July - August 2014 - The Grand Lodge of Minnesota

The mission of the
Freemasons of
Minnesota is to
engage and inspire
good men, who
believe in a
Supreme Being,
to live according
to Masonic tenets
of Brotherly Love,
Relief and Truth.
The Minnesota
MASON
July–August 2014
VOL. 62, No. 2
Shriners International sessions held in Minneapolis
James A.
Christensen
Carrying on the Legacy
Shriners from across North America and
even from around the world, recently held their
annual Imperial Shrine sessions in Minneapolis.
Included in the attendance of over 10,000 were
many Minnesota Masons. W. Brother Jerry B.
Oliver from Anoka Lodge No. 30 served as the
Director General and all seemed to be going
well under his directorship. Grand Master
James A. Christensen was on hand to welcome
the Shriners on behalf of the Grand Lodge of
Minnesota. In lieu of hosting a hospitality room,
the Grand Master presented the Shriners
Hospital with a sizable donation from the Ladd
Fund. W. Brother Dale Stauss, Past Master and
member of Red River Lodge No. 292 in East
Grand Forks, was elected Imperial Potentate and
will lead the Shriners for the next twelve
months.
Grand Lodge
News
pages 1–3, 8
Minnesota
Masonic
Charities
pages 4–5
Lodge News
& Views
page 6
Masonic
Family News
page 7
Another Shrine unit from Kem Temple, the Devils Lake, North Dakota, Lake Region Flag Corps in their cherry
1971 Ford LTD.
Pictured riding his snowmobile down Hennepin
Avenue in Minneapolis is W. Brother Michael
Kvarnlov from Roseau Lodge No. 268, where he is a
member of the Kem Shrine Temple Snow Nobles unit.
MWB Donald Sether
Range Masonic Club
Born July 25, 1929 – Died July 10, 2014
Grand Master Reception
He married June Tornblom on February 4,
1949, and they have three daughters, Judith,
Janet and Joanne.
The Sethers attends Arlington Hills
Lutheran Church. Don started work as an assistant buyer at the Emporium department store
in St. Paul. He later became a sales representative for various companies. In April, 1971, he
formed Don Sether & Associates, a flourishing
sales company focusing primarily on lawn and
garden products but branching into the
Christmas gift wrap and boxed Christmas cards
business. Its key customers are chain stores,
such as Snyder Drug, Target and the hardware
chains, and lawn and garden distributors. Don
attributes having enough time to serve as Grand
DONALD W. SETHER
Master of Masons to his daughter, Janet.
Grand Master of Masons in Minnesota
When not working or attending to
1986–1987
Masonic duties, Don enjoys SPEBSQSA, golf,
bowling, bridge, gin rummy and fishing.
The roll of the workmen has been called
Don is a member of St. Paul Chapter,
and one Master Mason has not responded.
Most Worshipful Brother Don Sether was sum- Order of DeMolay. He demitted as a charter
member of East Side Chapter, Order of
moned to the Celestial Lodge Above on July
10, 2014. He had recently been in hospice care DeMolay; joined East Gate Lodge No. 314 on
June 11, 1954; and demitted to Montgomery
for his lung problems but was very proud and
happy to receive his 60-year pin at Montgomery Lodge No. 258, serving as Master in 1969.
Don served six years on the Jurisprudence
Lodge No. 258 just a few months ago.
Committee of the Grand Lodge, and was
Don was preceded in death by his wife,
June, in early 2013; and daughter Judith. He is appointed to the Grand Lodge line by Most
Worthy Brother Otis Godfrey. Don received
survived by two daughters, Janet (Tom)
the DeMolay Legion of Honor in 1984, is an
Lesosky, Joanne (David) Daubenspeck: and
extended family. Memorial services details are honorary member of the Grand Lodges of
Montana and Saskatchewan, and was elected
in the box at the right.
to the Royal Order of Jesters. He is a past
From the biography page from the
director of the Northwest Hardware
Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota
Housewares Club and the St. Paul Chapter
for of his year as Grand Master:
M. W. Brother Donald Sether was born
SPEBSQSA. He is a past president of the
District 16-17 Masters and Wardens
July 25, 1929 in St. Paul and attended Johnson
Association and Masonic Athletic Association.
High School and the University of Minnesota.
The Range Masonic Club will be hosting a
reception for the Grand Master in Hibbing:
Date: September 13, 2014
Location: Binsters
2601 1st Ave.
Hibbing, Minnesota
Cost: $17.00 per person
RSVP by: September 5, 2014
(Your check will be your reservation)
Make checks payable
to the Range Masonic Club
Mail to: Range Masonic Club
1939 4th Avenue E.
Hibbing, MN 55746
All Family and Friends are welcome
For further information contact
W.B. Lauren B. Jallen
District Representative No. 4
218-865-6139
Memorial and
Masonic Memorial Service for
Past Grand Master Donald W. Sether
Bradshaw Mortuary
4600 Greenhaven Drive
White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Sunday, July 27, 2014
1-3:00 p.m. Visitation
3:00 Memorial Service
Followed immediately by the
Masonic Memorial Service
The Masonic Code on unmasonic conduct
Carrying on the legacy
M.W.B. James E. Christensen
Grand Master
As I reflect on the meaning of ‘carrying on the legacy’ and reading the front
page of our website, I think back to a time
before I was a Mason. A time when one of
those famous Masons mentioned, indirectly
touched my life. That famous Mason was
Hubert Humphrey, and it was during a
time when he himself was at the twilight
of his life due to cancer. Even in his deepest hours, he still found the strength to
think of others over his own health issues.
I was visiting my cousin, Sharon from
Fort Wayne, Indiana, who was being treated
for cancer with Pam, and there was a dozen
red roses in her room that came from
Hubert Humphrey. At the time, this act of
kindness shown by him touched me deeply,
and I did not know why he would reach out
to a patient from another state. Sharon was
in the room next to Mr. Humphrey and, like
several patients being treated for cancer,
had traveled many miles to receive treatment in Minnesota. My cousin was a young
woman with three small children, and I
thought that Hubert Humphrey reached out
to her due to her circumstances. Later I
found out that he reached out to all of the
patients on that floor. It was known he went
from room to room in his last weeks in the
hospital cheering up other patients.
