by R. W. Brother Jack L. Allen, Grand Orator

 

As a 21 year old newly raised Master Mason, I had high

school, college and U.S. Navy time going for me, plus

experience from a variety of odd jobs, from gas station

attendant to retail sales, not to mention a new marriage.

Not bad, one might say, for a 21 year old. But the next

eight years of my life would provide much more… all

because of my journey through my Masonic lodge’s officer

line, starting as Chaplain.

 

I had taken orders, if not direction, from men and women

older than me, but I had never been put in the position of

guiding men who were senior to me in age.

 

I had messed up my checking account balance with the few

thousand dollars I made back then, but I had never had to

forecast a budget of five figures a year in advance.

I had been responsible only for myself .and my young bride,

not the status and future of 900 Master Masons.

 

I looked after a used car and an apartment, but I had never

been involved in the purchase of real estate, and the

design and construction of a Masonic Temple.

 

I had planned the meals for two, but never a picnic for

300.

In every case cited above, those add-on experiences were

ones I had going through the line.

 

My lodge had never worried about a budget until there was a

building on the horizon. Fortunately, our veteran Secretary

was also an accountant. He did the budget — 1 did the

learning.

 

Officers, senior and junior to me, found the property,

sought out an architect and identified a contractor. They

just turned it all over to me, as a 29-year-old Worshipful

Master, and said “Make it work.”

 

Every officer behind me in the line, the year I was

Worshipful Master, was older than me. But they didn’t make

that an issue. I had learned to plan, execute and finally

delegate. I had a wonderful year as Worshipful Master.

To this day, when someone says where is your department’s

budget, I have it and can explain it. If they thrust blue

prints under my nose, I can read them. If they ask me to

chair a committee, I can organize and I can work with

people.

 

All of this — and much more, I can do because I was an

officer in my Masonic lodge.

 

The fact is, in this conglomerate-oriented world, some men

never get a chance to experience leadership, or to have a

variety of experiences, but our Masonic lodges offer the

opportunity to learn leadership skills through the TELL,

WILL and Series IV programs. The individual concerns of

each lodge allow us to deal with budgets, short and long

range planning, physical plants, community events, charity,

youth, and a whole host of their experiences.

 

Being an officer is more than learning the ritual. It is

all part of Masonry’s philosophy of taking a good man and

making him a better man.

 

The skills and lessons one learns in the lodge line make us

better members of the church board, the PTA, our union –

the list is endless.

 

Give it some thought. Then, talk to your Worshipful Master

about your desire to learn and grow.

 

 

 

 

Greetings again Brethren,

As we enter the new Masonic Year, I figured I would take some time and tell you about some things that will be happening this year.

As you know we have a line of young officers both in true age and in Masonic age, this opens up a great opprotunity to reach out to our new members and ask them what we can do to bring them back to Lodge. So be prepared for a survey to be posted on this website in the weeks to come, please take the time to respond and help us make Stonington a place you want to spend your time.

This year we will be having an Open House of Amherst Masonic Temple on March 21st 2009, I ask all the Officers and any Brethren that can make it to come out to this wonderful event. WB John Morris has already begun promoting the day to the citizens and public officials of Amherst Ohio. We hope to have some high profile people attend this great event.

We will also be having a Grand Masters Class this year on June 13th 2009, if you have a prospect that may benefit from this method please keep that date in mind and free as I will be asking the top line signer for each petition to be the candidate’s mentor at the Class this year.

To become more comfortable with the degree work we will be instituting a “work night” one meeting each month will be ritual work, please remember that we must complete all three degrees twice each year and we will begin this process in January.

Please bring your Ladies to Lodge with you on December 9th for our Annual Awards Night, we will be awarding a ton of Service Awards this night and we will also be awarding the first every Laszlo Varga Award (Mason of the Year)

Officers, please be at the Temple on Dec 2nd for our Officers meeting, we will be going over the duties of your office, continuing the finance meeting began in October and doing some practice for degree work, remember Officers meetings begin at 7pm.

Thank you all again and Happy Thanksgiving.

