IN MEMORY
Letitia (Tish) Kraak, wife and widow of Bro. Karl Kraak passed away at 102
years of age. I used to see her regularly as she live only a few blocks from
my house. Last time I saw her she was using a walker but still spry and engaging.
W. Patrick Nichols and I attended her funeral where many adoring friends and
family celebrated her life. She was the last widow of the "old German
speaking brothers" of our lodge. She gave us a treasure trove of pictures
of installation of officers from the 50's to the 60's and always asked about
the lodge she was so engaged with while her husband was living. Brother Karl
Kraak died in 1990.
The grim reaper has been unkind to our lodge this year. We would have to go back to 1994, when we had six deaths, to recall a year when so many brothers passed away. We have lost four this year but what is different is that three were in the prime of their lives. This is a tribute to our departed brothers this year. Bro. Mike Younger was only 44 yrs old but had the friends and admiration of an elder statesman. He was a cast director at the Renaissance Festival. He was very generous and donated prizes for Germanfest and the piano that is down stairs. Bro John Schackai was a 58 year faithful member of our lodge. Bro. Harry Ravain, 61years young, helped define the personality of our lodge by the many fine young men he sent to us interested in Masonry. He was a drummer extraordinaire and played with many of the great musicians of our time, both locally and nationally. They will all be missed.
That brings us to Bro. Arnold Finch, 61, who passed away on November 25,
2009. Bro. Arnold was originally from Oregon and moved to New Orleans to become
a diver. He soon started his own successful business. He was initiated 10/26/1983,
passed on 6/13/1984 and raised on 6/26/1985. He was generous with his support
for the lodge, working on our AC units and always generous with his check
book. When he was able to attend lodge and there was an EA degree he was a
natural to play the part of St. John the Baptist. He was married to Marcelle
and lived in Lafitte. This is a little story about Bro. Arnold that sums up
what kind of person he was. He needed sheet pilings for his home on Bayou
Barataria and got a price - he didn’t like the price. He bought a sheet
pile driver, drove them himself and sold the machine for a profit! Bro. Finch
got things done. He was a good man and a great friend to all who knew him
and will be sorely missed.
“WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT”
kkueck
In spite of the four deaths and having to drop one brother
for non payment of dues we have had a great year ending the year with 114
members. We have had 9 Master Mason degrees and 6 plural members for the
year. The upstairs is almost complete; all that is left is the stations
presently being built by W. Andy Mims. We have had visitors from as far
away as Australia, Cuba and Canada this year and many more from all over
the United States. An average meeting will have almost 30 members present
and we have had over 40! Please come be a part of it in 2010. Bro. Wilson
Revelle and Melvin Mims have done and exceptional job acquiring, cooking,
preparing and serving food. To celebrate the election of 2010 officers Wilson,
Melvin Mims and Dale Mims prepared steak dinner with all the trimmings at
the Dec 9 meeting. To get just a taste of Blackberry cobbler from Melvin’s
wife, Jeanie, is worth trip!
The Builder
An elderly builder was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of
his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life
with his wife enjoying his extended family.
He would miss the wages, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build
just one more house as a personal favor.
The builder said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not
in his work.
He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate
way to end a dedicated career.
When the builder finished his work the employer came to inspect the house.
He handed the front door key to the builder. "This is your house,"
he said, "my gift to you." The builder was shocked!
What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would
have done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less
than our best into the building.
Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built.
If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently.
But we cannot go back.
You are the builder. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a
wall.
"Life is a do-it-yourself project," someone has said.
Your attitudes and the choices you make today, build the "house"
you live in tomorrow.
Build wisely! Stuart McK. Muirhead, P.M. Ayr, Scotland.
MASONIC BIRTHDAYS !
January
Mike Possienot 01/25/2006 – 04 yrs.
Lon Lazar P.M. 01/12/2000 -10 yrs.
Daniel Cox 01/27/1999 -11 yrs
Glen Cupit P.M. 01/23/1999 -11 yrs.
Charles “Chuck” Willis 01/22/1997 -13 yrs.
Richard "Ric" Bell P.M. 01/27/1993 -17 yrs.
Patrick Nichols P.M. 01/27/1982 -28 yrs.
Mitch Baggett 01/28/1976 - 33 yrs.
TRESTLE BOARD
* Wednesday, January 13, regular business meeting, refreshments @ 6:30 p.m.
* Wednesday, January 27, 7:30 p.m., regular meeting, EA degree, refreshments
@ 6:30 p.m.
*January 28 at Albert Pike, 16th district meeting, refreshments at 6:30
p.m.
* February 5 – 7 Grand Lodge in Alexandria
* February 13 – Endymion extravaganza. Open house
at Germania. Bring your food and drink.
NEW BROTHER
Bro. Dave Krasner was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason in
Germania Lodge #46 at the December 23 meeting. Bro. Krasner is a decorated
ex-Boston fireman and Iraq war veteran and a true American hero. Bro.
Krasner has already participated in degrees as a FC and is very excited
about becoming an active member. He purchased a perpetual membership the
night he was raised! He has moved his home, family and business to New
Orleans and we welcome Bro. Krasner to our lodge.
Well Bro. Glenn Cupit finally gets to put the P.M. behind his name or the W. in front of it. It’s been a great year for our lodge and without good leadership we all know nothing gets done. Bro. Cupit travels over two hours each way to attend meetings and has always kept peace and harmony prevailing. The lodge is nothing short of spectacular and we have had some great functions. We commend Bro. Cupit for an excellent year and know that he will be active with the house committee for the next four years.
Brother Jeremy Herschaft was born in New Orleans in 1977 and lived in
Charleston, South Carolina for many years. It was here in Landmark Lodge
#76 that he first petitioned Masonry and was initiated, passed and raised
in 2002. He felt the call of his home town and has moved back. After a
few visits to Germania he knew that it was the lodge for him and he turned
in his plural membership petition. He is now a member in good standing
and we welcome Bro. Jeremy to our lodge. He has missed few meetings and
exudes excitement and enthusiasm. I expect to see him in the lineup some
day. Welcome Bro. Jeremy we are very proud that you picked Germania to
join.
THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS EXPLAINED
What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially
the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
This week, I found out. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England
were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that
era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two
levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only
to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word
for a religious reality which the children could remember.
-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke &
John.
-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books
of the Old Testament.
-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy,
Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes. –
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy,
Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self
Control.
-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in
the Apostles' Creed.
So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me
and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange
song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.'
Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone Note: After I put this in I
received an email from the person that sent it to me stating that Snoops.com,
the web site that purports to find what is true and what is not true on
the internet, says it is not true so… It’s good reading and
you can decide or send in your opinion or knowledge for further discussion.
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