Worshipful Master's Message
February 2012
"If you want your work to be Square, don't cut corners." –Unknown
Brethren,
At our Regular Meeting in February we will receive Rt. Wor. Bro. Phillip Easterman, District Deputy Grand Master of Ottawa District 2 on his Official Visit. We will also be conducting a 2nd degree on an eligible candidate. The Festive Board will be held prior to the opening of the Lodge with a buffet meal being served at 6:30 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to meet and greet the representative of our Grand Master and to ask our DDGM any question that you may have about Grand Lodge in general or our District in particular.The other event that I would like to mention is the Valentine’s Charity Ball which is a joint initiative from Ottawa Districts 1 & 2. It is the biggest fund raising event in the two Districts and will take place on 11 February 2012, at the Centurion Hall in Ottawa. This event is open to family and friends, so get your tickets soon as they are going fast. Rt. Wor. Bro. Kalinowsky will be pleased to sell tickets to you. I hope to see you there.
And finally, please take some time this Valentines Day to do something special for the ladies in your life. Their support is greatly appreciated, and should be acknowledged.
Sincerely & Fraternally
Wor. Bro. Robert Demers
January 2012
Our greatest glory
is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius
Brethren,
I hope you have all enjoyed your time off over the holidays and have had a chance to reunite with family and friends. Our latest social event was a success despite the foul weather and I offer my thanks on your behalf to the Brethren who organized the pot luck dinner. It was good to see some of our new applicants out at the dinner to share some fellowship with the Brethren of Defenders Lodge. Socializing is an important aspect of Masonry, and I look forward to more social events in the future.
Our lodge has decided to put forward a letter of intent to become a Cornerstone Lodge - more information on the cornerstone project can be found on the Grand Lodge website. The guidelines of a Cornerstone Lodge require a variety of programs and lodge meetings that include degree work, Masonic education, banquet programs, social gatherings and various mentorship programs.
As we renew our Attendance, Communication and Transportation Committee, the Brethren should expect a phone call regularly from one of the members the lodge. We want to maintain contact with the Brethren of Defenders to keep abreast of their situation. If you do not wish to receive further phone calls from the member who called you, respectfully let him know your wishes.
Finally, I wish all of our ill Brethren that cannot join us in lodge a prompt recovery and we hope to see you out in the near future as we will indeed miss you.
Sincerely & Fraternally
Wor. Bro. Robert Demers
Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worth while. -Wilfred T. Grenfell
Brethren, This Christmas season I ask you to reach out to those who need our help and support. The plight of the less privileged in our community and some of the Brethren among us deserves thought. So engrossed are we in our never-ending daily labours that we tend to overlook the plight of others. We may not be able to help all, but we can spare a little time for our fellow Masons, our neighbours and their families.
Please lend them your help and support if you are able to do so, and you will reap the reward of the smile on their faces, which will make your world stand still for a while. “The more you give; the more you get” is more than just a sentiment. Lend a helping hand and you will see the whole world changing before your eyes. There are certain things that money can't buy and giving is one of them. If you can’t spare the time, your donations will also help. In this spirit, a charity plate in support of The Ottawa Mission will be placed on the Altar at our Regular Meeting in December. If you can find it in your heart to give, then I exhort you to please do so. As we gather for our potluck dinner in December, we will give thanks for our good fortune and share in our great friendships. We also must give thought to the less fortunate who cannot share these good times with us.
For those who celebrate Christmas, I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year/Joyeux Noël et Bonne année! Please enjoy a safe holiday.
Sincerely & Fraternally
Wor. Bro. Robert Demers
-November 2011
There are two freedoms, the false where one is free to do what he likes, and true where one is free to do what he ought.
-Charles Kingsley
Brethren, Our lodge constituted on 23 October 1922, and was formed by soldiers returning from the Great War. Through the years its membership base has broadened to encompass members from all occupations, but Defenders Lodge has never forgotten its roots. We still count among our membership those who have served or are now serving Queen and country in our military. It is in their honour that we will be conducting our Annual Remembrance Ceremony.
At our Regular Meeting in November we will honour the memory of the fallen and of those who served abroad and at home during time of war or on peacekeeping missions around the globe. We will hear of Canada’s participation in the two World Wars, Korean and today’s conflicts. We are pleased to again have as our keynote speaker Rt. Wor. Bro. The Reverend J. Gordon Roberts, who will deliver a sermon on this special occasion.
This will be an open ceremony and I invite your family and friends to join us in this short ceremony. After the ceremony we will be honouring one of own, V. Wor. Bro. Donald Harrison, with the presentation of his Grand Tyler regalia. I look forward to enjoying some fellowship with you after the ceremony at our Festive Board.
Sincerely & Fraternally
Wor. Bro. Robert Demers
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----------------October 2011
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I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Rt. Wor. Bro. Samuel Kalinowsky on being appointed a member of the Board of General Purposes at Grand Lodge. We do not know when Sam sleeps, but we do appreciate his extensive participation in all levels across the many facets of Masonry.
Congratulations are also due to V. Wor. Bro. Donald Harrison on his appointment as Grand Tyler. We will be presenting him with his regalia at the first meeting in October. Don serves on many committees representing Defenders Lodge and is very active in other concordant bodies.
But the celebration does not stop there. Bro. Colin Michael, our recently elected Junior Warden was appointed a member of the Standing Committee on Masonic Education. Bro. John Thibert rounds out this quartet of distinguished Masons as he has been appointed District Blood Donor Chairman. Well done to all of you. Defenders Lodge is very proud of your contributions to the Craft in general and to this lodge in particular.
We have a very busy October ahead of us as we will be conducting a double initiation at the Emergent Meeting in October. I encourage all members to come out and participate in this double header. It is an exciting time to welcome two new members to Defenders Lodge, and having the side benches filled really does add to the ceremony. I hope to see you all in lodge.
Brethren,
Employing and instructing the Brethren in Masonry from the chair of King Solomon is an honoured task that requires the assistance of the elected and appointed officers, and those faithful few members who always attend and support our lodge.
This will be a very busy year with several more applications for initiation pending and nine other degrees to be conferred on eligible Brethren/candidates. The Degree Program is the life blood of any lodge, as it provides the Brethren who will be the officers of the future. The secret to the success of our Degree Program is your attendance and participation.
I will provide an agenda that outlines activities for the upcoming months so that you can plan accordingly. I ask all members of the Degree Team to get familiar with their duties and responsibilities. If you are unsure about your role and tasks, just ask for assistance. We are very fortunate to have a good supply of Past Masters to help and support us in all our undertakings. Please take advantage of their knowledge and skills – they will be most pleased to assist you in any way possible.
Participation is the key to success, and I encourage all active members of the lodge to get in touch with fellow members who do not regularly attend to provide them with some encouragement to join us in our various lodge activities. Offer to pick them up and drop them off. If some feel unsure due to being away for so long, offer to go over the signs, tokens and words to make them feel more comfortable.
Our Lodge is in very good shape at this moment due to the hard work of the past few years. Your attendance and flexibility will be greatly appreciated and will help us to continue the tradition of excellence that has become routine in Defenders Lodge.
Sincerely and Fraternally,
Robert Demers
