8th Annual Ward A. Peterson Memorial Pool Event - March 13, 2013

SUCCESS!!!!!!!! Brothers we need to celebrate this milestone. This Pool Event was the largest one yet. We had over 45 men through the doors. Unlike past years many of our visitors were not Masons but men interested in our Order. I hope those interested in the Craft enjoyed themselves and learned a little more about what Freemasonry is.

We have to thank Bro. Donald Monheim , our President, Bro. Zach Burgess, our Vice President, and Bro. John Balk, our cook, for their hard work. They helped so much in making this night the best yet. The food was amazing and the raffle prizes the best yet. Each Brother that donated this year, thank you so much! Your help allowed us to build the Ward A. Peterson Benevolence Fund even more so. The security of this fund is all but ensured with your continued support. Brothers helping Brothers, that is what Masonry is all about. Many more pictures will be up on the fellowcraft.org site after I reformat them.

And for the winners of the pool tournament, seems Bro. Dennis McMullen and Bro. Ryan Aconfora hustled the tables again this year. I said it last year, you simply cannot trust the guy who brings his own que and sandpaper to not to win. Congrats!

W:. Daniel J. Di Natale

 

March 8th 2013 - Western New York Lodge of Research presents Bro. Zachary Burgess and Masonic Scotland

The Western New York Loge of Research has been kind enough to invite the Brothers of Harmonie Lodge to speak on many occasions. It has been a joy and an honor to have been invited so often and be welcomed so warmly. Support the Lodge of Research,  it is a gem of our Masonic community and some of the most opened minded and eager Brothers I know of. 

Bro. Burgess was lucky enough to get married to a wonderful woman in a wonderful location, Scotland. His lecture covered his travels while visiting. Interestingly enough he was able to "persuade" his wife to be to visit a wide range of historic Masonic sites while there. This was his first full lecture outside of Harmonie. He did very well and his program was interesting and spurred much conversation. He is formating his program so that we can publish on the Harmonie digital library. Take a look once we have it up. Bro. Burgess took some wonderful pictures of some hard to see sections of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. 

W:. Daniel J. Di Natale 

February 27th - W:. Di Natale presents "The Orders of Architecture and the Winding Stairs"

The Middle Chamber Lecture is a deep and intense section of Ritual. Sadly, due to sudden illness I was unable to give the full form lecture as I intended during the Degree (dry air gives me nosebleeds every time). To make it up to our class of Fellowcrafts, I lectured on this often neglected section of New York Ritual (for those in NY its the part in italics. Those outside NY its the section about the pillars). This section is rich in esoteric philosophy and pulls deeply from the work of Vitruvius. If you have never read it over or seen it, you must. You are cheating yourself out of the richness of our work. It adds so much to the beauty of the Degree.  

By chance, at the district town hall meeting our Deputy Grand Master spoke of an older lecture known as the "Dew Drop Lecture". This amazing ritual section is not used in the US any more, part of the concessions made at the Baltimore Masonic Convention of 1843 removed it. Our modern Middle Chamber Lecture took its place. I had never heard of this lecture. Serendipitous, as it fit perfectly into topics covered at this lecture. I have attached it in this blog entry. Read it! Simply one of the most amazingly beautiful and deep  ritual variations I have ever read.   

W:. Daniel J. Di Natale 

Charlotteville Lodge No. 73 - W:. Di Natale presents "Masonic Restorations Movements" February 20th, 2013

I am truly humbled to have been invited back to Charlotteville Lodge. Last year I was asked to come and speak on the form, function and history of the Masonic Tracing Boards. A program that was first premiered at the Erie County School of Instruction in 2010. It was very well received but not nearly as popular as "Masonic Restoration Movements". I have been asked by dozens of Lodges and at least three districts to speak on the topic of renewing our Craft. This event was attended by well over 20 Brothers and we even had guests from Red Jacket Lodge (thats the Grand Master's Lodge) in attendance. What I truly loved was the length of the questions and answers section. The Brothers' enthusiasm had me answering questions almost as long as the program, a true first for me!  

If you have not visited the Brothers of Charlotteville Lodge No. 73, go and do it. They are a wonderful group of hungry Brothers. They are actively trying to build an even more stupendous Masonic edifice then they have already built. They also have a very classy newly renovated Lodge room with some fantastic furniture. To help their Lodge raise funds they sell some of the best pizzelles this Italian has ever had. Made with a secret recipe and with real anise oil. That is worth the trip alone. I very much hope to be asked to lecture for them next year. 

Around the quarry,

Bro. D