Wardens and Brethren-
 
                This month marks an incredible milestone for Freemasonry. For it was 300 years ago, on St. John the Baptist day, June 24th, 1717 that four existing London Lodges came together and met at the Goose and Gridiron Tavern and there they constituted and formed the first Grand Lodge. To think of how far Freemasonry has grown since then is amazing. There have been challenges and hardships for the craft over the centuries, but it’s been the dedication of the countless brethren who believe in the teachings of Masonry that have kept our light burning. Some people would argue that Masonry is heading in a downward trend because there aren’t as many members that there once was, but I believe that the craft is as strong now as then because it’s the quality of Masons that the craft has today, not the quantity. 
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            Speaking of quality Masons, this month Franklin Lodge will be conferring the entered apprentice degree on one worthy candidate. Even though he is young, at just 18  years old, you get the sense of excitement he has when talking to him. Our candidate Christian is eager to learn and become a mason as his grandfather before him and to visit the lodge in which he belonged and to try to get information on his Masonic career. Personally, I know that’s it’s exciting to find a relative’s information in the archives of a lodge, I did the same thing a couple years ago when I visited my great-grandfathers lodge and was able to read the minutes when he was Raised and to see his signature in their bylaws. 

               Finally, as we get ready to go dark for the summer, I do want to remind everyone that the Southern District Welcome Event for RW Rick Baccus and RW Rick Lynch is on Sunday August 6th at 4pm at a CT Tigers game in Norwich CT. All are invited and the ticket costs are $25 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under. Anyone can see me for tickets, or they can be purchased at franklin20.org/store.
 
Fraternally and Respectfully,
Bro. Ralph E. Brunson
Master
Franklin Lodge #20

​Wardens and Brethren,
 
                When I first went to the east, I was told this year would fly by, and now that we are into May I can only think back to how right this brother was.  This year continues to be busy as Franklin will be welcoming DDGM RW Andre Faria for his official visitation, but we will also be receiving Most Worshipful Grand Master Stephen T. McGuire for his official visitation to the Southern District.  With this dual visitation, I am expecting a large turnout of brethren from all over RI. As a May tradition at Franklin, The Hitching Post will be providing their famous fritters and chowder, which I have had brethren from several other lodges telling me they were looking forward to it.
                Our program for the evening will be by Jim Egan from the Newport Tower Museum. I have seen Jim speak a couple times now and his presentations are unforgettable.  Jim credits his research and the beginnings of his studies to Franklin’s own W:. Bill Penhallow.
                I also want to congratulate Franklin’s newest Entered Apprentice’s Brothers Corey MacLean and Robert Carin as they begin their Masonic journey, and thank you to my officers, who have worked so hard over the last couple months to put on a great degree. All that hard work did pay off as that night went very well.
                And finally, the southern district will be welcoming our incoming DDGM Rick Baccus along with his GMC Rick Lynch. This year we will be getting together at a CT Tigers game in Norwich CT. The game is on Sunday, August 6th at 4pm. We will be having an in-game BBQ in their party pavilion. This is also going to be a family event, so all are welcome.  For any kids that come, they can run the bases and play catch in the outfield after the game.  Tickets for the event are $25 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under.  Please see myself for tickets via email rbrunson23@cox.net or call at (401)644-4525.  Tickets can also be purchased at our website franklin20.org    This is looking to be fun day at the ball park and I hope to see everybody there.
 
