documents. Maintaining your contact information ensures that you will receive all notices that the Lodge sends out in a timely manner. Please go check it out!
If you are financially unable to pay your dues, please contact the Master to discuss.
If you have lost your envelope, you can mail your dues to:
Santa Maria Lodge No. 580,
PO Box 68, Ramona, CA 92065
You can also go to our website, http://www.santamaria580.org, and pay online. If you have paid and have not received your card in a reasonable amount of time, please contact me at 951-970-4294 or secretary@santamaria580.org and I will take care of it.
S/F
Bill Graham, PM - Secretary
Reminder!!
Have you moved? Changed your phone number? Changed your e-mail address? Have you notified the Lodge if you have done any of these things?? In an ongoing effort to ensure that all member get due and timely notice of all Lodge information, it is important that you keep your information updated with us.
I would greatly appreciate it if all of you would log in to member.freemason.org, go to the My Profile section and ensure that all of your address/phone number/e-mail is up to date. This will automatically update the i-member section that I use as the Secretary to for your mailings and other contacts.
Calendar of Events
Lodge Officer Directory
Master - Dave Murray (Catheren)
Senior Warden - Chase Murray
Junior Warden - Vacant
Treasurer - Ken Bychak II, PM (Laura)
Secretary - Bill Graham, PM (Teri)
Chaplain - Don Ruch, PM (Vicki)
Marshal - Bruce Smith, PM (Beverly)
Senior Deacon - Vacant
Junior Deacon - Rex McCray
Senior Steward - Bob Weldon, PM (Brenda)
Junior Steward - Cole Dick
Tiler - Mark Lantz
619-302-1223
619-607-2935
707-328-9617
951-970-4294
619-787-3858
760-788-9475
760-788-4957
760-789-5254
760-533-3733
858-231-4646
Santa Maria Masonic Building
Association (SMMBA) Directory
President - Peter Krickhuhn, PM
Vice President/Treasurer - Chase Murray
Secretary - Dave Murray
Member - Ken Bychak II, PM
Member - Bob Weldon, PM
Member - Don Ruch, PM
Member - Bruce Smith, PM
760-612-1978
619-607-2935
619-302-1223
707-328-9617
760-789-5254
619-787-3858
760-788-9475