FVNews Daily. 
No 33. Wednesday, May 27, 2020
From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action TeamFVNews Daily is also available at www.FVNews.com.au
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Tassie GM at Lodge Amicus
• Grand Master-Elect Richard Elkington and a special visitor, MW Bro Phillip Oddie GM, Tasmania, were at Lodge Amicus No 928 Business and Social Meeting held last night (Tues.). There were 41 at the online meeting.  Director PGM Don Reynolds, pulled a stunt and made almost everyone stand up to check clothing. Those not wearing trousers but shorts, track suit pants etc. were fined $50 each. A tidy sum for a charitable pursuit, writes Anthony Bucca• Bro. Oddie spoke about getting back to lodge in August-September. Tasmania at this stage has had no new cases in 10 days. IPM Brent Rodrigues joined from hospital where he has been an inpatient for a few days for some tests. 

4-part video: building builders
• Keith Murray provides a LINK to coach John S. Nagy’s video of The Worldwide Exemplification on Freemasonry. The link is one of four parts, made possible by the Building Series of Uncommon Catechism for Uncommon Masonic Education. A theme is that ‘Freemasonry Builds Builders’.

Virtual Table Lodge Tonight
• Bookings will be taken until 3pm today (Wed.) for the Virtual Table Lodge demonstration including the Celebration of the Seven Toasts to be held at 7pm for 7.30pm by the Mordialloc Lodge of Charity. Attire: dinner suit, bow tie. Donations (to the Police Legacy Fund) will be collected at time of booking, advises Bruce Stockdale. BOOK NOW
Video on Mentoring• Peter White writes about the Mentor Team which is part of the Membership Volunteer Action Team. The Team has been working on a self-paced training program, as members cannot train face to face at present. LINK

More on ‘Peace and Loyalty’
• Peter Julier is always a welcome caller to the FVNews Daily office. He provided more details on the Peace and Loyalty Lodge centenary at Ferntree Gully last weekend. He says the Tracing Board made its way from Sandridge Marine Lodge at Port Melbourne to the hills. He also remarked on P&L founder Arthur Baker … there is another Arthur Baker (possibly a grandson) in Masonic circles at Port Melbourne.

Rahim’s Top 10 COVID pointers
• Rahim Samat provides his general guide is to help slow the spread of COVID-19 within Lodges.
• Actively encourage sick Freemasons to stay home  • Consider conducting on-the-spot temperature health checks
• Identify where and how Freemasons might be exposed to COVID-19 in Lodges, that is hand rails, door knobs, touch points, light switches or push buttons, toilet flush, utensils, table tops, chairs, gavels, attendance book and pen, Deacon’s wands, Lodge room railings and surfaces, Secretary’s desk, organ keys.
• Freemasons Lodge members do not need to wear cloth mask coverings when attending Lodges, if healthy
• Advise Lodge members to stay home if they suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 • Educate Lodge members about steps they can take to protect themselves at home and at Lodge
• Implement COVID-19 prevention and supportive policies
• Assess Lodge essential functions only. That is, Open and Close Lodge (short version), Lodge Ritual Ceremonies (short version), Installation (short version)• Lodges should consider how to operate if Lodge members absenteeism spikes higher • Establish policies and practices for social distancing

100 tablet computers for patients
• “The Freemasons of South Wales (UK) have donated 100 tablet computers to local hospitals to ensure patients can keep in touch with their families. Families of hospital patients are unable to visit their loved ones because of lockdown regulations caused by the covid-19 pandemic, at this time. With personal contact not currently possible, patients and families must resort to digital means to stay in touch, and some do not have this facility,” says the Barry & District Times.

Public Schools Lodges
• Dr Brian Austen writes: “I enjoy reading your notes. You may include the Public Schools Lodges and the history starting from University, sponsoring Caulfield which sponsored Trinitywho in return sponsored Carey. Carey being Baptist was to be ‘dry’ but John Coleman Snr (Trinity Grammarians) was also a member at Carey and being a senior manager with a large brewery, Carlton Brewery, it soon became a ‘wet’ Lodge too. Unfortunately they were very divided and finally closed. We [Trinity] were also very good examples of a well-balanced wet Lodge? We went home on time at 11.30pm and did not place Abbottsford or Carlton Draught lager labels on the ceilings. I think? It was a time of the 6pm closing regulations in hotels. I remember!”

Mental Wellbeing initiative
• Masonic Charities (South Australia and Northern Territory) has made a $650,000 commitment to support a research partnership between the University of South Australia and theUniversity of Adelaide, to develop an interactive, online wellbeing tool to help people with practical, evidence-based strategies to manage stress, adapt to change and strengthen their mental health and wellbeing. Only one third of people experiencing mental disorders will access traditional, face-to-face mental health services.• Dr Neil Jensen, Masonic Charities Director, Grand Master of Freemasons SA/NT and General Practitioner, says the online initiative will ensure time-pressured GPs are better equipped to help their patients tackle mental health issues and will go some way to bridging the gaps between Australians accessing primary care and mental health services. LINK

What’s On: online meetings

• Wednesday, May 27. 7pm. Mordialloc Lodge of Charity. Virtual Table Lodge. LINK

• Wednesday, May 27. 7pm. Masonic Education Network (NSW). The Sir Walter Scott Lodge Lectures. LINK
• Thursday, May 28. 7pm. Blue Lounge Social Club. Educational Forum. LINK

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

World News
• “Gussie’s Kitchen (UK), which is based at St Augustine’s Church, has provided more than 1000 free food parcels to people who are struggling during the current crisis,” says theDerbyshire Times. “Now, generous Freemasons who meet at Spencer Lodge in Littleover, Derby, have dug deep to donate £2500 to Gussie’s Kitchen.” FULL STORY

Masonic Mailbag
• Donald Paterson writes about items published this week in FVNews Daily about the Grand Lodge budget strategy process. “Does anyone know what that strategy is? What is the basis of the current budgeting for FY20-21: what we did last year – I hope not? Anywhere else I have been the operational strategy comes first – does anyone know what this is or do we have theTreasury controlling the operational strategy? I have heard about our strategy for a long time but in my lifetime I have never heard of a strategy that is not modified when it is failing, and it would be hard to argue that ours has, or is being a success in recent years. Looks like reducing membership numbers, in the city making everyone meet at either Box Hill, Bayside orEastbourne, and selling everywhere else, little or no control over senior Grand Lodge expenditures and using the capital from asset sales to support the operational budget.”
• Editor notes: The Freemasons Victoria Strategic Plan 2017-2025 can be read HERE

Masonic Trivia
• In the Wisconsin Masonic Journal we find it stated that John Wesley, the Founder of Methodism was made a Mason in Downpatrick Lodge No 36, in Ireland, on October 30, 1738.  However, according to Bro. Alphonse Cerza writing for the Masonic Service Association, a thorough investigation of this statement was made by Bro. W. J. Chetwode Crawley who says: “Reviewing the circumstances of the supposed initiation of the Reverend John Wesley … we are driven to the conclusion that the idea is altogether illusory, and based on a palpable confusion of identity.” Also, the Rev. Wesley’s diaries prove that he was in England on the night another John Wesley was made a Mason in Downpatrick, Ireland.”

Masonic Wisdom
• “”Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organisation.” –Warren Bennis

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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