Fraternally and Respectfully,
Bro. Ralph E. Brunson
Master
Franklin Lodge #20

​Wardens and Brethren,
 
There's a saying, "If you want to make God laugh, then make plans".  Well I bet He's chuckling now. With the cancellation of March's meeting due to the storm, I have had to rethink the upcoming months. So, April is going to be a lot busier now for Franklin. On the 11th we will be having our stated communication. Our program for the evening will be given by Brother Ralph Boragine from Charity Lodge #23 on the poetry of Rob Morris, he was the 2nd poet laureate for Freemasonry after Robert Burns and he founded the Order of the Eastern Star. If have never heard Brother Ralph give a presentation then I strongly urge you to come out, for this will be a treat.
                The following week, on April 18th, we will be holding a special meeting to confer the Entered Apprentice degree on a couple candidates.  I want to thank my officer line for putting in the extra work and dedication to make EA degree happen for our soon to be brothers. I also want to ask and invite any brother to come and support our candidates as they begin their Masonic journey. 
                Ending the month, Franklin will be holding a Chip event at the Westerly YMCA on April 29th. Over the last few years the Chip events have been very well received in the community. We do need more volunteers for this, so if anyone has a couple hours to spare, please contact W Eric Ross for information.
                Lastly, I want to thank everyone who attended the Winter Warmer in March. It was a fun night of fellowship with brethren from all of the southern district lodges as well as our Grand Master Stephen T. McGuire and RW Andre Faria, RW Robert Palazzo, and RW Doug Grant who also attended. When the night was over, we had raised over $600 to be dispersed to each lodges charity.
 
                Thank you to all who have contributed and have dedicated part of their lives to the craft.
 
Respectfully,
Ralph E. Brunson
Master
Franklin Lodge #20

Wardens and Brethren-
 
                Even though we are only into March, this year is shaping up to be a busy one. Franklin Lodge has begun its Masonic Redevelopment Plan, which started with surveys being sent out to all members of the lodge in paper form as well as a link via email. Thank you to those who have completed and sent it back in. Your participation is greatly appreciated. If anybody needs another copy, please let me know, and I’ll make sure you get it.  I firmly believe that the information gathered will help lead Franklin Lodge to many more successful years.
                March will be a busy month at Franklin. First at our stated communication, we will be welcoming the Most Worshipful Grand Master Stephen T. McGuire for his official visitation to the southern district. Grand Master has been traveling with a suite of 75+ brethren for each of his visitations thus far, so I am looking forward to seeing the sidelines filled. The program for the evening will be by author David Brody and his new book Echoes of Atlantis: Crones, Templars and the Lost Continent. This is David’s sixth book in his Templars in America series. This program will be open to non-masons, so please bring family and friends for his presentation.
                As mentioned by W. Eric Ross in one of his messages a couple months ago, Franklin Lodge had a spot in PBS’ My Town series for Westerly.  For those who had missed the airing, you can now view Franklin Lodges spot on our website, www.franklin20.org/about.html.
                Thank you to the brethren who helped get to where we are today and thank you to those who are working hard for our future.
 
Respectfully and Fraternally,
Bro Ralph E. Brunson
Master
Franklin Lodge #20

Wardens and Brethren,
 
               I am honored and humbled to be elected as Master at the 160th Annual Installation of Officers for Franklin Lodge #20. We have an exceptional group of dedicated Brothers that have accepted officer’s positions. I look forward to the year ahead and I am confident that it will be a successful year not just for Franklin Lodge but for the Craft as whole.
                        My focus for the year will be on the brethren of Franklin Lodge. Over the years so many men have dedicated part of their lives to Franklin and the craft, and I would like to talk with them and thank them for their contribution that has led Franklin to become what it is today. If it wasn’t for the commitments made and the time and effort spent by not just all the Past Masters of Franklin, but ALL the brethren, I may not in this position to write this today. I have talked with many of the brothers I see in lodge, but I want to talk with the ones who I don’t see as well.  So, over the coming months, I will be reaching out to many of you, my brothers.
                  The program for our February meeting, we welcome members of the Rhode Island Shrine.  Many of us know that to be a Shriner you have to be a Mason, but that is where our knowledge ends for a lot of us. Last year I had the opportunity to travel to a lodge in Virginia who had a Shrine presentation. I was blown away with all the programs they have to help the community. This excited me to learn more about what the Shrine does here in RI.
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I look forward to greeting each of you, so join me for some fellowship and light in Freemasonry.
 
Fraternally and respectfully,
Bro. Ralph Brunson
Worshipful Master
Franklin Lodge #20

Wardens and Brethren –

I wish all of you a Happy New Year, and I hope your holidays were filled with things that brought gladness to your heart. It was good to see the turnout for the Christmas party; the kids (and adults) seemed to enjoy it! We have a busy month ahead of us, with our regular communication, the annual meeting of the lodge for the election of officers, and the Grand Master’s visitation to his mother lodge. I hope to see you at every event, but it is most important to come on Saturday January 14 for the annual.

