From the Secretary’s Desk

Have you considered purchasing a Masonic Life Membership?    This is an excellent time of the year for any brother to do this, but ESPECIALLY for any new brother who joins the program within 12 months from the date they were raised as a Master Mason. These brothers are eligible for discounts amounting to about 16% off the lump sum payment required. (this discount varies somewhat depending upon the age of the applicant.)  Plus any brother (regardless of when raised) can save approximately an average of 5 – 8% if they apply before July 1^st of any year.  The major benefits are:

• You are free of all future dues payments (including dues increases) for your life time.

• After your death, 50% of all investment earnings on your original payment will continue to be paid to your lodge.  (Minnesota River Valley Lodge #6 is currently receiving such earnings from 12 deceased brothers who were Life Members.)

Please contact me if want to discuss this further, or if you want an application form.

Richard Friend

Secretary

An old Cherokee Grandfather was talking with his Grandson, some weeks after a great disaster befell the village. They talked of many things – the weather, the river, hunting, and what being a warrior was like. Finally the boy asked the old man what he thought about the disaster. The old man said “When I think of this, I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One is savage, selfish and revengeful. The other is kind-hearted, understanding and compassionate.”

The boy thought on this for awhile, and finally asked “Which one will win?”

The old man said “Whichever one I feed.”

Thank You, Lew Price

Lew Price has worked tirelessly to help a family in need.  He has given his time and inspired effort to help, aid, and assist a family in severe financial and emotional crisis.  He has successfully petitioned the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, the Scottish Rite Orient of Minneapolis, the Shriners, and Minnesota River Valley Lodge #6 for for contributions to that family’s relief.

Upon Lew’s own initiative, he assumed the tremendous challenge to help that family by providing immediately needed financial assistance.  His efforts reflect a fundamental principle of Freemasonry - to provide, as liberally as we can, relief to individuals when those individuals are in distress.

Lew has set before us an example of Masonic charity.  Because of Lew’s efforts, he has helped to bring a very real measure of help to a needy family.  On behalf of all the brethren of Minnesota River Valley #6, I wish to thank Lew for his continued involvement in that charitable and heartening endeavour.  He has, with unselfish commitment, demonstrated a Mason’s obligation to give assistance when needed. 

I am proud to call Lew my brother in the Craft of Freemasonry.

Lew has asked the Lodge, during the Stated Communication in February, 2006, to help him assemble a fund raising event to further assist the family’s recovery.  We have one possible idea of hosting a spaghetti dinner at a venue in Shakopee.  May I ask each of you to prayerfully consider helping with the fundraiser? 

Please contact Lew, Worshipful Master Mike Sullivan, or myself to offer any assistance you can toward making that charitable event successful.  We appreciate the assistance that the Lodge members among us can provide.

With thanks to Lew Price and to the Fraternity,

Tim Berg, Sr. Warden.

Masons for 50 + Years

It was a glorious Minnesota winter day. The glory and the beauty of the day was with us as a group of Lodge brothers attended to a most joyous duty. We had the honor of presenting George Strehlow with his 50 year pin, Fifty years of proud membership in the Masonic brotherhood. John Loutzenhiser, as our District 19 Representative from the Grand Lodge, made the presentation to George while his brother DeWayne, himself a 55 year member, looked on.

We had a good representation from the Lodge to share in the festivities: Mark Treagor, Daryl Bren, Mike Sullivan (Worshipful Master of our Lodge), Alan Greene, and of course John. Mike asked George if he had noticed any major changes in the last 50 years. George and DeWayne both laughed and said “with all the new housing and the changed streets, it is too easy to get lost”.

Fifty Years On!!

Demonstrating the Christmas Spirit

It was that time of year again when the Brothers from our Lodge gathered to bag and deliver Christmas cheer to our elderly Brothers and our passed Brother’s widows. On behalf of Brother Bill Allen and myself, I want to thank all the brothers who helped to assemble our bags of treats and deliver them. We are also grateful for the generosity and donations from the Village Market in Prior Lake, Bergan’s SuperValu Foods in Minneapolis, and Rainbow Foods in Richfield. We were able to gather quite a variety of treats that will add cheer to this joyful season for our Brothers and their widows.

Quite a number of the Brothers gathered on December 17^th at the Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Prior Lake to pack the bags. We started at 7:00 AM and developed an efficient assembly line. We were able to hit the road by 8:30 with our Christmas deliveries ready to go.