A famous quote from Brother
Humphrey is, “The greatest gift of life is
friendship and I have received it.”
Friendship is earned just like his legacy
was earned. This is the legacy of a great
man, a great Mason. His legacy carries on
not only because he was famous to all, but
because the principles and the teachings of
Masonry that was instilled in him.
A legacy is what we are trying to
leave for generations to come. This is not
an inheritance, but something that each
Brother needs to nurture on his own. We
cannot rely on our forefathers who built
the foundation, but these traditions and
legacies are for us to just sit back and
dwell on these good affluences. Like all
legacies and traditions that are long established and viewed by the community and
Masons alike we must continually foster
what is imperative to the craft.
A Brother need not be as famous as
Brother Hubert Humphrey to CARRY
ON THE LEGACY, to CONTINUE THE
TRADITIONS, or to make a difference in
the lives of the generations to come. A
Brother only needs to live the life of a
Mason, cherish those principles and tenants
that we all know so well, each and every day,
and your Masonic legacy will live on in the
hearts of those that you too will touch.
MWB James A. Christensen
Grand Master
Lodges communicate activities through
Grand Lodge e-Mason publication
Do you receive the monthly Grand
Lodge e-Mason? The e-Mason is an
e-newsletter published by the Grand
Lodge of Minnesota. The e-Mason provides
readers with timely and relevant information from the Grand Lodge, the Grand
LEO, your Area Deputy, and local lodges.
The e-Mason also publicizes upcoming lodge events. Submit a flyer to the eMason to let other Brothers know what is
happening in your lodge.
Flyers must be received by the 10th
of the month prior to publication. The
e-Mason is published 7-10 days prior to
the 1st of the month.
Keep informed. Sign up for the e-Mason
today! To sign up for the e-Mason, send an
email to [email protected].
In the Subject Header type: e-Mason (area).
For example: e-Mason-ne, e-Mason-nw,
e-Mason-me, e-Mason-mw, e-Mason-se,
e-Mason-sw. You may sign-up for one or all of
the regional publications.
If you have any questions, contact me
at [email protected]
WB Bob Davis, editor
CHANGE OF ADDRESS FORM
The Minnesota MASON
Name __________________________
Lodge __________________________
Old Address ______________________
Old City __________________________
Old State/ZIP ______________________
New Address ______________________
New City ________________________
New State/ZIP ____________________
New Phone ______________________
Effective date of change ______________
Mail:
Office of the Grand Secretary
11501 Masonic Home Drive
Bloomington, MN 55437-3699
Phone:
952-948-6700 or 800-245-6050
Email:
[email protected]
2
July–August 2014
VOL. 62, No. 2
The Minnesota MASON (USPS 593460) is the only official publication of the
Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Minnesota.
It is published bimonthly in JanuaryFebruary, March-April, May-June, JulyAugust, September-October, and
November-December.
Office of publication of The Minnesota
MASON is the Grand Lodge of
Minnesota, 11501 Masonic Home Drive,
Bloomington, Minnesota 55437-3699.
Telephone number is 952-948-6700.
Periodicals
Postage
Paid
at
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 and
additional entry offices.
POSTMASTER: Please send address
corrections to The Minnesota MASON,
11501
Masonic
Home
Drive,
Bloomington, Minnesota 55437-3699.
Design & Layout
Bobbie Lampi
RSL desktop publishing services
[email protected]
We need to be aware of the more
unpleasant but necessary parts of the
Code including unmasonic conduct. This
article will discuss unmasonic conduct as
it affects individual members.
Every member should know what constitutes unmasonic conduct. Masonic offenses and unmasonic conduct embrace all such
acts of commission or omission as violate
either the Masonic or Moral Law and the
obligations of the Entered Apprentice, the
Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason
degrees, as well as such acts in derogation
of the laws of the land as involve moral
turpitude [C8.01]. Whenever charges are
based upon a conviction of the accused by a
State or Federal Court of competent jurisdiction for a crime which is a felony, a court
certified copy of the final judgment of conviction entered therein and the sentence
imposed thereon shall be supplied by the
accuser and shall be conclusive evidence of
the crime of which the accused was convicted
and the accused shall be notified in writing
accordingly [G7.12].
Beside violation of Section C8.01, of the
Constitution, the following specific acts shall
be deemed unmasonic conduct and shall
render the offender subject to discipline:
(a) To improperly solicit the petition of a
profane for the degrees of Masonry
before he shall have clearly indicated
some interest in Freemasonry. Proper
solicitation shall consist of the following: A man of sterling qualities may
be approached and informed, but only
once. He must be left to make his own
decision. He should not be badgered.
(b) To ask or solicit an Entered
Apprentice or Fellowcraft to apply for
the degrees of any organization recognized by the Grand Lodge until he is a
Master Mason.
(c) To talk about or discuss degree work
in the presence of a non-mason.
(d) To discuss the character or the merits
or demerits of a petitioner, either for
degrees or membership, in a Lodge
convened or, after rejection, to express
regret at the action taken, or how he
or anyone voted upon the ballot. A
violation of paragraph (d) shall
require immediate charges filed with
the Master and, if found guilty, the
penalty shall be expulsion and no
other. Whenever a petition either for
degrees or membership is rejected by
a vote of the Lodge, paragraph (d) of
Section G6.03 of this Article shall
immediately be read to the Lodge, in
an audible voice, as a warning.
(e) To obtain favorable action by a petitioner,
upon his petition, by means of fraud,
deceit or false statement, or by intentionally withholding information which
might have affected the action of the
investigating committee or Lodge, upon
his petition.
(f) To declare that there shall be no more
petitioners accepted, or to blackball a
petitioner for spite.
(g) To place in the hands of a candidate
for the purpose of instruction any
cipher or key to the degrees except
such as is specifically authorized by
the Grand Lodge.