At our January meeting it will be my pleasure to award Mr. Fred Wright with the Edward Leon Duhamel scholarship for 2016. Mr. Wright was the only applicant this year. This scholarship fund allows Franklin to dispense approximately $2500 a year to descendants of any Freemason in the jurisdiction to be used for post-secondary education. Please get the word out about the scholarship to those who are eligible, the application can be found on our website, http://www.franklin20.org/. It would be good to spread the wealth. Our DDGM, RW Andre H. Faria, and his GMC W. Brandt Evans will be in attendance that evening; officers will hold a quick rehearsal for the installation either before or after the meeting.

The Grand Master, MW Stephen T. McGuire, will visit his mother lodge, Mount Vernon #4, on Thursday February 2. All officers should plan to attend; we will enter with the DDGM at 7:15.

Finally, this is my last message from the East. I was honored to be elected your Master, and I have done my best to keep the light of our great fraternity burning bright. I could not have done it without the aid and assistance of my brothers as we labored in the quarries over the past twelve months. I look forward to continuing my service to the brethren and the lodge.

Fraternally and Respectfully,
Bro. Eric B. Ross
​Worshipful Master, Franklin #20 

​Greetings from the West,
As this masonic year is coming to an end, I first and foremost want to congratulate Worshipful Eric Ross on a magnificent year. It has been an honor and a pleasure sitting as his Senior Warden for the past year.
I am here to enjoy Freemasonry, enjoying Masonry is one of the most important commitments to the craft. Without that enjoyment, none of us would continue to do what we do. We all have a role to play in ensuring each of our members feel fulfilled from their membership and gain the most from it. So, with that said, that is one of my goals for 2017. All of our Brethren that belong to Franklin, as well as visitors should feel the fulfillment of what Freemasonry has to offer. I know this is not an overnight task, but I have already spoken to several brethren that feels the same way as I.  It gives me great pleasure to hear the enthusiasm in their voices as thoughts come together on what can help our members. 
 
I was once told the most un-masonic things that can be said are “We have never done it that way and We have always done it that way”. I have thought about that a lot and I have come to realize that somethings do need to change. So, 2017 we will be trying new things to bring light to the Brethren as well as our community. Without trying new ideas, we won’t know what works and what will benefit the craft.
 
I have truly enjoyed the Craft since I joined in 2010 and I look forward to the continued success of Franklin Lodge in 2017 and years beyond.
 
Fraternally,
Ralph Brunson
Senior Warden

Wardens and Brethren –
I hope everyone found reason enough to give thanks to the Creator of Heaven and Earth during Thanksgiving for the bounty we all enjoy, if not in materiel things than in the brotherly love and friendship we enjoy as Masons. I know there are thanks at the Pelloni household, as Anthony and Katie welcomed their new baby girl Lila just before Thanksgiving.
Congratulations to Bro. Tim Cavanaugh, who was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason at the November communication. The officers and brothers performed an exemplary degree. I expect Bro. Tim to show his proficiency at the January communication and sign the bylaws, becoming Franklin’s newest member.
Our December communication will have a short business meeting followed by a program on Robert Burns by R.:W.: Dave Laverty, Grand Historian for the Grand Lodge of RI, Secretary of St. Paul’s Lodge #14 Newport and Past Master, St. John’s #1. He is also the Vice Chancellor of the Collegivm Lvminosvm. Robert Burns was a Scottish poem and lyricist, best known as the composer of Auld Lang Syne, and was a Freemason. Following the program, we will retire for collation and continue our learning about Scotland by sampling a variety of the fine spirits produced around the country. It promises to be a great evening!
Our Town Westerly will air on December 8 at 7:30 on RI PBS – tune in for the segment on Franklin Lodge. Many thanks to Bro. Brett Marggraff for spearheading the effort to bring some of the light from inside our lodge out the front door and into the community.
The Christmas party is coming up, Saturday December 17, 3-6 PM. This is a family affair, and pot luck. Please RSVP to the SW or JW, especially if you are bringing the children so we can be prepared with a small gift for them from the lodge. Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it, But we hae meat and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be thankit. – Selkirk Grace, as given by Robert Burns
Fraternally,
Bro. Eric B. Ross
Worshipful Master,
​Franklin #20 

