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May 2026 Trestleboard

From the East

WM Anderson Campbell

Anderson Campbell, Worshipful Master

As we move deeper into spring, I want to note that there is a subtle shift that takes place in Lodges about this time every year. The excitement of a new year has passed. The vision we articulated in January is no longer fresh. The seeds we planted in earlier months are no longer just ideas. They have either begun to take root, or they have not.

The month of May, in that sense, is something of a mirror.  It is a moment that reflects back to us what we intended to do and what we have actually done.

At the beginning of the year, it is easy to feel motivated. There is energy in a fresh start. There is clarity in naming a vision. There is a sense of possibility in imagining what could be, but motivation is fleeting. How many of us make personal resolutions the first week of January only to see them dropped and long forgotten by May?  That fresh start energy doesn’t last very long.

Momentum is something else entirely. It is built
over time. It is not created in a single meeting or a single decision, but through repeated action: through showing up, participating, following through, and doing the work, even on the days when we do not particularly feel like it.
If motivation is what gets us started, momentum is what carries us forward.

And this is where the mirror of this season becomes important.

Because by now, each of us has begun to build patterns. We have established rhythms for our year, including personal Masonic rhythms. We have, whether intentionally or not, decided how we will engage with this Lodge and with the
work before us.

So the question is not, “What did I hope this year would be?”

The question is, “What am I actually doing?”

Where have I found myself showing up consistently?

Where have I begun to step forward, take ownership, and contribute to the life of this Lodge?

And just as importantly, where have I drifted?

Where did I begin the year with good intentions, only to find that those intentions have not yet taken root in sustained action?

The good news is this: unlike that fresh start motivational energy, the opportunity to build momentum is not fixed. It can be created at any
point. 

No matter what the first few months of the year have looked like, the opportunity before us now is the same as it was in January, that we can still choose our level of engagement, decide what we will contribute, and how take the next step forward.

For most of us, building momentum first looks
like showing up.

It looks like saying yes when there is work to be
done. 

It looks like choosing one area—ritual, fellowship, fundraising, mentorship, or service—and investing yourself in it with consistency.

It looks like moving from observer to participant.

Our Lodge, as I have said before, is changing.
That change is driven by our collective, sustained effort. By our momentum.

As we approach the midpoint of the year, this is
our opportunity, yours and mine individually and collectively, to look honestly in the mirror, to see clearly what has taken root, and to decide what we will build from here.

So I leave you with this question:

What would it look like—for you—to build momentum in the months ahead?

April Stated Communication Highlights

  • Our Lodge has signed another contract with TNT to sell fireworks this coming Independence Day season.  Fortunately, this time the booth will be in the parking lot near the Buffalo Wild Wings on Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. The expectation of this new location is much more traffic than last year, due to a better location, the fact that this will be the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and that Independence Day this year falls on a Saturday. We will likely need a minimum of 5-6 people to serve the patrons and keep supplies stocked.

 

  • WB Will Erickson gave an educational lecture during the stated meeting on understanding the nature of divinity, titled Clouds In the N-Dimensional Divinity Field. This was a condensed version based on his paper, which elicited a lot of questions and conversation afterward. 

Calendar
Access the full calendar online here!
✦ Every Monday — Monday Morning Coffee, 8-10 AM, Social Hall
✦ May 7th — May Stated Communication, dinner at 6 PM, meeting at 7 P

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April 2026 Trestleboard

From the East:

Anderson Campbell, Worshipful Master

WM Anderson Campbell

One of the interesting things about Lodge life is that most of it happens between meetings.  Stated Communications are important. They give structure to our work, provide a place to conduct the business of the Lodge, and bring us together formally around the altar.  But if you look closely at what truly sustains a Lodge, much of it happens in the spaces between those gatherings.

It happens on Monday mornings over coffee in the Social Hall. It happens during ritual practices, work parties, and informal conversations among Brothers who linger after a meeting. It happens when a few Brethren gather to plan an event, prepare a degree, participate in fundraisers, or check in on a Brother who has been absent.

This year we have tried something a little different by organizing much of our work through committees. Nearly every active member of the Lodge is involved in one or more of these groups, helping to think through the practical questions that keep our Lodge healthy: finances, events, building care, fundraising, community presence, and more.

