FVNews Daily. No 2. Thursday, April 16, 2020
From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team

Welcome to FVNews 
• Thanks to so many for the warm welcome you have given to the FVNews.com.au website, our FVNews Daily email, and our social media posts. You can receive FVNewsDaily free in your in-box, by completing this brief FORM

By the way, we are changing the name from FNews.com.au to FVNews.com.au – we think it better reflects what we do. We hope to complete the website migration over the next 24 hours.

What about ‘Engage’?
• In sending us some encouraging words about the FVNews initiative, Peter Clark (Acting President of the Board of General Purposes) asks if theEngage EDM (Electronic Direct Mail) will continue.

Yes. Engage will continue as an official communication from Grand Lodge. It is compiled by Garry Runge (Grand Secretary), Kelly Leventis(Marketing Co-Ordinator) and the Grand Lodge office team. Our Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team will work collaboratively alongside the talented Marketing Department, and wholly support their good works.

Deacons video available
• There has been much social media discussion this week about Masonic Advancement Programs, and use of instruction videos. Colin Peterson,Lecture Master at Ivalda Lodge of Instruction, advises that it has produced some information videos for Lodge Deacons which are available online. “Rest assured, there’s nothing secret being divulged,” Colin says. “You do have to login to see them (we need some level of security).” To register, click HERE

See an online Lodge meeting
• Social online meetings of lodges are increasing in popularity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Richmond Lodge has posted a YouTubevideo of its meeting held on Tuesday night (Apr. 14). There was a special ANZAC presentation and reflection by Peter McPhee. Two members –Max Geraldes and Ron Pienaar – conducted a “meet a member” session. Click HERE to view.

Good Works at Cobram
• Matteo Donato is our Grand Superintendent of Works. His portfolio works indicate the building side is more than just Bayside and East Melbourne! There is a wonderful story of Cobram Freemasons providing land to a community group to build a cinema. The idea spans six years when it was floated during Hillel Benedykt’s term as Grand Master, followed by Don Reynolds. Read more HERE

Masonic Knowledge
• Ian Buckingham, Grand Superintendent of Masonic Knowledge, says the portfolio covers areas of Masonic Education, History and Heritage, and Ritual and Ceremonial. Ian is assisted in Education by Deputy Brendan Kyne, and Ian Cross in Ritual and Ceremonial. Ange Kenos and Brendan Kyne assist in history and heritage.
“There have been a lot of comments regarding the MAPs programs and times between Initiation and becoming a MM. These are areas that we have been seriously working on for some time now,” says Ian. These details will be circulated soon to members.

Welcome home for Diggers
• Graeme Wallace tells us that he has compiled an article for a future edition of Engage which tells about the welcome home for diggers after World War I. “It’s really about looking forward after a tragedy,” Graeme says. His source material was a Victorian Freemason magazine published in 1919

Speakers List returns
• The Masonic KnowledgeVolunteer Action Team is in the process of re-establishing a speakers list. Graeme Wallace says they are looking for members who are knowledgeable, and who can speak on Masonic subjects. There will be speakers’ lists for each district. Members who are interested should contact Brendan Kyne at lordbiff@hotmail.com or Steve Ruglenrocklyn98@rugwell.com.au

Available for Deaths, Funeral notices
• Graeme Nicholson comments: “I believe that this forum could be used for Masonic bereavements. The costs charged by the Herald Sun are prohibitive, also nobody seems to die in The Age.”

Editor replies: Barry Minster conducts the Freemasons Victoria Almoner’s Bulletin Board on Facebook. He often shares these types of announcements, and we would not wish to disrupt his fine works. However, we would be happy to augment Barry’s service by providing an additional channel for such notices. We can lay-out bereavement notices in a similar way to newspaper notices at no charge, and publish them here.

Letters to the Editor
• Ange Kenos writes about FVNews: “Every Brother who has access to the internet – and at the minimum through your children, grandchildren or the local library – every brother does have access, this is a must read. Then, the more interesting and relevant items that are sent in as news items, the better informed we will all be, both during this Pandemic and afterwards. And if you have a Zoom meeting where others can attend, a podcast to share, etc, please advise the entire Masonic community through this wonderful new resource.”

• Kevin Redfern adds: “Let’s give it a try. Enjoyed reading the Ivalda history.”

Masonic Odd Spot
• The friendly rivalry between Lodge Amicus and Lodge of theGolden Fleece went to a new level this week with a good humoured YouTubevideo claiming Deputy Grand Master-Elect Tony Bucca had joined Golden Fleece. View HERE

Coming Up
• In the Friday edition of FVNews Daily, we will publish Gippsland District Co-Ordinator Geoff Newby’s pandemic challenge to his local Lodge secretaries. (Thanks to Paul Brennand, Grand Superintendent of Membership.)
• Stephen Carpenter is Principal Conductor of the Heidelberg Wind Ensemble. He is a Past Master of Ivanhoe Grammarians Lodge. He is providing a YouTube link to a free concert that you can enjoy from your own home.

Send us your news
• Please email your latest news, so we can share it across Victoria. Email to: editor@FVNews.com.au

INFORMATION TO KNOW
FVNews is published by Bro. Ash Long, Chair of the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team of Freemasons Victoria. 
Phone: 0450 399 932.
Web: www.FNews.com.au
Email: editor@FNews.com.au
FNews is an opt-in email. If, for any reason, you would prefer not to receive our emails, simply reply to editor@FNews.com.au  – type OPT OUT in the subject line, and please include your email address