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My Brothers, as we enter into this most important season of the year let us stop and reflect on the many things that we have to be grateful for. We are blessed to live in a country where we are free to meet as a group and enjoy the Brotherhood of Masonry.
May you enjoy a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous and happy New Year.
We have had a prosperous year with membership. We have raised 19 new master masons including the four we will raise on the 9th and we have petitioners waiting to be initiated. Join us on the 9th of this month as we raise four new Master Masons.
Your participation at our meetings are needed and encouraged. The first meeting of this month is one of the most important communications of the year. At that meeting we will be electing our new leaders for this Lodge. Please come on out and let your vote count!  |
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The year is about over. Where did it go? I would like to thank everyone who helped me in the south with BBQ's, special dinners, and events that were held at the lodge.
On December 9th we will be having a Master Mason degree, first section begins at 6PM, Supper at 7PM and second section at 8PM. Come out & enjoy the degree, the great fellowship and an evening at your "Great Little Lodge on the South side of Orlando!
There will be no family breakfast in December.
Happy Holidays.
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My Sisters and Brothers, the Holiday season is upon us and I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I want to thank everyone that was at the lodge to support our Fall Festival. Your support is needed and greatly appreciated.
Our first meeting of the month will honor our Grand Organist. Come out and help us to let her know how much we appreciate her. There will be a covered dish dinner prior to the meeting. Our last meeting of the month will honor our Past Matrons and Past Patrons. Come out and celebrate with us as we thank them for their hard work.  |
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Pine Castle Assembly has been busy collecting items for our military. This is an ongoing project so please leave any items you wish to donate, in the box provided in Pegram Hall.
We will be going to Give Kids the World on Sunday December 6 to decorate a villa. We also go occasionally to help serve dinner and would like the Lodge brothers to join us.
We are planning a dance and a fund raising dinner.
If you have a daughter or granddaughter who is at least 11 years old please encourage her to join us. Rainbow builds character and transforms young girls into successful young women.
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Upcoming Events
December 2nd - Stated Communication (Election of Officers) 7:30pm
December 5th - Masters & Wardens @ St. Cloud 221
December 6th - Rainbow Assembly 6 meeting (Christmas Party) 2pm
December 7th - OES Meeting 7:30p (ESTARL, Honor Grand Organist)
Covered Dish 6:30p
December 9th - Master Mason Degree
1st sect. 6p, dinner 7p, 2nd sect. 8p.
December 9th - School of instruction @ St. Cloud 221
December 16th - Stated Communication 7:30pm.
dinner 6:30p hosted by the Rainbow
December 20th - Rainbow Assembly 6 meeting 2pm
December 21st - OES Meeting 7:30p
(Honor Past Matrons & Past Patrons)
December 23rd - School of Instruction @ St. Cloud 221
December 25th - Merry Christmas
December 26th - NO Family Breakfast
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Our Departed Brothers
Sadly, we lost two of our Revered Brothers to the Grand Lodge on High! Worshipful Steve Owens Sr., Worshipful Master of Pine Castle Lodge in 2006, and Brother Dale Sizemore, who had been an honorary member for years and recently changed to affiliated membership. In 2007 he received his 60 year service award. My Brothers you will truly be missed. |
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The Sands of Christmas
I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh, and looked across the table where the bills were piled too high. The laundry wasn't finished and the car I had to fix, My stocks were down another point, the Dolphins lost by six.
And so with only minutes till my son got home from school, I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool. The burdens that I carried were about all I could take, and so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break.
I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust, No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust. And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh, eight hummers ran a column right behind an M1A.
A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens, Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean. They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight, their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.
Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind, To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again. There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease, They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MRE's.
They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see, They didn't need an ornament-- they lacked a Christmas Tree. They didn't have a present even though it was tradition, the only boxes I could see were labeled "ammunition".
I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side, He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried. I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near and kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear.
There's nothing wrong, my little son, for safe we sleep tonight, our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right, to worry about the things in life that really mean nothing at all, instead of wondering each day if we will be the next to fall.
He looked at me as children do and said it's always right, to thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write. And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note, to thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote,
God bless you all and keep you safe, and speed your way back home. Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone. The gift you give, you share with all, a present every day, You give the gift of liberty and that we can't repay.
Merry Christmas to ALL from PineCastle Lodge #368 | |
