FVNews 

No. 188. Wednesday, June 16, 2021
• From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team

• Email: editor@FVNews.com.au or Ash@Long.com.au
• Subscribe/Unsubscribe HERE
• FVNews is also available at the website: www.FVNews.com.au
• All Back Copies are available at: https://fvnews.com.au/wp/back-copies/

In This Issue

1. Countdown to July 1

2. Business Meeting Tonight

3. Honours for Victorian Freemasons

4. Grand Master Interviews Leaders

5. New Grand Almoner

6. Pithy Paragraphs

7. World News

8. New Subscribers

9. Sincere Thanks

10. Please Send Your Summons

11. Vale William Wallace

12. Videos

13. Essential Information

14. Masonic Knowledge

15. What’s On

1. Countdown to July 1

• It is a fortnight before July 1. Lodges and Masonic Centres across Victoria are preparing to re-open on that date, subject to the Government’s COVID-19 restrictions. In the meantime, a number of Lodges are holding Zoom meetings, and some are holding in-person get-togethers at hotels and restaurants, within the COVID-Safe rules. It is an appropriate time to re-commence weekly publication of FVNews.

2. Business Meeting Tonight

• A pre-recorded Business Meeting of Freemasons Victoria will be streamed from 7.30pm tonight (Wed.). A link will be available at the Freemasons Victoria website at that time.

3. Honours for Victorian Freemasons
• Included in the Queen’s Birthday Honours were David Gibbs AM, OAM: Haydn Bailey, Kenneth Broomhead, William Church, Harold Summers, Kenneth Birkett, Russell Haines, Ricardo Krauskopf, Kevin Mitchell, Raymond Weston, John Wightwick.

4. Grand Master Interviews Leaders

• Richard Elkington, Grand Master, has interviewed Volunteer Action Team leaders Ian Buckingham (Masonic Learning), Paul Brennand (Membership), Matt Donato (Works) and Ash Long (Communications and Marketing). WATCH THE VIDEO

5. New Grand Almoner
• VWBro. David Thompson, PGChaplain, has been appointed as the Grand Almoner of Freemasons Victoria. Along with other members of the Harmony and Spirituality Volunteer Action Team, the Grand Almoner position covers the pastoral care of our 7600 members across Victoria. He succeeds Barry Minster.

6. Pithy Paragraphs
• ‘Joining Masons: one of the best things I have ever done’. READ MORE
• Comms. Success Story: Bob Pullin has passed on the Geelong Times feature article about the Freemasons Foundation presentation to Hope Bereavement.
• Comms. Success Story: David Gibbs AM is on the front cover of the Southern Cross Weekly edition of The Local Paper.

• Comms. Success Story: Felix Pintado, Grand Chaplain, passes on a Philippines Times feature story about Plaridel Lodge.
• Comms. Success Story: David Game has sent a Midland Express report about a Zetland Lodge donation for a boy with cerebral palsy.

• IVALDA Lodge of Instruction has a new website: https://ivaldaloi.com.au

7. World News
• Families and children experiencing severe poverty in India during the COVID-19 pandemic will be receiving vital emergency support thanks to a grant of £50,000 from The Masonic Charitable Foundation and Hertfordshire Freemasons to Plan International UK. READ MORE

• The United Grand Lodge of England has become a strategic partner of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, funding a new national program to upskill its team and volunteers. More than 30,000 young people with disabilities and special educational needs will be able to take part in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, thanks to a grant of £300,000 from the Freemasons. READ MORE
8. New Subscribers
• We are building FVNews to be a vital 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 welcome Peter Dettmann, Paul Spadaro, Wayne Ritchie, Anton Alers
9. Sincere Thanks

• Amongst those who assisted with contributions and encouragement have included: Barry Reaper, Jonathan Krane, Garry Runge, Len Baker, Stephen Measey, Peter Wardley, Ian Samuel, Brian Bennett, Ken Crouch, John Rosenberg, Felix Pintado, Arthur Tan, Keith Klooger, Di Tyndall, Graham Berry, Robert Brennand, Paul Brennand, John McTaggart, John Blyth, John Patterson, Ken Calder, Ronen Jachimowicz, Garry James, Murray Luxford, Craig Spendlove, Mervyn Hallam, Tony McDonall, Bruce Stockdale, Adam Woledge, Andrew Geary, Ross Broad, Colin Randall, Max Paulet, Colin Peterson, David George, Jeff Cripps, Graham Sloman, Robert Billing, Colin Stockdale, Neil Corlett, Jason Gribble, Brendan Kyne, James Jolly, Peter Crick, Jodi Wilson, David Draffin, Graham Dines, Wes Turnbull, Bob Orr, Richard Clark, David Game, Bruce Wilde, Emmanuel Marabeliotakis, Geoff Partridge, Peter Weeding, Patrick Strachan, John Zalewski, Rhys Webb, Barrie Young, Nikolas Sakellaropoulos, Peter Hamilton, Shaun Gilchrist, Tony Matern, James Lintern, Nerolie and Andrew Gleeson, Neil Cripps, Rodney Lavin.