(h) To use the word “Mason,” “Masonic” or
“Freemason,” or any emblem of Blue
Lodge Masonry as a part of a business
name, or in business advertising of any
kind; to say or infer in any publication
that the same is published or recognized
by Masonry as a Masonic publication
unless authority to state that: “This publication is issued with the permission of
the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge A.F.
and A.M. of Minnesota,” has been
expressly given by the Grand Lodge. No
Master Mason shall solicit, accept, prepare or submit advertising to be placed
The Minnesota MASON
in any magazine, pamphlet or other publication which is violating the provisions
hereof and shall be deemed guilty of
unmasonic conduct for so doing. No
Master Mason shall become a policy
holder in any insurance company using
Masonic words or emblems either in its
name, its policies or in its advertising.
(i) As to all publications which have been
made and issued by any Constituent
Lodge, it shall be the duty of, and the
responsibility is placed upon, the Master
of the Lodge granted such authority, to
supervise and control the conduct of
such publication and all matters of every
kind and nature therein published.
(j) No Master Mason who is a candidate
for public office shall advertise in any
publication or in any other manner that
he is a Mason or member of a Masonic
Lodge or of any body recognized as
Masonic, and no Masonic publication
shall accept said advertising whether
the Masonic publication has been
authorized by the Grand Lodge or not.
(k) The word “Lodge” shall not be used in
association with the name of any other
organization or in a manner which
infers or otherwise identifies or
attempts to identify the word “Lodge”
as referring to a Masonic Lodge or
Lodges or a Masonic body or bodies
except in and as a part of a Lodge name
or the name of a Masonic body, in its
official notes of meetings and reports of
Lodge or Masonic body activities to its
members or in authorized publications.
(l) To defame the character of a Mason,
by printing or otherwise, and to use
insulting, libelous or profane language
of, or to, any Brother of the Masonic
Fraternity.
(m) To introduce into any talk or lecture or
communication which a Mason is permitted to make in or to a Lodge, a subject
in the nature of business advertising,
solicitation or politics, or foreign to the
welfare of the Fraternity.
(n) To introduce or permit intoxicating
liquors or beverages of any kind within
the Lodge room, except for ceremonial
purposes.
(o) To solicit votes for election of Lodge
Officers, even outside the Lodge Hall,
at any time or place, except that at the
time of election of officers, formal
nominations are permitted.
(p) To introduce gambling of any kind as is
prohibited under the Laws of Minnesota
(M.S. 349.12) in or about any Lodge
hall or building owned or controlled by
a Masonic Body. The only exception
will be legalized Bingo and raffles. Such
gambling must have the permission of
the Grand Master.
(q) Honest differences of opinion, of themselves, do not constitute unmasonic
conduct.
[G6.03].
A Lodge has the power, and it is its
duty, to discipline any member thereof,
wherever he may reside, for any unmasonic conduct he may have committed
anywhere [G6.01].
The penalties to be imposed when
guilt is established are:
FIRST: Reprimand, which may be
given privately or in open Lodge by the
Master.
SECOND: Suspension, which may
be either limited or indefinite.
THIRD: Expulsion, which always
terminates Masonic intercourse and connection with the body inflicting it and also with
the Masonic Fraternity everywhere. [C8.02].
Fraternally yours,
Dick Sellman,
Mesaba Lodge No. 255
Hibbing, Minnesota
July–August 2014
Lodge Education Officer = LEO =
Leadership, Education, Oratory
Greetings, brethren! The subject of the
answer to the conundrum column from the
last issue, which is published in this issue,
gave me pause to think about the significance of the actions of Worshipful Brother
John Coustos. As was outlined in the
conundrum, Brother Coustos was the
Master of a Lodge in Portugal. They were
operating in secrecy, because the Papal
prohibition of the practice of Freemasonry
could lead to prosecution by the Inquistion.
Coustos was arrested, confined in solitary,
and repeatedly questioned under torture.
We have only his accounts of the story
to go by, written in his book, The Sufferings
of John Coustos for Freemasonry and for
His Refusing to Turn Roman Catholic in
the Inquisition at Lisbon, but it is reported
that he resisted this torture, did not reveal
the secrets of Masonry, nor reveal other
members of his Lodge.
Certainly, today, nobody would expect
any of us to be willing to undergo this sort
of ordeal for Freemasonry. But I think we
can all ask ourselves what our Freemasonry
is worth to us. Unfortunately, many of us
are satisfied to have a dues card in our wallet and a square and compass ring on our
finger, but do not make attending Lodge
and contributing to the well-being of the
craft a regular part of our lives. Your brothers
in the Lodge need your participation and
are always happy to see you!
Perhaps of equal importance is just what
are we obligated to keep secret by our obligations? As the phenomenon of social media
brings Masons from many jurisdictions,
some regular and legitimate and some not,
together in Facebook groups and the like,
I’ve seen that there is considerable confusion
about just what is prohibited. I’ve seen brothers get upset at the idea of someone having a
Masonic tattoo, contending that this violates
a portion of our obligation. Brethren, our
Masonic symbols are not secrets! In fact, it is
through allegory and symbolism that we can
understand the Masonic teachings in a way
that remains veiled to the non-initiated! Now,
Masonic Conundrum
Mark Robbins, GLEO
you may have a personal objection to tattoos
in any form, but a S&C tattoo no more violates your obligation than does the same
symbol on our buildings, rings, the backs of
our automobiles, etc. The subject of what is
considered to be secret is spelled out in the
Minnesota Masonic Manual. If you do not
have a copy, it is available for download from
the Grand Lodge web site, under “Lodge
Resources” and the “Member Resources.” A
discussion of what we can talk about would
make a good topic for a Lodge Education
session in your Lodge. From the extreme
caution I’ve seen expressed by some, a man
responding to the “2B1ASK1” concept
would be answered with, “I can’t tell you
anything.” LEOs and Lodge Masters should
help the brethren be clear on what they are
free to discuss.
