J. F. Swartsel lodge No. 251 F. & A.M. Trestleboard

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1 J. F. Swartsel lodge No. 251 F. & A.M. Trestleboard Published monthly Volume MMXVII Issue No. 4 - April 2017 AD, 6017 AL Our stated Communications are: 1 st and 3 rd Thursday - - Supper 6:30 Meeting 7:30 The third Friday of EACH month is reserved for a public Fish Fry at the lodge. The fifth Thursday night of the month is reserved for family night at the lodge and is open to the public Lutz Lake Fern Road, Lutz FL Mail: P.O. Box 1475, Lutz FL info@jfswartsel251.org Website: Phone: Facebook: ww.facebook.com/jfswarsel251 IN THIS ISSUE YOU WILL FIND. Masonic Education, Chair Chatter, Lodge News & Events, Calendar of Important Events, Lodge Officers, Sponsors and Website Information Masonic Education Submitted by W:. Stuart Graff From The Books of The Book by Clarence H. Cohen, PGM The second book of Samuel In some Bibles, this book is called the second Book of Kings. It consists of twenty four chapters. It contains the history of David, the second king of Israel, during a period of about forty years. This book consists of three principal divisions, relating to the troubles and triumphs of David, and his transactions subsequent to his recovery of the throne, whence he was driven for a short time by the rebellion of his son Absalom. This book, without pulling any punches, describes the misconduct of those characters that were highly revered among the people. The books of Samuel connect the chain of sacred history by detailing the circumstances of an interesting period. In the falls of David, we behold the strength and prevalence of human corruption, and in his repentance and recovery, the extant and efficacy of Divine grace. In the first four chapters we have an account of David s rule over the single tribe of Judah, and chapters five to ten describe his reign over the twelve tribes of Israel. This reign over all Israel was the beginning of a national life. This was accompanied by the capture of the city of Jerusalem, the establishment of the national capitol there, and the moving of the Ark of the Covenant to that city, making it the national center of worship for the Jewish people.

2 Chapters eleven and twelve are about the sins of David and his condemnation by the prophet Nathan. Chapters thirteen through nineteen tell of the disloyalty, rebellion and death of Absalom, David s son. How well known is the father s cry of anguish. The closing chapters (20-24) contain Davis s song of Deliverance, the numbering of the people, an account of their vain glory, the resulting punishment, the obtaining of the land upon which the temple was finally built and the recognition that God is king. I believe that David would feel at home if he were alive today and saw so many other parents who have been failures. He was very indulgent to his offsprings. They fought among themselves causing David great grief. The most serious consequences of his method of was when his son Absolom rose in revolt against him and tried to seize his throne. Absalom was pretty much of a modern hippie. He wore his hair very long and only cut it once a year (2 nd Samuel 14:26). Whether this made him mean or he was just a spoiled brat, I do not know. However, it was his hair that was his downfall. (Read chapter 17). Maybe the hair of today s will become entangled in the oaks of public indignation. If cleanliness is next to godliness, this generation of malcontents is right when they say God is dead for them. No matter what David s faults were, he sincerely loved God. That he gave us the Psalms should make us forgiving of him. Do you know of anything that has given people any more comfort than the twenty third Psalm? Your Catechism Instructors for the three symbolic degrees in freemasonry are: W:. Stuart J. Graff, W:. David B. Lambert Sr., W:. Jeff Sklet, W:. Jerry M. Snell and Brother Sam McPherson Please remember your Lodge boosters and thank them! R:.W:. Ronald E. Stanley - R:.W:. Donald R. Bell - Mark L. Lager - Daniel Allen - Brad Sollberger - Ernest P. Sidlow NEWS FROM THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR, FRIENDSHIP Chapter 209 It has been a busy time of year for Friendship Chapter as we prepared for and installed a new line of Officers for on March 4 th. We began our Installation celebration with a delicious Covered Dish Dinner provided by the Sisters of the chapter, then moved upstairs for our ceremony with approximately 50 Sisters, Brothers and visitors in attendance. A truly delightful touch to the ceremony was the addition of the Plant City York Rite Honor Guard. A thank you donation was made in their honor to the Masonic Home of Florida in St. Petersburg. We were honored to have Brother Sam Pesola present and he gave a lovely Benediction at the close of the ceremony. Thank you Brother Pesola! I would like to introduce myself to the Brothers of J.F. Swartsel Lodge who might not know me. I am Nancy, the wife of Brother Lamont Richardson and will be serving as Worthy Matron for Friendship Chapter this year. I look forward to meeting more of our brothers in the coming year. Fraternally, your Sister Nancy Richardson, WM ====================================================================================================================== Chair Chatter From the Secretary s station: W:. David B. Lambert, Sr. The new CIRCUMSCRIBE system is up and running, so far I have received a report of 4 Brothers paying their 2017 Dues on-line and their money has been forwarded into the Lodge account. Brothers you need to set up your profile in the system it is easy to do and also to use. You can get help on-line by login onto or by clicking the question mark icon on the top right of the circumscribe system once you are logged in. Also, we are planning on sending the Trestleboard out next year by . This will save the Lodge a substantial amount of money and work, both of which are needed elsewhere. PLEASE send me your address if I don t already have it. This will ensure that you receive your copy. If I can be of any assistance to you please give me a call at (813) or me at dlambert7907@gmail.com