In Brotherly Love, Worshipful Master: James Tournas

• Nov 25th- First meeting of the new Masonic Year! 7:30p.m.
• Dec 9th- Stonington Annual Awards Night (Open to Family and Guests) 7:30p.m.
• Jan 25th- Typewritten Ritual (Forest City Lodge) 9a.m.
• Mar 19th- Stonington Lodge Hosts the LCBLA meeting 7:30p.m.
• Mar 21st- Amherst Masonic Temple Open House (12p.m.-4p.m.)
• Mar 28th- Stonington Lodge Inspection 7:15p.m. (Dinner at 6p.m.)
• May 16th- 22nd Masonic District Grand Master’s Reception
• June 13th- Grand Master’s Class Day (Berea Masonic Temple)
• June 20th- LCBLA Annual Golf Outing Pheasant Run
• June 21st- LCBLA Family Outing-Bur Oak Park
• June 26th- Ohio Special Olympics Opening Cermony
• June 30th- District Awards Night (Lyndhurst Masonic Temple)
• Aug 20th-24th- Lorain County Fair (Double booth this year!)
• Sept 18th-20th- Elyria Apple Festival
• Oct 3rd- LCBLA Dinner Dance
• Oct 16th-17th- Grand Lodge 200th Communication (Toledo Ohio)

Please take the time to note these events on your calendar. They can always been seen on our calendar too! There are a lot of great things happening this Masonic year that you don’t want to miss! Any questions regarding the events please feel free to contact Stonington Lodge Secretary at crhennes@oh.rr.com.

Greetings Brethren,

I just wanted to say Thank you to all the officers for pitching in and purchasing the great Masonic Piece of Marble.

Our installation started at 6:30 p.m. by WM John Porter sitting in the East. The Lodge was filled on both sides by not only guests but also attending Masons. The flag was presented proudly and professionally by Stonington’s David J. Nye DeMolay. Memorial Services were then held by James Tournas and WM John Morris to honor the brethren that had passed in the last year. WM John Porter then gave his farwell remarks stating how his year as Master seemed to go quickly once it got started and that he was thankful to all for a good year. At this time District Deputy Grand Master Robert Behner was introduced and asked to proceed as he see fit. Right Worshipful spoke a few words about the upcoming year. He then returned the gavel to WM John Porter and was told to continue with the installation. Wm John Porter then asked brother Weyandt to introduce the installing officers. The installing officers were :

Installing Officer: Ron Runion PDDGM ILL. 33° Wellington Lodge
Installing Chaplin: Wendell Strunk PM ILL. 33° elect Stonington Lodge
Installing Secretary: Jerry Brove PDDGM Stonington Lodge
Installing Marshall: John Morris PM Stonington Lodge
Installing Marshall: J. Mike Crocker WM Oberlin Lodge

The officers were dismissed at this time.  The newly elected and appointed officers were the announced in the following order:

Worshipful Master:  James Tournas
Senior Warden:  Paul Weyandt
Junior Warden:  Andrew Washburn
Treasurer:  Roger Lawson PM
Secretary:  Robert Hennes
Chaplin:  Robert Berry PM
Senior Deacon:  Jerry Barger
Junior Deacon:  Chiban Bader
Senior Steward:  James Hieb
Junior Steward:  Empty at this time
Tyler:  Al Quinones
Marshal:  John LeMaster
Trustee & LEO:  John Porter PM

The charges of each position were given by Ron Runion PDDGM and the new officers took there positions.  The closing prayer was given by Robert Berry PM and the installation was closed by Robert Behner DDGM.  At this time WM James Tournas gave his greetings and thanks to all who attended and proceeded to hand out gifts to his new officers, installing team, and his wife.  The officers of Stonington presented WM James Tournas with a 2 1/2″ piece of marble engraved with his name and the Lodge’s name to use with his gavel.  He is known to have broken the marble before with the way he uses a gavel.  I don’t believe he will be breaking this one anytime soon!  Closing remarks were then given by DDGM Robert Behner.  Pictures were then taken and will be available in the near future for everyone to see.  We hope to see everyone in the upcoming year as there are some great things planned.

Sincerely,

Robert Hennes

Secretary

I would like to take the time to welcome everyone to the secretaries corner.

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