ATTENTION, LEOs: A few weeks
ago, I created an email list from the email
addresses that Grand Lodge has on LEOs. I
sent out a message to test the list out. If you
are a LEO and didn’t get the email, there are
a couple of possibilities. One is that, because
it was addressed to so many, it got directed
into a “junk” or “spam” folder. Check those
folders, and if you find it, mark it, however
your email requires as “not spam” or “trusted” so that you will get future emails directed
to your inbox. Another possibility is that
Grand Lodge has an outdated or incorrect
email address for you, or that it doesn’t have
one at all. If that’s the case, please send me an
email at [email protected]
so that I can add you to the list, and you
might want to notify Grand Lodge as well.
Finally, as another way to communicate
with each other, I’ve started a Facebook
group where we can exchange ideas and
materials for educational presentations. If
you are on Facebook, go to the group “MN
Masonic Lodge Education Officers” and
request to join. It is structured so that people who aren’t in the group will be able to
see that it exists and who is in the group,
but won’t be able to read the posts or
access the files. See you there!
Conundrum #45
This conundrum asked you to identify
the 18th century brother who was arrested,
imprisoned, and tortured by the inquisition
in Portugal in an attempt to force him to
reveal what went on in his Masonic
Lodge. After several months of repeated
torture, and in failing health, he was finally
released to England. This faithful brother
was John Coustos.
Following are the names of all those
who submitted the correct response, in
order of submission (first in each area
indicated by an asterisk):
Charley Korsch, Palestine No. 79, Northeast*
Chris Boyce, Mankato No. 12, Southeast*
Lauren R Lampi, Itasca Lodge No. 208, Northwest*
Arun Natarajan, Lodge Cataract No. 2, Metrowest*
Matthew Nohr, Garnet Lodge No. 166, Metroeast*
Kurt Walleser, Rochester Lodge No. 21, Southeast
R. C. H. Schmidt, Charity Lodge No. 98, Southwest*
Gale Campbell, Newport Lodge No. 118, Metroeast
Livius d'Uscio, Rochester Lodge No. 21, Southeast
Chuck Weisbrod, Pleasant Grove Lodge No. 22,
Southeast
Gary Westerlund, Northeast-Winslow Lewis No. 125,
Metrowest
Larry Erickson, Excelsior Lodge No. 113, Metrowest
Troy A Brown, Jasper Lodge No. 164, Metroeast
Ronald Bradley, Ancient Landmark No. 5, Metroeast
Verl W. Raap, Wayzata Lodge No. 205, Metrowest
Brad Pohlman, Plymouth Lodge No. 160, Metrowest
Charlie Meyer, Lake Harriet Lodge, Metrowest
Jim Turner, Macalester Lodge No. 290, Metroeast
Edwin Fillman, Mesaba Lodge No. 255, Northeast
Todd A. Mayer, Anoka Lodge No. 30, Metrowest
Sean Bulenrose, Tusler-Summit No. 263, Metroeast
Karl Aho, Fortitude No. 180, Northeast
Doug Twite, Red River Lodge No. 292, Northwest
Kim Mollberg, Mt. Tabor No. 106, Northwest
Scott Coursey,Rochester Lodge No. 21, Southeast
Terrance Thompson, Dalles Lodge No. 181, Northeast
Dan Katzenberger, Minneapolis No. 19, Metrowest
Conundrum No. 46
In the middle 1800s, a distinguished
brother Mason claimed to have come into
possession of what he called “true PrestonWebb workings.” He formed a group called
“The Conservators of Symbolic Masonry,”
better known simply as “The Conservators.”
He made himself the “Chief Conservator”
and charged the members of the group
around the country to convince all the
Grand Lodges to adopt this ritual. The
Southwest Area Master Mason Degree
at Quarry Lodge No. 148 in Pipestone
Marathon Runners
Wanted!
Brothers and Sisters are invited to help
raise money for Job’s Daughters and
DeMolay! Masons In Motion, a running
club of Masons sponsored by Minnehaha
Lodge, is raising money to help fund
Masonic Youth Programs, including the
Job’s Daughters and the DeMolay.
Row 1: Doug Pamp, SW Area Deputy; Ed Halpaus, Senior Grand Deacon; Tim Gust; Terry Gomez;
David Catalan; Al Peterson, Grand Lodge District Representative; Grant Lillevold, SW Area Custodian.
Row 2: Bryce Stoltenberg, Ben Franklin Lodge No. 114; Paul Thomas, Nelson Lodge No. 135 at Buffalo;
Jerry Randby, Libanus Lodge No. 96; Jim York, Lake Wilson Lodge No. 262; Mike Banks, Libanus Lodge
No. 96; Andy Harries, Prudence Lodge No. 97; PGM J. V. Christianson, Delta Lodge No. 119.
Row 3: Andrew Buntjer, Fraternity Lodge No. 101; Mike Maxwell, Delta Lodge No. 119; Marrel Bush,
Prudence Lodge No. 97; Bob Demuth, Fraternity Lodge No. 101; Tom Anderson, Libanus Lodge
No. 96; (and one unidentified Brother). Also present was PGM Verne Long who took the photo.
Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of Minnesota
Grand Lodge website
www.mn-masons.org
July–August 2014
Annual Communications
March 26–28, 2015 – Duluth
April 7–9, 2016 – Bloomington
Runners Can Make a Difference
Runners are invited to run the 2014
Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on
October 5, 2014. If you are a runner
and would like to learn more about
how you can make a difference, call
WB Bob Davis at (952) 738-1888 or
send me an email at
[email protected]
Not a Runner?
Contact me at the above phone number
or email address to learn how you can
support our Masonic Youth through
Masons In Motion!
Fraternally,
WB Bob Davis
The Minnesota MASON
by Mark Robbins, Education Team
Conservator movement eventually failed
because it was revealed that this brother
stood to make a considerable amount of
money by the sale of his cipher book to the
Grand Lodges, and the objection that the
cipher contained both esoteric and exoteric
work, thus anybody who came into possession of the key would have access to the ritual, thus violating the Masonic obligation.
The question for this conundrum is for
you to name this man.
Send your answer in an email to
[email protected]. Please
remember to include your name and
Lodge name and number We will keep
track of who sends in the correct answers,
and the first one by date and time from
each area of our jurisdiction will receive a
prize from the Grand Lodge Education
Committee.
