Brethren, on Saturday, February 23rd, we will celebrate the birthday of our Ill. Bro. George Washington by starting at 8:30 am with laying a wreath at his tomb in Mt. Vernon followed immediately by a reception at Collingwood at approximately 9:30 am. We will receive the Grand Master in Lodge at 5:00 pm, partake in a served dinner in the dining room of the Memorial at 6:30 pm, and have entertainment in the auditorium at 8:00 pm. To cover the expense of the dinner, we will need a donation of $10.00 per person. All of the officers of the Lodge have tickets for this event. I hope ALL OF YOU will turn out for these events and take this opportunity to greet the Grand Master with a warm welcome.

First, several reminders:
-> If you need transportation to a Lodge function, either a STATED, CALLED, or SPECIAL meeting, call (703) 931-4945. My voice mail box will answer after four rings. Leave a message with your NAME, call back PHONE NUMBER, and a MESSAGE about the meeting for which you need transportation. I will do my best to set up transportation for you and will contact you with the details as soon thereafter as possible.

-> THE SCOTTISH RITE SPRING REUNION, will be held on Saturday, May 4, 1991, a one day class, at the Scottish Rite Temple in Richmond, Virginia. The fee has been reduced to $100.00 for this class only. The deadline for submitting

petitions for this class is March 8, 1991. The $100.00 fee must be submitted with the petition. If you would like to submit a petition, you can get one from myself, our Secretary, or call Ill. Bro. Walter Scott Downs, 33°, Secretary of the Scottish Rite Bodies, phone (703) 998-9044.

Brethren, in response to my transportation offer, I have received a request from Brother Dean Thomas, our Organist, who needs transportation to ALL STATED meetings. Brother Thomas lives just off route #50 between the Beltway and Fairfax Circle, on the property of KENA Temple Shrine. If you could provide Brother Thomas with a ride on a PERIODIC BASIS, please contact me so I can call you when needed.

My Brethren, I would like to express my thanks to you for electing me as Junior Warden of this Lodge. I well understand the significant importance that our Lodge must uphold in the Masonic Community, and I will do my best to adhere to these traditional obligations. With help from all of you, I intend to continually strive for improvement in our Lodge programs, ritual, and administration. Please contribute ideas that you feel need to be implemented in our Lodge and I will be happy to discuss them with you for future reference. Striving for excellence must be our goal as an institution and with your assistance we can meet this challenge. Again my thanks to you.

Brethren,

I thank you for your quick response to my request for information which I sent to you with the 1991 dues statement. It has really helped me in getting the data base brought up to date. Please do not forget to send me changes as soon as they occur, especially a change of address. It costs the lodge additional postage every time mail is returned because of an incorrect address. I can also inform you that we are now working on the five year By-law / Roster publication and will send you a copy as soon as it is completed.

I have received several inquiries as to why some Brethren do not receive "The Masonic Herald" from the Grand Lodge. The Masonic Herald is sent to all new Masons upon receiving the Master Mason Degree and only to those other Brethren who have made a specific request to the Grand lodge. If you are not receiving it and desire to do so, you can call the office of the Grand lodge Secretary, 1-800-592-2200, and request to be put on the mailing list.

Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them.
--Ann landers

What we love to do we find time to do.
--John lancaster Spalding

Brethren, I am again looking for a Tiler for the Lodge for 1991. Although I announced in the November 1990 newsletter that the position had been filled, this did not work out and we still need a Tiler. I would remind you that in addition to the prestige of being an Officer in the Lodge, the Tiler is paid $10.00 for each meeting at which he performs the Tiler duties and he does not pay dues for the year he is appointed as Tiler. If you are interested in performing this duty for the Lodge or know of anyone who might be interested, please contact me, phone (703) 836-2137, or see me at the Lodge so we can discuss this further.

Sec. 3.01. How Brother Must be Clothed in Lodge. Every Brother must always appear in his Lodge properly clothed and in clean and decent apparel.

Sec. 3.03. Must Not Engage in Private Conversation While Lodge is Engaged in its Usual Labors, etc.; Must Not Interrupt Officers or Members, etc. While the Lodge is engaged in its usual labors Masons must not hold private conversations or committee without leave from the Master; nor introduce any remarks irrelevant to the business before them. They must not interrupt the Master or Wardens or any Brother addressing the presiding officer nor act ludicrously while the Lodge is engaged in what is serious and solemn; but every Brother shall show due respect to the Master and Wardens and other Brethren.

In preparation for next year, and on the assumption that I will be elected as Master of the Lodge for 1992, I am working on the "Master's Plan" and would like to confirm all nominations, appointments, etc., as soon as possible. In this regard, based on current known facts, I will need to appoint, at the end of this year, two Stewards and a Tiler. While I have several Brothers in mind that I will be talking to about these positions, I also realize that there may be some members in the Lodge that have been thinking about getting in line for the Master's Chair, but have not made their desires known to the right people. If you would like to be considered for the "line," please let me know so we can meet and talk about it. An additional item for the Past Masters, our Lodge will provide the nomination in 1992 for our District Deputy Grand Master appointed for 1993. If you are interested in being considered for this nomination, please let me know so we can start working on insuring that all prerequisites are met.

January 16, 1791 - Washington's proclamation for running four lines of experiment of the Federal District, which Washington had located. and both Maryland and Virginia ceded the land.

America is so vast that almost everything said about it is likely to be true, and the opposite is probably equally true.

--James T. Farrell

+ Friday, Feb 1 - Mount Vernon Chapter #14, Royal Arch stated meeting in North Lodge Room at 7:30pm.

+ Sunday, Feb 3 - Rehearsal for the Jones Point Cornerstone Ceremony In the Alex-Wash Lodge room at 7:00pm.

+ Tuesday, Feb 5 - Scottish Rite will make an Official visit to Springfield Lodge #217.

+ Thursday, Feb 7 - Stated meeting, Andrew Jackson #120, North Lodge Room at 7:30pm.

+ Friday, Feb 8 - Grand Lodge floor work, Richmond, VA starting at 7:30pm.

+ Friday, Feb 8 - Scottish Rite stated meeting, in the Alexandria Temple at 7:30pm.

+ Saturday, Feb 9 - Floor Work/Ritual School at Grand Lodge in Richmond all day.

+ Sunday, Feb 10 - Registration for Grand Lodge, Richmond, Virginia.

+ Friday, Feb 15 - Old Dominion Commandery, Knights Templar meeting, north Lodge room, 7:30pm.

+ Monday, Feb 18 - George Washington Birthday parade in Alexandria, starts at 11:00am.

+ Thursday, Feb 21 - Stated meeting, Andrew Jackson #120, North Lodge Room at 7:30pm.

+ Tuesday, Feb 26 - Royal Arch District School, 7:30pm, Arlington Masonic Temple, At #50 & George Mason Drive.