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

11. Vale William Wallace

• We regret to advise of the sudden passing to the Grand Lodge Above of Wor. Bro. William Reeves Wallace, Past Master of The Diamond Valley Lodge. A family tribute says he “passed away calmly beside his beloved wife Joanie“. He was father of Emma and James, father-in-law of Stel and Naomi, grandfather of Ashlynn, Tylan, Olympia, Helena and Lexi. A service will be held at 11am on Monday (June 21). Livestream: www.hallsfunerals.com.au Arrangements are in the hands of Halls Funeral Services, Diamond Creek.

12. Videos

• Grand Master’s Video (June 11). WATCH
• Change Management Video (Robert Brennand). (02:53) WATCH

• Grand Master’s Chat (May 27). (19:47) WATCH

• Grand Master’s Announcement (May 21). (05:20) WATCH

13. Essential Information

• Freemasons Victoria. Re-Opening Lodges: The Manual. Version 2. READ

• Freemasons Victoria. COVID-19 Modifications for Lodge Ceremonies. LOG IN at Freemasons Victoria website

14. Masonic Knowledge

• Mervyn Hallam passes on this quote: “When I refer to the Square, I compare it with a builder checking his work as he goes about his daily chores, to each of us checking ourselves, (our behaviour, manners etc) as we too go about our daily chores.”

15. What’s On (16 listings)
UPDATED EACH EDITION

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

Thursday, June 17

• 7.30pm. Ivanhoe Grammarians Lodge. Committee of General Purposes. By Zoom.

Saturday, June 19

• 9am. Lodge Secretaries’ Course. By Zoom. BOOK

Sunday, June 20

• 5pm. Melbourne High School Lodge. Zoom Meeting. Vote for Office Bearers, Notice of Motion.

Monday, June 21

• 7.30pm. Lodge of Good Companions. By Zoom.
• 7.30pm. The King David Lodge. The Fred Kohn Memorial Lecture: Freemasonry in Colonial Victoria – Chaps, Rogues & on the 1866 Masonic Guide. Presented by Brendan Kyne, Dep.Grand Supt. Of Education. ZOOM

Wednesday, June 23

• 7.30pm. Lodge Fraternal. Talk: The History of Lodge Fraternal. ZOOM

Thursday, June 24

• TBA. The Feast of St John. Australian Lodges of St John. By Zoom.

Tuesday, June 29

• 7.30pm. Endeavour Virtual Lodge. By Zoom.

Thursday, July 1

• 7pm. Ivanhoe Grammarians Lodge. Master-Elect’s Obligation. Double Second Degree. 75th Anniversary of Consecration. Master’s Last Night. At Ivalda Masonic Centre.

• 7pm. Lodge Killara. Double First Degree, At Greensborough Masonic Centre. (Installation has been deferred to September 2).

Monday, July 5

• TBA. Commonwealth Lodge. Second Degree.

Wednesday, July 7

• 10am. VAT Leaders’ Meeting with Grand Secretary. By Zoom.

Monday, July 12

• 7.30pm. Freemasons Victoria. Quarterly Communication. At Freemasons Bayside.

Saturday, July 17

• TBA. SEAVIC Lodge. Installation of Barry Brooks

Sunday, July 18

• 4pm. Melbourne High School Lodge. In-person meeting.

Monday, July 19

• 7pm and 7.30pm respectively. United Wimmera Royal Ark Mariner and Mark. Zoom Meeting.

INFORMATION TO KNOW
FVNews is published by VWor. 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 FVNews is an opt-in email. If, for any reason, you would prefer not to receive our emails, simply reply to editor@FVNews.com.au or fill out the Unsubscribe form at https://fvnews.com.au/wp/subscribe/  – type OPT OUT in the subject line, and please include your email address. Or use the unsubscribe option at https://fvnews.com.au/wp/subscribe/

DISCLAIMER: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text of FVNews belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the United Grand Lodge of Victoria (Freemasons Victoria) organisation, committee or other group or individual. Readers should take all steps necessary to ascertain that information you receive from FVNews is correct and has been verified. FVNews assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site. The information contained in FVNews is provided on an “as is” basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness.​