TUCSON LODGE #4, F. & A. M N Country Club Road Tucson, Arizona

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1 TUCSON LODGE #4, F. & A. M N Country Club Road Tucson, Arizona TL4SO@hotmail.com WILL WILKINSON Senior Warden will4az@gmail.com CRAIG GROSS, P.M., Lodge Secretary cgross12@cox.net JOHN PROKOP Website Editor jfprokop@comcast.net VOLUME 136 APRIL 2017 NUMBER 4 From The East NICK ANDRESS Worshipful Master nico7a@gmail.com B rethren, We are all familiar with the statement that, Masonry is not a religion. We also know that it is not a forum for political discourse nor immoral activities or business advancement. And we all know brothers who ascribe their own personal definitions to the craft but what is Masonry in its purest essence for the collective members? I put it to you, my brothers, that Masonry is a culture. According to Merriam-Webster s dictionary, there are many definitions of the word culture among which are the following: The act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties, especially by education. Enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training. HANNES MEYER Junior Warden hannes@hannesandjoyce.com April 1st April 5th April 6th April 12th April 13th April 19th April 20th April 26th April 27th April 29th April 2017 Calendar Fellowship Breakfast 7am Stated Meeting Dinner 6pm Stated Meeting 7pm Degree or Practice 7pm Degree or Practice 7pm Degree or Practice 7pm Deadwood Breakfast Laverna s Coffee Shop Gaslight Theater 6pm Please remember to register for the Stated Dinner by contacting the Secretary at or , or by TL4SO@hotmail.com The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends on the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. The customary beliefs, social forms, material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization. In these definitions, I have noticed that they are characterized not by solitary and non-recurring events, but rather there exists an indication of a continuity of action or a perpetual existence of concepts inherent in the culture for it to simply be. These definitions apply to any culture, be it nationalistic, racial, ethnic, social, corporate, etc. As an example, while one may become a citizen of a nation through meeting certain minimum qualifications, what quality of a citizen is he or she if they do not continue to practice the values, beliefs, obligations, and duties that qualify the commonly acknowledged practices of that nation? One may have been rituals necessary to enter a religious body as a congregant, but if the individual casts aside the practices, beliefs, and obligations of that religion, what significance do those formalities then hold for the spiritual growth of he or she who undertook them? The same observations may be made in a variety of other groupings of people who come together under a common banner, logo, symbol, charter, or defined classification. Continued on page 2

