Double Header Catchup - Aug 24, 2016 and Oct 12, 2016.

Your humble blogger has been shirking his duties in the quarry and has some older - but exceptional - news from Harmonie Lodge.  Since one of the symbols of Harmonie is Janus - it seems fitting to make this one a double-header.

 On Aug 24'th 2016,  W. Ed Draves of Western Star Lodge 1185 came to give us his own double header presentation.  The first half of his presentation was about the Masonic Youth programs, and in particular DeMolay.

He gave a very heartfelt and personal account of what DeMolay means to him and how it personally affected his family, and his son.  He also talked about what it means to be a DeMolay volunteer and the effects it has on the boys who join and the community around them.  Lastly, Harmonie would like to welcome the newly initiated Brother Chris Draves to the craft.

Part two was an education in the production and flavors of Mezcal and how they differ from region to region - dependent on the type, growth and processing of the agave.  He also brought samples from the region where he does missionary work.

On October 12'th - W. Nathan Shoff made a triumphal return to Harmonie Lodge to give a wonderful presentation on circumambulation within the lodge and what it means in our ritual.

He talked about ambulation and circumambulation through history in various religious ceremonies as well as it's place in the various Mysterious Schools - hitting on the importance of direction, how it related to the cosmos, sacred geometry and the body itself.

Links for those interested in more information:

NY DeMolay - http://www.nydemolay.org/

Ed Drave's reviews on Mezcal - https://davemillersmexico.wordpress.com/the-buffalo-mezcalero-samples-all-our-dmx-mezcal-reviews/

Concordant Bodies Visit - The Shriners - Wed Oct 26'th 2016

As a mason grows, he sometimes yearns for more light which finds his path to the concordant bodies of Masonry.  Harmonie often has a night for visitations from the various concordant bodies where the brothers can be filled in what they are about.  Last night W. James Mirusso - High Priest and Prophet, as well as brother Mike Hackford - Chief Rabban of Ismailia Shriners visited to give a presentation.

And the Nobles of Harmonie:

Along with their presentation - the Nobels presented a video of what the Erie Shriners Hospital does - and mentioned the visitation day at the hospital.

Links for brothers interested in the shrine:
http://www.ismailiashriners.com/  - The homepage for the Ismailia Shriners.