What: Crock Pot - Sauerkraut & Sausage Dinner
When: 5-7pm, Saturday, April 26th, 2008
Where: Avon Lake Masonic Temple
Cost: $5.00 donation to the Kitchen Repair Fund.
We have half a dozen crock pots coming full of goodies, plus the spetzels to go with the meal. We will also be having apple pie for dessert. Come and join the fellowship and fun!
Last night, at our April 15th stated meeting, we raised two new Brothers to the degree of Master Mason. A hearty thanks to everyone who came out to help – the candidates each received excellent degrees, and we certainly couldn’t have done it alone.
But that’s not all! Next Tuesday, April 22, and again on April 29, we are having additional special meetings to catch up on degree work. Please come out, if only to sit and watch! Lodge opens at 7pm both evenings (MMs only, please).
This is truly a banner month for Mid-Century – when all is said and done, by May 1 we’ll have 5 newly raised Brothers. This is the future of Mid-Century Lodge in the making. Wouldn’t it be great to meet our newest members and help get them settled in Lodge?
Where: Avon Lake Masonic Center (at Lear and Electric)
Lodge opens at 2 p.m., with a banquet following. This year Havelock Lodge is going to portray the MM for us – this is not an event to be missed!
Cost: The banquet is $10, which includes dinner and hospitality following dinner.
RSVPs are required, so we can make sure to have enough food. Please contact us us with your reservations as soon as possible.
And as always, there is more to the event than just Lodge. Join us on the evening of May 2 to welcome the Canadians to town, and again on the evening of the 3rd for more hospitality. Contact us for details on where the additional hospitality will take place.
Worshipful Master Carl M. Behm passed to the Grand Lodge Above on Friday, March 14, 2008 around 6:00pm. WB Behm had just turned 92. Please contact the Lodge for details.
At the request of his Lady and family, Masonic Services for WB Carl M. Behm will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 2:00pm at the Avon Lake Masonic Temple. A reception will follow.
A hearty, big thanks to WM Behm’s Lady, Jeanette, for a fabulous chili cook-off Saturday night! There were seven varieties of chili served to 60-plus members and guests, not to mention a smattering of kids. Not only was the food great, we also managed to kick-off the fund raising for various building issues (carpet, roof, parking lot) in very good form. Thanks to all who came or contributed!
By popular request, here is the recipe for Hathaway Chili:
15 1/2oz cans of red beans (drain water)
15 1/2oz cans of black beans (drain water)
1 4oz can of green chili peppers
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
2 packages of chili seasoning
2lbs of ground beef
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
a few shakes of cumin (to taste)
On Saturday, November 17, Mid-Century Lodge held its 59th Annual Installation of Officers. WB Carl Behm was installed as Master, and at a chipper 91 years of age, he may well be the oldest serving Master in Ohio (we’re checking on that). Also note that this is the first time in the East for this 60-year Mason. That could be a record, too (we’re checking).
Interestingly, the most junior officer installed was Junior Deacon, which place will be held by Kevin Taras – and Bro. Taras just celebrated his 21st birthday a month ago, putting him in line to be the youngest Master in Ohio (we’ll check on that if/when the time comes).
Brethren, the line is full of young, fresh officers (not a single PM in the progressive line!) and WB Behm has great plans for the year ahead. We look forward to seeing all of you there!
For the full line of officers installed, click here.
On Tuesday, November 6 we held our Annual Meeting. The committee reports were all excellent: We had a net increase of 3 members, average attendance at meetings was up, and the budget has been balanced.
In 2007 we Raised 5 new Brothers, reinstated 4, and left 11 working candidates for the Master-elect (which doesn’t count the petition we read that night!).
Brethren who passed to the Grand Lodge above in 2007:
And the election results produced an officers line for 2008 as follows:
Please come out for our open Installation on Saturday, November 17 at 7pm!
Just to keep everyone up to date on Lodge activities, concerning candidates, this is how we currently stand:
Brethren, if you think meetings are just about the minutes and bills, you obviously haven’t been to Lodge for a while! We’ve had more degree work and more special meetings in the last 8 months than we had for the 5 years before that! We love to be able to report that, but it also shows that we do need your help – so please come out, if only to offer your good counsel to our newest members.
