Texas-46
January, 2023
Greetings Brother Texan,
Thank you for your trust in affording me the distinguished honor of being elected Master of Texas-46. I am honored to join the distinguished company of all previous masters of this acclaimed and notorious lodge, under whose leadership we have gained a reputation and the attention of Masons and civilians alike. Your Lodge was recently featured in the California Freemason magazine, and the eyes of the fraternity and community are upon us. What would you like to see Texas-46 accomplish in 2023?
I wish to recognize and thank our Worshipful Ray Hill and his 2022 Corps of officers for an outstanding year. In 2022 your lodge held its first outdoor degree in decades (which you can read about here , and your Texas-46 renegade raiding party crossed the border into Nevada to hold a Masonic Procession in the dusty, timeless town of Virginia City. Assembled were some 50 Masons and family, and we were escorted by Secession War-era reenactment soldiers, and dressed in Masonic Regalia as we marched to the grave and honored the memory of our Charter Master, Captain Edward Storey. You can read more about that adventure here:
Your Lodge has been holding fundraisers teaching folks how to make Phở and selling pumpkin arrangements, and your delegates have presented those charitable contribution to the local Scouts-BSA troop and homeless food bank in Hollister – more details here:
We also donated to the Santa Clara County Annual Embrace a Senior Program. We produced an informative virtual tour of the lodge that passersby can access by QR code posted at the Lodge while touring San Juan. You can view it here:
Texas-46 has received applications for affiliation and petitions for the degrees, and have a loaded social 2023 calendar, which you can find here:
If you have a smart phone, please use this link to synchronize the Lodge’s calendar into yours, so you won’t miss a beat: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r?cid=sanjuanbautistatxlodge46@gmail.com . In short, Texas 46 is alive and kickin’ with a community purpose, degree work, and fraternal fun.
This year we plan to tour the Masonic Home, hold 50-year and a 60-year Masonic membership celebrations for three of our members, tour the Shriner’s Hospital in Sacramento, visit Orinda Lodge and lodges in other jurisdictions, hold and distribute fundraisers for worthy causes, visit the Masonic Cave in Volcano, CA, hold a motorcycle ride, attend a minor-league baseball game, host our monthly fundraiser old west Victorian dress-up “Parlor Night”, and other activities you can suggest. If you have not been to Lodge in a while, now is a good time to make plans to return; we’d love to see you! And if you need transportation, contact me or the Secretary and we will help arrange it.
As a reminder, 2023 dues are now payable: $50 supports the lodge budget plus $60.50 goes to Grand Lodge as your per capita, for a total of $110.50 this year. Please remember that only Master Masons who are current on their dues are eligible to vote or hold office in Lodge, and we will be voting on some important issues at our January stated Meeting. You can pay dues online at the Grand Lodge webpage: https://freemason.org/ ; if you don’t yet have an account log-on, it is easy to set up but you will need your Masonic membership number, which is printed on your old Dues Cards.
Thank you for your continued membership in “California’s Most Outstanding Masonic Lodge. Period.” You are what makes Texas-46 special and you are what links her historic past to the promising future and “Brothers-46” yet to come. What part will you play in her unfolding adventure through timeless San Juan history?
UPCOMING EVENTS for JANUARY and FEBRUARY 2023:
SAT Jan 7 @ 9 am Texas-46 Visit to Escurial Lodge #7 in Virginia City, NV.
THU Jan 12 @ 6 pm — Parlor Night. Dress as Gentleman Cowboy or Victorian Lady and join us for a step back to a timeless age. $20 donation to join the fundraiser poker game (no winnings – proceeds benefit Lodge Budget). Bring a friend and receive a gift!
SAT Jan 14 @ 9 am Family Breakfast and Stated Meeting. Special Guest Lisa Knutsen regarding the charitable care she received at Shrine Hospital.
TUE Jan 24 @ 6 pm in Salinas Officer School of Instruction. Open to all Masons
SAT Jan 28 @ 9am Third Degree Practice.
SAT Jan 28 @ 2 pm Celebration of Life of Worshipful Francis M. Bishop, Jr, Past Grand Bible Bearer 2010 – 2011, at San Benito Lodge in Hollister
WED Feb 1 @ 6 pm — Parlor Night. Dress as Gentleman Cowboy or Victorian Lady and join us for a step back to a timeless age. $20 donation to join the fundraiser poker game (no winnings – proceeds benefit Lodge Budget). Bring a friend and receive a gift!
SAT Feb 11 @ 9 am Family Breakfast and Stated Meeting. Special Guest: Brother Candler Gibson with a Masonic Foundation Charity presentation.
SUN Feb 12 all day @ the Parlour — Super Bowl Fundraiser. Come bring a guest or two and pass the event in our old Parlour with whiskeys and cigars! Novelty retro arcade play is available for a fundraiser restoration donation.
SAT Feb 25 @ 9 am Tentative Third Degree. Master Masons only.
Sincerely and fraternally yours,
Kevin Herrick, PM, Master
