jjapitana – Page 6 – Freemason blog

R.I.P. Finally

How did a 19th century Masonic tombstone from Piedmont find its way to the side of the road in Stanislaus County, 100 miles away? That’s exactly what members of Oak Summit Lodge No. 112 set out to discover—and to lay a long-lost brother to rest.

Read more about lodges in the the California’s Mother Lode in the newest issue of California Freemason at californiafreemason.org/ripfinally

Check out the digital issue on our newly redesigned home page, californiafreemason.org. And search for your favorite topics, peruse past issues, and find the latest news from the fraternity all in one convenient place.

Golden Revival

Up and down California’s Gold Country, lodges are tapping into their unique history to chart their way into the future. “For us, it’s really important to be able to say that we were here when it started,” says Sean Metroka, master of Nevada No. 13 in Nevada City. “Our members were leaders in this community when it started and continue to be even today.”

Read more about lodges in the the California’s Mother Lode in the newest issue of California Freemason at californiafreemason.org/goldenrevival

Striking Gold: Masonry in the Mother Lode Now

From the ’49ers who helped found California’s Grand Lodge to the colorful characters leading lodge revivals today, California’s Gold Country has long been a rich Masonic vein to mine. Up and down Highway 49, the “Golden Chain Highway,” lodges are tapping into their unique heritage to help chart the path forward for the fraternity. Learn about the new sound coming out of Auburn’s Eureka No. 16, a legendary Nevada County gearhead, and the curious case of a lost Masonic headstone in the latest issue of California Freemason Magazine, this month dedicated to the foothill lodges of California’s Mother Lode.

Be sure to check out the digital issue in the newly redesigned home page. Search for your favorite topics, peruse past issues, and find the latest news from the fraternity all in one convenient place.

A few highlights from our November/December 2019 issue:

Golden Revival
Celebrating the illustrious history—and glittering future—of Gold Country Masonry.

The Wheelman
From his home in Nevada County, Lee Wilbourne creates some of the world’s most fearsome rides.

Accompany Man
There’s a new sound coming out of Auburn, where a Masonic organist is reaching into the fraternity’s musical history.

And more!
The Pomona Temple Goes Hollywood
Master, Chef
Masonic Education: The Sun, the Moon, and the Master

BONUS!
Want more Gold Country Masonry? Check out Masonic Gold, the stunning new coffee table book chronicling the history and development of 20 historic Masonic lodges of the Mother Lode. The limited-run 8×10-inch book is 164 pages of engrossing photography and storytelling. To learn more and purchase, see californiafreemason.org.

Have feedback you’d like to share? Email editor@freemason.org.

Rising From the Ashes

As wildfire again rages across much of California, revisit the inspirational story of Nate Smith, member of Table Mountain Masonic Lodge No. 124 in Paradise. In the wake of the 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed his entire hometown, Smith turned to music as an artistic outlet—and found the big break he’d been searching for.

Learn more about the Grand Master pins in the newest issue of California Freemason at californiafreemason.org/pincode.

The Pin Code

Every fall, as the Grand Master prepares for the busy year ahead, he’s faced with the task of articulating the theme which will both guide his administration and define its legacy. And it needs to fit on a lapel pin.

Learn more about the Grand Master pins in the newest issue of California Freemason at californiafreemason.org/pincode.

Secrets of the Cloth: The Mystery of Masonic Folk Arts

What can a 150-year-old Masonic apron tell us about migration patterns? Can a handmade quilt explain gender roles during the American Revolution? And what do we make of the mysterious little box that’s a lodge room in miniature? These are among the many questions raised by Masonic folk art—one of the fraternity’s most enduring contributions to material culture and the theme for our latest issue of California Freemason magazine. Whether it’s through floor cloths, jewelry, woodwork, or—of course—aprons, learn about the stories Masons have been telling through these precious objects of interest.

Here, a few highlights from our Fall issue:

A Shared Heritage
How Masonic folk art provides a bridge to today’s modern makers.

The Etsy Crew
Meet three Masonic artisans keeping the folk art tradition alive with some eye-catching designs.

The Pin Code
How do you tell a life story, set new goals, and define your legacy—all on a single lapel pin?

The Do-It-Yourself Lodge
For members of San Francisco’s Logos Lodge No. 861, creativity permeates all aspects of lodge life.

Rising from the Ashes
The fire in Paradise took everything from Nate Smith. It also gave him the inspiration to kick-start his country music career.

The Sept/Oct issue of California Freemason magazine is now available on our redesigned online edition: californiafreemason.org! Search for your favorite topics, peruse past issues and find the latest news from the fraternity all in one convenient place.

Tales From the Underground

Whether in caves or quarries, Masons have been known to meet in some unusual places. Take for example this Grand Lodge of Arizona meeting in a cave owned by the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Co. in Bisbee, Arizona. Learn more about how these underground meeting spaces elevated the lodge experience at californiafreemason.org/talesfromtheunderground.

The July/August issue of California Freemason magazine is now available on our newly redesigned online edition: californiafreemason.org! Search for your favorite topics, peruse past issues and find the latest news from the fraternity all in one convenient place.

Take the #BlueLodgeChallenge

Whether it’s honoring worthy citizens in their towns at an annual dinner, funding generous scholarships for local students, or clearing trash from the roads or beach, it’s in simple acts of charity, volunteerism, and philanthropy that Masons give back. We want the world to know about it! The #BlueLodgeChallenge is how we’re going to do it.

Lodges around the state are invited to share posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter showing the great work they do in their community. And tag other lodges to challenge them to post examples of their own community service. Just be sure to use the hashtag #BlueLodgeChallenge. Keep the momentum going and show your fellow Masons—and the world at large—just how impactful our lodges are in their communities.

If you want to join in the action from your personal social media profiles, by all means, go ahead! Get tagged? Keep the party going by sharing photos and video of your lodge out in the community.

The Forever Pace

For most of the past year, Loren Newman ––member of Prometheus Lodge No. 851–– had a set morning routine: Wake up at 5 a.m. and get ready for an early jog… up and down a 1,000-foot-high mountain… five times. Learn more about Loren’s ultrarunner lifestyle in the current issue of California Freemason magazine.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

For the members of the Seekers of Light, motorcycling and Masonry go hand-in-hand. Armin Houshmandi, a master Mason with the Golden Rule Lodge No. 479 and the founder of the riding association, puts it this way: “The asphalt is unforgiving and physics are unforgiving, and you have to learn to work within the rules and laws of life… Where do you really do that, aside from Masonry?”

Read more about our seasonal celebration of adventure-seekers, wanderlusters, and outdoorsmen wringing every last drop out of summer!