Over the weekend of May 4, 5, and 6 Mid-Century Lodge hit the road for our annual fraternal visit with Havelock Lodge. This year’s meeting was held at Campbellford Lodge in Campbellford, Ontario (just a stone’s throw from Havelock), due to the fact that WBs David Powers (Mid-Century) and Bruce Rogers (Havelock) decided Mid-Century Lodge would portray the MM degree this year – and we needed the extra room! The Lodge was filled to capacity, tallying around 100 brethren in attendance.
The degree work went very well, with most of the FC team comprised of Canadian brothers who agreed to be put to work, even as they were seeing the Ohio MM for the first time. Thanks to the excellent stage directions of RWB Runion, the floorwork was exemplary – we tried to talk them into coming down for our next MM!
After Lodge there was a magnificent feast downstairs in the social hall, as well as the usual fellowship later at the hospitality suite. All-in-all, it was another great visit with our neighbors to the north – we look forward to doing it again next May, this time in Avon Lake.
At last night’s stated meeting, WM Powers conferred the Order of the Rusty Nail on Bro. Warren Newman, a 50-year member raised in 1955. Mid-Century also entertaining several guests from other Lodges who had come to see the Rusty Nail, as well as RWB Behner, who was attracted by curiosity over the degree and to make a special presentation to RWB McClenahan.
The evening went very well, with Bro. Anson Russell Jr. (JW) coferring the EA portion of the Rusty Nail and Bro. Carl Behm (SW) conferring the FC section. WM Powers conferred the MM portion, and Bro. Michael Hathway (SD) performed his duties for the degree with his usual precision.
After the work, there was a good, lengthy discussion regarding dues and repairs to the Lodge building, as well as conversation regarding upcoming events, such as this year’s trip to Canada, our Education Night, and our Widows’ and Mothers’ Night in May. The evening was concluded in the fellowship hall with hot bowls of homemade beef stew, thanks to Bro. Ed Hayes (JD).
This year we will be traveling north to visit our Canadian brethren in Peterborough, Ontario. The bus leaves from Avon Lake Masonic Center at 8am, Friday, May 4 and returns at 6pm, Sunday, May 6.
Total cost is $200, which includes your round-trip bus ticket, two nights at the Quality Inn in Peterborough, the annual banquet on Saturday, and fellowship worth more than your weight in gold.
This year we will be portraying the Master Mason degree, so if you can help out on the degree team, please let us know! On the other hand, if you just want to come and watch and enjoy the unparalleled fellowship of our Brothers to the north, that’s fine, too!
Click here for a printable form to reserve your spot on the bus today! And please be sure you have a valid US passport OR your license AND birth certificate – they aren’t messing around about these requirements any more, so if you want to come home, make sure you follow the rules exactly. (click here to read the rules for yourself)
The Table Lodge scheduled for February 20, 2007 has been postponed. We’re happy to report that this is due mostly to having so many candidates, that we haven’t had the time to properly prepare for a Table Lodge. The current plan is to reschedule this event for the second stated meeting of June (our last meeting before summer break). Details will be posted here when they are known – but one thing we do know now is that you will need to make a reservation to attend this limited seating event.
Our Annual Inspection came and went on Tuesday, January 23 at a special meeting. 69 members and visiting brethren attended, with over half joining us for dinner. The evening went very well, and you’ll be glad to know your officers portrayed an excellent EA degree, earning praise from those in attendance as well as our DDGM, RWB Behner. He assured the officers that there would be nothing negative in his report to Grand Lodge.
Doing the work for the evening, WB Powers opened Lodge, with the aid of all the elected and appointed officers. Bro. Hayes (JD) gave the lecture – his first lecture ever before Lodge – and Bro. Russell (JW) gave the Charge. The Apron Lecture was given by Bro. Behm (SW), such that we were able to comply with this year’s edict that the degree be done by progressive line officers only, including the Lecture and Charge.
Lastly, special thanks are due to the David J. Nye Chapter, Order of DeMolay, for helping us out in the kitchen, by serving the food and cleaning up afterwards. We’d also like to thank WB Bo Davis and Bro. Franck Kakou for filling in as stewards, which positions have yet to be permanently filled.
At the stated meeting on Dec. 19, WB Powers organized a Budget Committee to go over our books with a critical eye. The Committee – chaired by Michael Hathaway (SD) and co-chaired by WB Andy Vince (Lodge musician) and Bro. John Larson (trustee) – is charged with examining ways the Lodge can save money (or produce more income) to deal with a heavy yearly deficit. Part of what they will be examining is the current level of dues.
