MASTER’S MESSAGE
Greetings from the East. It is an honor to be elected and installed to serve as your Master for 2008. I will do my best to contribute to the continued success of Millbrook Lodge.
We have three candidates who are working their way to becoming Master Masons. Brother David Glackin was recently initiated and will become a Fellow Craft in March. Brothers John Bishop and Steven Spivey will become Master Masons in April. Many, many thanks to their coaches, Brothers Jack Ritter and TC Mullen. As I have mentioned before, one of the most rewarding aspects of Lodge membership is helping others become Master Masons. I encourage you to join a degree team, learn a part and enjoy the reward.
The officers and I are looking forward to some improvements to the Lodge facilities that include carpeting the stairs and upstairs foyer, new tile in the upstairs bathrooms, replacing and painting the siding on the shed, cleaning out the shed, repairing the tractor; and last and certainly not least, remodeling and upgrading the kitchen.
Brethren, if you have an email address and would like to receive The Messenger and other communications by email, please return your address to millbrook97@gmail.com. This will save some time, money and effort. I would certainly appreciate it. Also, don’t forget to visit our great website at www.millbrookmasoniclodge97.org
Millbrook will hold its Spring Barbecue on Friday, March 28th. Please assist and contribute in whatever way you can to help the Masonic Home for Children, the Masonic and Eastern Star Home and the Masonic Foundation. I hope to see everyone there. Thanks !
Rick Matlack
GREETINGS FROM THE WEST
We have started the year off with a bang. Our Lodge has been very busy so far and it looks like it is going to continue.
We need to really get behind the BBQ that is coming up March 28th. We need all the presales that we can get. This is what makes the successful BBQ’s. We need extra help so that no one has to stay all day. We are getting together and cooking on Thursday Evening, so I need to have a count of how many will be there. Please let someone know by the next meeting.
Brother Jack Ritter and myself are looking into bringing our kitchen up to date. We will have more on this at the next meeting. Please come and discuss.
If there is anything at all that I can do for you, please do not hesitate to call me @ 919-218-8113.
We will see you at our next meeting.
Rudy Bartholomew
HOWDY FROM THE SOUTH
It seems like it was yesterday when I was raised at Millbrook Lodge and now I’m sitting in the South. Thank you for your confidence in me. I truly believe I was directed to one of the best lodges in the 14th District as I sought light in Masonry. Everyone of you are a pleasure to be around. The wisdom and education I received from each of you is priceless.
I am trying to get dates set as early as possible this year so we can put them on our calendars and hopefully have larger turnouts for our events. March 28 is our annual spring barbecue. According to Millbrook tradition this happens on the first Friday after Easter. Wary indications are that this will be bigger than ever so we need all the help we can get. Please contact Nelson with your presales at 919-872-1408. The presale numbers are important as they help us predict the amount of food to buy. Steven Dieckhaus is planning our annul spring/summer social again. Please contact him at 919-601-7134 if you have any suggestions. The social will be on a Saturday. No date has been finalized as of yet for the 3rd annual Masonic Pig Jig, but if it follows the dates of the first two, it will be either Saturday September 6 or 13. We had a great time last year. Rumor has it that Rick Long spent his first anniversary in the back of his suburban. Rick is pondering on whether or not he wants to do that again this year. October 10 will be our annual fall barbecue. Tradition has us holding this on the Friday before the State Fair.
Jack Ritter has a great idea to start the “Millbrook Iron Chef Crew”. This will help make the meal planning more consistent. If you would like to be on the crew, whether you can cook or not, contact Jack at 919-632-3052.
I am the person who sends you the annoying phone messages. These are coordinated among Millbrook Lodge, William T. Bain Lodge and Millbrook Chapter O.E.S. If you have questions or concerns about the messages, please contact me at 919-601-6178. I believe the system is tuned to where most people get the message without too many problems. I’ll be turning on e-mail notification in the next several months. Send your e-mail to thdude@bellsouth.net and I will add you to the list.
Fraternally, George
FROM THE SECRETARY’S DESK
Greetings Brethren – as we are now in the third month of 2008, our lodge is doing quite well. We have at the present time two fellowcrafts and one entered apprentice being coached on their respective catechisms and since they are doing very well we will have a 2nd degree on March 18th and a 3rd degree on April 15th (tax day). We also have several petitions and applications for affiliation in the hands of many prospective Millbrook members which we hope to be able to process soon. Also, as of this writing we have had no deaths reported.
I would like to take this opportunity to ask all past masters and members that no longer coach, if they have an OSW, to return it to the lodge. You can either drop it by the lodge or mail it to P.O. Box 40756 Raleigh, NC 27629. You can mail the book using the book rate, so it will be very inexpensive for you. Thank you for helping us with this.
We are going to have a great year in 2008. WM Rick Matlack has many plans and projects for the lodge and he also will have some very interesting educational programs. So why don't you take some time on the first and third Tuesday evenings and join us for some good fellowship. The second stated meeting in the month is our eating meeting and you will be able to enjoy a great meal prepared by our own IRON CHEF'S CREW. There is none finer in North Carolina.
I hope all of you are enjoying good health and we look forward to seeing you at the lodge. Remember tell all your friends and relatives what one of our bumper stickers display, 2-B-1 ask 1.
Fraternally, Nelson
FROM THE SENIOR DEACON
Well, it seems we are off to a great start within the Lodge. With three candidates moving through the degrees, proposed work to the interior and exterior of the Lodge and our forthcoming BBQs as well as other social events will make for exciting times this year. With all this happening, we need each of our brethren to step up and do just a little bit to help us make this a grand and successful year...the old saying of many hands make light work is just as true today as when it was first penned.
If you have not attended lodge in some time, I would encourage you to do so as you will find it a good experience. Plus, we could use your good company and ideas in making our great lodge even better.
As the building and grounds guy, I would solicit your assistance in helping keep the lodge and grounds looking sharp. If you are interested, please send me your phone number or e-mail as I am compiling a contact list so we can set up a work schedule for differing details...would be really great to have calendar much like the chefs have for their cooking schedule..two people each week to cut, edge and sweep the grounds during grass...make that weed growing season if we do not get more rains. So, if you have about 45 minutes during a weekend I'd love to hear from you. The goal is to have each volunteer only do this duty once or twice during the year. Please let me hear from you.
Well, that's about it from this chair. I do hope to see you at our next meeting and look forward to hearing from you.
TC Mullen@cs.com or 919-601-6546
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR MILLBROOK AND OUR IMMEDIATE AREA
March 28 - Spring Barbecue
April 1 - Stated Meeting - Third Degree
April 11 & 12 -Scottish Rite Reunion
April 19 - Stated Meeting – Meal at 6:30
April 24 - School of Instruction at J.J. Crowder
April 29 - Fifth Tuesday Educational Meeting
May 6 - Stated Meeting
May 20 - Stated Meeting
June 3 - Stated Meeting
June 17 - Stated Meeting – Meal at 6:30
2nd & 4th Mondays - Millbrook Chapter 293 O.E.S. – Millbrook Lodge
2nd Thursday -Scottish Rite – Masonic Temple
1st Friday - York Rite – Masonic Temple
4th Wednesday - Amran Temple – Creedmoor Road
Millbrook Messenger Editor
J. Luigi Ammons – 919-834-8873
lammons@mindspring.com
