Merger Intent Approved

Tuesday July 14, 2020

Brethren, at the Special Meeting called on Monday July 13^th, our lodge with 23 members present, approved the intent to merge our lodge with Beallsville Lodge No. 237. With this approval the merger committees of each lodge will now be meeting together to formulate the final terms and conditions and By-Laws of combining into a new lodge which presumably will be named Sunset Lodge No. 237. The meetings of the new lodge will remain at the 44 W. Wheeling St. location. To former Sunset Lodge members there will be few changes. Beallsville Lodge 237 will be selling their existing building. The financial assets and physical property of both lodges will be combined into the new lodge.

Due to the existing COVID situation it is expected that the Grand Lodge will fast track this merger and that the new lodge will be effective on St. Johns Day December 27, 2020.

Our lodge will have another meeting of members to approve the final plans of the respective merger committees. However, until the merger occurs there will be no transfers from either lodge permitted and the assets of each lodge except for normal operating expenditures are now frozen. At this point, the new lodge will have 364 members. That will likely change in the coming year when transfers are again permitted.

It is not certain at this time that there will be a Stated Meeting in September due to the current virus issue, but we will need to meet again for the final merger approval vote. Notices will be sent out as they were for the Special Meeting just held. Emails and the phone calling system will also be utilized along with our Website and Facebook page. We will try to keep everyone fully informed.

Stay safe.

Battened Down!

The Lodge building is secured from possible damage during June 6th protest march being held in the City of Washington. A team of our members of the MTPA board and other volunteers decided in the interest of safety to board up al the windows in our building on Friday evening  to avoid potential damage by protesters on Saturday morning. One of the march routes is on W. Wheeling St. Another on W. Beau and another on W. Chestnut all culminating at the Washington High School.

Meet Our New Master Mason

We are pleased to welcome Brother Mark A. Long as our newest Master Mason in Sunset Lodge. Brother Long received his degree at our extra meeting on January Friday, January 24th.

Mark is shown front row 2nd from the left pictured with all the degree team officers. He is a veteran of the US Navy and currently holds a position as a senior technical instructor in defense contracting. He was recommended by Brother Jason Slider and Matthew A. Boice, P.M.

Brother Mark currently resides in the Muse, PA area. We hope that you will take the opportunity to meet and greet Brother Mark at one of our upcoming meeting during the year.

NEWS & NOTES

>> 6-1-2019 New Online Calendar with the building schedule.

>> 7-26-19 A security camera system is now installed throughout the building. Three cameras cover the back entrance door, the emergency exit, and parking lot. A camera covers the kitchen. A camera covers the social hall. Cameras cover the first floor hallway and stairway, the front door and hallway. A camera covers the side entrance. All of these cameras are high definition and have night vision and are on 24/7. Those coming in and out of the building will be recorded.

>> Pictures of Center basement renovation project.. click to view slideshow.

>> Pictures of the closed 3rd and 4th floors of the Masonic Center taken 8/3/14.. you must login here to view pictures

>> The Masonic Center has a low power information radio transmitter installed and operating on 1620 AM for passerby's to tune in. The radio gives out information about who meets in the building and other pertinent facts about the Fraternity.

>> CBS Sunday Morning presents an inside look at Freemasonry click here to view the video.

FREE & ACCEPTED - the origin of this Masonic phrase

The origin of these terms, descriptive of Speculative Freemasons, goes back into the very beginnings of the history of the Order; indeed, behind the history of the building Craft in Europe.

But it is only in keeping with the antiquity of the teachings of Freemasonry. Many of our symbols and their meanings go back to the very childhood of the race. Through these a direct relationship may be traced in mind, heart and ideal; if not in written document, to such diverse ages and places as China four thousand years ago, the priesthood of ancient Egypt and the Jews of the Captivity.

Read more: FREE & ACCEPTED - the origin of this Masonic phrase

When is a man a true Mason?

Answer: When he can look out over the rivers, the hills and the far horizons with a profound sense of his own littleness in the vast scheme of things, and yet have faith, hope, charity and courage. When he knows that down in his heart every man is as noble, as vile, as divine, as diabolic, and as lonely as himself, and seeks to know, to forgive and to love his fellowmen.

Read more: When is a man a true Mason?