FVNews Daily  
COMBINED EDITION
No. 145. Monday-Tuesday, November 23-24, 2020

• From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team

• Email: editor@FVNews.com.au or Ash@Long.com.au
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What’s On (34 listings)
UPDATED DAILY.

Please notify us about your event. 
Please include date, time, talk details, attire, and a link.
Email: editor@FVNews.com.au

Monday, November 23

• 6pm. St George Lodge, Dunolly. Family Gathering. RSVP
• 7.30pm. Masonic Caravan Club. LINK
• 7.30pm. South Gippsland Mark. Talk: Warren Gilbert, ‘Mark Masonry Before 1813’. LINK Meeting ID: 993 4347 5482  Passcode: 306566 
• 7.30pm. 7.50pm: Visitors. Spring Vale Lodge. Virtual Tour: Grand Lodge of Philadelphia. Attire: Smart Casual. LINK

Tuesday, November 24

• 7pm. Lodge Amalthea. Talk: Chris White, ‘Freemasonry and the Goat’. LINK• 7pm. Peace and Loyalty Lodge. Talk: David Howell, ‘Kokoda Track’. LINK

• 7pm. 7.30pm: Visitors. Pakenham Mark Lodge. Talk: Leigh Norman, ‘The Importance of the Mark Degree’. LINK TBA.

• 7pm. 7.45pm: Visitors. Lodge Amicus. Presentation 40-year anniversary to Anthony Bucca, Deputy Grand Master, by Richard Elkington, Grand Master, assisted by Bob Jones, Past Grand Master. LINK Meeting ID: 811 8315 4173. Passcode: 152732
• 7.15pm. Warragul Lodge. Talk: Ian Belling, Surprise Topic. LINK Meeting ID: 896 7198 0433. Passcode: Lodge677

• 7.15pm for 7.30pm. Mount Scopus and Collegians Lodge. Talk: The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite In Australia and also the Universal Rite which is open to all Faiths.  Vacant Chair Ceremony. Attire: Dinner Suit or Lounge Suit and Tie. LINK Meeting ID: 882 7348 8384. Passcode: 348470
• 7.30pm.Admiral Collingwood Lodge. Talk: Charges of a Freemason. LINK Meeting ID: 874 1439 6373. Passcode: 366679
• 7.30pm.Djerriwarrh Lodge. Ceremony of the Vacant Chair, Official visit by City of Footscray-Wyndham Lodge. Talk: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Talk: The

Origins of Freemasonry, Other Theories, The Knights Templar. Attire, neat casual. LINK ID: 956 568 1005. Passcode: 338729

• 7.30pm. Middle Park Lodge. Talk: Ben Quick, ‘The Order of Free Gardeners’. LINK Meeting ID: 873 6016 3788. Password: 607640.

Wednesday, November 25

• 7pm.Dimboola RAM and West Wimmera Mark Lodge. Talk: Craig Spendlove, ‘Following In The Footsteps of Noah’. Current and former MMM, Current and former RAM Masons ONLY. LINK Meeting ID: 898 0025 3466 . Passcode: 276944
• 7pm. 7.30pm: Visitors.Keystone Mark Lodge. Virtual tour of East Melbourne by Alex Thomson, Property Manager. LINK Meeting ID 817 4335 5221. Pass code  915526

• 7.15pm.Lodge Fraternal. Vacant Chair presentation, video. Talk: Robert Redman and Jack Aquilina, Royal and Select Masters Order,  LINK
• 7.30pm.Senior Grand Officers Meeting.
• 7.30pm.Werribee Mark Lodge. LINK Meeting ID: 825 3466 3419. Passcode: 095656 

Thursday, November 26

• 7.30pm. Creswick Havilah Lodge. Talk: David Howell, ‘Bita Paka, our first engagement of the Great War; Rabaul 1914’. Attire: Neat Casual. LINK Meeting ID: 864 7865 4227. Passcode: 952808 
• 7.30pm. Leura Lodge. Talk: Neil Smith, ‘Winter In Norway’ with photos. LINK Meeting ID: 682 183 5181. Password: leura50

• 7.30pm. Mornington Peninsula Council No.21 Royal and Select Masters of Victoria. LINK Meeting ID: 860 4625 4883. Passcode: No21

Friday, November 27

• 7.30pm. Victorian Lodge of Research, with Old Scotch Collegians Lodge and Earl of Dunmore Lodge. Talk: Joseph Morrow, ‘Illustrated by Symbols – Masonic Heraldry in Scotland.’ Register enquiries prior to the event. Attire: Smart Casual. LINK

