From the East
Greetings from the East,
I hope everyone had a great January to start off the new year. Thank you to all those who attended our Soup and Bingo Night, it was a pleasurable event. We had many tasty soups to enjoy along with several fun bingo games and white elephant prizes for the winners - a night of laughter and good times! Check out event photos in the photo gallery below.
| |
|
Brothers, do you remember your initiation into masonry, your 1st degree ceremony? Well, of course, we all do! This was the day we entered the lodge as mister and left the lodge as brother. This was a special event just for you, that took many hours of practice by the officers and support by the brethren in preparation for the event. January 26, 2023 was such a day for our new brother Gregory Lane. I would like to welcome our new brother to his lodge and new family. We had a great turnout, with several visitors from other lodges. Thank you to all those who attended and made this a memorable night for brother Lane.
This was our first 1st degree of the year; I would like to thank the officers for their dedication and hard work who provided an outstanding 1st degree. We may have another 1st degree in February, so please attend to support and welcome our new brothers.
|  | Brother Gregory Lane receives his 1st degree. Front Row (L to R) Senior Deacon Pedro Sanchez, Senior Warden Stuart Stackhouse, Worshipful Joe Nielsen, Brother Gregory Lane, Junior Warden Noel Lukas, Marshal Jeff Joe, Junior Deacon Art Walesek. Back Row (L to R) Treasurer Larry Godbout, Chaplain Wor. Kevin Williams (PM), Dale Jordan Jr., Secretary Wor. Wes Minderman(PM). | February 11th is our annual Sweethearts Luncheon, this is to honor our lodge sweethearts, the widows of Natoma Lodge #64, and spouses. We put extra effort in contacting our widows, we mail them invitations and call them, there are some who we do not connect with, so if you know one of our sweethearts, please double check with them to make sure they know of the event and have them contact us and/or provide us with their contact information. At times there is someone who may need a ride to the luncheon or may not be able to attend but would like for us to deliver the meal to them. If you are able to volunteer to provide a ride or deliver a meal, please let us know ASAP, by contacting our Junior Warden Noel Lukas or myself (916.990.1469). On a humorous note, when I was Jr. Warden, we had a couple of brothers who were not going to attend the luncheon as they thought it was just for the widows and wives but this is not the case. So, yes, the brethren are to attend, you are their escorts. | |
Mark your calendars for our Super Bowl party on February 12, and save the date for March 25 as we present Worshipful Cecil Jaquess with the Hiram Award.
Please remember it takes all of us to make our lodge successful. If you have any ideas for events or would like to be a volunteer to help, let us know.
Thank you all again, stay safe.
Fraternally Parting Upon the Square,
Joseph R. Nielsen
2022-2023 Master
| |
From the Northeast Corner
Happy New Year everyone and welcome to a new feature in the Trestleboard. The Worshipful Master has requested that I provide you with a continuing update of our candidates and their progress thru the year including some bios so that you can get to know them better.
We are also looking for a “few good men and true” who would be interested in Coaching.
Your participation is essential for these candidates to move forward, and we welcome all those who are willing to step up and take the challenge. Just know that without coaching, candidates fail to progress, lose interest, and finally drop out. Let’s not see this happen.
If you are interested or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (916) 203-3656 or jfreidson@hotmail.com.
Fraternally Yours,
Wor. Joe Freidson P.M.
Head Candidate Coach
| |
From the West
Happy February! A month that I always look forward to. It means that Valentine’s Day is here and we get to celebrate our sweethearts! To express our love to them in large and small ways.
At Natoma Lodge 64 we have a tradition of having our Sweetheart’s and Widow’s luncheon near Valentine’s Day, where we gather to enjoy the company of our better half and pillars of support and honor our obligation to the brethren who have traveled to that undiscovered country.
St. Valentine, as you know, is the patron saint of lovers. The story goes that the Roman Emperor Claudius had forbidden marriages to be conducted on the basis that Roman soldiers fought harder if they were unmarried, presumably because of the fewer emotional bonds which might distract them from fighting to the death. "Valentine however continued marrying couples, even after being caught and imprisoned once," according to West Wales Mason - Valentine's Day Thoughts. The second time there was no forgiveness or mercy for Valentine and he was beaten, stoned and beheaded. The more secular association is usually traced back to the writings of Chaucer and his poem Parliament of Fowls. Chaucer speaks of birds pairing on ‘seynt valntynes day’ hence, the coming together of two lovers.
| |
|
In the Authorized Version of the Holy Bible, we often find the word ‘charity’ where modern versions use the word ‘love’. While charity has come to mean something different today, this puts us on notice that we should be careful about how we use the word ‘love’ and what it does mean. Love has a central place in Freemasonry, brotherly love being the first grand principle on which it is founded. “By the exercise of Brotherly Love we are taught to regard the whole human species as one family - the high and the low, the rich and the poor - who, as created by one almighty parent and inhabitants of the same planet, are to aid support and protect each other.”
| |
There are many examples of brotherly love to illustrate the fact that these are more than mere words in the ritual. We can all think of examples of expressions of brotherly love to brethren and their families, but also to our fellow human beings who are not members of our fraternity. True brotherly love should not be confined or restricted to our fellow brethren and their families. That would be an artificial brotherly love and not a genuine expression of the same. If we are to be truly changed by the principles of Freemasonry, to be made wholly ‘better men’, then we do not limit our good, but rather share it with all whom we encounter. It is a challenge, but that is the transformative power of true love, the ultimate demonstration of which is not only to love our brothers and sisters, but even to love those around us and those that they love as well.