Like any new approach, it has had mixed results so far. Some committees have found their rhythm quickly. Others are still discovering how best to contribute. That’s perfectly natural.

What matters most is the spirit behind the effort: the recognition that the vitality of a Lodge does not depend on a handful of officers carrying the load, but on many Brothers sharing in the work.

In Masonry we are guided by allegories and metaphors drawn from the craft of building. We build not with bricks and mortar, but with people. Each Mason brings his own character, experience, and effort to the structure we are raising together.  But even the finest stones require something more if they are to become part of a lasting structure.

The time between our meetings is where that work quietly takes place. It is where friendships deepen, where trust grows, and where the bonds of brotherly love and affection are strengthened through shared labor and simple fellowship.

The Stated Communication may organize our work, but the life of the Lodge is found in the relationships that surround it. And it is in those ordinary moments between gatherings that the ties that unite us are most carefully set

March Stated Communication Highlights

At the March Stated Communication, we welcomed Right Worshipful Brother William (“Billy”) Burns, District Deputy of the Grand Master of District #6 of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Oregon, for his official visit.


We received an invitation from the Scottish Rite Valley of Portland to attend the exemplification of the Scottish Rite Entered Apprentice degree which will be held the 30th of May at the Scottish Rite center in downtown Portland. Doors will open at 11 AM. The Feast of the Manifesto will begin at noon and costs $33.85. The Entered Apprentice Degree will begin at 2 PM and costs $100.00. There is also a Fellowship Social after the degree from 5-7 PM after the degree. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

There will be a statewide training March 21st where the Grand Lodge has selected 8 lodges throughout the state to host. The nearest for Beaverton Masonic Lodge 100 is Washington 46 in south east Portland. 

Also on March 21st, Beaverton’s own Worshipful Brother Will Erickson will be giving a lecture at Esoterika Lodge 227 on understanding the nature of divinity. The lecture is open to the public and starts at 5 PM and there is a $10 suggested donation. There is also a stated meeting afterwards at 7 PM open to Master Masons only

Happy Anniversary WB George Albrecht

Beaverton Masonic Lodge’s own Worshipful Brother George Albrecht celebrated his 30th Masonic anniversary on March 20th.  He is pictured here between District Deputy Right Worshipful Brother Billy Burns and Worshipful Master Anderson Campbell.

Beaverton’s Youngest Master Mason

Beaverton Masonic Lodge’s youngest Master Mason Craig Stark passed his proficiency at March’s stated communication. He is pictured on the right with District Deputy Right Worshipful Brother Billy Burns and Worshipful Master Anderson Campbell on the left presenting him with his lambskin apron.

Calendar

Access the full calendar online from the Calendar page!

  • Every Monday — Monday Morning Coffee, 8-10 AM, Social Hall.
  • April 2nd — April Stated Communication, dinner at 6 PM, meeting at 7 PM.
  • April 17th & 18th — Scottish Rite Spring Reunion.
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December 2025 Trestleboard

From the East

WM Anderson Campbell

December is a month of endings and beginnings. We close the calendar year, install new officers, and take stock of the work behind us and the work ahead. This year brings a unique moment for reflection: after 114 years of non-repeating Masters, the Brethren have elected a man to serve a second term in the East.

While that breaks a long tradition, it also signals where we are as a Lodge and where we are choosing to go. We are rebuilding, reimagining, and renewing our foundations. We are strengthening our finances, improving our building, deepening our ritual, and clarifying the kind of Lodge we want to become.

This choice also highlights a lesson we have been learning together: tradition exists to serve the Lodge, not the other way around. The non-repeating line remains a proud part of our story, but the point of the story has always been the same: making Masons.

I see this December not as an ending, but as a waypoint. Through Craft-Driven Conversations, ritual work, fundraising, building improvements, and the steady work of showing up for each other, we have been planting and tending. We are starting to see the fruit of that labor, and the field is still full of possibility.

