September 2016

Wardens and Brethren –
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I look forward to seeing many of you back at the lodge as we resume labor after a few months of rest and relaxation. The summer months were quiet for Franklin, but many opportunities for fellowship were available and taken advantage of. The Grand Lodge Picnic at Buttonwoods, coincident with the International Order of Rainbow for Girls Supreme Assembly in Providence, was a good time.
Several members were present at the Grand Lodge of Connecticut’s dedication of the cornerstone at Masonicare in Mystic (RI was very well represented that day!). Brothers took advantage of Charity Lodge’s communications to meet on the level with our friends and brothers in Kenyon and witness a Master Mason degree in their outdoor lodge.
Our September meeting will focus on clearing the secretary’s desk of three months’ worth of bills and communications, plus the girls of Westerly Assembly #7 will present a short program on their ritual. I believe we will also have the opportunity to recognize the Grand Worthy Advisor for Rhode Island, Miss Morgan Grace.
Finally, I would like all the brothers to consider ways for Franklin to improve our outreach to those brothers who are ill at home or in the hospital, or are in some way unable to come to the lodge for events. The charitable ties of Freemasonry extend outside the physical boundaries of the lodge itself, and those brothers who cannot come to the lodge are the ones who most need the friendship and brotherly love of the craft. There were several brothers in a of fraternal visits over the summer; I am grateful to those who quietly attended to this duty. We can do better job with this, and the Wardens and I would like to hear any inputs on methods that have been successful at other lodges or your own ideas on how to best meet this challenge.

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