Brethren & Candidates,

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Companions:

A reminder for Monday April 21, 2008 we will be meeting at West Suburban Chapter in Downers Grove to finish the degree work (6^th & 7^th) for Fred Broecker and Bill Allred.  We are expected to be there by 7:00 PM at the latest and that will be our meeting per dispensation from the Grand High Priest Bruce Rhinehart. 

A reminder of our invitation to the Girls Official Opening Day Ceremony April 26, 2008 at 4:00 PM.  Game time is 4:30 PM and of course our High Priest Pat Jones will be throwing out the first pitch for our girls!!!!   PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT OUR GIRLS!!!!  The location is: Grant Park in Northlake, entrance White Hall and Wolf Road in Northlake.  White Hall is the 2^nd traffic light North of North Ave. and the 5^th traffic light South of Grand Ave.  If the weather permits please feel free to bring the bikes or custom cars.

During the Northlake Days parade is the Official parade for the Girls Softball, which is the last Sunday of June (29^th).  The parade kicks off at 12 Noon.  MOTORCYCLES MORE THAN WELCOME.  I will send more information as it gets closer.

Sincerely,

Thomas Bachochin

Secretary

Chapter #233

Brethren & Candidates,

Congrats to all of our candidates that completed their 1^st degrees and are now looking forward to their next one. WM Dozer has a planned schedule and we are on schedule and doing some fine work, the officers are doing their own work and we rarely have to go outside for ritual. We just had the DDGM come out for his OV and I think he was more than impressed, and thanked the lodge, its members and Officers for making him look good.

On another note I keep hearing that Freemasonry is dying out and membership is down, I visit a lot of lodges and other appendant bodies within the Masonic community and I say BULL. Masonry is not stagnating but is alive and kicking, one of the most important things we need to do is to re-educate our current Brethren as most of them seem to have forgotten what it was they promised while at the alter all 3 times. RE-EDUCATION????? YES, a lot us from time to time seem to forget the importance of the meaning of freemasonry and its values. I say this only a day after I was talking with one of our newly initiated EAs, I was trying to explain what the York Rite and Scottish Rite were to him. As I explained it to him I also informed him that no man in all of masonry is above the other and there is really no higher degree than the 3^rd degree or Master Mason. I explained to him that all of the higher degrees were a continuing education and if he wanted to he would be able to join the other bodies mentioned above. I hope this helped him out, we need to take the time to explain things to the new brothers and keep their interest. I know of 2 men that came into the fraternity and to this day have yet to visit a lodge and when I asked why they both said that they were never invited or told when they should be there. Let me review the M.I.B. way we do things here, (or at least my way)

1) Before I give you a petition I will invite you out and buy dinner for you a few times.

2) At dinner I introduce any of my guests to all of the guys before and after dinner.

3) When Dozer says it time to go up, I invite them to stay or leave.

4) On about their 3^rd visit I give them the petition and tell them that if this is not what you want to do then give it back no harm no foul.

5) Turn it in to the secretary WITH the petition fee.

6) Let them know that it would be good if they came to dinner on the meeting nights to get to know the guys.

7) MOST IMPORTANTLY, I let them know about how long it will take them to progress thru the lodge, The reason for this is that we are one of the fastest growing lodges in Illinois.

8) I SHOW UP FOR ALL OF THEIR DEGREES AND EXPLAIN THINGS TO THEM IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

9) We get them involved in lodge activity from the start.

10) Here is the key so listen carefully, KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THEM.

After that its all uphill and you can see it in our sign in book. Is Masonry dying out???? NOT HERE IN FRANKLIN PARK, Now get them bikes up and ready for a great riding season.