As we look ahead, three things feel especially important:

    1. Building on the progress we’ve made.
      We’ve taken significant strides in ritual excellence, fraternity, finances, and Lodge improvements. The next year will ask us to deepen that work further.
    2. Strengthening leadership at every level.
      This year has shown us that sustainable leadership comes not from a single progressive line, but from a mix of Brothers old and new, ready and willing to serve according to ability, interest, and temperament. The conversations we’ve begun about officer development will continue into the coming year.
    3. Renewing our shared commitment to the vision we’ve been crafting.
      The best version of Beaverton Lodge isn’t something handed down from the East; it is something we discern and build together. That work continues, and it will shape everything we do in 2026.

At the December Stated Communication I will share a short end-of-year address and, in January, outline how this next year will carry our work forward. For now, I simply want to say thank you. 

November Stated Communication Highlights

The November Stated Communication again saw the altar draped. This time for Worshipful Brother Art Herring, raised a Master Mason in our Lodge in October 1980, served in the East in Beaverton Masonic Lodge 1986 (and subsequently three times elsewhere), and passed away in October 2025. 

We welcomed Right Worshipful Brother William (“Billy”) Burns, District Deputy of the Grand Master of District #6 of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Oregon, for his official visit. RWB Billy brought us greetings from the Grand Master, Marc Strong. RWB’s remarks encouraged us to do what we can to support the Masonic youth groups with our time and talent, in addition to our treasure.  

November also saw us conduct our annual elections and we welcomed in the 2026 officers, whose term will begin on St. John the Evangelist Day (see “New Officers and Upcoming Installation” below). 

The Lodge was treated to a time of education by WB Hunter Bronson, PM of Beaverton 100. He presented a paper he’d authored on Compassion in Freemasonry. He challenged us to think about the differences between sympathy, empathy, and compassion. Through a careful exposition of Masonic teachings, he concluded that the call for Masons is to move beyond sympathy, past empathy, and be men of compassion.

New Officers and Upcoming Installation

Another year, another round of elections come and gone! Here are the elected and appointed officers for 2026:

    • Worshipful Master: Anderson Campbell
    • Senior Warden: Tom Binkerd
    • Junior Warden: John Saultz
    • Secretary: Dale Jacobs
    • Treasurer: Steve Barkley
    • Senior Deacon: Bob Madson
    • Junior Deacon: Kyle Lynn
    • Senior Steward: Dameon Martin
    • Junior Steward: George Albrecht
    • Chaplain: Bob Ahrens
    • Marshal: Billy Burns
    • Historian: Brian Smalley
    • Tyler: Joe Miluso

The Installation of Officers will be held Saturday, December 6 at 3pm at Beaverton Masonic Lodge with a reception to follow. As is our custom, the installation is open to the public and we encourage you to attend with friends and family.

Fellowcraft Degree: Stark

On November 13, Brother Craig Stark was passed to the degree of Fellowcraft. It was a fine degree with all parts filled by members of Beaverton Masonic Lodge. Brother Brian Smalley did an excellent job with the lecture of the degree. Visiting brethren remarked at the quality of the degree work by the entire cast.

“Ted” Talk on Symbolism in the Lodge Room

On November 20, the Brethren were treated to our very own version of a TED Talk as the Illustrious Ted Balestreri, 33º, Past Master of Beaverton 100 gave a talk about the various symbols that adorn Beaverton’s Lodge room. 17 Masons, including several from Friendship Lodge, listened as WB Ted gave an oral history of how the Lodge room came to look like it does presently. Much of the work was undertaken by Ted, Don Martin, and Ken Lafler. The repeated refrain from Ted was the encouragement to seek the deeper meaning in Masonic symbols, whether found in our ritual or in our spaces.

Pay Online

You can now make donations to the Lodge online, using the Lodge’s Square account:

Prepay for Dinner 
Donate to the Solomon Trust 
Donate to the Century Trust 

Each item includes a processing fee, calculated into the total amount, so that your entire gift is received by the Lodge.

Calendar

Access the full calendar online here!

    • Every Monday – Monday Morning Coffee, 8-10am – Social Hall
    • December 4 – Stated Communication, 6pm Dinner, 7pm Meeting
    • December 6 – Officer’s Installation, 3pm (open to the public)
    • December 30 – Officer’s Meeting, 7pm, Library
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November 2025 Trestleboard

From the East

WM Anderson Campbell

November always brings to mind gratitude. It’s the season of Thanksgiving, but it’s also the month when our Lodge elects its officers for the coming year, a reminder that leadership in Freemasonry is itself an act of gratitude. Every Brother who agrees to serve, whether in an elected or an appointed role, gives back to the Lodge that first brought him to light. It is a quiet, deliberate way of saying thank you for the lessons, friendships, and sense of belonging we’ve each received here.