KidsID Tips of
the Month
KidsID TIP 1.
The most important part of your
KidsID event is the planning of the event.
Do not rush to get the event completed.
Use your three months to a year to plan
for a successful event. Put your lodge
chairperson in place as soon as the lodge
decides to have an event.
KidsID TIP 2.
Want to ensure that your event is registered or to see if a date is open? 1) Go to
the Grand Lodge website. 2) Click on
KidsID from the home page. 3) Scroll to
the calendar. 4) Find the month and date
you requested. 5) If you have requested a
date, the lodge name should be on that
date. If no lodge name is there the date is
open. 6) Want more information, click on
the event. You will find the contact person
name and phone numbers, plus location of
the event and how many computers requested.
7) Need more help? Contact the state coordinator MWB John Cook, 320-358-3897 or
[email protected].
KidsID TIP 3
This can be a very fulfilling event for
your lodge when you have brothers and
family members working. Do not forget
that using Job’s Daughters, DeMolay or
high school honor students on the computers will cut the processing time down. These
young people have keyboarding skills.
KidsID TIP 4
Do not forget your sponsors, a working relationship with them goes a long
way within your community. This is as
important as having the local police and
fireman working with you, at your event.
KidsID TIP 5
To all the Senior Wardens, are you
working on your calendar? Do you have a
KidsID event on your calendar? What
community event could your lodge be a
part of?
Need more help?
Contact the KidsID state coordinator
MWB John Cook
320-358-3897
[email protected].
3
COMPASSIONATE. COMMITTED. CAPABLE.
MMC named
Outstanding Philanthropic Organization
Each year, the Association of
Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
honors individuals and groups
who, through their hard work
and dedication, have enhanced
philanthropy, their communities
and the world.
This year, AFP Minnesota
has recognized Minnesota
Masonic Charities as 2014’s
Outstanding Philanthropic
Organization, an award previously bestowed upon such
notable organizations as Wells
Fargo Foundation, Target,
Cargill and Thrivent Financial.
Minnesota Masonic Charities
was nominated for the award by
the University of Minnesota
Foundation, which has enjoyed
a long-standing partnership with
MMC, Masons and Stars.
“It is an honor to be recognized and gratifying to know that
our efforts are meaningful and our
impact, felt,” said MMC president
and CEO, Eric J. Neetenbeek.
MMC representatives will
attend the awards luncheon on
National Philanthropy Day,
Friday, November 21, 2014 at
the Minneapolis Marriott City
Center.
Your charity of choice,
because of the difference
we make.
Celebrating our scholars
“On behalf of all the recipients
to date, and all the new members
of that growing cohort gathered
here today, thank you, MMC, for
making our educational goals possible, and for investing in us all.”
Such were the remarks of 2008
Signature Scholar, Alec Nicholson,
during his address to the 2014 scholarship recipients at this year’s MMC
Awards Reception. The well-attended event, held at the Landmark
Event Center on June 12, honored
the scholars and their alma maters.
Nicholson’s address followed a
viewing of MMC’s Stronger
Together video and welcoming
remarks by president and CEO,
Eric J. Neetenbeek. MMC
Scholarships Committee Chair,
Mark Campbell, welcomed each
of the 57 recipients to the stage,
who received their awards and
much applause from the many
family and friends in attendance.
The MMC Scholarships
Program awarded $37,000 in scholarships in 2008, its inaugural year.
The program expanded in 2012 and
again in 2013. This year, 85 awards
were available to worthy scholars.
“That’s more than a tenfold
expansion in the number of recipients in just six years,” said
Nicholson.
The MMC Scholarships
Program is open to applications
annually from November 1 to
February 15. Look for a mailing in
October, or visit the MMC website
for more information or to download a scholarship application.
Clockwise from top:
2008 Signature Scholar, Alec Nicholson,
addresses the 2014 Masonic Scholars;
2014 Signature Scholar, Anne Velazquez of
Victoria, Minnesota, takes advantage of a
photo opportunity;
the Minnesota Masonic Charities 2014
Masonic Scholars gather for a group picture.
MINNESOTA MASONIC CHARITIES
4
952.948.6200
The Minnesota MASON
July–August 2014
Our Vision
••
To be the charity of choice because of the difference we make.
Heritage Center
heralds new director
Minnesota Masonic Charities
welcomes Keir R. Johnson, J.D. to
the position of director of the
Minnesota Masonic Heritage
Center. The position will manage
the many functions of the new
Center, which will include a 425seat auditorium, state-of-the-art
Masonic Museum, Masonic Lodge
and Library rooms, conference/
breakout rooms and dining facility.
Completion of the Center is
planned for early in 2016.
Johnson, who was raised in
North Star Lodge No. 23 (St.
Cloud) and is a 32nd Degree
Scottish Rite Member, has a lifelong interest in history and philosophy—invaluable assets for the
curator of Minnesota Masonic
Museum’s many artifacts.
“Mr. Johnson will work with us
to develop a world-class Center to
communicate Freemasonry’s significance in history,” said Eric J.
Neetenbeek, president and CEO of
MMC. “He offers a rare skill set
and a strong grasp of our history.”
A graduate of the University of
Minnesota law school, Johnson
worked as a trust advisor and
planned giving officer before serving as assistant auditorium director
Home receives
national award
Minnesota Masonic Home’s Care
Center has been named the winner of
the 2014 Bronze Commitment to
Quality Award by the American
Healthcare Association, in partnership with the National Center for
Assisted Living. This will be the
second Bronze Award for the Home;
the first, in 2010, honored MMH’s
Assisted Living facility.
The prestigious “Quality Award”
recognizes organizations with vision
that have demonstrated their ability
to define customer expectations and
improve processes. The national program is based on the core values and
criteria of the Baldrige Performance
Excellence Program.
Keir R. Johnson, J. D.
and senior development specialist for
the Young Auditorium, a full-production theater on the University of
Wisconsin, Whitewater, campus.
