Noah Lodge #357 Trestleboard
December, 2012

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Officer's Messages Are Below

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Noah Lodge #357
Free and Accepted Masons   
PO Box 3508
North Fort Myers, Florida 33918
(41 Willis Rd, N. Ft. Myers, FL 33917)
239-995-1657
Website:  www.noahlodge357.org
Email:  secretary@noahlodge357.org

Stated Communications :  2nd and 4th Monday
 

From the East

Brothers,

One more year is slowly added to our travels through this journey we call life.  Many changes have happened in all our lives over the past five or six years.  Some of the changes have made some a little more fortunate and some a little less fortunate.  Many of us have added to our families as we have also lost numbers to our families.  

However, through all these changes we have kept our sanity our composure and most importantly our dignity.  Why?  Because we are Masons - men who put all mankind and especially a Brother Mason before ourselves in most cases, and that is one thing we will not change.  Noah 357 has seen a lot of changes over the last five or six years also, we have seen our less fortunate days our more fortunate days.  We have added to our rolls and we sadly taken names off our rolls.  However, Noah 357 has not lost its sanity nor our composure and most importantly our dignity.  We have a great line of very competent Officers to keep Noah on a bright path to a prosperous future inside our walls Masonically and outside our walls for the community to see and be a part of. 

Brothers, our first meeting in December (the 10th) will be our VOTING IN OF OFFICERS.  Noah 357 will be voting in a new Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Secretary and our Treasurer.   Our new Master will be appointing his lower officers and appointing the several mandatory committees required by the Grand Lodge of Florida.  This voting of Officers and appointed officers and committee men are important part of Masonry.  The officers sitting now are Jim Hamilton, Sitting Senior Warden and Rhett Tillman, Junior Warden.  Our sitting Senior Deacon is Michael Gardner, Junior Deacon is Bob Sabo, Senior Steward is Ed Ciofoni, Junior Steward is Jeff Tumbarello and Marshall is James B.  Tillman.   Next year we need a Tyler and a Organist if you have the desire or talent.   Brothers - show up and Vote, Vote, VOTE, be a part of your Lodge have your say.  We will only have one meeting in December due to Christmas Eve on Monday the 24th and Christmas Day on Tuesday the 25th. 

December 1, 2012, Noah #357 will be hosting a Master Mason Degree for the raising of Brother David Rice.  Noah #357 will be joined by Punta Gorda Lodge, Sugarland Lodge (Clewiston) and Cape Coral Lodge, who are bringing fellowcrafts and all have joined together to help in and assist in this degree.   This will be a great time in Masonry and fellowship.  Noah has been helped in Raising some of our Brothers by other Lodges in the District and this is only a small token of our gratitude to the surrounding Lodges to help them and have them in our Lodge as our honored Guests.  Come and be a fellowcraft, come and be a sideliner, come out and enjoy a day of Masonry at Noah Lodge #357 on December 1, 2012 at 1:00, a time to be remembered and cherished. 



December 8, 2012, will be our family night Christmas party.  Bring a gift, don't spend more than 5 dollars or just regift something you have at home.  This is a time just to laugh and enjoy each other's company.  Noah will have food, music and all the festive stuff you need to have a great time, all we will need now is YOU to help us end this year on a great note.  Thanks to the women of this Lodge who have stepped forward and helped Noah #357 have some great events and even better times.  Can't wait till next year when I get to sit back and enjoy all this great stuff from the other side.

Brothers, this is my last Trestleboard entry from the East, I have no great or inspiring words to write other than these: Remember your Obligation and your God - be true to both and Masonry will prosper and grow and be a great place for men to find refuge in their travels through life. 

P.S:  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to ALL my Brothers

Fraternally and gratefully yours

                                                                           
Lawrence A.  Tomlinson
Worshipful Master

From The West
"On the Level"

Greetings Brothers,

In furtherance of the concept of building better men for the future, I offer a look to the past so that we may draw our inspiration from a wisdom that has been forgotten by far too many in the present.

"The True Gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from good will and an acute sense of propriety, and whose self-control is equal to all emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another; who does not flatter wealth, cringe before power, or boast of his own possessions or achievements; who speaks with frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others, rather than his own; and who appears well in any company, a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe." (John Walter Wayland )

These are the qualities I have found to be exhibited by those Masons who have inspired me to enter in to the fraternity and by those who continue to inspire me today.

Fraternally yours
Br. James E. Hamilton
Senior Warden

 From The South
"Observing the time"

Greetings from the South.

Brothers, are you aware dues have increased?  I am.
Brothers, have you met our newest master masons?  I have.
Brothers, have you been to any of the family night suppers?  I have.
Brothers, do you have a short cable tow?  I do.
Brothers - Are you short on Masonic fellowship and long on excuses?

Come meet me and your lodge on the level. We desire your friendship and brotherly love.

Sincerely,
Rhett Tillman
Junior Warden
 

From The Secretary's Desk

What a great month we had at Noah Lodge, Brothers!  

Congratulations to Brothers Aarron Angell, Ralf Behnert, Eric Bock, Joseph Ravid, David Rice, Jonas Sedia, Michael Short and Mark Yates, who were raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on December 1st, 2012 at Noah Lodge #357.  FIVE Lodges, THREE Districts and 64 Brothers worked together to make this happen.  We started the day at 7:30 a.m. with our monthly Veterans Breakfast, took a break then went right into the Degree work at 1:00, ending with another great meal at sometime around 9:00 p.m.

GREAT work, Brothers - let's do it again real soon.

Dues notices were sent, as were too many "NPD" (unpaid 2012 dues) notices to some who'll be dropped from our rolls in a few days, Brothers.  I sincerely hope any Brother who simply cannot afford to pay dues will contact me or any other Officer (239-707-0001 for me) to work out a way to keep us ALL in Lodge in these "interesting" times.

See you next year if not before - our elections are on Monday, December 10th and we won't have a second Stated Communication this month due to the date falling on December 24th.

Fraternally,
Dana P. McGrath
Secretary Pro Tem

From The Chaplain's Station

My Brothers,

The rainy season is over but God's blessings are showering on us every day.  If you do not think that we are blessed, think of living in another country, or think of the many people who come to America every day to share our blessings.

One of our blessings is opportunity, we are where we are in life today because of opportunities taken or missed. We now have the opportunity to attend the veterans breakfast, and family night dinners.

On Dec 1st, we will have the opportunity to attend lodge and welcome 4 new Master Masons to our fraternity. 

Why not attend lodge and afford me the opportunity to meet you?

My Brothers we will soon be in the Christmas season, let us all rejoice and celebrate God's greatest gift to the world.

On Dec. 8^th, we will have our Christmas family night dinner, why not take the opportunity to fellowship with us and enjoy great food made by great people.

Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year.

May God bless you every day in every way.

WB John McKinney
Chaplain

From The Masonic Ladies Corner

Christmas Potluck Party at Noah Lodge - Saturday, December 10th, at 6:00 p.m.!

Thank you,

Marie Tomlinson