Our November Stated Communication will include a lecture on Compassion in Freemasonry by Past Master Hunter Bronson. Compassion, rightly understood, is a type of lived gratitude. It’s a way we translate our appreciation for the Craft into care for one another. It’s a natural outgrowth of the lessons imparted to us in our degrees.

We’ll also be conferring the Fellowcraft Degree this month, a timely reminder that Masonry is alive and growing, that we continue to initiate, pass, and raise good men seeking to become better. We can be grateful for every opportunity to participate in a degree and connect once again to the ritual and symbols that form us into better men. 

And fittingly, we will have a lecture from Past Master Ted Balestreri on the symbolism within the Lodge room itself. If you have sat in Lodge in Beaverton in the past decade, you will have noticed the variety of images and symbols that adorn the walls and ceiling. Worshipful Brother Balestreri was instrumental in imbuing the space with these rich reminders of the deeper teachings we inherit and the meanings behind them. Gratitude asks us to be good stewards of both.

As we gather this month around the altar, the ballot box, and our own Thanksgiving tables, may we remember that gratitude is not only spoken, but practiced. In service, in compassion, in the making of Masons, and in the faithful care of the Lodge entrusted to us.

October Stated Communication Highlights

The October Stated Communication saw the altar draped the altar for two Brothers who we found had passed in the last several years: Brother Lawrence Faulkner, raised a Master Mason in our Lodge in March 1956, passed away in December 2023, and Brother Ronald Vandehey, who was raised in East Gate Lodge in 1953 and passed away in April 2024. 

We read a communication from Brother Raymond Doerr, who wrote to the Lodge to update us on his time in Japan, thus far. He has been able to continue his proficiency work and attend meetings at a Lodge in Japan. He reported that he is starting to settle in.

New Acoustic Panels Installed

A handful of brothers showed up on a Saturday morning to install the acoustic panels the Lodge voted to purchase for the Social Hall. They look sharp and there was a noticeable difference in the reduction of echo once they were on the walls. Our first two big tests will be the annual Booverton Halloween event and the dinner before November Stated.

Craft-Driven Conversation: Lodge Finances

October’s Craft-Driven Conversation revolved around the financial future of the Lodge. We discussed other possible ways of shoring up revenue to supplement rental income. We brainstormed fundraising ideas and talked about the need for all the brothers to contribute in some way. We agreed that the next few years are a critical time for us to correct course, before we may find our hand forced to make tough decisions that might otherwise be avoided. As we move into the close of the year and a season of gratitude and giving, take a moment to reflect on where you might increase your engagement with the Lodge’s sustainability through your time, talent, and treasure.

Pay Online

You can now make donations to the Lodge online, using the Lodge’s Square account:

Each item includes a processing fee, calculated into the total amount, so that your entire gift is received by the Lodge.

Calendar

Access the full calendar online here!

    • Every Monday – Monday Morning Coffee, 8-10am – Social Hall
    • October 26 – Booverton Halloween – 1-3pm – Social Hall
    • October 30 – Officer’s Meeting, 7pm – Library
    • November 6 – Stated Communication, 6pm Dinner, 7pm Meeting
    • November 13 – Fellowcraft Degree – 7pm
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September-October 2025 Trestleboard

From the East

WM Anderson Campbell

As the season turns toward autumn, I find myself thinking about the image of harvest. Earlier this year, we spoke about planting seeds, tending to the soil, and laboring together with patience. Autumn is the time when those labors show their results. Some crops come in full and abundant. Others do not. The point of the harvest is not only in what we gather but also in what we learn from the process of growing.

Our Lodge has been in a season of planting and tending. We have put energy into Craft Driven Conversations, ritual work, building improvements, fundraising, and community visibility. We have welcomed new Brothers into our midst and encouraged one another to step into fresh roles. That’s a lot of sowing and tending! Autumn invites us to pause and look at what has grown.