Upcoming Events
Historic Cornerstone
Laying Ceremony Planned
10th Annual Gala
Celebrates Our Legacy
The start of construction of the
new Minnesota Masonic Heritage
Center will be dedicated with an
official Cornerstone Laying Ceremony
under the auspices of the Grand
Lodge of Minnesota on Saturday,
August 23, 2014, at 11 a.m.
Hosted by Minnesota Masonic
Charities, the event will include a
processional featuring the Pipes and
Drums of the Zuhrah Shrine and the
Knights Templar, and will be attended
by dignitaries from Minnesota
Masonry and the City of
Bloomington.
Masons, Stars and those interested
in witnessing an authentic cornerstone
laying are welcome to attend the
event. To RSVP, contact MMC at
952-948-6200. A light lunch will
follow the ceremony.
It’s almost time for Minnesota
Masonic Charities to roll out the red
carpet! This year marks the 10th
Annual Gala for the organization,
providing an opportunity for the
charitable arm of Minnesota Masonry
to celebrate the extraordinary philanthropy accomplished over the past
decade in the name of Minnesota
Masons and Stars.
“We’ve expanded our offerings a
great deal in a short period of time,”
said MMC Board Chair, Ray
Christensen. “I think there is a
wider understanding of how effective we can be when we pool our
resources and focus our efforts.”
Reserve your tickets today for
the Saturday, September 27, 2014,
event. Call 952-948- 6200 or order
your tickets online.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. My neighbor’s basement was destroyed in the recent flooding. My Lodge
plans to raise funds in a golf tournament to help him with cleanup costs. Will
Minnesota Masonic Charities match what we raise?
A. Our Matching Grants program is intended to support projects and programs
that address general public welfare in the broadest sense, especially in the areas
of education, social services and healthcare. As such, grants are made for programmatic purposes only, and not for the relief of individuals. By doing so, MMC hopes
to impact more individuals in need.
Additional areas the Minnesota Masonic Charities Matching Grants program does
not cover include: captial projects; organizations not recognized as 501(c)(3) tax
exempt entities; activities that are primarily the responsibility of Federal, State or
local governments; national organizations with an endowment or foundation,
to pay for or support debt; animal welfare; the arts; the environment; organizations
with a political agenda or motivation; or, for operating support of non-charitable
organizations.
Matching Grants are provided all year long! For more information, visit the
“Masons and Stars” section of our website.
Main: 952-948-6200
Web: mnmasoniccharities.org
Eric Neetenbeek, President/CEO
(952) 948-6213
[email protected]
Sue Mork, CFO
(952) 948-6205
[email protected]
John Schwietz,
Director of Fund Development
(952) 948-6209
[email protected]
Kelly Johns, Director of Communications
(952) 948-6202
[email protected]
Deb Cutsinger, Executive Assistant
(952) 948-6206
[email protected]
Keir Johnson,
Director Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center
(952) 948-6505
[email protected]
WWW.MNMASONICCHARITIES.ORG
July–August 2014
The Minnesota MASON
5
News & Views from the Lodges
Evergreen Lodge brothers travel to Iowa to
present a 70-year pin
Pictured are some of the members of Evergreen Lodge No. 46 and Great Lights Lodge No. 181
at the presentation, with Brother Don Root seated and W. Master Adam Pierce at the far right.
Recently some of the members of
Evergreen Lodge No. 46, Utica, traveled
to Decorah, Iowa, to present Brother Don
Root his 70-year pin. The Master of Great
Lights Lodge No. 181 in Decorah is
Don’s son, Mike. He, along with ten other
members of the lodge were present for the
presentation at Brother Don’s home.
Following the presentation, the brothers
of Evergreen Lodge attended the stated
communication of Great Lights Lodge.
Wadena Lodge presents scholarships
Pictured, front row: Andrew Smith, Michaela Lehmkuhl, and Brook Holweg; back row: W.Master
Paul Maki, MWB Terry Tilton, and Eric Blaha.
Wadena Lodge No. 156 recently held a
dinner to honor scholarship winners Eric
Blaha and Brook Holweg from Verndale
Public School, Michaela Lehmkuhl from
Wadena/Deer Creek Public School, Andrew
Smith from Henning Public School, and
their parents. Past Grand Master Rev. Terry
Tilton was the speaker. Their $500 scholarships are sponsored by the Wadena
Masonic Lodge, the former Verndale Lodge
Fund, and Minnesota Masonic Charities.
Also honored at the Wadena Lodge
No. 156 dinner were new fifty year members Michael Froslee and John Jackson
Dakota Lodge No. 7 Solomon Lodge 286
lays cornerstone
scholarships
Sherburne Lodge No. 95 presents Hiram
Award and scholarships
Dakota Lodge No. 7, Hastings, presented three
scholarships this year to the following students:
Josh Boyd, Gillian McIntosh, and Ian Gardiner.
Ian is the son of Past Master, Sean Gardiner.
Josh Boyd is the son of Bret Boyd, member of
Dakota Lodge and also the grandson of Past
Master Dave Barker, and grandson of Secretary
Jim Moore. Gillian is the daughter of Past
Master and past Secretary Dylan McIntosh.
Grand Master James A. Christensen, with the help
of almost all of the Grand Lodge officers, laid the
cornerstone for the new Solomon’s Lodge No.
286 in Moose Lake on May 31st. A large crowd of
Masons and community members were on hand
to witness the event and enjoy a great meal.
Brother Doug Warneke of Sherburne Lodge No. 95, Otsego, was recently honored with the Hiram
Award at a dinner held at the Rockwoods Conference Center in Otsego. Pictured from left to
right: Brother Ken Warneke, W. Master Dustin Wiebold and and Sr. Warden Terrance M Schaffer.
Prudence Lodge No. 97 holds outdoor
lodge meeting
Pictured from left to right: Scholarship Committee Chairman Jeremy Maguire, Annalise Reitsma,
Connon Johnson, Francis Freeman, (not pictured Abbie Siirila, mother Cheryl standing in) and
Senior Warden Terrance M Schaffer.
