Noah Lodge #357 Trestleboard

Greetings Brothers,

I want to take this opportunity to offer my thanks to our Past Worshipful Master Dr. Rick Means for leading us this past year. Our Lodge has been like a Phoenix rising out of the ashes to state that we are still here rising again to new levels.

The newly installed Officers and I will continue to raise our Lodge new heights during this New Year, and become known as an asset to the North Fort Myers community. Some of our recent past accomplishments will be returning along with a few new endeavors that promise to be exciting. Education within the Lodge will include some interesting topics along with continuing Masonic education.

I would like to see more of our older brothers come back to Lodge to provide us with some of your vast wisdom and knowledge about the Lodge, and your Masonic experiences. We will be welcoming 4 new Master Masons, and a Mason demitting to our lodge very soon

Remember, if you need a ride to Lodge, please call one of the Lodge Officers and we will try schedule a pickup for you. We need you and want you.

You won’t know what is going to happen, if you don’t attend Lodge.

Larry Newton
Worshipful Master

From The Departing WM (2010), WB Dr. Rick A. Means:

Brothers of Noah,

I want to start this memo off by saying that I really enjoyed serving as Worshipful Master for Noah for the year 2010. We had a lot of fun, and actually accomplished a few things as well.

Looking back over the year as a whole, I think that the Brothers of Noah did a fantastic job. We had many obstacles to over come, and that we did.

Remember the bees ? Thanks to the Brothers, the building is now safe again.

Mold ? Thanks to the Brothers a major clean up took place throughout the Lodge.

Refrigerator space ? Thanks to people that honored the Masons, that is a non-issue now.

New Brothers? We have in line, 4 Fellow Craft, who are soon to be raised to the degree of Master Mason. Also I might add, these new brothers will be active members of Noah for what I hope is many years.

Fund raising? Two successful Bar-B-Q 's, Spaghetti dinner, and a Garage Sale. All because of the service of Noah Masons.

Membership ? Noah has finally brought up to par all of it's present membership. Thanks to the support of the members this year, our membership dues were raised, which is going to help Noah stay financially solvent. I thank all of you for supporting Noah in these times of need, The sacrifice you made for your Lodge is admirable and the way the Brothers stood up for their Lodge made me proud to be a Mason.

I also want to congratulate the new officers of Noah Lodge for the year 2011.

After our elections in December, the new officers in Noah will be:

Worshipful Master: Larry Newton
Senior Warden: W.B. Lawrence Tomlinson
Junior Warden: Jim Hamilton.
Secretary: W.B. Gerald Keeton
Treasurer: W.B. Thomas Reedy

Installation of Officers: Saturday, January 8th, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.

I want to say that I personally don't think that there could be a finer group of Masons to lead Noah for 2011. I look forward to the exciting things they have in store for Noah in the upcoming year.

I also want to thank the several brothers throughout the lodge who stood in wherever and whenever needed. You know who you are and I thank each of you.

I even have to thank the brother who was the vagrant of Noah. Yes, I am referring to the brother that was Pro Tem in almost every position of the lodge, W.B. Dana McGrath. I believe he started out as the Secretary, I had to replace him. Then Chaplain Pro Tem, I had to replace him, Senior Steward Pro Tem, replaced. Junior Warden Pro Tem, replaced. You get the picture. I do say though that through his valiant efforts, Noah was never in need for support.

Well I hope I wasn't too wordy this month, but oh well, since it is my last input into the Trestle Board as W.M. for Noah Lodge. Again, it was an honor and privilege to serve all of you.

Masonically,

W.M. Dr. Rick A. Means

Brothers
Thank you for having the confidence to elect me to the position of Senior Warden for the year 2011. I would also like to congratulate WB Larry Newton for his new office of Worshipful Master of NOAH #357. Bro Jim Hamilton is a very welcomed face to see in our Lodge once again, and I not only congratulate him on his new duty as Junior Warden but thank him for returning to Lodge and becoming active.

Last year was a year for getting back on our feet and thanks goes out to all the Brothers who gave of their time. WB Tom Reedy who has given his time to sit as our Treasurer. Not to mention his 6 months as master in 2009, this was a hot year for that seat in the East. Thank you WB Gerald Keeton who came back after some time away to step back into the Secretary's position again, close to 20 - 25 years, try that. Thanks to WB McGrath, who I believe has made a lot of phone calls to keep members in our chairs and always willing to fill any chair where needed (except the East ?). WB McGrath also handles the online Trestle Board and handles it very well. John Duly, he don't say a lot but if he wasn't there we would hear of many problems I am sure that never are spoken of. WB John McKinney was our Chaplain once before, very glad to see him back, nice work he does. WB Robert Morrow, I would like to thank you for your time also sitting in the JD's chair, thanks for sharing your time with us. Last of all WB Dr. Rick A. Means, who kept the meeting exciting, enjoyable and unexpected. He has a great amount of knowledge and we would sure like to keep seeing his smiling face at the Lodge and our special functions.

I look at the names mentioned above and they remind me what a Mason should be and how a Mason should conduct himself. These men are the Pillars of Noah 357 without them we would not be on such a great recovery to be the Lodge we once were. Brothers if you haven't been to Lodge in some time, now is the time to come back. Now is the time to get re-involved. Meet some old Brothers meet some young Brothers at the very least come out and let us meet you, please let the Officers know that they are just not meeting to pay a light bill on a building in which we sell Masonic dues cards. Visit your Lodge visit our Lodge.

We have at least 4 bar-b-ques planed this year, not to mention the spaghetti dinners. This is a very promising year and a very busy year also. We are and will be looking for YOUR help and YOUR participation. We miss all the ones who don't show for Lodge, remember you are our Brothers as we are your Brothers. Dates for the Bar-b-ques will be posted soon, watch the event calender.

NOAH 357 is also planning another booth at the Lee County Southwest Florida Fair, contact me if interested in setting some nights there. What a great way to get NOAH 357 out there in the public eye. As I said before, this will be a very busy year indeed.

Once again I Lawrence A. Tomlinson, thank you for electing me to the office of Senior Warden.

Fraternally Yours,

WB Lawrence Tomlinson,
Senior Warden

Brethren,

There was a time when our desire to learn more about masonry compelled us to ask that question and started us upon the journey. We came to a place where men of knowledge were willing to give of their own time to share with us the that which we sought. While we were waiting for our enlightenment others were willing to give of their time to practice the meaningful rituals that made our entrance into the craft one of the more memorable experiences of our adult lives. Upon being made Masons there were others willing to spend their time to patiently teach us every word of what we needed to know to pass on to the next level and even amidst all of this these and other men were giving of their precious time to see that the day to day operation of our lodge was taken care of so that it would be here for generations to come.

I found myself amazed at the level of commitment and humbled to be the beneficiary of such generosity and still to this day see some of those same men still shouldering that wheel to give us the opportunity to continue the good work that we came here to do.

Thanks to all of those brothers who have given so much and who have been called upon so often to do so, and to all of us who have benefited from their labors the time has come to dust off our hats and come back to lodge and help to ensure that "Our Lodge" will be here for generations to come. We have applied as such. Do you find us worthy?

Br. James Hamilton,
Junior Warden

Happy New Year!

My Brothers,

As we enter a new year and look back on all the troubles and trials, let us also remember the joys of God's blessings. Let us remember that we and this country have been through hard times before and with faith in God and ourselves, we have come through it all.

Come to Lodge and enjoy the fellowship of one another, and share the opportunity of doing good for others.

May the New Year bring you joy, health and happiness.

May God Bless you every day and in every way.

John McKinney
Chaplain