From the East
Brethren,
I would like to begin this month’s article by congratulating and welcoming our newly obligated brothers and their families:
Brother Luis Fonseca and Brother Matt Smith
Both received excellent degrees and haven take their first steps on the path of Masonry.
We have a degree Mr. Wade Hendry scheduled on 5 May @ 6:30, come meet and support your soon-to-be new brother.
In recent months I have spent time reading and researching masonry in general. I came across this and would like to share it with you.
“I am FREEMASONRY. I was born in antiquity, in the ancient days when man first dreamed of GOD. I have been tried through the ages, and found true. The crossroads of the world bear the imprint of my feet, and the cathedrals of all nations mark the skills of my hands. I strive for beauty and for symmetry. In my heart are wisdom and strength and courage for those who ask. Upon my altar is the Book of Holy Writings and my prayers are to the One Omnipotent God, my sons work and pray together, without rank or discord, in the public mart and in the inner chamber. By signs and symbols I teach the lessons of life and of death and the relationship of man with God and of man with man. My arms are widespread to receive those of lawful age and good report who seek me of their own free will. I will accept them and teach them to use my tools in the building of men, and thereafter, find direction in their own quest for perfection so much desired and so difficult to attain. Lift up the fallen and shelter the sick. I hark to the orphan’s cry, the widow’s tears, and the pain of the old and destitute. I am not a church, nor a party, nor a school, yet my sons bear a full share of responsibility to God, to country, to neighbor and to themselves. They are freemen, tenacious of their liberties, and alert to lurking danger. At the end, I commit them as each one undertakes the journey beyond the vale into the glory of everlasting life. I ponder the sand within the glass and think how small a single life in the eternal universe is. Always have I taught immortality, and even as I raise men from darkness into light, I am a way of life. I am FREEMASONRY.” - Author “unknown”
I look forward to seeing you in lodge.
Dave Murray - Worshipful Master
Senior Warden Chase Murray
From The West
Welcome to the month of May my Brothers and friends.
This month we will observe Memorial Day. As we gather, let us remember that this time is meant for mourning and remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the line of duty.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.
The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries.
By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers.
Each year on Memorial Day, a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 P.M. local time. It is unclear where exactly this tradition originated; numerous different communities may have independently initiated the memorial gatherings. Some records show that one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations was organized by a group of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865.
Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Some wear a red poppy in remembrance of those fallen in war—a tradition that began with a World War I poem.
Chase Murray - Senior Warden
Junior Warden (Elect) - Pete Johnson
From The South
Greetings from the South,
Once again, where has the time gone? I can’t believe how fast April went by and here we are in May already. It has been an exciting year for the Lodge so far. Even though I don’t make many of the Friday night dinners, I hear nothing but great stories from brothers and there wives about how great of a turnout there has been and how wonderful the fellowship is. The Saturday morning breakfasts have been great as well. As a reminder the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month we meet at the lodge at 8:00 am for coffee and then go to breakfast around 9:00am. If you can’t meet us for coffee, please try to make it for the breakfast.
This months dinner will be provided again by Ranch Catering. The menu is as follows:
Beef Fajitas, Enchiladas Suizas, Monterey Chile rice, Peruvian refried beans, Caesar Salad, Salsa, and flan with berries.
“Then Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” - John 6:35
Fraternally,
Pete Johnson - Junior Warden (Elect)
Worshipful Bill Graham (PM)
Secretary’s Corner
May is here and at the end of the month we celebrate Memorial Day. Everyone take a moment to say a prayer and thank the military men and women that gave their lives to ensure we have a great and free country. If you have not been to the Lodge in a while, please come join us for a Stated Meeting or an upcoming Degree. We have been very busy! We have had 5 1st Degrees in the last 2 months! We will be having 2nd Degrees in the upcoming months! We miss you and would love to see you!! Now is the time to reconnect with the Lodge and your Masonic family! We are meeting at 0800 on the 2nd and 4th Saturday’s of the month at the Lodge for coffee and then breakfast. Our candidates and new Brothers are often there. Come join us and get to know these fine men that are joining our Fraternity.
There are still 45 Brothers that are in arrears for their dues payments. Remember, you have an obligation to pay your dues. Unfortunately, we will be voting to suspend 9 Brothers for Non Payment of Dues at the May Stated Meeting. Per the California Masonic Code, all 9 Brothers have received notice of the upcoming suspension and have been given time to rectify this. There is still time before the Stated Meeting to come back to good standing!
If you are in arrears for your dues, you need to pay all that is owed to be brought back in to good standing. As an example, if you pay for 2022 only, and owe for 2021, I cannot send you your 2022 dues card. You are still in arrears and will need to bring your dues up to date first. Please contact the Master or myself to discuss this if you have any questions.
The dues for 2022 are $118.00. Per our By-Laws, the calculation is $60.00 + per capita rounded up to the nearest dollar. Per capita is $57.25 this year, which gives us our total of $118.00. We will be paying the Per Capita to the Grand Lodge in July and your lack of payment affects the Lodge’s abilities to make its financial commitments.
iMember 2.0 is in full swing. Please go check it out at member.freemason.org. There are many things you can do there such as changing your address, your personal information, locate lodges, find resources and documents. Maintaining your contact information ensures that you will receive all notices that the Lodge sends out in a timely manner. Please go check it out!
If you are financially unable to pay your dues, please contact the Master to discuss.
If you have lost your envelope, you can mail your dues to:
Santa Maria Lodge No. 580,
PO Box 68, Ramona, CA 92065
You can also go to our website, http://www.santamaria580.org, and pay online. If you have paid and have not received your card in a reasonable amount of time, please contact me at 951-970-4294 or secretary@santamaria580.org and I will take care of it.
S/F
Bill Graham, PM - Secretary
Reminder!!
Have you moved? Changed your phone number? Changed your e-mail address? Have you notified the Lodge if you have done any of these things?? In an ongoing effort to ensure that all member get due and timely notice of all Lodge information, it is important that you keep your information updated with us.
I would greatly appreciate it if all of you would log in to member.freemason.org, go to the My Profile section and ensure that all of your address/phone number/e-mail is up to date. This will automatically update the i-member section that I use as the Secretary to for your mailings and other contacts.
Calendar of Events
Lodge Officer Directory
Master - Dave Murray (Catheren)
Senior Warden - Chase Murray
Junior Warden (Elect) - Peter Johnson
Treasurer - Ken Bychak II, PM (Laura)
Secretary - Bill Graham, PM (Teri)
Chaplain - Don Ruch, PM (Vicki)
Marshal - Bruce Smith, PM (Beverly)
Senior Deacon - Vacant
Junior Deacon - Rex McCray
Senior Steward - Bob Weldon, PM (Brenda)
Junior Steward - Cole Dick
Tiler - Mark Lantz
619-302-1223
619-607-2935
858-943-1079
707-328-9617
951-970-4294
619-787-3858
760-788-9475
760-788-4957
760-789-5254
760-533-3733
858-231-4646
Santa Maria Masonic Building
Association (SMMBA) Directory
President - Peter Krickhuhn, PM
Vice President - Chase Murray
Treasurer - Pete Johnson
Secretary - Dave Murray
Member - Ken Bychak II, PM
Member - Bob Weldon, PM
Member - Don Ruch, PM
Member - Bruce Smith, PM
760-612-1978
619-607-2935
858-843-1079
619-302-1223
707-328-9617
760-789-5254
619-787-3858
760-788-9475
