Welcome to 2025. In case you missed 2024, it was an amazing year with all the Lodge activities and fellowship opportunities…and it will just keep getting better in 2025. Congratulations to Bro. Ariel Gonzalez, P.M, S.W. for receiving the 2024 Master Mason of the Year Award.

It is with great honor and humility that I am pleased to serve Lodge No. 2 again for the ensuing Masonic year, beginning St. John’s Day next. As we exit 2024 with the memories you have shared during our times of fellowship, 2025 will be another opportunity to strengthen our fraternal bonds.

It has been an honor serving you as Worshipful Master in 2024 and I very much look forward to again presiding over Lodge No. 2 in the upcoming year. The program for our November Stated Meeting will include the election of Lodge Officers to serve the ensuing Masonic year beginning St. John’s Day next. (Please be mindful that the polls for the 2024 Presidential Election will close that very same evening at 8:00 p.m.)

Just in case you missed it, Lodge No. 2’s entrance into Fall season was brought in with several adults and youth from the Fletcher St. stables. Thank you all that attended and made our guests feel welcome. As the lower banquet hall is under construction, we had the benefit of dining in the Wanamaker Room, which added an element of “gourmet” dining, in which one of the young guests stated, “I feel like royalty.”

Brethren, hopefully all is well with you and you are having a prosperous and fulfilling Summer. As I am writing this, I just returned from Pennsic 51, a Medieval Glamping experience with the Society For Creative Anachronism. It was a great experience in which there were many fascinating and interesting people involved. This event was introduced to me from another brother in Freemasonry with similar interests and hobbies. The point being, we do not know until we know, and why socializing and being involved outside of the Lodge room is just as important as inside the Lodge room.

I wish you all well as we approach the middle of 2024 on the cusp of the summer season. To the brethren and their families that have celebrated (or have yet to celebrate) their Masonic birthdays thus far, I hereby thank you for your continued support of the fraternity. As a reminder, our June meeting will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m. with dinner to follow at 7:30 pm. Seeing as we’ve already reached maximum capacity for our dinner reservation at Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse, only ticketed individuals that have pre-paid will be seated in the banquet room.

It is amazing how fast the year has gone by so far. We are just about halfway and the fellowship that has already been enjoyed by all. Recently, I was reminded that life is a twinkling of an eye and to enjoy every moment that we have breath. The remainder of the year is packed full with more activities for all of us to build tight fraternal bonds and create memories for all of us to share. We’ve been uploading pictures to the Lodge website with prior fellowship opportunities that have been offered. Thanks to those behind the scenes that make this possible.