The Friendly Word
Liverpool/Syracuse Lodge No.501 has been awarded the Mark Twain Award for Excellence in Masonic Awareness by the Masonic Information Center located in Silver Springs, Maryland. The award recognizes excellence in both internal and external Masonic awareness and emphasizes the importance of Masonic awareness to stimulate the quality of the lodge experience and to raise awareness among the community about Freemasonry’s history and value to the community.
Liverpool/Syracuse is the only lodge in the entire State of New York to achieve the honor, and one of only eighteen in the entire country to receive this prestigious award. Mark Flemming, W.M. of 501 says the award submission process was all encompassing and dovetailed perfectly with the ongoing recruitment and retention efforts of the Liverpool Masons. “Our submission contained our video, viral marketing materials (including stickers and posters), our world-class website, and pictures and descriptions of our ongoing programs and materials that have been developed to recruit and maintain membership in our lodge.” In order to attract new brothers, a community wide marketing campaign was launched, and education programs were also put in place to retain the new brothers. The programs have met with great success and W.M. Flemming believes they will be fine tuned in the years to come.
The award was announced at the Grand Masters Conference in Alexandria, Virginia in February and will be presented at Grand Lodge in New York City this Spring. The brothers of Liverpool/Syracuse 501 are excited about the recognition the award brings, and the outstanding results the programs have produced. The Twain Award celebrates Masonic Lodges that show exemplary work in planning, implementing/documenting, and reflecting upon how its members collectively enrich the fraternal experience that is uniquely Masonic. Lodges must demonstrate high energy, fresh enthusiasm, new creativity, and visible productivity in communicating a positive identity of Freemasonry within the lodge and throughout the greater community. Liverpool/Syracuse Lodge No. 501 is proud to have been recognized by the Masonic Information Center and seeks to improve and reinvigorate Masonry into the twenty first century.
The Friendly Word
Liverpool Syracuse Lodge No.501, the Friendly Lodge, is on the move once again. Under current and past leadership the Friendly Lodge has instituted the much needed, timeless practices of Free Masonry within the walls at the Lodge in the beautiful village of Liverpool, NY.
Looking at the Lodge Calendar you will see the many activities going on within the walls of the Lodge. Not just Masonic, but social and community activities as well. Fraternities provide men with many areas of development, through leadership, community service/philanthropy, academics, as well as social interaction.
The Brothers and public who have taken serious study into this fraternal order know that men belonging to the Masonic order through out history have contributed to the betterment of it countries and societies. We at Liverpool Syracuse take the work we undertake very seriously. Besides the many activities we undertake we actively support two youth fraternal organizations.
The Lodge is proud to support in our Temple the new Trinity Chapter of DeMolay for the Central New York area. From http://www.trinitydemolay.org/ and http://www.demolay.org/
“The DeMolay is an organization dedicated to preparing young men to lead successful, happy, and productive lives. Basing its approach on timeless principles and practical, hands-on experience, DeMolay opens doors for young men aged 12 to 21 by developing the civic awareness, personal responsibility and leadership skills so vitally needed in society today. DeMolay combines this serious mission with a fun approach that builds important bonds of friendship among members in more than 1,000 chapters worldwide.”
Liverpool Syracuse Lodge strongly believes that all young men belonging to such a fraternity as DeMolay will rise as pillars in their communities and contribute to a better society for all. This group is an opportunity for all, not just Mason’s sons and grandsons, but to the community’s sons and grandsons as well. We deeply encourage all to follow the links and explore what is offer to the young men of this and your community.
Liverpool Syracuse also supports the Acacia Fraternity (http://www.acacia.org/). The Acacia Fraternity was founded in 1904 by Master Masons. Once all Acacia pledges had to be Free Masons. As young men under the age of 21 started to enter college, and with men having to be 21yrs or older to join the Free Masons, Acacia’s lifted this restriction so pledges could pledge the Fraternity.
Even though the Acacia Fraternity waved this requirement they still closely followed the principals of the Free and Accepted Masons. This college fraternity:
Stresses Academic Achievement
Academic achievement should be the first and foremost priority of all university students. It is also central to the mission of Acacia Fraternity, whose chapters stress academics above all else. Moreover, the Acacia Fraternity Foundation assists deserving Acacians with cash scholarships — over $200,000.00 in scholarships and educational grants were awarded by the foundation during the 2002-2003 academic year
alone.
Develops Leaders
Acacia Fraternity is dedicated to building leaders by providing a wealth of leadership opportunities for their members. From social issues to academic, business to philanthropy, the Acacians of today are the leaders of tomorrow.
Help Better the Communities in Which They Reside
Their motto is “Human Service,” and they take it very seriously. As member of Acacia Fraternity you will have ongoing opportunities, through structured community service programs, to make a difference in the lives of those in need. Acacians Value Fitness and Knows how to have fun too!
Liverpool Syracuse Lodge also encourages all readers of this page who has sons or grandsons entering college and will be pledging a fraternity to approach the Acacians; they will not go wrong.
Trustee – W.’. Robert Bowles
The Friendly Word
Review by Bro. Bil Vassily, Past Master, Liverpool Syracuse Lodge #501, Grand Lodge of New York used here by permission of Bro. Vassily.
Having been a member of the Masonic fraternity for more than forty years, I have had occasion to read most of the classics on explaining and defending Freemasonry. Now we have a single volume that treats the subject in a clear and fair fashion.
