Bro. Roger Hamilton passes to the Grand Lodge Above

(By H. J. (Jack) Hellberg on behalf of Bro. John Kidd – Lodge reporter)

In is with deep regret that the W. Master of Lake Lodge #215, W. Bro. John Della Bosca had to announce the loss of Bro. Roger Hamilton, a longtime member of Lake Lodge.

After having lost his battle with cancer, Bro. Roger Hamilton at the age of 68 years, passed to the Grand Lodge above on Saturday 4 February 2012.

Bro. Hamilton was a well known member of the trucking community. He was born on September 6, 1943 and joined Lake Lodge where he was initiated on January 7, 1985, passed to the Fellowcraft degree on February 4, 1985 and raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason on May 6, 1985.

Over 20 brethren attended the Masonic memorial service held on 10 February 2012 at the Steele Funeral Home in Belleville. Several past and sitting masters from surrounding lodges came to give honours to Bro. Hamilton and express their sympathies to Norma, his wife and the family attending.

We cherish his memory in our hearts.

(For go to the website http://www.princeedwardmasons.ca/photo-gallery/)

Open Letter to the Brethren of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario

(provided by W.Bro. Eric H. Lakien – Grand Lodge - Team Leader, Internal Communications)

M.W. Bro. D. Garry Dowling Grand MasterIt is with great pleasure I announce the launch of our new Grand Lodge Website!

The transition to the new website will take place February 1st & 2nd, 2012. During this short period the website address, grandlodge.on.ca, will be unavailable.

Over two years in the making, I trust that you will agree with me that it has been well worth the wait. Our website has been revitalized to better portray our values, diversity and commitment to our Vision of "Ensuring the Timeless Vitality of Freemasonry in Ontario".

Our Grand Lodge Website Vision is to be among the best of breed in Masonic websites; to be the primary communication tool within the jurisdiction; and to contribute to our Grand Lodge Strategic plan communication goals. We will achieve that Vision by creating a website environment that delivers high quality, relevant, up-to-date content to all Grand Lodge constituents.

Today we take a large step towards achieving that Website Vision with the delivery of Phase One of the new website. The size of this project dictates a phased implementation:

Phase One: Phase One delivers the underlying foundation for our website of the future, but the content of Phase 1 is limited. Phase One presents the public face of our new website and it’s content is geared to the general public (non-mason), the Mason who wishes to learn more about Freemasonry in Ontario and anyone wishing to locate and visit a lodge in our jurisdiction. The new Lodge Locator is a key component of Phase One.

Phase Two: Phase Two is in the planning stages and will feature a member’s only (Password Protected) area that will become home for information and resources that are privileged or only of interest to you and I as Masons in Ontario. Phase Two provides us the opportunity to organize and reorganize our content to improve the navigation of our website. The lodge locator application will be enhanced to return “proximity” locations to your search as well as meeting date information.

During the development of Phase Two, the content of the old Grand Lodge website will be available via a link from the new site found on the Homepage labeled Member Login. The link to the Grand Lodge Forms is: old.grandlodge.on.ca/Forms

We welcome your feedback, comments and suggestions as we continue with the modernization of our website. Please use the links in the website to contact the Webmaster. (webmaster@grandlodge.on.ca)

I want to personally thank the Web Technology Team for their oversight and leadership on this important project. I believe that the website we have launched today reflects the leadership, innovation and vision that these Masons have for our fraternity.

Thank You!

Happy Surfing……

M.W. Bro. D. Garry Dowling
Grand Master

Moira Lodge # 11 Receives the travelling Square and Compass and confers a Fellowcraft Degree onto Bro. Michael MacDonald

(By R.W. Bro. Stan Reid – Lodge Reporter)

The Worshipful Master and officers of Moira Lodge No 11 conferred the Fellowcraft Degree on Bro. Michael MacDonald. R.W. Bro. Leonard Bedford was in attendance along with Travelling Square and Compasses committee members

The purpose & significance of the “Traveling Square & Compasses”, is to promote and encourage fraternal visits. 

The custom was introduced in Prince Edward District, in 1953, through the keen interest & tireless efforts of W. Bro. Everett C. Wood, President of the Past Masters, Masters, & Wardens Association, as a special project.  The late W. Bro. Wood became our D.D.G.M. in 1955.

