Brethren and Ladies,
I take pleasure in greeting you all from the West.
Well, here we are in 2008. Unfortunately, due to the “writer's strike,” I was unable to get my article together for the January Chips. Therefore, this being my first time I have been able to write to you this year, I would just like to express to you how thrilled I am to be a part of this line of officers at this Lodge, at this time.
It is an exciting time to be a Mason here in California, and Hollywood Lodge in particular. I know that Worshipful David Sylvester has some exciting ideas for this year, and I am looking forward to helping him, and the rest of the Lodge, bring those ideas to fruition. I know in my heart, that if we all work together, Hollywood Lodge will be one of those in the forefront of California Masonry.
One of the things I am particularly excited to see happen in the months and years to come is the renewed fraternal bond between the Valley lodges. Not only are we neighbors, but we're brothers for goodness sake! It has sometimes felt to me as though, rather than treat each other as family, we treat each other as rival football teams. And that's just not the case. If I can keep this football analogy going for one more second... we're most definitely on the same team!
We've all heard Worshipful Jerry Shubb at the initiation of a candidate, give his speech about getting the most out of Freemasonry. One of the points he makes that I think is vital for all of us to remember is the one about "coming to Lodge as often as possible." He tells us that "our Lodge is filled with people who want to get to know you, and want to be your friend." How right he is! So, that being the case, why should we keep all of that friendship and brotherly love confined to just our events? It seems to me, that while the other lodges may not have the benefit of Worshipful Shubb to put it so clearly, I feel certain that they maintain the same sentiments.
Perhaps, rather than working harder to get other lodges to attend our events, we should work to create events in conjunction with the area lodges.
We ALL have so much to learn from each other. Let's not limit our all to just those here at Hollywood Lodge!
Spreading the cement,
Russell M. Jaeger
Senior Warden