Wardens and Brethren –

Greetings from the East. We have been busy with a lot of diverse activities, and we have a great month ahead of us. Thanks to the efforts of our esteemed Secretary, we marched in the Westerly-Pawcatuck Columbus Day parade along with the Rainbow Girls. It was a three-mile march, but the fine company made for short work of it. It was a pleasure to accompany the Grand Worthy Adviser for RI Rainbow, Miss Morgan Grace, and to hear so many people say “Look, it’s the Masons!” as we passed. If people are interested in continuing this next year, it may be worthwhile to see if Coastal #57 will join ranks with us.

Thank you to those who were able to go support W.: Jim Haldeman and the officers of Hope #25 and W.: Randy Joslin and the officers of Charity #23 at their annual communication and installation of officers. It was a pleasure to see the outstanding work of our DDGM, R.:W.: Andre Faria.

We joined forces with Charity #23 at our annual luncheon to honor the Special Ladies of our lodges. This small gesture on our part means a lot to the ladies, and our Grand Master was able to stop by! He reminded all assembled of the debts of gratitude owed to those people who enable us to go forth and labor in the quarries on a regular basis.

Bro. Brett Marggraff has decorated the lodge with an outstanding display of Halloween finery, and several Brothers are planning on handing out candy on Halloween, along with the Rainbow Girls. This is a great way to bring the community to our doors!

We will confer the Master Mason degree on Bro. Tim Cavanaugh during our November meeting. Our meeting also falls very near to Veteran’s Day, so we will take the opportunity to recognize and honor those who serve or served our great country in the armed forces. Come share your experiences!

Laura and I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Each and every day is a gift from the creator of the universe in some way, shape or form; even if that form is sometimes hidden from our eyes it registers in our heart. We give thanks for the gifts of friendship and brotherly love, which are not hidden from Masons.

Fraternally,
Bro. Eric B. Ross
​Worshipful Master, Franklin #20

Wardens and Brethren –
​
I am glad to report all is going well with Franklin Lodge. We have had a productive time as we resumed labor after our summer hiatus, and we have a lot going on between now and the end of the year.
Franklin took an opportunity to pay a fraternal visit to our brothers across the border at Coastal #57, and we were fortunate to see them conduct the EA degree for three new brothers.  Franklin was well represented by 11 brothers, including our FC – it was great to see how Connecticut presents the degree and to share in the friendship and brotherly love of the craft.
The Music on Elm night was successful in raising much needed funds for the Foundation. Thank you to those who donated their time, effort and money.
We have awarded one scholarship from the Edward L. Duhamel Scholarship fund, to Mr. Fred Wright. Stay tuned as we make arrangements with Mr. Wright to present the award in person. He was the only applicant the committee had to consider – make sure you spread the word among those who are eligible. There is usually approximately $2500 available to award to those who complete the application process.
Thanks to the efforts of several motivated brothers, Franklin will march in the Columbus Day parade. We will be in Division 5, mustering at Narragansett and Ward Ave 
at 1230. Dress for officers is tux, apron and jewel; brothers are to wear suit and apron. We have my necessary minimum to march now, but I would like to see as many brothers participate as possible – this is a very public showing for our lodge. Contact Bro. Dan 
(danrz@mac.com) if you plan on marching. We have one vehicle now, we can get more if the thought of marching three miles is too much to bear…..
Finally, please make note of the Special Ladies luncheon on October 23 at Richmond Country Club. This event is our way of paying a small measure of respect to the wives of the brothers who have passed to the celestial lodge above. Tickets are available from our website (http://www.franklin20.org/) under the “Store” tab. Anyone can attend. There is a nice lunch and short program, plus the benefit of knowing you may have made someone’s day just a bit brighter
.
Fraternally,
Bro. Eric B. Ross
Worshipful Master, Franklin #20