Thank you to all who helped support our annual fireworks tent. As in the past we partnered with Prince Hall Masons and together we had a successful endeavor.
Reminder that Raytown Lodge #391 will be active in July this year, with stated meetings on the first and third Thursdays at 7:30pm. The lodge will be dark in August as usual.
Raytown Lodge #391 will be operating our annual fireworks tent this year from June 29th through July 4th. We are located in the parking lot of Sutherland’s at the intersection of 350 Highway and Blue Ridge. If you are in the market for fireworks please stop by and see us. This is our major annual fundraiser and we can use the support of all brethren, their families and friends!
Please see the latest message from the Worshipful Master in the Trestleboard section.
Brethren, it gives me great pleasure to provide you with an important update about activities at Raytown Lodge.
I am pleased to report that at the regular communication of June 2, the following individuals were elected as lodge officers for the 2017 lodge year:
Bryan Cutler, Worshipful Master
Tony Mesa, Senior Warden
Tom Ballieu, Junior Warden
WB Hank Bedsaul, Secretary
WB Jim Thayne, Treasurer
Congratulations to the new officers for the upcoming lodge year. Their installation will be scheduled for a date to be determined in September.
As you may be aware, the tradition at Raytown Lodge was to go ‘dark’, with no regular communications in July and August of each year. This year, however, with the amount of degree work and other activities in process we have decided to conduct regular meetings in July on the normal schedule of first and third Thursdays. We will go ‘dark’ in August.
We have also scheduled a special communication for Saturday, June 18th, at 12:00pm for degree conferral. We will be conferring at least one and possibly two third degrees and encourage all interested brethren to join us. We are also in the process of scheduling a second degree.
The lodge is making good progress on our Gold Ritual Award work. We have completed two of the three segments toward this goal. The remaining section involves a great deal of work and requires 24 Master Masons to complete. We urgently need the assistance of all Master Mason members of Raytown Lodge for this important task. We meet every Wednesday during our normal Study Club session at 7:00pm to practice. We hope to test for the final segment in late June or early July.
I’m pleased to report that WB Hank Bedsaul and Bro. Tony Mesa have been working very hard to fill out the schedule for staffing the fireworks tent. This is the largest fundraiser for the lodge each year and it is important to fill as many of the shifts as possible with Raytown Lodge members. If you haven’t signed up to help yet please contact WB Bedsaul or Bro. Mesa to sign up for one or more shifts.
We have also finalized the schedule for the 2nd annual Raytown Lodge Barbecue Competition which will take place on August 19-20. We hope the event will be bigger than the first event last year and the committee is working hard to make sure it is successful. We are also scheduling a barbecue class to be conducted by Paul Kirk, one of the most well known barbecue chefs, to take place some time in late July or early August. If you are interested in signing up for the competition or class, or if you know of any businesses or individuals who would be interested in helping sponsor the competition event please contact me.
I am pleased to continue to report strong attendance at our meetings, study clubs and events. Your lodge is an active, vibrant group and we encourage all members to join us at our meetings and events and enjoy the fraternity, friendship and fun. We hope to see you at an upcoming meeting!
Fraternally,
Steven Holbrook
Worshipful Master
Raytown Lodge #391 has completed two of the necessary three sections for attainment of the Grand Lodge Gold Ritual Award. We need the assistance of all available Master Masons who are lodge members to assist with the remaining work, which is the 2nd section of the third degree. This section requires 24 Master Masons to complete. Please help if you can. We practice each Wednesday at 7:00pm at the lodge, and hope to be proficient enough to test on the final section by the end of June.