While our delivery list included over 40 names, we packed at least 50 bags of Christmas treats. Brother Pat McClune delivered one to his neighbor who was in need of cheer and I also delivered one to my neighbor who is undergoing chemotherapy after a radical mastectomy. Leftover bags were delivered to the Masonic Home for distribution among the residents.

Although we all know that the gift is in the giving, the givers also receive. Our deliveries gave us the opportunity to visit with these good people, to make sure they were all right and weren’t in need of more direct support. And of course our gift was to be warmed by the feeling of goodwill that was reflected back to us. In all cases, the gift was more than the value of the treats; it was the fact that somebody thought enough of them, to express such kindness.

Respectfully Submitted,

Alan Greene, Chaplain

Minnesota Masonic River Valley Lodge #6

Table Lodge: January 14, 2006

The Minnesota River Valley (MRV) Masonic Lodge #6, held yet another remarkable Table Lodge feast on January 14, 2006, at the VFW in Montgomery. The Table Lodge is no mere banquet or dinner - it is a special ceremony that carries out a custom in Masonry which was old when the pyramids were built. From the idea of the feast, and the desire to promote a greater degree of fellowship and kinship in Masonry, was born the Table Lodge. From time immemorial, Freemasons have enjoyed meeting about a "Festive Board".

Our Festive Board is complete with a centuries-old Ritual which incorporates a great meal served by our Jobs Daughters and their friends, some jokes (good and bad), and a good Masonic speaker. We emphasize "good Masonic Speaker" because no other kind will do. Accompanying a seven-course meal were the traditional seven toasts which included toasts to our country, our flag, the office of president of the United States, visiting brethren and guests, to our craft, the memory of our departed brethren, and to all Freemasons wherever they may be.

Marc Peterson opened the MRV Lodge in “due form”, and introduced our guests -- Grand Master Andrew Rice and Grand Treasurer Eric Neetenbeek.

At this feast, we had 99 Lodge Brothers, family, Brothers from other Lodges, and three new recently raised brothers, sharing our feast. One, who could not make the feast, Sgt. Mike Pierce, sent his regrets from Iraq where he is presently serving.  Mike Sullivan, our newly installed Master read an e-mail from Sgt Pierce. In his message, he let us know that he truly missed his lodge and his brothers. He also thanks for our support of him, his family, and his platoon. We all pray that he will be rejoining us soon after his safe return.

Sandy DeLoach brought greetings from the Eastern Star Chapter 90. In her remarks, Sandy stressed the importance of each participating more fully in the greater Masonic family. Gordy Bane introduced the Brothers that have qualified for their 50-years as a Mason pins. Although they were not able to attend the Feast but brothers from the Lodge will be delivering them in the near future. The 50-year brothers are: Donald Bloedow, Dale Huber, Edward Effertz, George Strehlow, and I. L. Claesson. Mike Kottwitz introduced our three new brothers: Gary Sankary, Joshua Boxx and Shawn Wigfield.

Our featured speaker was Eric Neetenbeek, who is also the CEO of the Minnesota Masonic Charity organization. He spoke on the origins of the organization, from the first Masonic Home in 1920 to the Masonic Cancer Center in 1920 to today where any Lodge can come to the Masonic Charities with request for the finds of local community or other worthwhile projects.  Eric noted that charity is integral to our Masonic values. It is the right thing to do, it is a part of us, and it demonstrates that the words on our ritual have real meaning. We as Masons need to be of service with our wealth, our skills, our hands, our minds, and our hearts. Eric’s charge to all of us is to do more.

Since our Table Lodge comes at the beginning of the New Year, it is meet and right to dispose of the old and to welcome the new.  Figuratively speaking of course. Our Past Master, Pat McClune, was awarded his Past Masters apron and pin by Mike Sullivan, our newly installed Lodge master.

In turn, Grand Master Andrew Rice, awarded Mike Sullivan with his “Master’s Hat. Andrew also noted that while we were observing this Festive Board in Montgomery, thousands of Masons all over the state were improving the lives of others. Thousands were safe and warm and were dining in our two Masonic Homes and the Hospital facilities we support.

We closed our Lodge in “due form” and will look forward to our next Table Lodge. We are located in Shakopee and serving the communities of Chaska, Prior Lake, Savage, Jordan, Belle Plaine, New Prague, and Montgomery (and all points in between). To find out more about Freemasonry, ask a Mason, or see our web site: http://www.mn-rivervalley.org  Potential candidates should ask a Mason for a petition.

Respectively submitted by

Alan Greene, Chaplain

MRVL #6

For the latest Lodge information, check out our Website at: www.mn-rivervalley.org