Brother Chris Hodapp has produced the very best one-volume book on the general background of Freemasonry that I have ever read. As is true with all of the “for Dummies” series it is a primer about the subject. Since it is written in the style of the “for Dummies” books, it is an easy read and doesn’t get bogged down in a lot of technicalities. However, since it is so general, there will be some Masons that will find that a few details don’t fit their particular jurisdiction. This does not spoil the soup!
The history of the Craft covers the subject in an across-the-board manner that gives the reader enough to understand where it came from and how it evolved.
The section on religion is an excellent treatment that is fair to the objections of some religious bodies and helps the reader to understand some of the criticisms of Masonry. Yet it gives viable arguments that support Freemasonry in spite of some of these objections. And the hoaxes, myths and misconceptions about the fraternity are very well presented.
Explanations of the organization of Masonry and the history and place that the variety of appendant bodies have within the fraternity, are excellent. The thoughts about the future of this centuries old fraternity are positive and even suggestions for its revitalization are interesting and timely.
This is THE book for anyone that does not know anything about the Craft as well as the member that may know something of his fraternity but can’t quite put it all in perspective. And, the seasoned veteran of the Craft will also learn a lot.
I heartily endorse the book for anyone interested in the subject of Freemasonry. Bravo, Bro. Chris!!!
The Friendly Word
Spring arrived at last, at least the weather has become moderate. The Sun and still air was a welcome respite from the erratic chill of the previous months. The white-clothed tables, with just the right amount of glasses and silver and a complimentary
bottle of wine were set at each place. The large picture windows look out at the blue expanse of Seneca Lake.
The occasion was a gathering of Nobles and their Ladies at Belhurst Castle in the Finger Lakes. Potentates from Tigris, Damacus, Mecca, Cyprus and Ziyara Shrines were among many visiting dignitaries in attendance, along with Ladies of the Iderim Temple and Eastern Star.
Also among the attendees was a contingent of Brothers from Liverpool Syracuse Lodge No. 501 who were privileged to serve as an honorary escort for Illustrious Sir Efrain ‘Frank’ Rosa and his Lady Elba.
Brothers present were:
of course . . . Frank Rosa and his Lady Elba
R.’.W.’. Bil ‘dizzy feet’ Vassily
R.’.W.’. Gary Heinmiller
W.’. Bob Bowles
W.’. Lew Paradise
W.’. Bob Tyrrell
W.’. Bill Schuetz [and his sister Barbara, a past Queen of Iderim Temple]
Bro. Paul Altenburg [Past Potentate] and his Lady Pat
Bro. Dave Depan
Bro. Leroy Forbes and his Lady Karen
Bro. Dennis Lagoe, Sr.
Bro. Tai Shaw Ngo
The Brothers of Liverpool Syracuse Lodge wish to extend to Bro. Frank and Lady Elba and the Nobles of the Tigris Shrine our Best Wishes for a Successful and Enjoyable year.
The Friendly Word
Brethren,
The Masonic year is moving fast, and before we know it Move Up Night will be here [7 May]. We have a fine group of young men getting ready to have the Degrees conferred upon them. The Entered Apprentice Degree, will be on 16 April and the Fellow Craft Degree on 18 June. We will have our Master Mason Degree this summer; the date and time will be announced on this page and in the Word. Brothers, advertisements are out for the Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, 7 April. Those of you who will help please come 1 ½ hours before the program starts. [First race starts at 9:30 am]
Check out the upcoming events page on this website, and, speaking of sites, please give us feedback about our website. Brother Kevin Razawich is the Webmaster and will update this site once a week. When you see Brother Razawich acknowledge his job well done. Help out our site by sending our link to your favorite visited sites and ask them to post it. If any of you want to do Masonic reading go to our History page and
click onto the OMDHS link. This is the Onondaga and Oswego Masonic Districts Historical Societies website hosted by our very own Secretary. From the home page of this site you can wander to an endless library of Masonic materials. Our secretary has put in many hours in developing the materials for this site. Use it for your Masonic Education, and keep coming back as he will be having plenty of updates.
What I am about to write was not my original plan. As you all should know by now we had a very special Brother lay down his Working Tools; W.’. Floyd A. Proper, our Overseer of the Work (see the Broken Column page). W.’. Floyd knew what it was to be a Freemason. He assisted in all aspect of the Degrees. At 78 years of age he wanted to and did confer the Master Mason Degree upon the largest class that I had ever seen performed at our Lodge. I was awestruck to see such a conferral perform by a Brother who had not done it in over a decade. W.’. Floyd offered wise counsel to his Lodge leaders in a positive and constructed way. He always made you feel welcome and encouraged what you were trying to accomplish. He showed up for rehearsals and guided you in the proper floor work. He was never lost to share a joke or two during fellowship. W.’. Floyd had this boyish smile that would light up a room. That smile was the first thing I noticed when he was walking through calf-deep snow to show up for a Masonic service for a Brother who didn’t belong to our Lodge; a Brother he didn’t know. The family of a visiting Brother had requested the Memorial service, and W.’. Floyd came to assist. He was recovering from knee surgery when he made this journey. The village had not cleared the snow off the walks, and when I tried to discourage him from walking on the sidewalk, for fear of him falling, he lifted his cane and with a big smile said, “That is what this is for.” I will always treasure that smile. W.’. Floyd showed me there are no boundaries between generations of men practicing our Craft. He most definitely was always practicing, he, Master the Craft. Brother Norman Vincent Peale once stated, “Live your life and forget your age.” W.’. Floyd I believe did just that.
I will order the altar draped until the end of the Masonic year in honor of one of our Lodge’s finest.
Robert Bowles
Master
