Grand Lodge of Iowa Officers for 2011 - 2012

Officers of the Grand Lodge of Iowa for 2011 - 2012

photo courtesy of Jay at Bailey's Buddy.

Lodge Night September 2011

Monday, September 12 Operative Lodge #308 held its Stated Meeting for the month of September. Eighteen brothers were present, including a visitor from Missouri, Bill Cox, a member of Forsyth Lodge in Forsyth MO. Brother Bill is originally from Iowa and was in the area camping at Saylorville Lake. It was interesting to discuss differences in Iowa and Missouri’s ritual with our visiting brother.

Among other Lodge business, Worshipful Brother Darrell G. Fremont, Senior Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, gave a short educational talk on symbolism in the three degrees. The date for the fall pizza sale was set for October 22. Members also approved action to establish a Lodge Facebook group; Brothers Chris Millholin and Scott Nemmers are in charge of this effort.

I uploaded a few pictures from the evening into a Picasa album below.

New Master Mason at Logic Lodge #636 Ankeny, Iowa

Logic Lodge #636 in Ankeny, Iowa raised Scott Lilly to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason Tuesday night. Over twenty brothers assisted in the effort with visitors from many Lodges including Arcadia, East Gate, Daylight, Waveland Park, Operative, and others.

The Third Degree is an exciting ceremony to watch and in which to participate, at least in part due to the significance it has in a man’s life. But it’s not just the candidate who experiences this significance. Every time I have been at a Third Degree I’m reminded of my own raising at Operative Lodge in Polk City. I remember the feeling of being the candidate, talking with the Tyler, Terry Burke, just outside the Lodge room, and especially the sound of the bagpipes! Other Freemasons experience the degree in their own way. Scott’s dad, Don Lilly, is the Treasurer of Logic Lodge and he participated in the ceremony last night; I’m sure the degree had a great deal of meaning for him. Worshipful Brother Darrell G. Fremont, Senior Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge of Iowa A.F. & A.M. presided over the second section of the degree. He commented that this was his last opportunity to represent the Grand Lodge since his term as Senior Grand Steward is ending in just a few days; he certainly experienced the degree in a unique way.

Freemasonry is a brotherhood which draws us closer together and builds community. We each experience this in different ways, even when we are engaged in a common goal. The Third Degree is one way to extend the meaning of this brotherhood simply by participating together as a community of men in a common work for an uncommon purpose. And for Scott, last night was definitely uncommon.

New Chief of the Tabernacle

I’m a little late with this post, but I wanted to add my thoughts about the Des Moines Scottish Rite’s one day summer reunion last week. The reunion was held in honor of Ivan L. Johnson 32° KCCH and Richard J. Noyce, 32° KCCH and conferred eight degrees: 4th, 6th, 13th, 14th, 18th, 23rd, 30th, and 32nd. Asa Moeckly, a brother from my Lodge, was one of the candidates and I was pleased that he served as the exemplar for the degree I help perform: Chief of the Tabernacle (23rd degree). This is only the second time the Des Moines Valley has performed the degree, ever, and from what I understand, we are the only Valley in the State that has attempted it.

As a new Scottish Rite Mason, it’s exciting for me to be a part of a degree team and I’m looking forward to our Fall Reunion; we’ll perform the 23rd and also the 24th degree- Prince of the Tabernacle.