From the East
It is the tradition of many Lodges for the January Stated Communication to feature an address by the new Worshipful Master in which he lays out his program for the year. Often reflecting the Worshipful Master’s own Masonic journey, hopes, or dreams, his program is his chance to leave his mark on the Lodge.
As one who has come up “through the chairs” over the past several years, I’ve had ample time to think about my year in the East. Instead of trying to conceive a program, I started with a posture. As Worshipful Master, my year will be marked by justice, kindness, and humility, three traits that I strive to embody in all aspects of my life and which I am convinced mark the best leaders.
Once I’d articulated the posture of my year, a programmatic theme came into focus: reflection and renewal. We are in a time of transition in our Lodge. We have new members joining every year and we have some of our mentors and giants who are needing to pull back. Transition is often accompanied by uncertainty and uncertainty can breed fear. It can also stoke creativity and present opportunity.
This year, I want us to lean into our collective creativity and grasp the opportunity to reflect upon our individual and collective Masonic journeys. I challenge us to renew our commitment to Freemasonry and to Beaverton Masonic Lodge. To aid us in this work, I am inviting us all to participate in a monthly Craft Driven Conversations. Held at the Lodge on the second Thursday of the month, I will lead us through a series of topics and workshops designed to help us articulate a shared vision for Beaverton Masonic Lodge, identify the challenges and obstacles we must overcome, and chart a course of action.
I am honored to have been elected to serve this Lodge for its 134th year. By the time my year in the East concludes, it is my hope that we will have a well-defined path for how we begin our next 134 years. You can read the full text of my remarks here.
January Stated Communication Highlights
There was a lot of business undertaken at the first Stated Communication of the year, as there often is. We installed Bob Madson as Junior Steward, debated and approved a budget, committed to running a fireworks booth in June to raise funds for the Lodge, appointed the Finance, Grievance, and Audit committees.
Worshipful Master Anderson Campbell presented Brother Levi Campbell with his Basic Proficiency Card. Brother Senior Warden Tom Binkerd presented Brother Secretary Dale Jacobs with a Past Master’s Jewel with a handmade chainmail collar as well as a Lodge challenge coin, numbered 113 to commemorate Worshipful Brother Dale as the 113th consecutive non-repeating Master of Beaverton Lodge.
The Worshipful Master closed the meeting by delivering remarks about The Craft Driven Lodge and his desire to implement a similar program in Beaverton Lodge. He invited all to join him in a season of reflection and renewal by participating in monthly Craft Driven Conversations, to be held on the second Thursday of each month at 7pm at the Lodge.
Craft Driven Conversations
On January 9, 2025, 11 brothers gathered for a workshop to define a shared vision for the best version of Beaverton Masonic Lodge 100. We used interactive exercises to explore our aspirations for Beaverton 100, identify obstacles that will make it challenging to achieve our goals, and prioritize areas to address that will help our Lodge become the best version of itself.
The evening began with a moment of reflection as brothers answered the question: “Why did you join Freemasonry? Why did you join BML 100 in particular?” This think-pair-share exercise allowed everyone to connect with their personal motivations for joining the Craft and this particular Lodge, reminding us of our shared purpose for the work ahead.
We then watched a video, The Craft Driven Lodge, which provided the framework for these ongoing discussions.
Finally, we engaged in some interactive brainstorming and theme sorting to help us articulate a shared vision of what the best version of Beaverton 100 could look like and identify the top challenges that might keep us from getting there.
A more detailed report of the conversation and the themes that emerged will be given by the Worshipful Master and the participants at the next Stated Communication, February 6.
Calendar
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- Every Monday – Monday Morning Coffee, 8-10am – Social Hall
- January 16 – Ritual Practice, 7pm – Lodge Room
- January 23 – Officer’s Meeting, 7pm – Library
- February 5 – Visit Friendship Lodge 160, 6:30pm Dinner, 7:30pm Stated
- February 6 – Stated Communication, 6:00pm Dinner, 7:00pm Stated
- February 8 – Advanced School of Instruction, 9:00am – Lodge Room
- February 13 – Craft Driven Conversation, 7pm – Lodge Room