2 From the East continued In today s lodge rolls, we see two types of men: First, there are those who are Masons who embrace the culture of Masonry including its values, beliefs, traditions, aesthetics, intellectual offerings, and opportunities for fraternal cohesion. Second, there are those who became Masons and are absent from our halls. I speak not of the homebound, the ill, the overworked, or those serving our nation and/or its peoples in capacities that prevent their presence. I speak of those who have the ability to engage in our culture to practice our values and beliefs, to engage in intellectual expansion, experience enlightenment and the craft s aesthetic treasures, yet they choose not to do so. These men are missing out on a centuries-old culture that links men of all faiths, creeds, nationalities, origins, social and economic status, ages, and countless other characteristics into a unified body that aspires to being good and true to each of its brothers. I would invite them to come to lodge, join us for our visitations to other lodges, support our youth groups, or simply learn something new about Masonry and share it with your brothers at lodge or through any of the enormous variety of communication tools available in today s world. You may even support your Masonic culture by sending a good man to our lodge that we may all have a new brother to incorporate into this great fraternity of ours. In this vast world full of the Great Architect s marvels, I know of no other body of men that has succeeded in accomplishing the lofty goals that define our Masonic Culture across so broad a spectrum of men. This is a culture that is yours you simply need to reach forth and take your brother s hand. And if you look, you will see that he has already reached his out to you. -Fraternally, Nick Andress,Worshipful Master From The West After the March 1 stated meeting, our past masters held a first degree practice on March 8, and on our annual past masters night a first degree was exemplified on March 15, the Ides of March. On March 22, lodge members and guests enjoyed a potluck dinner. On March 29 we held a second degree and passed Brother David Lurtsema to become a Fellowcraft Mason with WB Hannes Meyer sitting in the East. According to our ritual as Masons we seek peace and harmony in the lodge. This peace and harmony for many can be undermined by the negative behavior of a few. Strategic ways to sow discord and disharmony are not welcome in our Fraternity or our lodge. We must always be on guard against them when we encounter these actions. One way to approach this goal is to ask ourselves, if you wanted to, how would you destroy harmony in our lodge. Identify such strategies and not allow them. A nonexhaustive list of such behaviors to consider and to discourage among us Brothers includes: Talk negatively about other people. Talk about other s past unintended mistakes. Talk about how people are illequipped to serve. Talk about how certain people just rub you the wrong way. Gossip negatively about other people, and if at all possible do it behind their back. Always assume the worst in people. If you want to destroy harmony assume the worst in people. Don t consider their difficult circumstances or their unfortunate situations; just assume the worst. Pessimism will destroy Brotherly love and relationships. Judge other people s motives. You don t know what s in someone else s heart, nor can you read other people s minds. Destroying harmony requires you to pretend like you can do both of these things. Regularly say things like, I ll tell you why he did that, or, I ll tell you why he said that. Keep to yourself and wait for other people to initiate a positive relationship. Start with the assumption that life revolves around you. After all, why should you go out of your way to initiate a relationship with someone else? Just sit back and wait for people to come to you. Be sure you don t forgive another s mistakes or unintentional errors. Expect other people to always serve you. Every lodge needs people to serve, but why should that be you? If you are asked to serve, try this excuse: I ve put in my time, now it s someone else s turn. Come to be served, rather than serve, harmony will soon disappear. Make sure everything is about you. Continued on pg 3

3 From the West continued... Being able to see how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity and harmony takes work, compassion and vigilance to recognize and combat destructive attitudes and behavior. Let s do what is best for the craft. Never hesitate to let me know what I can do to serve you better in our lodge. -William Wilkinson, Senior Warden SAHUARO HIGH TWELVE #523 Meets every Thursday 8:00AM Village Inn at 6251 N. Oracle Rd. From The South The Journey Not the Arrival Matters" T.S Eliot. This is one of the travelling quotes. Another one is credited to an old Chinese saying: Even the longest journey begins with the first step. As Masons we talk a lot of being on a journey. We mention those who have gone before us and we ask whence and whither we are travelling. Among all the travelling references it astounds me that in the practical life of the Lodge we are too easily lured into the thought that the travel ends after the Third degree. We work hard with the candidates to get them raised Master Masons. We take pride in our ritual and celebrate every newly started brother. But what happens after the Third Degree? Too often we lose contact and lament that they just don t come back. There is a great temptation to confuse the Degrees as the wrong end of the journey. We adopt the thought that the goal is reached by becoming a Master Mason. The Third Degree is not the end of the journey but just the beginning. After all we are raised as Master Masons. Being raised is directly related to a beginning. We are not raised to be complacent. We are raised to be on the move. There is a mystery to this journey. It is by no means predictable or prescribed. No one will tell us when to put one foot before the other. No one tells us to bare right at the fork (as my cell phone navigator does). We are to find our way. OLD PUEBLO HIGH TWELVE #773 Meets 2ND & 4TH Fridays 8:00AM Hungry Fox at 4637 E. Broadway DEADWOOD LUNCH Past Masters and friends gather on the last Saturday of every month for fellowship at: LAVERNA S COFFEE SHOP, STARTING TIME 11:30 A.M. Deadwood has become a social gathering and tool for the Brothers of our Lodge. The knowledge you pass onto some of our less informed Brethren is priceless. You are the link from the past to the future. The good thing is that we are not left on our own to find the direction. This is a journey we take with all the brothers who are going side by side with us, following those who have gone the way before us. Of course we need to seek each other out and select the travel companions. We are called to travel in foreign countries. This means that we are not going up and down for a walk along the all known and familiar path. We are travelling along new ways with new experiences. This takes boldness and a willingness to change. Anyone who has seen much of the world will attest to the fact that it is mind expanding and life changing. Metaphorically, travelling in foreign countries means to try new ways, to meet new people, to be open to new experiences and allowing change to happen within us. We are encouraged to travel together as brothers with likeminded intentions, standing up for another and guide each other. And while we are travelling this way, we will arrive at the end with shared experiences, more insight and wisdom and the satisfaction that we have not gone this path alone but with people we care about and that care about us. Join in, travel with us. -Hannes Meyer, Junior Warden