The Compasses are the most prominent emblem of virtue, the true and only measure of a Freemason’s life and conduct.

It is one of the three great lights in Masonry.

The square teaches morality, and it also instructs us to regulate our lives and actions by the Masonic Rule and Line.

The square is also one of the three great lights in Masonry.

In Masonic symbolism, the Square & Compasses refer to the Freemason’s duty to the Craft, and to himself, and are adopted as the badge or token of the fraternity.

Almost standing room only at Consecon Lodge #50 Installation and Investiture Night

(By W. Bro. H. J. (Jack) Hellberg – for Bro. Donald Harvey, Lodge Reporter) 

It was hard to accurately estimate the number of attendees present at the banquet as additional tables were constantly being set up as more people came to participate in this event. Over 65 people attended the banquet and about 75 came to sit in the lodge to see W. Bro. Roy Hollands complete a very successful Masonic year and turn over the reins to R. W. Bro. Kenneth Campbell who was installed as Master and seated in the chair of King Solomon.

This was close to be a record attendance for any lodge in the Prince Edward District, particularly remarkable as Consecon is one of the smallest lodges and yet a very dynamic one.

It was appropriate for the District Deputy Grand Master R. W. Leonard Bedford to give a presentation about the ring of friendship surrounding masonry in general and this lodge in particular. The ring of friendship when it exists provides for each individual a feeling and sense of enlightenment, a sense of belonging, of being part of an inner group and the warmth derived from the fellowship. Many individuals who do not enjoy the friendship of masonry might feel a sense of darkness or loneliness, being on the sideline and having their back to friendship.

The evening was graced by the presence of the D. D. G. M. of the Ontario District and a variety of other Grand Lodge Officers. Visiting masters of the Prince Edward District represented Prince Edward Lodge (W. Bro. James Vandenburg), Belleville Temple Lodge ( W. Bro. Daryl Konkin), Franck Lodge (W. M. Donald Clare), Star in the East Lodge (W. Bro. Kevin Forsyth), Lake Lodge (W. Bro. John Della-Bosca) and Eureka Lodge (W. Bro. Gregory Stephens).

Despite the exceedingly large number of brethren attending, the volunteers from the Consecon Women’s Institute managed to present an excellent meal for all to enjoy. Special thanks and recognition were offered for a job well done.

Under the able direction of the Installing Master, W. Bro. Raymond Gayton and his installation team, the officers:

2012 line-up of officers for Consecon Lodge #50 are as follows:
W. Master	R.W. Bro. Kenneth Campbell
I. P. Master	W. Bro. A. Roy Hollands
Senior Warden	W. Bro. Richard Silverthorn
Junior Warden	Bro. Ian Whitehead
Secretary	W. Bro. Donald Harvey
Treasurer	V.W. Bro. Robert Keen
Senior Deacon	W. Bro. Roger Pomeroy
Junior Deacon	R. W. Bro. Victor Alyea
Senior Steward	W. Bro. James Alyea
Junior Steward	Bro. James Harvey
Director of C.	W. Bro. Everett Adams
Inner Guard	R. W. Bro. Richard Burden
Tyler	W. Bro. Gary Harvey
Reporter	W. Bro. Donald Harvey
Chaplain	W. Bro. Raymond Gayton
Historian	T. B. D.

To the delight of everyone present, the evening ended with a special presentation of a lodge donation of $1,100 to the Prince Edward District Project ‘Journey of Hope’ which was gratefully received by the Project Director, V. W. Bro. James King  and R. W. Bro. Leonard Bedford.

The evening ended in true harmony and friendship over a small snack and refreshments, demonstrating the continued hospitality of a great lodge.

(for detailed pictures of the event go to http://www.princeedwardmasons.ca/photo-gallery/ )

Bro. John Donald joins Stirling Lodge #69

(By W. Bro. Ron Mars – Lodge Reporter)

Despite the weather, Stirling Lodge #69 presented a well attended initiation for our newest Entered Apprentice, Bro John Donald. Thank you to the members and visitors who stood in at the last minute for those who were unable to travel that evening.