The Grand Master’s Award will be presented to any lodge attaining a point value of 200 or more utilizing the below listed criteria and point values:

10% or greater membership increase   20

or a 5%-9% membership increase          10

Year end with no suspensions                 20

or year end with less than 2% suspensions   10

Active use of the Mentor Program           20

Help for our Heroes donations in excess of $100/year    10

Lodge adopts a resident at Masonic Village or other Nursing Community     10

 Community Service Project approved by the DDGM (2 points for each month)    10 pts max

Lodge Attendance at Stated Meetings Increase over previous year    15

Lodge Attendance at Extra Meetings Increase over previous year      15

Attendance at secretary seminar                5

Attendance at wardens seminar                10   (5 for SW & 5 for JW)

Lodge conducts a fellowship event            10 (picnic, banquet, ladies night, etc.)

 Audit & trustee reports completed on time               10   (Based on deadline determined by the DDGM)

 Officers attendance at School of Instruction              10   (minimum of 5 officers once per month for 8 months)

 Officers attendance at Regional School of Instruction      10    (minimum of 5 officers)

 Minimum of 10 lodge members attend a District wide fellowship event     10

Minimum of 10 lodge members visit a lodge within the District (stated or extra meeting)     10

All chairs filled for upcoming year by October’ Stated meeting of current year                        10

Conduct a minimum of one fellowship event inviting widows free of charge                            10

Conduct a lodge blood drive or assist in a District wide blood drive                                        10

Lodge’s Representative attendance at each Quarterly Communication (5 pts/meeting)                   10

A minimum Lodge donation of $250.00 to the Grand Lodge Library & Museum                         15

Lodge conducts one CHIP event                                             5

TOTAL POINTS EARNED                                                                             _____

 Lodge Name and number______________________

_________________________________                                                   _______

District Deputy Grand Master Approval                                                  Date

Individual membership awards:

First line signer on petition – Grand Master’s Necktie

First line signer of 5 petitions – Masonic Jacket

First line signer of 10 petitions – Gold Masonic Wrist Watch

Photo from the 1/10/12 Open Meeting at the Masonic Center of Lancaster County. The newly Elected RWGM sits in front, surrounded by Grand Lodge Officers and dignitaries. Note our very own Illustrious Brother Charles A. Achey, Jr. ,Past District Deputy Grand Master standing right behind the new RWGM. Our DDGM front row seated far left

1^st Masonic District School of Instruction

2012

January            14 (Saturday)                     Officers Workshop                                    8:00am Lancaster Masonic Center

January            25                              Business of the Lodge                                     Washington Lodge No. 156

February            22                                    First Degree                                                Charles M. Howell Lodge No. 496

*March 12 (Second Monday)                      Second Degree                                                Regional School Officers

Red Room

March                        28                                    Third Degree                                                    Manheim Lodge No. 587

April 7 (Saturday)                                  Second Degree                                                Regional School, Harrisburg

April                        25                        Exam Visitor – Funeral Service                        Lamberton Lodge No. 476

May                        23                                    First Degree                                                Ashara – Casiphia Lodge No. 551

August                        22                             Individual Instruction                                    Second Floor Auditorium LMC

August 29 (Wednesday)            Worshipful Master’s Workshop                        7:00 pm Lancaster Masonic Center

September            26                             Business of the Lodge                                    Lodge No. 43

October 8 (Second Monday)                        Second Degree                                    Ephrata Lodge No. 665

Red Room

*October            24                              Open Installation of Officers                        Christiana Lodge No. 417

November 21 (Third Wednesday) Board of Governors Meeting                         Red Room 7:00 p.m.

November 21 (Third Wednesday) Open Installation of Officers                        Columbia Lodge No. 286

All meetings will be held at the Lancaster Masonic Center and will begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

* Scheduled visits by Bro. Jeffery Moyer, P.M., Regional Instructor, Region 2

Raymond P. Greiner, P.M.

Principal Instructor

First Masonic District School of Instruction

32 East Church Street, PO Box 418, Reamstown, Pa  17567-0418

Cell 271-8654

rgreiner@dejazzd.com

Bro. Paul A. Sutcliffe, Jr., P.M.                        h. 653-1915                                    Asst. Principal

Bro. Bruce Jackson, P.M.                                    h. 871-8552                                    Financial Secretary

Bro. Herbert K. Swisher, P.M.                                                                        Emeritus Principal

Bro. Douglas Wiker, P.M.                                                                                    Emeritus Principal

Bro. Gerald R. Reese, P.M.                                                                                    Emeritus Principal

On a cool and damp Sept. 15 evening, Ephrata Lodge No. 665, accompanied by all of the lodges of Masonic District 1, held their second biannual Lodge in the Woods at the (Brother) J. Edward Mack Scout Reservation in Newmanstown. R.W. Grand Master Thomas K. Sturgeon and many of the Grand Lodge Officers and District Deputies from surrounding areas were joined by more than 200 brethren who braved the unreliable weather for a night of food, fellowship and brotherhood.

The inspiration for the event came from a 2008 trip to the western region’s Meeting in the Hills. The Ephrata brethren were so impressed by the fellowship and congeniality that they promised to bring the idea to the eastern end of the state. But with a roof…just in case it rained like it did during their trip out “west.”

Originally, the plan was to hold the lodge meeting in the large natural amphitheater in the woods which serves at the camp’s “fire circle.” Unfortunately, the weather left no choice but to move into the large pavilion which would serve as both a dining hall and a lodge room. Following a steak dinner, the tables were removed and the seating benches pushed back to the North and the South and a lodge room was formed. Tiki torches lit the altar, and the lodge was opened by Bro. J. Decker White, S.W., Ephrata Lodge No. 665, who took the East while Worshipful Masters of the other lodges of Masonic District 1 filled the other chairs.

Grand Master Sturgeon was received and took the East. After a moving flag ceremony, the Grand Master called on State Representative and Bro. David Hickernell, Ashara-Casiphia Lodge No. 551, Mount Joy, for some comments. The Grand Master than presented the Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Awards to five deserving brothers: Thomas W. Williams, Gary R. Guare and William L. Snyder, all from Ephrata Lodge No. 665; Bro. Glenn I. Denlinger, Christiana Lodge No. 417; and Bro. Jeremy S. Griffith, Abraham C. Treichler Lodge No. 682, Elizabethtown. Also awarded that evening were four of the Grand Master’s Awards to West Chester Lodge No. 322; Thomson Lodge No. 340, Paoli; Ashara-Casiphia Lodge No. 551; and Abraham C. Treichler Lodge No. 682. Finally, Ephrata Lodge No. 665 presented the proceeds of a fund raising event to representatives of Camp Mack for building a new style of campsite designed to ease young scouts into the fun of camping in the woods.

The Grand Master delivered an inspiring address wherein he reviewed the success of his 21st Century Masonic Renaissance. The lodge was closed in harmony and the brethren dispersed, looking forward to the next “Lodge in the Woods” to be held Sept. 19, 2011

Link to this was found at http://www.pagrandlodge.org/freemason/1111/page23.html

I was honored to have them use the images I took of this event.

Frank Tunis,

Past Master Lodge No. 43

Web Master