Monday, November 30
• 7pm. Oakleigh Council, Royal and Select Masters. Talk: David Yole. All members past and present of the Order, in addition members of other Orders. Attire: Casual. LINK
• 7.30pm. Citizens Marine Royal Ark Mariners. Talk: W. Jones. RAM Masons only. LINK
• 7.30pm. Great Debate. Teams led by ‘That we should be able to read the ritual’.. Teams led by Kent Henderson and Harry Pitaro. LINK Meeting ID: 822 1742 2503. Passcode: 892911.
Tuesday, December 1
• 7pm. Old Melburnians Lodge. 
• 7.30pm. Williamstown Lodge. Attire: Dinner jacket, white shirt, black bow-tie. LINK Meeting ID: 612 821 4334. Passcode: 105105

Thursday, December 3
• 7pm. 7.30pm: Visitors. Killara Lodge. Talk: Bill Jones, Ararat Power Station. LINK Meeting  ID: 740 6248 2640. Password: 403265 
• 7.30pm. Ivanhoe Grammarians Lodge. LINK to come
Saturday, December 5
• 5pm. Concord Mark Lodge. Talk: Craig Spendlove, ‘A Grand Mark is Born’. LINK Meeting ID: 926 1367 7906. Passcode: 333746
Wednesday, December 9
• TBA. Williamstown Lodge. Christmas Dinner.
Saturday, December 12
• 12 Noon.  Sale of Myrtleford Masonic Centre to Scouts Victoria. Media Event.
Sunday, December 13
• 6.30pm.  Mildura Lodge. Christmas Dinner. At Mildura Golf Resort. (Preceded by 1pm-5pm barbecue at Nowingi Place).
Wednesday, December 16
• TBA. Freemasons Victoria Quarterly Communication or Business Meeting.

Sunday, December 20
• All Day. Bunnings Mernda. Sausage Sizzle. Members of Ivanhoe Grammarians Lodge.

Videos

• Grand Master’s Chat. (25:08) WATCH
• 360° Video. Freemasons Lodge, Sydney. (01:47) WATCH
• The First Wisconsin Masonic Home. Historical Film from 1930s. (15:36) WATCH

Vale Clyde Graeves

• We regret to advise of the passing to the Grand Lodge Above of Bro. Clyde Graeves of Argyle Lodge No. 105, at the age of 91. Lodge representative Rob Henri will advise funeral service details when they come to hand.

Vale Ern Lewis

• We regret to advise of the passing to the Grand Lodge Above of Wor. Bro. Ernest George ‘Ern’ Lewis, on Thursday (Nov. 19). He was 96. Ern was a member of Mildura Lodge No. 70. He gave 76 years of Masonic Service.

Grand Master’s Video

• Richard Elkington, Grand Master, has released his latest video chat. He speaks of his latest videos, Freemasonry Victoria’s approach to renewable energy, potential new Volunteer Action Teams, the idea for a Masonic Festival a St John’s Day celebration next month, reading of ritual, COVID-19, and scheduling of installations and re-consecrations in 2021. (25:08) The video has been watched by 379 people in the first 48 hours. Viewership numbers continue to grow. LINK

More sizzling

• Russell Porter, Secretary of Warrnambool Lodge, writes: “Not to be outdone by the Ivanhoe Grammarians Lodge, the Warrnambool Lodge No 34 is holding a BBQ at the Warrnambool Bunnings on Sunday, December 6, all day, to raise funds to support their charitable works. Any support from Freemasons in the district would be greatly appreciated.” Russel can be contacted on 0407 504 903.

Faultlines in Freemasonry
• The Africa Report advises: “The Freemasons are well anchored in the political scene in Côte d’Ivoire. The political stand-off between the supporters of President Alassane Ouattara, and those who support the opposition Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI) is now creating faultlines in the fraternity of senior politicians who belong to the organisation. Behind the scenes, tensions are rising within the Grand Lodge of Côte d’Ivoire (GLCI), whose Grand Master is Hamed Bakayoko.” LINK

Melbourne Chapter apologises
• Peter Cohen writes: “The companions of Melbourne Chapter sincerely apologise to the Freemasons who could not log onto our zoom meeting last Friday night, November 20. We were informed late in the afternoon.that the link was invalid. This caused us to set up another link and email our companions.  I also emailed Craig Spendlove with the link which he sent out to all the scribes. The lecture and Powerpoint presentation is available from Craig Spendlove.”

