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Pennsylvania Masonic News
District 27 Holds Masonic Education Symposium
Credit: Bro. Cody Spangler, Past Master, Armstrong Lodge No. 239, Freeport, PA One of the challenges with membership retention within our jurisdiction is keeping members active and involved in their Lodge. One possible cause for the lack of participation is a lack of understanding of the fundamental meanings of the degrees of Freemasonry. This thought brought a small group in the 27th Masonic District together. The group, led by Brother Brian A. McCollim, PM, Masonic [...]
Masonic Centers, Halls, Temples, Shrines and Cathedrals
Thanks to a long history and smart financial planning, Freemasons enjoy something many other civic clubs do not – private buildings for meetings and events. At one time, these facilities were used only for members, but, in more recent years, they have been opened up to the community for use for events and services. As folks have become more familiar with Freemasonry in their local community, they often scratch their heads at the names applied [...]
Masonic Roundtable Speaks at Academy
On Saturday, March 19, 2016, the hosts of the Masonic Roundtable Podcast gathered at the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown to speak at the bi-annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge. The Academy offers learning opportunities in which Masons may participate in dialogues with similarly inclined brethren, witness prominent Masonic scholars discussing various aspects of Freemasonry, and pursue home study at their own pace and in their own areas of interest, through publications on [...]
Preserving Your Lodge’s History
The records, documents, and historical papers of Freemasonry are valuable and should be preserved with care. The Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania preserves and treasures these artifacts in its archives. Lodges can do the same: often lodge secretaries or specially designated members are responsible for taking care of documents relating to the Lodge. There are a number of standard stops on the route to preservation and conservation of the history of your lodge. Among [...]
The Square and Compass
The most universal symbol associated with Freemasonry is the square and compass. Thousands of variations on this design have been produced through the centuries. Just this year, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania offered a new, alternative version of the square and compass, which is now used on our media and letterhead. Even the biggest Grand Lodge in the world, the United Grand Lodge of England, recently changed their use of the square and compass. But, [...]
Your Masonic Library and Museum
That’s right - your Masonic Library and Museum! There’s more to a library and museum than housing, cataloguing and lending materials!Did you know that…?You can search the catalogue? You can either click here to go the online lending system or you can navigate there by clicking “Contact & Links”, then “Library” and scrolling down to the bar saying, “Click here to access our online catalogue and lending service.” It’s easy for Pennsylvania Masons to borrow [...]
Shedding Light on Anno Lucis
Credit: Bro. Joshua D. Parmer, Past Master, Lodge No. 43, Lancaster, PA Have you ever wondered about our Blue Lodge dating system of “AL” or those of other appendant Masonic bodies? Most of you probably know or have heard of the abbreviation of AL after the dates listed your blue lodge monthly notice. What you may not know is that it stands for Anno Lucis, a Latin phrase meaning “In the Year of Light.” This [...]
Who can be a Freemason?
The qualifications for membership are pretty simple: Male Over the age of 18 Belief in a Supreme Being Good Moral Character Sounds pretty straight forward right? Let’s take a dive into each of those requirements and discuss what they mean. First, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania only admits men. Worldwide, the largest and most recognized Masonic Lodges are men only. However, Lodges do exist that admit both men and women, or are women only. These [...]
Brotherhood is a Family Affair
Three Brothers were elected and installed Worshipful Master and Wardens in Deitrick Lamade Lodge No. 755 in Williamsport. The evening of Dec. 21, 2015 Brother Kenneth L. Porter, a 48 year member of Lodge 755, and his wife Patricia were very pleased and proud to see their three sons take on the challenge of leading the Lodge. Bro. Michael D. Porter was installed as Worshipful Master, with Bro. David S. Porter, Senior Warden and Bro. [...]
Samuel Davis Bequest Presented in Lodge No. 617
On December 27, 2015, Bro. Emilio V. Sforza, District Deputy Grand Master of the 27th Masonic District, assisted by Bro. John L. Coulter, III, Worshipful Master, and the officers and members of Kiskiminetas Lodge No. 617 F. & A.M., Vandergrift, PA, was honored to present the Samuel Davis Bequest award to the family of the late Edwin L. Barclay, PM. Presented on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The monies presented will be used for [...]
Lodge 628 Donates Food
From February to October 2015, J. Simpson Africa Lodge No. 628, in Stroudsburg, ran a program called “JSA Soup-er Bowl.” Bro. Brian Massie, then Worshipful Master, challenged all members to bring a canned good to each stated lodge meeting. At the end of the program’s run, the lodge membership surpassed the previous year’s donations by about 26 pounds - donating over 300 pounds of canned food and three turkeys! In early November, Paul’s House, in [...]
Middleburg Lodge Presented with Flag
Caption: Bro. Ned Boonie, Worshipful Master, receiving an American flag from Bro. Tyler Wagner on behalf of the Lodge. Brother Tyler Wagner, a member of Middleburg Lodge No. 619, Middleburg, PA, presented his Lodge with an American Flag that was flown for 6 hours of missions over Afghanistan in the Black Hawk helicopter he piloted. Wagner made the presentation in thanks for all of the care packages that the lodge sent while he was deployed. [...]