Shown, from left to right, are Past Grand Master Verne Long; W. Master Mike Simon; Grand
Lodge of Iowa Grand Master Eric Rozeboom; and Grand Lodge of South Dakota Grand Master
Charles Gilson smoking the pipes of peace at the Prudence Lodge No. 97 Open Air Lodge in
June. And the pipes were loaded with the original Native American Kinni-Kinnick—they were
fired up too! Quarry Lodge No. 148 in Pipestone has a tradition of presenting the peace pipes to
area Grand Masters.
6
The Brothers of Sherburne Lodge
No. 95, Otsego, have reignited the Brother
James LaRock Scholarship Award and
recently gave out four scholarships to local
students. Sadly, due to financial and lodge
struggles in the past few years these awards
had fallen to the wayside, but with growth
The Minnesota MASON
and renewed efforts in fund raising—many
thanks to the Brothers who purchased a
pin!—we have resumed this great tradition
of honoring our deceased Brother, who was
not only a counselor and teacher, but a true
advocate for education and giving back to
those in our community.
July–August 2014
News from the Masonic Family
Annual Minnesota Twins
Baseball Outing with the
Grand Master
at Target Field
Minnesota Twins vs. Detroit Tigers
Friday, August 22nd – 7:10 p.m.
$23 per ticket (Field Terrace – Right Field)
We had a great time last year, so please
make your plans to join the Grand Master
and many of your Brothers and family
members for this game. You can make your
reservation by mail with a check to the
Grand Lodge office for the number of tickets
you want, or by phone or e-mail with
your credit card.
952-948-6700 – [email protected]
Grand Lodge of Minnesota
11501 Masonic Home Drive
Bloomington, MN 55437
For further information contact:
Grand Secretary Douglas Campbell
952-948-6700 – [email protected]
Actual Past
Masters Degree
Monday, August 18th
Rochester Masonic Center
2002 Second Street SW
Rochester, MN 55902
Open to Sitting Masters
and Past Masters.
Light meal at 6:30 p.m.
Degree begins at 7:15 p.m.
Cost of the meal will be $5-$10.
Please RSVP to
Shawn Carrick at
[email protected] or
phone at 651-755-4519.
Duluth Scottish Rite to hold barbeque
On Saturday afternoon, August 9th, the
Duluth Valley Scottish Rite and the AAD
Shrine will be hosting a rain or shine barbeque at the Shrine Temple in Hermantown,
Minnesota. The Potentate of AAD Shrine,
Ted Pavlovich, and the Venerable Master of
the Duluth Valley Scottish Rite, Ken Smith,
are thrilled to announce this celebration of
Freemasonry to promote fellowship for all
area Masons, their friends and families.
There will be live music, kid friendly food
and entertainment to promote goodwill and
cooperation between appendant bodies, to
support area Blue Lodges and to support
our various Masonic charities. Remember
to mark your calendars for the Great
Masonic Get Together.
July–August 2014
August 9th Barbeque Schedule
2:00–4:00 p.m. Social/Fellowship
Many of our Masonic bodies & charities will have information available
4:00–7:00 p.m. Food Served
Smoked ribs, burgers, hot dogs,
corn on the cob, beans, coleslaw
7:30 p.m.
Live Music
Ending??
• Shrine Units throughout the day
• Cash bar will be available
• $10 donation suggested.
Free organ for a lodge, church or
even an interested Brother.
1966 Conn Electric Model: Rhapsody 627
Fully functional
Heavy—you must pick it up in Columbia Heights.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Ken Smith, Venerable Master
Lodge of Perfection
Duluth Valley Scottish Rite
If interested, contact the
Grand Lodge office.
952-948-6700 or [email protected]
The Minnesota MASON
Masonic Motorcycle Club
International – Chapter #24
For Information: Gordy Aune, Jr
Secretary/Treasurer – MMCI#24
Home 763-585-1766 Cell 612-719-1610
www.masonicmotorcycleclub.org
www.mn-masons.org
7
Three lodges report Books for Bikes program success
Cataract Lodge No. 2, Minneapolis
Cataract Lodge No. 2 sponsored the Bikes for
Books program for the third straight year at
Bancroft Elementary School in Minneapolis.
Students meeting the requirement of reading a
certain number of books each received a bicycle, a lock and a certificate for an appropriately
sized helmet. Special thanks to Minnesota
Masonic Charities for cosponsoring the program
and also to the K-Mart store on Lake Street for
their help in making the program a success.
W. Brother Conrad Jackson has done a great job
of planning and implementing this program for each
of the past three years. Conrad has now earned the
right to be the chairman of the Cataract Lodge
Bikes for Books program forever! Cataract Lodge
Brothers pictured at the presentation ceremony,
from left to right: Bro. Lee Love,WB Lane Guyot,WB
Bob Selden, Bro. Kevin Schwab, RWB Douglas
Campbell, RWB John Studell, and chairman of the
Bike For Books program, WB Conrad Jackson.
Red Wing Lodge No. 8, Red Wing
Oriental Lodge No. 34, Cannon Falls
Sponsored for the third year by the Cannon Falls
Masonic Lodge in cooperation with the Cannon
Falls Schools, a drawing was held on Friday,
May 16, to give away bicycles and Chamber
Dollars to students in grades 3, 4 and 5. The
goal of the program is to encourage students to
read books appropriate to their reading level.
Said program chairman Glenn Schulz, “The
students are encouraged by their teachers, and
the number of readers has increased each year.”
Names of each bicycle winner, a boy and a
girl in each grade, along with the winners of a
$10 second place winner and a $5 third place
winner of Chamber Dollars were drawn.
Accompanied by fellow Mason Paul Otte, Glenn
Schulz excitedly congratulated each winner.
Each bike winner was given a certificate indicating their win to be redeemed at Hjermstad
Hardware. Included is a properly sized helmet.
[Article and photo used with permission of Sue
Sullivan and the Cannon Falls Beacon.]