We should also remember that our obligation is not to this one month alone but is ongoing. When we join together at the Sweetheart's Luncheon ask if there is anything that we can provide as a service to our past brethren’s sweethearts, i.e. handyman service, pick up or delivery of larger items, yard cleanup. Do they know how to contact the lodge for assistance? Do they have the new lodge phone number. Are they receiving the Trestleboard? Just a few things that make a big impact and a way to engage with our broader family.
Fraternally and On the Level,
Stuart Stackhouse
Senior Warden
| |
From the South
Brethren and Ladies, welcome to February,
Come kick off the month by celebrating Ground Hog Day at the lodge for dinner and the stated meeting to follow. No, we will not be dining on ground hog for dinner, instead our meal will be provided by Ruchi’s Indian cuisine, and I guarantee you that will taste so much better!
On Saturday, February 4th we will be having our monthly lodge breakfast. Still the best breakfast this side of the Sierra’s and for only a small donation of $7, how can you beat that? Of course, we will still have plenty of bacon.
Congratulations to our newly obligated Brother Greg Lane. We are all looking forward to helping you on your journey, Brother.
As mentioned before, we will have our Sweethearts Luncheon on the 11th. The menu is Roasted Leg of Lamb El Greco or Chicken Piccata, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Seasonal Vegetables. Followed by Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake with French Vanilla Ice Cream, topped with a Grand Marnier Sauce and Whipped Cream. When the email comes out, please make sure you RSVP or at least contact me with your selections. This is a great way to celebrate all our ladies who have been so supportive of all of us. So I hope to see you all there.
I know many are not happy with how the playoffs went but we will still have fun at our Super Bowl Potluck Party on Sunday February 12th. Bring a dish and come have some fun at the lodge with your friends and family. This event will be open to the public so let’s have a good time and enjoy some football together. More details to follow on how to RSVP and sign-up your dish.
Lastly, there is a very good chance we will be having another degree this month with food to follow, so please come fill the sidelines and help welcome a new Brother.
Until next month, fraternally and By the Plumb,
Noel Lukas
Junior Warden
| |
From Natoma Rainbow Girls
Natoma Rainbow Girls #90 have had a very busy start to 2023. On January 6th Emma Warney was installed as Worthy Advisor. She had a Marvel Avengers theme and it was super fun.
| |
Emma Warney, front row center, holding her "pet" alligator Loki, is installed as Worthy Advisor at a Marvel Avengers Theme reception. | |
The following day, we had a reception honoring Nicolette Wooldridge Grand Immortality and Representative to Illinois. It was beautiful. The lodge was decorated with a garden theme as her quote is.” To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” It was a busy, fun and beautiful weekend! | |
Nicolette Wooldridge, Grand Immortality and Representative to Illinois, front row center, enjoys a reception to celebrate her achievement. | |
Sydney Warney, Grand Worthy Advisor for California with one of the Pawsitive Teams service dogs. | |
You're invited!
The next big event is a reception to honor Sydney Warney, Grand Worthy Advisor for the State of California. We invite you to join us in celebration of her achievements on Sunday, February, 19 at 1:00 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Temple in Sacramento.
If you can't make it to the reception and want to contribute to Sydney's state project, “Pawsitive Teams,” please reach out to Carolyn Davis for more information.
-
Learn more about Sydney's chosen state project, "Pawsitive Teams" - a nonprofit training school for service, facility and therapy dogs.
-
Watch Sydney's inspirational "I Quit" speech at the last Official Visit
-
Watch Sydney's Grand Worthy Advisor "Survivor Tree" speech at Grand Lodge
-
Follow Natoma Assembly 90 on Facebook
| | | |
Congratulations Brethren! | |
|
Brother James Peter Chronis (JP) passed away on December 2, 2022. He was 92 years old. He was a Master Mason for 68.89 years and a Shriner.
Brother Chronis’ Masonic funeral service was held on January 20 at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon. The service was conducted by Worshipful Gary Macauley of Harding San Juan Lodge #579 at our request, who, without hesitation, accepted. This was a very beautiful ceremony which Worshipful Macauley eloquently conducted for our brother Chronis. We will miss our brother, his lodge participation, his conversations, and his enthusiasm for Masonry.
Obituary for Brother Chronis
| |
|
Click here to view the Lodge calendar and then click to add the events to your calendar. | |
|
We're listening!
What do you think of the new mobile-friendly Trestleboard? We'd love to hear your feedback!
Is there any content you'd like to see on a monthly basis? Send us your suggestions!
Would you like to be a contributor? Run it by Worshipful Joe Nielsen.
| |  |
Share the Trestleboard
There are no secrets here
Do you have friends or family members that ask about "lodge"? The Natoma Trestleboard is a great way to share Freemasonry with friends and family. We encourage you to forward this email to them or send us their email address (with their permission, of course!) and we'll add them to our mailing list.
| | | | | |