Some efforts have borne good fruit already. Others are still maturing. A few may need to be replanted next year in different soil, with different conditions. That is the way of any true harvest. What matters is that we have labored together in hope and in trust.

Recently, I had the chance to travel to Colorado and sit in Lodge with Brothers at Colorado Springs Lodge No. 76. I knew no one there, yet the moment I walked through the door, I was received as a Brother. The Worshipful Master even invited me to sit with him in the East, and I had the privilege of witnessing an Entered Apprentice give his proficiency. That experience reminded me that one of the fruits we reap from our shared labor in Masonry is a brotherhood without borders. Because we sow into the Craft here at home, we are able to enjoy fellowship and belonging wherever our travels take us.

In Masonry, the harvest is not measured in bushels or barns. It is measured in fellowship strengthened, in wisdom gained, in men made better by their work and by one another. Each Brother who has taken part in our labors this year, in large or small ways, has contributed to that harvest.

As we move through this season, I invite each of you to reflect on what you have gathered so far in 2025. What fruits of patience, commitment, or brotherly love do you see? Where has your labor been rewarded, and where do you sense the need for renewed planting?

May this autumn remind us that our Lodge, like any good garden, flourishes when we tend it faithfully, when we learn from the cycles of effort and rest, and when we gather the results with gratitude.

September Stated Communication Highlights

September Stated was preceded by the annual Junior Warden’s Dinner. As in past years, the theme was “Western Night” and it was great to see so many Brothers show up in their boots, hats, and finest range wear. Dinner was a catered BBQ, served by our Rainbow Girls Assembly. At the meeting, we draped the altar for four Brothers who we found had passed in the last several years: Worshipful Brother Warren Cook, passed 8/28/20, Brother Peter Olson, passed 4/24/19, Brother Zane Harper, passed 11/11/24, Brother Geoffrey Dummann, passed 11/29/24. 

Brother Dameon Martin gave his MM proficiency, showcasing excellent work. The Brothers passed a motion to commit funding the purchase of some sound mitigation panels for installation in the Social Hall. The meeting was adjourned after announcements for the many events happening in our Lodge and in Masonry up and down the valley.

Work Party!

Saturday, October 4, 8am-12pm. We could use your help with some light indoor and outdoor maintenance. We will be installing the sound panels in the Social Hall, cleaning the blinds in the Lodge Room, and trimming bushes, weeding, and mowing outside. Many hands make light work, so please join us for part or all of the time.

Showing Up and Showing Out

We are quite a busy group! Over the past couple of years we have made a good habit of traveling to other Lodges to join their communications, celebrations, and degrees. In September alone we participated in the Grand Master’s Official Visit to Sherwood Midday and Oregon Military Lodges, Pearl Lodge’s 150th Anniversary Celebration, and several degrees at other Lodges. We came together to represent our Lodge in the annual Beaverton Celebration parade and filled the Social Hall for WB Steve’s milestone birthday. Let’s keep this fraternal momentum going as we move into the last few months of 2025! Enjoy some pictures of a few of these recent events.

WM Anderson visiting Colorado Springs Lodge no. 76
WB Steve's Birthday Party
Some Beaverton Masons prepping for the parade.
RWB Billy, District Deputy, riding in the parade in style with Bro. Mike Heine in his Jeepster.
Rainbow Girls ready to walk in the parade
Widow’s Sons staging for the Beaverton Parade

Pay Online

You can now make donations to the Lodge online, using the Lodge’s Square account:

Each item includes a processing fee, calculated into the total amount, so that your entire gift is received by the Lodge.

Calendar

Access the full calendar online here!

    • Every Monday – Monday Morning Coffee, 8-10am – Social Hall
    • October 2 – Stated Communication – Dinner 6pm, Meeting 7pm
    • October 4 – Work Party, 8am-12pm
    • October 9 – Craft Driven Conversation, 7pm
    • October 16 – FC Degree Brush Up Practice, 7pm
    • October 23 – Game Night, 7pm
    • October 30 – Officer’s Meeting, 7pm
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August 2025 Trestleboard

From the East

WM Anderson Campbell

In every season of our Lodge, we are invited to reflect not only on who we have been, but on who we are becoming. That reflection includes our traditions, those habits and practices that have grown with us over the years and the theme of last month’s “From the East.” Traditions provide continuity, but they must also be examined from time to time to ensure they are serving us well.