3 Calendar of Important Lodge Dates, April rd 7:30 PM Friendship Chapter 209 OES, Stated Meeting. 4th 7:30 PM Fellowcraft Degree - 6:30 PM. 5th 6:00 PM MLT followed by District School of Instruction 7:00 J.F. Swartsel th Stated Communication of Swartsel Lodge 6:30 PM, Lodge Opens at 7:30 PM. 11th 6:30 PM Degree Swartsel. 12th 6:30 PM 100 master Mason John Darling th 6:00 PM Master & Wardens DDGM Roast 17th 7:30 PM Friendship Chapter 209 OES, Stated Meeting 18th 6:30 PM Degree Swartsel. 20th Stated Communication of Swartsel Lodge 6:30 PM, Lodge Opens at 7:30 PM. 21th Third Friday FULL Menu Fish Fry at J.F. Swartsel Lodge Serving from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM or until we run out!! 21st Trestleboard Articles due to Worshipful Graff. 23 rd 7:30 PM Entered Apprentice Degree 6:30 25th 6:30 PM Degree Swartsel. 28th 6:00 PM Pack 12 using Lodge. From the Worshipful Master s station: W:.M:. R:. W:. Sam Pesola Brethren, I don t really have an awful lot of any great importance to say this month EXCEPT a great big thank you to W:.M:. John Andrew Baldwin of Hillsborough Lodge #25. He and his craftsmen put on an excellent Master Mason degree on Tuesday, March 21 st and raised OUR brother Ryan Michael Dance. More on that later, but rest assured; we are particularly happy and proud about the entire ordeal. From the Senior Warden s station: Brother Marty Greif As Masons we obligate ourselves to helping all Mankind, especially a Brother Mason. Lending a helping hand comes in many formats, from kind words to charitable works. My Brothers, let me ask you if we are doing enough live up to that Grand Masonic lesson of Charity? At J.F. Swartsel we take our obligations seriously. So I am asking for your help to identify charities, organizations or people who could use our help. And while I don t wish to stifle your thought processes or creativity, it would be helpful if those in need were local to our Lodge. Let s give back to the community we are in. So please me at marty@sitetuners.com with any suggestions. Or feel free to pull me aside at the lodge. Let s make a difference in the lives of others and let s truly live up to that Grand Masonic lesson of Charity. From the Junior Warden s station: W:. Jerry M. Snell, Jr. I would first like to congratulate our newly obligated Brothers Whited, Martin and Quintana, and look forward to working with them on their EA catechism. Worshipful Graff approached me about cooking a wild game meal consisting of venison that he would donate for the meal. I need to get a consensus from the brothers that everyone would enjoy a wild game meal of venison. Let me know if all would enjoy and I will be happy to prepare meal for everyone. From the desk of the Editor: W:. Stuart Graff. A Mason is not necessarily a member of a lodge. In a broad sense, he is any person who daily tries to live the Masonic life, and to serve intelligently the needs of the Great Architect. My Brothers all; let us not forget our eyeglass collection. I know that many of you have told me that you have some at home but for some reason or another can t seem to remember to bring them in and put them in the eyeglass collection box. Let s see if this helps: This whole idea was begun with the idea of making a meaningful donation to the Masonic Home - - you know, one of the Grand Masters Charities - - and that is still the idea. However, don t you think it would be a lot more impressive with a lot more glasses, cases and whatever else would go along with them? Think about it!!

4 2017 Lodge Officers W:. M:. R:. W:. Sam Pesola (813) S.W. Brother Marty Greif (813) J.W. Worshipful Jerry M. Snell (813) Treasurer W:. Stuart Graff (813) Secretary W:. David B. Lambert (813) Chaplain Brother Frank Penny Marshal Worshipful Danilo O. Valdez S. D. Brother Adam Feldman J. D. Brother Sam McPherson (813) (813) (727) (813) S. S. Brother Craig Muth (813) J. S. Brother Kevin Duhaime (813) Tyler Brother Frank Fernandez (813) Historian Brother Wissam Itani (813)

5 Scene at the Hillsborough 25 Gate Brother Ryan Michael Dance, our newly raised Master Mason Worshipful Stuart Graff, the instructor and raiser Brother Angel Luis Acosta, previous newest raised Master Mason Scene at the Swartsel 251 Gate A special congratulation goes to Brother Adam Feldman for doing a magnificent job as the Worshipful Master for this Entered Apprentice Degree..on the left, the cast of the Entered Apprentice Degree.on the right, the newly initiated brothers; Caleb Christopher Guy and Michael Vincent Gomez A wonderful time was had by all and a very special thank you goes out to Worshipful Ted Grubbs from Bartow Lodge #6 for giving a superb lecture complete with the proper props; as well as a thank you to Worshipful James Franklin Robby Robertson from Holyrood Lodge for giving the charge.

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