“Too late, the Simpsons already did it!”
On the 25th anniversary of the Simpsons season 6 episode 12, “Homer the Great,” we pay homage to one of the best, and certainly the funniest, send-ups of Freemasonry ever to hit the airwaves.
READ: californiafreemason.org/homerictale
One hundred years ago, Grand Master Charles A. Adams did something profound: He asked his brothers to consider the schools. With public education reeling in the wake of World War I, the move soon transformed into Public Schools Week, perhaps the fraternity’s proudest—and most wide-reaching—civic campaign ever. Now, acentury later, that move still reverberates, as Masons across California once again consider how they can best support the systems that, in the words of Past Grand Master and Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, represent “the foundation of a liberty-loving people—the greatest blessing this or any nation has ever had.”
Learn more about the Masons of California’s century-long support of public education, and about the present and future of those efforts, in the latest issue of California Freemason magazine. From the Silicon Valley-area lodge eschewing high-tech for brass and woodwinds to the Masonic connection to one of the most famous court cases of the 20th century, this issue provides a lesson on a profound and gratifying legacy of support.
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:
A Beautiful Experiment
How the Masons of California launched one of the greatest public-education awareness campaigns of the century.
Lessons In Support
Meet some of the lodges taking public-school support into their own hands.
The Big Picture
Ten years after launching, the Masonic Center for Youth and Families is a trusted resource for public schools.
Teacher Knows Best
A former Teacher of the Year on how outside organizations can truly make a difference in local schools.
A Work of Art
Immortalizing a legend of Masonic schools history—without much to go on.
Member Profile: Mickey Ganitch
Meet the East Bay Mason who received his 50-Year Golden Veteran pin—on his 100th birthday.
Have feedback you’d like to share, or a story idea we should check out? Email editor@freemason.org.
For more than 60 years, California Masons have called the California Masonic Memorial Temple on San Francisco’s Nob Hill their home. At long last, it’s also their lodge.
Read more about Freemasons Hall: californiafreemason.org/foreverhome
California Masons responded to the #BlueLodgeChallenge, highlighting acts of everyday charity that are transforming their communities.
READ MORE about the booming social media campaign: californiafreemason.org/challengeaccepted
Meet American Canyon Lodge No 875, California’s youngest Masonic lodge—both in terms of its members and in terms of its charter, presented November 17, 2019.
Lodge functions tend to be potluck affairs, and the group has adopted a millennial-inspired attitude toward lodge-life balance.
READ MORE about the new lodge in the latest issue of California Freemason at: californiafreemason.org/familymatters
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