One tradition familiar to many Lodges is the idea of a “progressive line,” where officers advance year by year until they reach the East. Beaverton Lodge has carried another custom for over a century: an unbroken succession of non-repeating Masters. These patterns have brought us stability and identity. But stability and identity are not ends in themselves. Their purpose is to build up the Lodge and to strengthen the Craft.

In my Lodge Education reading at Stated this month, I shared a reminder from the essay The Level of Leadership (by MWB Dwight Smith, past Grand Master of Indiana): the vitality of a Lodge depends more on the quality of its leadership than on the endurance of its officers. A Brother may serve faithfully in each chair, but if he is not prepared to lead, the Lodge suffers. Conversely, a Brother may bring vision, wisdom, and skill even if he has not climbed every rung of the ladder.

Our Lodge is in a season of growth and change. New Brethren are bringing energy and ideas, while long-serving Brothers are offering wisdom and care. This makes it an opportune moment to ask: how do we ensure the best leadership for the future of our Lodge? Are our current customs of non-repeating Masters and a progressive officer line serving that goal, or is it time to consider new approaches? We had a lively discussion about those very questions at Stated this month.

None of this diminishes the traditions we have inherited. They are part of our story, and they deserve honor. But they are not the destination. They are tools and like all tools, their value lies in how they help us build.

My hope is that we will have the courage to look thoughtfully at our leadership practices, honoring where they have brought us, while being open to what may serve us best in the years ahead. In doing so, we continue the true work of Masonry: building wisely, with an eye toward both the present and the future.

August Stated Communication Highlights

We had another good turnout for a summer Stated and the evening was cool enough that we didn’t even need the air conditioning on (a rarity for midsummer!). We balloted favorably on a petition for the degrees of Masonry for a candidate who has been coming around the Lodge most of this year. His Entered Apprentice degree is set for Thursday, August 21 at 7pm

WB Adam Bayer joined us to make a presentation to Bob Madson. Brother Bob completed the Torchlight program, doing all the studying on his own, and received his certificate and pin. Lodge Education was a reading of an article on Lodge Leadership (see link in the “From the East” column above) and a lively discussion of its implications for the non-repeating Master and progressive line customs at Beaverton. The Worshipful Master then passed out a survey to all present for each man to indicate where he is willing to serve the Lodge in the ensuing Masonic year (see below for a link to the survey)

Bro. Bob Madson (L) receives his Torchlight certificate and pin from WB Adam Bayer.

Where Will You Serve?

As we look ahead to next year’s officers, and even further into the years beyond, it’s vital that we make the best use of every Brother’s willingness and capacity to serve. To that end, please complete the short survey linked below where you can indicate which officer roles, non-officer roles, and committees you would be open to serving on next year. By gathering this information, we can assemble an officer line and supporting committees that not only meet next year’s needs, but also set our Lodge on a healthy trajectory for the next five years.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by September 1. Your response will help shape the future of our Lodge.

Survey link here.

OES BBQ

Beaver Chapter of Order of the Eastern Star is inviting Beaverton Masons to join them for a BBQ at the Lodge on Wednesday, August 20th at 6pm. The purpose is purely social! We had such a good time staffing the Fireworks tent together, that we want to create other opportunities to interact. 

Eastern Star is providing the mains. Masons with last name A-L should bring a side to share; M-Z please bring a dessert. The event is open to families. Please RSVP to the Lodge Secretary by Monday, August 18 so we can transmit a headcount to Eastern Star.

Pay Online

You can now make donations to the Lodge online, using the Lodge’s Square account:

Each item includes a processing fee, calculated into the total amount, so that your entire gift is received by the Lodge.

Calendar

Access the full calendar online here!

    • Every Monday – Monday Morning Coffee, 8-10am – Social Hall
    • August 20 – BBQ with OES Beaver Chapter, 6pm – Lodge 
    • August 21 – Entered Apprentice Degree, 7pm
    • August 28 – Officer’s Meeting, 7pm
    • September 4 – Stated Communication, 6pm Dinner, 7pm Stated
    • September 6 – Beaverton Celebration Parade, 9am, Griffith Park