From the East

Greetings from the East,

I hope everyone’s May was pleasant and went well. We had a busy May at the lodge. 

We kicked off the month with a Lodge Open House. Brother Stuart Stackhouse did a great job organizing this, along with all the other brothers who assisted. We had representatives from our lodge, Eastern Star, Rainbow Girls, Shrine and Scottish Rite present, it turned out to be a fun evening of fellowship.

Our 65^th Annual Scholarship event was well attended; the recipients were very grateful. We were exceptionally proud to present awards to 15 students this year! A big thanks to Brothers Art Walasek, Pedro Sanchez, and Noel Lukas who represented Natoma Lodge #64 at the scholarship events held at the local high schools. I've included a picture of the scholarship committee and the recipients in attendance at the awards ceremony and stated meeting dinner below.

Thank you to Worshipful Bill Miklos for his presentation on “Further Light in Masonry” held at Natoma Lodge. We had a great turn out for our Luau Party, plenty of delicious food and fun. Thank you to all those who assisted, Br. Noel Lukas and Br. Jeff Joe did some heavy lifting to make our Luau a success.

Moving into June we have a busy month planned. Brother Jerry Hayes will be giving his 1^st degree proficiency at the Stated Meeting on Thursday, June 1, and we should be having 1^st Degree initiations for Mr. Don Hampton and Mr. Melvin Manalo, and a 2^nd Degree for Br. Hayes. Notifications will be sent out with dates and times. Brothers, as we all know when someone is initiated, passed or raised it is a very important event in their lives and for the lodge, please make every effort to attend and support our initiates and brothers at their degrees.

We will be holding a Parking Lot Sale (rummage sale), fund-raising event Saturday, June 17, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Natoma Lodge. We have items that were donated to the lodge that we will be selling and any other items that may get donated. There will be more information to follow. Brother Doug Roberts is heading up this event.

We will once again be participating in the Historic Folsom's Hometown Parade on Saturday, June 24. The parade runs from 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., includes some 70 local entries including marching bands, floats, service organizations, wild west groups, vintage fire and police vehicles, horses and more. We will be accompanied on our float by our Rainbow Girls and Eastern Star. The parade runs down Sutter Street from Scott to Reading. If you can’t participate with us, please attend the parade and support us. There will be many fun activities in the district after the parade to continue the celebration!

As always, one of the best ways to start off the month is to come to the Lodge breakfast on Saturday, June 3. Hope to see you there!                 

Please have a great June and stay cool. Feel free to contact me, 916-990-1469.

From the West

One of the three tenets of Freemasonry is truth. Truth is not only a moral virtue, but also a spiritual principle that guides us in our quest for knowledge and wisdom. To be good and True is the first lesson we are taught in Freemasonry. Truth is the foundation of our fraternity, and the basis of our mutual trust and respect. Truth is also the ultimate goal of our symbolic journey through the degrees of Masonry, as we learn to subdue our passions, improve ourselves, and serve humanity.

But what is truth, exactly? How do we define it, and how do we recognize it? Is truth absolute or relative? Is truth the same for everyone, or does it depend on our perspective and experience? These are some of the questions that have fascinated philosophers, scientists, and mystics throughout history, and that still challenge us today. As Freemasons, we are encouraged to seek truth in ourselves, in others, and in the world around us. We are also taught to be tolerant of different opinions and beliefs, and to respect the right of every person to seek truth in their own way.

As Freemasons, we are always learning new things, expanding our horizons, and deepening our understanding. We are always striving to be more truthful in our words and actions, and to live in harmony with the universal laws that govern our existence.

Truth is one of the most precious gifts that we can offer to ourselves and to others. It is also one of the most challenging ones. Truth requires courage, honesty, and humility. Truth can sometimes be uncomfortable, inconvenient, or even painful. But truth can also be liberating, inspiring, and empowering. Truth can transform us from darkness to light, from ignorance to enlightenment, from fear to love. Remember that we are not alone in our search for truth, we have a brotherhood of fellow seekers who support us and can guide us along the way. And above all, we have the Great Architect of the Universe, who is the source and essence of all truth.