Looking after our widows
• At this time each yearIvanhoe Grammarians Lodge takes a trip to a Woolworths or Coles supermarket and purchases about 10 gift cards, each worth about $40, and distributes them to the Lodge widows. The card is distributed with a hand-written note. It provides a handy way for the widows to be reminded that they are always front-of-mind.

Masons help charity drive• In Your Area (UK) reports: “Rochdale Freemasons are supporting HMR Circle’s Volunteer Driver Service as their chosen charity for Christmas 2020. HMR Circle, which supports people over the age of 50 in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, Greater Manchester, has launched a crowdfunding appeal which aims to raise £4000 in the coming days.” LINK

1000 turkeys at Thanksgiving

• WLWT5 TV station, Cincinnati, reports that for more than a decade, the Prince Hall Masonic Family has hosted a food giveaway on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Frank Bowen of the Prince Hall Masons says the drive and giveaway exceeded expectations. “This has been a wonderful day,” he said. This year’s giveaway will provide Thanksgiving dinner to over 1000 families. “To get up to 1000 in a time of pandemic, especially when we didn’t even think we were going to have the event is a blessing in disguise,” Jason House said as he loaded up turkeys into a waiting car.” LINK

World News

• The Cape Gazette (Delaware, USA) reports: “Chad Zook of Masonic Charities of Delaware presented a $10,000 donation as supporters of the Harry K Foundation Annual Christmas Gala and their efforts to defeat childhood hunger in the State of Delaware. For the past seven years, The Harry K Foundation has provided necessary nutritional supplementation to thousands of at-risk children in Delaware, notably through continually replenished food pantries throughout the state. The emergence of COVID-19 profoundly tested the ability to ensure that every child’s need is met.” LINK

New Subscribers

• We are building FVNews to be a vital daily guide to Masonry in Victoria. You can have your free copy emailed to your inbox. Use the ‘Subscribe’ option at www.FVNews.com.au We welcomeShaun Gilchrist, Richard Wyatt

Please Send Your Summons
• Lodges can assist by sending emails about every lodge meeting and event to editor@FVNews.com.au – please include us on your Lodge Summons mailing list.

Famous Freemasons
•  “Ramsey, Sir Alfred Ernest ‘Alf’ (1920-1999) – In his early career, Alf Ramsey was a star player for Tottenham Hotspur and was capped for England 32 times (1948-1954). In 1963 he took over as manager of England, guiding the team to their historic 1966 World Cup 4-2 win against Germany. He was initiated into Waltham Abbey Lodge No. 2750, Hertfordshire, England on October 5, 1953 at the age of 33. Following his passing to The Grand Lodge Above in 1999, his widow, Lady Vickie Ramsey, donated his regalia to his Lodge and this is currently on display at the Masonic Hall in Chingford, Essex.”
– Timothy Horton

Masonic Knowledge
• “A man may see in the rough ashlar a common stone with no potentialities. After initiation we hope that he sees it in a different light and with chisel and hammer will set about making it smooth and fit to adjust his jewels thereon. But he is not a Freemason in the highest sense until he learns that the stone, however rough or smooth it may be, has within it countless billions of atoms, all in motion and all active, and that every particle of matter is alive with God. Also that he is no wise different, but is charged with a Spiritual energy which he alone can know, and which cannot be touched by another. This is the true mystery of Freemasonry. Therefore it behoves us all to have active and alert minds, to be what the ritual calls “;well informed”, not with a surface knowledge alone, but with a calm poise and a peace which is a sure indication of having founding a measure “that which was lost”; Such a man rules his world by his understanding of Good – or God -for our ritual tells us that “God is the chief good”. And having found this good we have found all. PS. In the first degree we mention the word Mysteries 10 times.”
– Morwell Lodge Summons

Masonic Wisdom
• “”In defence of their organisation, Freemasons have argued that the philosophy which underpins their rituals will provide moral guidance to all those who sincerely seek it. They claim it can help men understand how to live in peace with each other and what action they can take to ensure their community progresses to a higher form of civilization. Masons believe that participation in masonic life can promote both spiritual and mental growth, as within a lodge men encounter an atmosphere which encourages them to develop their innate capacities. Masonry is said to lead them to be charitable and more tolerant of others religious beliefs, attentive to their family responsibilities and obedient to the laws of their community.”

 Chapman, M. (1987). Freemasonry and community in nineteenth-century Victoria. Masters Research thesis, Department of Economic History, The University of Melbourne.

The Last Word
• James Trigg writes: “An addition to your ‘Last Word’ from Bro. Roy Rogers – an old Irish epithet “And may you be in Heaven an hour before the Devil learns that you are dead”

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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