Brothers,

The new year brings new energy and new changes.

For example, please take a look at the announcements shown on page 5.

Coastside is now a part of 325th Masonic District and our Inspector is Worshipful Master Tony G. Cimarra.

We all look forward to meeting our New Inspector and working with him during his assignment duration as Inspector.

The 325th district is comprised of Francis Drake No. 376 and Crocker Lodge No. 212.

I also want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to Worshipful Master Thomas Chavez who served as our Inspector for the past couple of years. We wish him well on his new assignment.

His contact information is shown on the Officers Listing on page 3.

Fraternally
Ron Ragland, WM

As we begin the new year, we will have several brothers to raise in the next couple of months.

This will be an exciting time for the Lodge. Newly raised brothers means that our Coastside legacy will continue. With this in mind we are very interested in starting the “Rusty Trowel” concept here at the Lodge.

The “Rusty Trowel” is our out reach program to bring local raised brothers back to the Lodge.

Upon initial research there are roughly 10 local brothers who have not been to Lodge in a couple of years. And they know who they are.

We want you to know that we care about you and would love to have you attend Lodge at least three or four times a year.

We plan to have a welcome back program in April. So for those who are local and haven’t been here in awhile, expect to receive a invitation call from the Lodge.

By the Plumb,
Noah Lundling

Brethren of Coastside Lodge,

This year will be exciting for me personally because its my preparation year before seating in the East.

There is so much to learn and prepare for. Therefore I will need everyone’s help in getting ready for this year and next year. So if you have any suggestions about what we might do more effectively please let me know.

In the month of February we have several events planned. We have the Sweetheart luncheon and High Tea on February 11th.

We’ll also be hosting the DSOI. All officers are strongly encouraged to attend.

And then we have several degree opportunities planned as well.

Remember all Past Masters and senior members of the Lodge, the more people we have involved the better our degrees will be and the Lodge will continue to prosper. Recall that the strength and support are key to all institutions especially ours. With that being said I wish to extend a personal invitation to come to Lodge and participate in our events and support our new slate of officers. With your physical support we will be able to create and achieve some great things for our Lodge.

Fraternally
David Bobrick

The Sweetheart Event is held in February each year to honor the wives and significant others of Coastside Masons.

The symbols shown to the left signify our desire to honor the widows and our oath to aid and assist them. The symbol is the broken column.

In addition the For-Get-Me-Not flower is being adopted as the constant reminder that our journey to gain more light is supported by our significant others. And if it was not for their emotional support our journey would be ineffective and non-important.

Our Masonic oath calls for us to aid and support orphans, widows and all women.

This year the planning committee will be hosting Coastside Lodges version of “High Tea”.

High Tea begins at 3PM.

RSVP by Feb. 8
to Gus Lopez
(650) 270-3875

Besides the message about what the Dues Card certifies. There is an important message concerning important contact information.

The messages are:

“In the event of the death of this member, please contact the Masonic Grand Lodge of California at 1111 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94108 or call (800) 831-8170 (in CA only) or (415) 776-7000

Also there is information for Masonic Assistance:

Call (888) 466-3642

Make sure to inform your family.

February 2012

February 2nd

Stated Meeting
6:30 PM Cost $6.00 per plate
RSVP by Calling Nicole at
(650) 952-9763 or via Facebook
Entrée— Beef Stroganoff
Stated Meeting 7:30 PM

Feb. 9th

First Degree

Feb. 11th

Lodge Sweetheart Luncheon and High Tea 3PM

Feb. 16

DSOI Coastside Admin
2nd degree Opening and floor work
Refreshment or Dinner at 6PM
all instructions begin at 7:30 PM Sharp

Feb. 17

Second Degree Conferral

Feb. 24

Lodge Planning Meeting

March 2012

March 1st

Stated Meeting
6:30 PM Cost $6.00 per plate
RSVP by Calling Nicole at
(650) 952-9763 or via Facebook
Entrée— Beef Stroganoff
Stated Meeting 7:30 PM

March 8th

Third Degree Practice

March 15th

Third Degree Conferral
6:30 PM Refreshment
7:30 PM Degree

March 23rd

District School of Instruction (DSOI)
Francis Drake #376 1st Degree and Long Form Closing.
Refreshment or Dinner at 6 PM, instruction begins at 7:30 PM.