Anoka Lodge holds annual outdoor lodge
The Bikes for Books program in Red Wing is a partnership between Red Wing Lodge No. 8 and both Burnside
and Sunnyside Elementary Schools to help children becoming strong, lifelong readers. Children at Sunnyside
who completed their required reading times and those at Burnside who read eight books were able to enter
into a drawing for a new bicycle and helmet. Every year this program shows growth in the amount of reading
the children are completing as they advance through the different grades. This year’s winners at Burnside
Elementary are pictured with members of Red Wing Lodge members Jeff Boigenzahn, Jeff Seaberg, and
Shawn Carrick. Burnside students read a total of 1,152 books during this program.
Anoka Lodge No. 30 recently held its annual outdoor Master Mason Degree, presided over by
W. Master David Hansel. We want to welcome our newest Master Masons, Brett Hall and Sean
Kiekbusch, to our craft. But that is not the whole story; this photo has something more to tell.
Of the brothers in the photo, three are in their 60s, three are in their 50s, ten are in their 40s,
five in their 30s and three in their 20s. I thought you might find that interesting.
[Submitted by Wayne LaMusga, Past Master, 2009]
Freemasonry – not a social service organization
How many times have you heard the question,
“Isn’t Freemasonry a social service organization?”
How many times have you heard or read about this
topic on forums, in the community or in a Lodge
building? All too often, when I hear or read this
question, I find that the individuals are not looking
at this topic from the correct perspective.
We must first look at why men traditionally
join a lodge to become a Mason. The reasons are
numerous and different, depending on the man,
but when looking at the most basic view of each
reason it can be summarized that men petition a
Lodge to become Masons because they are
searching for something in life and believe
Masonry will offer them what they are searching
for to fulfill their needs and become better. I
believe that this ideology provided the basis for
the phrase “Freemasonry takes good men and
makes them better,” which we have all heard
many times over the years and will continue to
hear for future ages. I believe in this phrase, but I
would prefer to see this phrase expanded to
“Freemasonry takes good men and gives them
the tools to make themselves better.”
I prefer this expanded phrase because no man
can force or make another man change. Changes
can only be made by each man when information
is received and impresses itself internally upon
the person with an impact which can cause a
long-lasting change. What are tools that
Freemasonry provides its members to utilize in
their pursuit of self-improvement?
We have our work and lectures of the
degrees, through which a Brother who opens
his ears, heart and mind can receive good
moral teachings. Many Lodges also have a
Lodge Education Officer or a Brother within
the Lodge who provides educational teachings
8
that can reinforce the moral lessons of the
degrees and even expand our knowledge in the
studies of the liberal arts and sciences.
But these teachings and instructions do not
begin to account for the formation of the question, “Isn’t Freemasonry a social service organization?” So what would Masons and nonmasons see that would account for this question? It may be that Masons are active in supporting different endeavors that the community
benefits from, such as a bikes for books reading
programs, the polar bear plunge for Special
Olympics, and food drives that will benefit the
local food shelf. We are able to engage in doing
these projects, and many more, because of a
belief we have, as individual Masons and as a
Lodge of Masons. Looking across most
Masonic jurisdictions in the United States, you
can find these types of programs and examples
of Masons supporting different endeavors and
groups which I believe facilitated this belief in
the minds of many, that Freemasonry is becoming a social service organization.
I would even understand if many reading
this article are beginning to have the same concern or belief. I would argue that a different
view of this topic needs to occur to truly understand that we are not a social service organization but rather that the community benefits from
the good and great works we as Masons engage
in, in our search for further light in Masonry
and the desire to make ourselves better men.
To begin the change in view, let us return to
the beginning of what I believe Freemasonry
originally was. Freemasonry had its origins in
the formation of operative Lodges of Masons. It
started when an individual began their seven
years of apprenticeship to a Master who would
provide the apprentice with instruction and
teachings to become a better mason and
advance to a fellow of the craft. The apprentices
and fellows of the craft would constantly strive
to improve their abilities so that they could
become a master, or overseer of others, when
work was available. When a mason had
advanced within the Lodge by their work being
evaluated or graded at a high level, it would
allow the member to be allowed to accept work
and hire the craft for projects to be completed.
The operative masonic lodge was, in basic
terms, a trade school from which to grow in
knowledge and experience that was not available
to those outside the lodge. Over time, the operative lodges began admitting those that were not
operative masons and the speculative Masonic
Lodges began to be formed. These lodges continued to provide instruction to the members
through the teachings of the degree works and the
lectures. Men, being naturally inquisitive, engage
in searching for more knowledge and a desire to
find value and being active in belonging to an
organization. How do we fulfill these needs that
are part of a basic need or drive that men have?
Many believe that serving in the officer line
of the Lodge, providing the lectures of the
degrees or presenting papers in Lodge is the best
way to meet these needs, but individual Brothers
can be active in the Lodge by being set to work
in different ways. With the limited number of
opportunities during each year to improve ourselves through presenting the different lectures or
serving the lodge as an officer, other opportunities are needed to keep members active and to
have the members feel that there is a value in
their continued membership.
The Minnesota MASON
To keep members active and feeling they
have are receiving a value, many Lodges have
undertaken supporting other good endeavors such
as Bikes for Books, fundraising for food shelves,
Christmas parties for women/children shelters or
cooking for the community at a Loaves and Fishes
dinner. These endeavors are the ideas and work of
Brothers of the Lodge. When we engage in the
different fundraising and community events, it
provides a value to the Brothers by teaching additional skills and knowledge that gives them tools
to make themselves better inside and outside of
the Lodge. Being able to bring a group of men
together to complete a project teaches leadership,
organizational skills, priority setting, communication skills, and many other skills. These are the
same skills and traits that the fellow of the craft in
their operative lodges would have needed to be
taught, which would allow them to advance to the
Master or overseer of the work. When we take on
the different projects we are not doing so as a
social service organization, but rather as learning
process to improve ourselves and make lasting
changes to grow which we hope will allow us to
become a better son, a better husband, a better
father…ultimately a better man.
By looking at this topic from this perspective, I am hopeful that it provides a tool to better handle the question of whether
Freemasonry is a social service organization
with the answer: we provide men with the
tools to become better men with society being
a recipient of our great and good works.
WB Shawn Carrick
Red Wing Masonic Lodge No.8
Montgomery Lodge No. 258
July–August 2014