The Committee will be reporting back its findings to the Lodge at the second stated meeting in February (Feb. 20). If you have any specific input for the Committee, please get in touch with the Committee members or one of the Lodge officers before that time. You can also drop us an e-mail, or a note via “old fashioned” mail.
WB Powers also called for a special meeting on January 9 at 7pm. Please contact one of the officers for details – again, either by e-mail or snail-mail.
The last stated meeting was a busy one. Not only was it our Grand Lodge Awards Night, but we also conferred EAs on two new members! Service pins were awarded – and many presented on the night by WB Powers and RWB Behner – as follows:
25-year pins:
50-year pins:
60-year pins:
WB Powers, RWB Behner, and some of the Brethren who received service pins at Awards Night.
Our last stated meeting was also the Annual Installation of officers. The evening was well attended, and all the officers were installed as had been elected at the annual meeting on November 7. RWB Ed Phelps represented Grand Lodge for the evening.
The last stated meeting was also our annual meeting. The evening was well attended, and included a visit from our new DDGM, RWB Behner. The results of the election of officers were as follows:
Worshipful Master … David Powers
Senior Warden … Carl Behm
Junior Warden … Anson Russell, Jr.
Secretary … Ken Killinger, PM
Treasurer … Hal Loebick
Senior Deacon … Michael Hathaway
Junior Deacon … elected officer has not yet accepted
Tyler … Scott Coy
3-Year Trustee … Anson Russell, Sr., PM
2-Year Trustee … Gerald Standring
1-Year Trustee … John Larson
The WM-elect then made a motion for an open installation at the next state meeting, November 21 – and the motion passed, so we’d like to see everyone there to support our new line of officers.
In the absence of WM Russell, Bro. Powers (SW) took the East for the last stated meeting, which turned out to be extremely productive and worth reporting on. As WB Steve Behm said later, “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more productive meeting at Mid-Century – or any other lodge, for that matter.” We voted on three new petitions, one affiliation, conducted two EA exams, and conferred two FCs, as well as going over the usual business and upcoming legislation for Grand Lodge.
Busy it was, but it was certainly nice to have so much candidate work to get through – and this would appear to be par for the course in coming months (all three petitioners were elected to receive degrees). The officers all moved up and did excellent work, and several Past Masters and attending brethren chipped in and offered much-needed help, too.
And to cap it all off, Bro. Hayes (SS) brought in homemade rigatoni, which everyone enjoyed immensely after the meeting. So whoever thinks Lodge nights are just reading the bills and minutes clearly hasn’t been to Mid-Century for a while!
Last night’s stated meeting was was as brief as possible, allowing us ample time to travel en masse to Elyria Lodge. The purpose of the trip was threefold …
Most importantly, we suprised RW&Ill:. Bro. Eric Schau by presenting him an honorary membership to Mid-Century Lodge. RWB Schau has long been a friend of the Lodge, as well as our DDGM a few years back, and was recently coronated a 33rd degree Mason. WB Anson Russell presented him with the certificate and membership card.
We also had the Lorain County Traveling Trowel to deliver. The Trowel had lately become the stuff of legend in Lorain County, after being delivered to Mid-Century Lodge over 4 years ago. The idea was for the trowel to then be delivered to another Lodge as soon as possible, but it instead vanished into a long, dark void on top of our safe, and from there, into the mists of history. Well, it has finally been found and now delivered, so Lorain County lodges should be on guard for a traveling contingent from Elyria Lodge – hopefully sometime wthin the next 4 years, anyway.
Finally, we had to see for ourselves the fruits of much labor over at the new Elyria Temple. The brethren of Elyria Lodge have done an absolutely amazing job of renovating their new building and we suggest everyone travel west to see what hard work can truly accomplish.
The “Corn Shucking Party” is at 6:30pm Monday, August 28 at the Lodge. This is when we primarily prepare the corn for roasting, but also set up the Lodge for the event.
The Annual Corn & Dog Roast itself is Tuesday, August 29 from 6-8pm. Admission is FREE (as always); members, guests, and families are all welcome. Please note, this event is first come, first served – we cannot guarantee the ‘dogs and corn will last until 8!!
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