4 From Bethel No. 25 Greetings and Happy Spring from Bethel No. 25, Job s Daughters International. We invite you to our Bethel Meetings whenever you are able to attend. We usually meet at 11:00 a.m. on the first and third Saturdays of the month. However, our April 1 meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. April 1 we will confer the Majority degree. That is done for Job s Daughters who reach the age of twenty (20) and are in good standing in the Bethel. If you have never witnessed the Majority Ceremony, you might enjoy seeing it. Bethel No. 25 is grateful to the Officers and Members of Tucson Lodge No. 4 for your long lasting and ongoing support of Job s Daughters. We could not have survived this long without you. Thank you. Bring family, friends, and anyone interested to our fellowship breakfast on Saturday April 1st. NAME MASONIC BIRTHDAYS RAISED DAY YEARS WARD, RANDALL RAY ARMIJO JR, CHARLES EDWARD GARRETT, EDWARD JOHN ROBB, WALTER MARLIN WILKINSON, WILLIAM EDWARD BEATTY, GORDON DALE SCHMIDT, JON MCCARTY BASS, FREDERICK WILLIAM TEICHMAN JR, FRANK ELLIS PANGELINAN, JOHN BABAUTA REID, DAVID WAYNE DOTY, RUSSELL WAYNE WHITE, WILLIAM RAY CLARK, NORMAN CHESTER HESLIP, ROBERT WILLIAM RAYMOND, CHARLES BRUCE BASER, CIFFORD WAYNE CREIGHTON, LEIGH GAITHER, LOGAN WILLIAM ROSIER, WILLIAM HAROLD MADDEN, ERIC DONOVAN CORNELL, DENNIS LEE HILL, WILLIAM RAYMOND STUBBE, GAYLORD ANTHONY Weekly specials, Gene s Grits (subject to Gene s Schedule), eggs to order, pancakes, potatoes, biscuits & gravy, and bacon. 7:00 am till 10:00 am

5 TUCSON LODGE MASONIC FAMILY SCHEDULES Arizona Chapter #2, OES, First & Third Tuesdays... 7:30PM Saguaro Chapter #48 OES, Second & Fourth Mondays... 7:00PM Olana Temple #131, Daughters of the Nile, Third Mondays.... 7:00PM Oasis Court #75, Ladies Oriental Shrine, First Mondays... 7:00PM Bethel #25, Job s Daughters, First & Third Saturdays... 10:00AM Assembly #2, Rainbow Girls, Second & Fourth Tuesdays... 7:00PM For use of the Lodge Building call or send an to lgross100@cox.net

6 Save The Date!!! Spring Community Parking Lot Sale! It s time to clean out that garage and sell those things that have been cluttering your home for far too long! This will be an outdoor event open to our Winterhaven neighbors to be held at: Tucson Masonic Lodge #4 located at 3590 N. Country Club Road May 20, 2017 from 7A.M. until 12:00 P.M. Space rental is $10/spot (3 spaces maximum for $25.00 total) before May 20 or $15/spot the day of the sale ($35.00 for 3 spaces) Snacks and refreshments will be available! Set-up begins at 6 A.M. Call (520) or Craig at tl4so@hotmail.com for additional info! TUCSON LODGE NO. 4, F. & A. M N COUNTRY CLUB ROAD TUCSON, ARIZONA Ph: Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID TUCSON, ARIZONA PERMIT NO. 400