Brethren and Gentlemen,
It is with humility and yet pride that I greet you from the East. My family (both paternal and maternal sides) has been active in District of Columbia Free-Masonry in unbroken succession for nearly 100 years, and to take a leadership role in a Washington, D.C., Lodge is not a duty I discharge lightly. I feel all the more a sense of purpose in assuming the East at Arminius Lodge, with our Lodge’s heady responsibility of being the first of the international Lodges established here in the District.
This time is one of momentous change for Arminius Lodge, reviving traditions and practices which have been less emphasised in recent years due to various transitions, perhaps most notably our move from Takoma Park to the Scottish Rite Temple in the heart of North-West Washington. My plans for the year include bringing in outside guest speakers, exemplifying portions of all three Blue Lodge degrees of Masonry in German, continuing our work on establishing Arminius Lodge’s on-line presence, and increasing knowledge among our members of Masonic traditions and history in Germany. In addition, I would ask the help of all members of Arminius Lodge to reaching out to other German-American organisations in order to bring greater awareness of the unique role Arminius Lodge plays in the promotion of interest in the language and culture of the German-speaking countries.
The Masonic year has already begun with a revival of an old tradition, for this was the first open Installation of Arminius Lodge in recent memory, with guests and Masons from Virginia, Maryland, Penn-sylvania, and Germany. I would like to thank all who took part in our successful installation ceremony, particularly J.D. Walker, who served as Installing Officer within an hour of becoming a member of Arminius, using our German-language Installation Ritual. R:.W:.B:. David Han was also outstanding as Zeremoniemeister, again availing himself of our German ritual to perform his duties in gehöriger und alter Form.
A special note of gratitude is in order for W:.B:. Kenneth Ranney, I:.P:.M:., who served as our Worshipful Master for the past three years. Our Immediate Past Master deserves credit not only for steering Arminius Lodge through many difficulties but is also owed a personal word of thanks for helping me weekly, at times semi-weekly, during his lunch hours to learn and memorise Lodge ritual in the German language.
I wish to congratulate our new slate of members and officers who have come into Arminius Lodge in the last year. In addition to Br:. Walker, Br:. Andrew Lawless has now become a member of Arminius Lodge and has already served as an invaluable resource in re-establishing, hosting, and maintaining our on-line presence. Br:. Lawless is scheduled to speak to us at our Stated Communication in February about the possibilities which the new website now affords us. At the Stated Communication for January, Philip Bonner from the Literacy Council will be our speaker on the topic of functional and cultural literacy. Dinner is served at 6:30 and the gavel drops at 7:30. The program on literacy is open to non-Masons.
Wishing all of you the best for the New Year 2014!
Mit brüderlichen Grüßen,
Mark Dreisonstok, Ehrwürdiger Meister vom Stuhl
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