March 29th

Lodge Planning Meeting

A Candidate upon entering Freemasonry seldom had any definite idea of the nature of Masonry and why it exists. He is introduced to a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.

No one can communicate the deeper meanings of Masonry to another. Every man must discover and learn them for himself.

It is well to emphasize then that Masonry is a sacramental system consisting of its outward ceremonial side with an inward intellectual and spiritual element. Therefore the Mason who has learned to use his spiritual imagination can begin to appreciate the reality that lies behind the veil of outward symbols.

What was the purpose the framers of our Masonic system had in view when they compiled it? Unfortunately there is no simple answer. Because it’s a system based upon a personal journey.

It is written, “to him that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath”, and it remains with the individual to determine and discover the many secrets of Masonry.

To state things briefly, Masonry offers us a philosophy of the spiritual life of man and a diagram of the process of regeneration.

We shall see presently that philosophy is not only consistent with the doctrine of every religious system taught outside the ranks of the order, but it explains the fundamental doctrines common to all Christian and Non-Christian beliefs.

The admission of every Mason is and emblematic representation of the entrance of man upon this mortal existence. It asks the questions: What am I? Whence come I? Whither go I?

Each Mason is asked, whence come you? and the answer is “from the West.”

Therefore the West is the symbol for rebirth.

Also each candidate into a lodge is introduced, upon emerging from darkness, to three lights representing the sun, the moon, and the Master of the Lodge.

The Sun is our spiritual consciousness, the Moon is our reasoning or intellectual faculties, and Master of the Lodge is symbolic denoting the will-power of man., which should enable him to be master of his own life and keep down the impulses of his lower nature.

Keep in mind as we refer to the Lodge the reference is not made towards a building were meetings are held, but to ourselves. Where are spiritual self dwells and directs our life.

“Know ye not” says the great initiate St Paul, “that ye are the temple of the Most High and that the Spirit if God dwelleth in you.” The real Lodge referred to in our rituals is our own individual personalities.

Also placing the newest member in the North East corner is a symbol of rebirth and establishing a foundation for life.

Please include these Brothers and Loved ones in your prayers & thoughts:

Faye Chesson

Meg Whiteside

Roger & Mary Murray

Lorraine Harden

Jim Poket III

Aimee L. Pere

Please say a special prayer for:

Armed Forces Personnel

Military Personnel Family’s

Children Around the World

For all those less fortunate than ourselves

World Peace

Brotherly Love & Harmony

Mid Day Lodge No. 188
Portland, Oregon

Well of course not, but the man of a thousand voices, Melvin J. Blanc ( May, 1908— July, 1989) was a Mason.

Brother Blanc was virtually every major Warner Brother’s cartoon characters voice except for Elmer Fudd.

Brother Blanc was perhaps best known for the voice of Bugs Bunny (1936) and Woody Woodpecker (1940).

Over the years, Blanc received many awards from civic organizations. Among them were the Show Business Shrine’s first Life Achievement Award.

One of Blanc’s favored charities was the Shrine Hospital Children’s Burn Center.

Did you know the Statue of Liberty was given to America by French Freemasons? There is another statue just like it in France on an island in the Seine.

The character propagated as “Lady Liberty,” supposedly derived from the Roman goddess Libertus, is simply a patriotic pseudonym for the public.

Lady Liberty has been known throughout history as Isis of Egypt. She is the Pagan mother Goddess of the Brotherhood, nearly always depicted dressed in robe, wearing a crown of thorns, and carrying the torch of illumination.

She is symbolic of both the Moon and “dog-star” Sirius, which is why the English word for God is simply Dog backwards.