CFM – Page 5 – Freemason blog

He’ll Never Ride Alone Again

Last summer, Long Beach Lodge No. 327 member Dave Romero hit upon a fun, if daunting, idea to give back to the Masonic Homes of California and Long Beach Rescue Mission: a 550-mile fundraising bike ride from Long Beach to the California Masonic Memorial Temple in San Francisco.

READ MORE about Romero’s trip: californiafreemason.org/romero

Annual Report 2019: The Future is Bright

Membership in the Masons of California was essentially flat in 2019. Compared with 53 years of contraction, that counts as a big deal!

As the fraternity embarks on a new decade and transitions from its 2020 Fraternity Plan to a master vision of 2025 and beyond, much of the invisible, back-end work to lay the foundation for long-term stability is nearly complete—leaving lodges more free to focus on the parts of Masonry that first attracted members in the first place. “This is Masonry, not small-business administration,” says Grand Secretary Allan Casalou.

The result is that for the first time since Bro. Lyndon Johnson was president, the state fraternity is poised to grow.

Learn more about the state of play in the 2019 Annual Report edition of California Freemason—a 360 degree overview of the present and very bright future of the fraternity, from the charitable work being done in lodges up and down the state to exciting developments on the campuses of the Masonic Homes to expanded relief operations launching in the Central Valley.

Also, search California Freemason‘s new digital edition for articles on your favorite topics, peruse past issues, and find the latest news from the fraternity all in one convenient place.

A few highlights from the Annual Report:

Annual Report 2019: The Future Is Bright
Careful planning and hard work have paved the way for the next stage of California Masonry: growth.

Special Delivery
The Masonic Outreach Service turns its sights on an underserved part of the state: the Central Valley.

Almost Home
The nearly complete skilled nursing and memory care building in Covina will allow those with specialized needs to stay close to their loved ones.

Family Matters
For the members of the youngest lodge in the state, American Canyon No. 875, Masonry is a multigenerational affair.

He’ll Never Ride Alone Again
A 500-mile bike ride showed the length one SoCal Mason is willing to go for charity.

Smashing Expectations
At Acacia Creek, rigorous research underscores a dynamic community culture.

And more!

The Forever Home: Freemasons Hall at the California Masonic Memorial Temple
Challenge Accepted: Lodges Step Up to the #BlueLodgeChallenge
Easy, Breezie: Putting High Tech in the Hands of Masonic Seniors

Have feedback you’d like to share, or a story idea we should check out? Email editor@freemason.org.

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

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.

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.