Fraternally and on the Level,

Stuart Stackhouse

Senior Warden

From the South

Welcome all to June, we had a really cool May…for the most part. Now we get ready for sweet, sweet summertime heat. Yes, that is sarcasm.

June is starting off with a bang as we roll right into our Stated dinner/meeting on the 1^st. This is my favorite way to eat, potluck style. So please come join us, bring your favorite dish to share and let’s have some good old-fashioned fellowship.

Saturday the 3^rd will be our monthly breakfast. So come hungry and bring a friend or three to hang out with. Still for only a $5 donation. Take that, IHOP!

We are looking to have a couple of degrees this month so please make arrangements to show up and help welcome a new brother. More details to come.

As far as events go, we have the Historic Folsom's Hometown Parade on June 24 which is a great opportunity for us to show up in numbers and let people know that Freemasonry is alive and strong in Folsom. So come out, ride the float or walk if you are inclined to, and let’s show Folsom who we are!

I will end this is saying thanks to everyone who helped put on, what I feel was, a great Luau. Special thanks to Brother Joe, the food you made was amazing and very much appreciated. You did so much work to make this happen and it was a lot of fun partnering up with you to make this event the special day that it was. From the roasted pig to the Moco Loco along with the macaroni salad, it was just fantastic. Of course, many thanks to Brother Kevin and Nicole Williams for the desserts. My waistline hates you but my taste buds adore you. Brother Walasek, thank you for your help with getting the food, prepping with me and keeping the people entertained with the music. The addition of the speaker system really helped out. Also, a huge shout to Vanessa Walasek for her hula dancing that added a fun touch to keep things festive. Brother Lane, thanks for getting us the second roaster and picking out the pigs, along with getting them prepared. We forgive you for the Crisco idea, well, at least I do. Brother Sanchez thank you for the Adobo de Puerco, it was a great addition to the meal. Of course, thanks to all that stuck around afterward to help clean up. I am greatly appreciative that this day was fun, but very long!



Until next month, fraternally and By the Plumb,

Noel Lukas

Junior Warden

From the Northeast Corner

Greetings Brethren,

Lots of activity going on with our candidates this month! Brother Jerry Hayes will be passed to the degree of Fellowcraft and Brothers Greg Lane and Shashin Mogarab are making great progress in EA degree. I think they will be ready for advancement in July. Also, we are expecting two new EA’s in June.

As always, coaches are always needed. We have sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me or call me @ (916) 203-3656.

Fraternally Yours,

Joe Freidson P.M.

Head Candidates Coach

From Natoma Rainbow Assembly #90

Natoma Rainbow Girls had an action packed May!

We held a Mother’s Day Brunch on Saturday, May 13 to raise funds for a future IORG/Disney leadership conference. The Natoma lodge was in spectacular form decked out with white cloth tablecloths and pink accents with fresh flowers aplenty. The many food choices tasted amazing. In addition, freshly made corsages were sold to raise funds for Sophia’s Hope project. It was a wonderful way to kick off Mother’s Day weekend.

Next, on Saturday, May 20, the Rainbow Girls held a Service Day event. Natoma Assembly and one of our Camellia sisters got lost in the joys of service. We worked on dog tugs for Pawsitive Teams, knit baby hats for the NICU at Sutter Roseville hospital, wrote and delivered 40 thank you cards to the Folsom Police Department, decorated 50 lunch bags for the local homeless meal program and even started several summer pen-pal trains with IORG assemblies to be mailed all over the globe. It was a day of service but also a day of sisterhood and memories.

Next up, please save the date and join Rainbow for our Father’s Day Brunch on Saturday, June 10th.

From New Hope Chapter #117

Please join us for a reception honoring Mary Davis, Grand Organist, for her years of dedication and musical excellence on Saturday, June 24 at 7:00 p.m. RSVPs due on or before June 16. We hope to see you there!