FVNews Daily. 
No 27. Tuesday, May 19, 2020
From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action TeamFVNews Daily is also available at www.FVNews.com.au
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Vale John Myors
• Glenn Coster advises Grand Almoner Barry Minster: “I was advised today from the Worshipful Master of Outtrim Lodge, that their Secretary,RWor. Bro. John Myors passed away [Sunday] afternoon.  He had been very ill for a long time … had numerous tumours but remained in office up to the start of isolation.” 

Vale Tom Parsons
• RWor. Bro. Tom Parsons, of Outtrim and Lord Brassey Lodges, passed to the Grand Lodge Above this morning. John Glover commented: “This is sad news. Tom’s late father was my District Commissioner in Scouts when I was a teenager, he was a Lone Scout Leader in Lockington. We became close friends through Freemasonry then I discovered he was a Bomber Command pilot in WWII, a pilot instructor in the UK no less. I subsequently taught his granddaughter at university. Stand easy airman, duty done. Engines off, chocks in.”

Honouring departed Freemasons
• Alan White of Gavel Lodge No. 8928 (UK) has set up a Facebook group to honour Brethren who have passed to the Grand Lodge Above during this period of enforced isolation. The group is called Peace Love & Harmony (Departed Merit). Alan realised that in normal times departed brethren would be memorialised at Lodge meetings and Lodge members and visitors would be able to share their memories of departed brethren at the festive board afterward. During the current Coronavirus pandemic, while Lodges are not meeting, Alan thought a Facebook group would be a good place to show our respect to those who have passed and to share our memories of the lives they lived. In less than two weeks the group has grown to more than 1100 members drawn from across the world.

Tonight at 7pm
• At 7pm tonight (Tues.) Richmond Lodge will be doing online Masonic trivia, sharing their online YouTube channel where you can visit a meet a member and catch  up with everyone for a quick hello. Richmond Lodge online meetings are open for members and friends. Meaning you don’t have to be a Freemason to join. ONLINE or to join  via phone use +61 3 8594 5980 PIN: 513 884 683#• There are are no wrong answers for the trivia quiz. If you would like the cheat sheet EMAIL – for a sneak peek checkout this POST on the Facebook page 

VAT leaders at Board
• Paul Brennand, Ian Buckingham, Matteo Donato and Ash Long, Volunteer Action Team leaders, will make presentations to a Board of General Purposes meeting being held by Zoom tonight (Tues.).

Loyalty card for Kiwis
• Freemasons New Zealand have introduced a loyalty card where benefits go back to their Grand Lodge. The Freemasons Kiwi Fuel Card is being promoted as a device where a percentage of each fuel purchase goes back to Freemasons NZ, DETAILS

Remembering VE Day
• Portcullis 2038 lit up Langports night sky in celebration of VE Day on May 8. The Union Flag was projected onto the side of the building and attracted a number of people – suitably socially distancing of course. Lodge Secretary Ian Moore said: “We had been planning a street party with people dressed up in the clothing of the period, however, this obviously had to be abandoned so we used the projector instead. We are keen to keep in touch with as many of our members as possible and celebrating a historic event using our Lodge building shows people that we are still here at the ‘centre of the known universe’.

What’s On: online meetings

• Tuesday, May 19. 7pm. Richmond Lodge. Weekly Online Meeting. EMAIL for an invitation
• Tuesday, May 19. 7.15pm. Brunswick United Lodge. Virtual Business Meeting. Speaker: Adrian Sutter, a founder of Swiss 8. Proactive mental tools for military veterans. LINK
• Friday, May 22. 7.30pm. Victorian Lodge of Research. Guest Speaker: John Molnar. ‘What Is Freemasonry For?’ LINK

With thanks to www.masonsconnect.com
Please advise us of online meetings, so we can publicise in FVNews.

World News
• “A record number of charities will receive a hand up to continue their important work in the community, as Hand Heart Pocket the Charity of Freemasons Queensland provides close to $700,000 in emergency support and Community Grants in the wake of COVID-19. COVID-19 Emergency Grants totalling almost $600,000 have been provided to 10 charities to help them continue their services and to meet emerging needs as a result of the pandemic. Five of the organisations to benefit are grassroots charities identified by Freemason Lodges. While some of Hand Heart Pocket’s charity partners have received more substantial and flexible support such as Murilla Community Centre in Miles, Vanguard Laundry Services in Toowoomba, Bloomhill Cancer Care on theSunshine Coast and COUCH Wellness Centre in Cairns.”

Masonic Mailbag
• Robert Pullin writes: “My view is that brethren mentioned in FV News should be given their correct masonic title … It is not how Freemasons Victoria has operated since being in existence. For example, John Patterson mentioned is Rt. Wor. Bro. John Patterson, PDGM.“
• Editor replies: “The newsletter is designed for an audience of both Freemasons and non-Freemasons. We have made the VERY deliberate decision to make the newsletter user-friendly, especially for potential candidates, and eliminate the pre-nominals and post-nominals. The only exceptions are in obituary notices, where the rank is often included to tell the Masonic career of a Brother.”

Masonic Trivia
• The Lodge of Social and Military Virtues had had some unusual experiences during the earlier years of its existence. Gould mentions two occasions prior to the regiment’s tour of duty in New South Wales when its Masonic chest had fallen into the hands of the enemy and had been returned. The first was during the American War of Independence when, by the chances of war, the chest was taken by the Americans. This circumstance was reported to General Washington, himself a Freemason, who directed that a guard of honour should take charge of the chest, with other articles of value belonging to the 46th, and return them to the regiment. The second occurred in Dominica in 1805 when the 46th was attacked by a French force which it repelled, but in the action again had the misfortune to lose its Masonic chest, which the enemy succeeded in securing on board their fleet without knowing its contents. Three years afterwards, the French Government, at the request of the officers who commanded the expedition, returned the chest with several complementary presents, in itself an act which was a reflection of the Government’s views on the moral and social value and the general usefulness of Freemasonry.”

Masonic Wisdom
• “Your job gives you authority. Your behaviour gives you respect” – Irwin Federman
• “You do not lead by hitting people over the head — that’s assault, not leadership.” –  Dwight D. Eisenhower

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.FVNews.com.au Email: editor@FVNews.com.au
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