The Plumb Line 12-21-06

MN River Valley Lodge #6

2006 The Plumb Line

Minnesota River Valley Lodge #6

"Issued with the Permission of the M.W. Grand Lodge of Minnesota"

Plumbline for December 21, 2006

Season’s Greetings!

I am certain that you are all in high gear to commence the celebrations surrounding the upcoming Holidays and I wish you the very best for safe travel, joyous reunions and precious memories in the upcoming days.

Due to the significant contribution of one of our brethren, Minnesota Masonic Charities has just been afforded the opportunity to celebrate the season with an elegant “drop-in” Holiday Wine & Cheese Party at the prestigious Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minnesota. The event will take place on Saturday, December 30, 2006, and will benefit the Lodge and Chapter Matching Funds Scholarship Program. While it is being billed as a “wine & cheese” affair, one might also refer to the event as an event with “heavy hors d’oeuvres.” No, it is not dinner but it will be pretty close.
This gathering is styled so that attendees may freely come and go between 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. It provides an elegant beginning to the last Saturday evening of 2006, and still allows plenty of time to make it to that concert date, dinner out, or other holiday gatherings. Live music will accompany the good cheer and great company.
The cost of this special evening is $30 per ticket—though contributions beyond the ticket amount are most welcome. All monies for this event will directly support the Matching Funds Scholarship Program. (The Lodges and Chapters that participate in the Scholarship program are eligible for matching funds from Minnesota Masonic Charities.)
For information on how to reserve your ticket, please call Minnesota Masonic Charities at (952) 948-6004.
What a great way to celebrate the last days of the holiday season in affordable elegance, and make a valued contribution to support the educational dreams of our youth.
Brought to you by Minnesota Masonic Charities and the MMC Scholarship Committee, who wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

Most Lodges are busy right about now with their annual installation of officers. And to each of the new officers, I offer you my hearty congratulations. I have been attending several of the installation ceremonies, but I can’t get to them all. But I would be pleased to personally greet your new officers. Why not get together as a group and have the new officers and their wives attend the Minnesota Masonic Charities’ Mini-Gala on December 30th. I know it will be a nice affair and the perfect time to say hello and congratulations! I look forward to seeing you and your officers at the Interlachen Club on December 30th.

Speaking of the Minnesota Masonic Charities Scholarship Committee, the announcement will soon be mailed to each lodge announcing the 2007 Matching Funds Scholarship program. Your lodge should receive the details by January 10th, but the program has been expanded to a maximum of $1,500 in matching funds per lodge this year and to a maximum overall match of $150,000. If your lodge’s scholarship committee is starting to think about the 2007 program, be sure that they have this information. The MMC Scholarship Committee is also working on new, significant, multi-year awards; although these details are still being finalized and will not be available with the announcement of the Matching Funds program.

Our next One-Day-to-Masonry class is again being held on the third Saturday of January, January 20th to be exact, at the Minneapolis Scottish Rite. It is not too late to submit petitions but don’t wait too long! The petitions and the fees must be submitted to the Grand Lodge office by January 12th so that all of the candidates can be sent the the information packets and to allow time for other last minute event details.
I will likely be most favorably inclined to honor requests for dispensations but why have you waited to “share the light”. Do it soon so that arrangements for a quality experience for you and the candidate might be guaranteed. Check your recent Minnesota Mason Newspaper or call the Grand Lodge office (952-948-6700) for further details.

The end is near!! That’s right, the end of the year is the time to remind the lodge secretaries that the annual reports are due on January 15th. DFO Neil Neddermeyer has asked that you include as many officer e-mail addresses on the report as possible, especially the secretaries!

I recently learned that one of the larger lodges in the Twin Cities Metro Area is in need of a set of three lesser lights. This need reminds me that there are more than a few lodges who have accepted merger partners over the years and that many of these merged lodges have two or three sets of lodge paraphernalia. If you have an extra set of the three lesser lights, or other surplus lodge paraphernalia, please contact the Grand Lodge office and see if we can get them into the hands of a lodge that could put them to good use.

Job Openings: Deputy Grand Master Raymond Christenson has asked that I include in this newsletter the progressive lines’ request for candidates for two major positions; namely, Grand Treasurer and Grand Junior Steward. There are also opportunities to serve the Grand Lodge of Minnesota in many other ways too, such as District Representatives, Area Deputies, one-year Grand Lodge officer appointments and committee members. While many of the positions require that the applicant be a Past Master a few of them do not have such a requirement. Full details have been sent to the Secretary of each lodge, if you are interested, please contact your Secretary or the Grand Lodge office for the detailed application procedure.
Take notice, govern yourselves accordingly!

Take time to reflect on the many mercies and blessings our Creator has given us during the past year. We have so many reasons to be thankful! Pray for our military and their families who sacrifice on our behalf. Focus on what is important in your life and forget about the trivial matters that frustrate.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Steve Johnson,
Grand Master