FVNews Daily. 
No 52. Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Today marks the annual  feast of St John the Baptist.
From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action TeamFVNews Daily is also available at www.FVNews.com.au
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Vale Garry Fruhwald
• We regret to advise thatBro. Garry Fruhwald of Phillip Island Lodge No. 512, aged 78, passed to the Grand Lodge Above on Monday morning (June 22). So mote it be.

Grand Installation Countdown: 3 days to go
• ‘The Streaming Guys’ will provide a live streaming of the Quarterly Communication at 2pm this Saturday (June 27), followed by the Grand Installation at 3.15pm. The QC will include presentations on Constitutional Reform and Test Vote (Ian Upjohn, Grand Registrar), a vote on the expulsion of a member, a Board of General Purposes segment by Acting President Peter Clark, Grand Lodge Financials by Grand TreasurerCraig Head, and an address by Grand Master Keith Murray.
• Presentations will be given by the Board of General Purposes, Directors of Royal Freemasons, and Freemasons Foundation Victoria.
• The QC and Grand Installation can be viewed with this LINK

GM-Elect at Unity and Prudence
• Richard Elkington will be addressing the brethren on Thursday night at Geelong Lodge of Unity and Prudence at 7.30pm on Thursday (June 25). Brethren will be logging on at 7.15pm, advises Graham Berry. LINK

Re-opening of country lodges
• Grand Secretary Garry Runge advises: “As per the Board of General Purposes advice last week in relation to the re-opening of Country Lodgeson a trial basis from Saturday, August 1, the following must be taken into consideration:• All Country Masonic Centres and Country Lodge meetings must fall under the guidelines of the Federal and State Governments.• If a Lodge meeting is held then social distancing must be adhered to.• Country Lodges should plan to hold administrative and educational meetings, not degree ceremonies or Installations.• Ceremonial Meetings (Degree work) must not be held until further advice from the Grand Secretary.• Festive Boards/Souths immediately following a lodge meeting must not, unless in exceptional circumstances be held in a Masonic Centre.• No Installations will be held at this point until further advice from the Grand Secretary.• Casual social gatherings must not be held in Masonic Centres until further notice.

New sign-in procedures
• To support the new changes regarding the monitoring of the flu vaccine for all visitors to Royal Freemasons aged care homes, a new Linksafe software has been installed to manage the sign-in process.
• Linksafe allows visitors to upload their 2020 vaccination certificate or receipt into the secure system for quicker and easier sign-in when visiting the homes.
Visitors can complete the process online by uploading a photograph and proof of vaccination. LINK

Peter Julier will speak
• Stuart Chalmers notifies: “Malvern-Waverley Mark Lodge No 39 has scheduled a Zoom meeting on their regular meeting night on Friday (June 26).Following a short time covering administration items, MWBro Peter Julier, GM, will talk on ‘Current proposals for reopening Masonic buildings and holding Lodge meetings’.” LINK

Masonic origins in Fiji

The ruins of the Masonic Temple in Levuka. Copyright: Fiji Times
• The Fiji Times has published a feature story about Freemasonry. “In Fiji, freemasonry began in 1871 at “high noon” on December 27 when a “Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons” in Polynesia was opened at Levuka, then the seat of Government headed by Ratu Seru Cakobau. Note that in the 1870s Levuka was full of tumultuous and dramatic events.” LINK

Masonic Relief in the Philippines
• “Members of Clarence F. Smith Daylight Lodge  No. 866, Free and Accepted Masons, Grand Lodge of California, which meets in Van Nuys, embarked upon an international relief plan, which has now come to fruition, for the benefit of desperate families overseas dealing with the pandemic.• “Brothers of CFS Daylight Lodge endeavored to raise funds and obtain relief goods for international distribution to families living under the direstcircumstances in the City of Bacoor, Province of Cavite, Republic of the Philippines. Their effort helped more than 100 families in Bacoor Cavite.” LINK

What’s On: online meetings
• Wednesday, June 24. 7.30pm. Argyle Lodge. Guest Speaker: Ash Long, Chair, Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team. LINK

Go to www.masonsconnect.com

Please advise us of online meetings, so we can publicise in FVNews.

World News
• “Charity organisations across Yorkshire have benefitted from grants totalling more than £80,000 during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, courtesy of the region’s Freemasons,” reports the Yorkshire Press. “In the 12 weeks since the (UK) Government imposed a “lockdown”, theProvince of Yorkshire West Riding has given donations ranging from between £1000 and £5000 to no fewer than 21 different organisations.”LINK

FV Finances
• Peter Clark, Acting President of the Board of General Purposes, makes these comments about Freemasons Victoria finances in the papers for this Saturday’s Quarterly Communication:
• “COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on our investment income. As soon as the effects of the Coronavirus became apparent, the members of the Finance Committee have been meeting weekly, working closely with our investment advisors, J B Were, in order to monitor the market closely and re-structure our investments to limit the effects of COVID19 as much as possible.• “FinCom in conjunction with the staff of the commercial services group have also been working very hard to complete the Draft 2020-21 Budgetwhich was submitted by the Grand Treasurer at the June Board meeting. This draft budget is not only focused on aligning FV financially, with the strategic plan and enhancing the Member experience, but ensuring that we meet our fiscal obligations, in building a sustainable organisation.• “I would like to acknowledge and thank our Grand Treasurer Bro. Craig Head, the Finance Committee, under the chairmanship of Bro. Larry Jackson, and especially staff members Mr Frank Warner and Mrs Jennifer Galea, for the dedication and professionalism they have all demonstrated on behalf of FV.”

Masonic Knowledge
• You agree to be a good man and true, and strictly to obey the Moral Law.
• You are to be a peaceable subject, and cheerfully to conform to the laws of the country in which you reside.• You promise not to be concerned in plots or conspiracies against Government.- Antient Charges and Regulations (Nos. 1-3)

Masonic Wisdom
• “We are made for co-operation, like feet, like hands, like the rows of the upper and lower teeth. To act against one another then is contrary to Nature, and it is acting against one another to be vexed and to turn away.”– Marcus Aurelius

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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