The San Felipe Olive Branch, January 2020

           

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 The San Felipe Olive Branch, January edition.  

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The San Felipe Olive Branch, December 2019

           

Check out our Lodge Newsletter

 The San Felipe Olive Branch, December edition.  

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The San Felipe Olive Branch, November 2019

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Check out our Lodge Newsletter, The San Felipe Olive Branch, November edition. 

October 12, 2019 Stated Meeting

We couldn’t have asked for a more glorious day for a stated meeting! We had an eventful day full of fellowship, good food, and fresh air.  
We opened the day with a delicious lunch of BBQ and beans with some delicious chocolate desserts.  Thanks to Vernon Holguin who served as "chief cook and bottle washer” on this day.  
It was G  o  o  o oood food as always Vernon.

The atmosphere was truly fraternal as nearly 20 brethren and visitors learned more about Olive Branch, enjoyed each other’s company, investigated the upper room, or just relaxed and unwound.  My only regret of the day is that there was so much relaxation, visitation, fellowship, and work going on I forgot to take photos!  I will try to do better in the future.
😎

The San Felipe Olive Branch, October 2019

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Check out our Lodge Newsletter, The San Felipe Olive Branch, October edition. 

The San Felipe Olive Branch, September 2019

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Check out our Lodge Newsletter, The San Felipe Olive Branch, September edition.

The San Felipe Olive Branch, August 2019

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Check out our Lodge Newsletter, The San Felipe Olive Branch, August edition.

Stated Meeting, Installation, Community Builder, and Open House

At our stated meeting on July 13 we conducted our usual business.  It was reported that a project for the restoration of the "upper room" was underway and that a donor to provide funds for the project may be available. A committee was appointed to continue the work on behalf of the lodge.  The project to restore one of the oldest extant Masonic Lodge rooms in Texas may bring the upper room to its former glory.  We'll report more as the project develops, but it looks like our long held desire to preserve and restore the upper room may be getting ever closer.

We also held an open meeting for the installation of officers, the presentation of a community builder award and to hold an open house.  The Community Builder Award was presented to Pastor Joel McMahon of San Felipe United Methodist Church by WM Vernon Holguin.

The Community Builder Award was presented to Pastor McMahon for his current leadership of San Felipe United Methodist Church.  We also extended our gratitude to the entire congregation of San Felipe UMC for their support of Olive Branch Lodge and our desire to assist in brining the upper room back to a useful part of the community.

JULY 13, 2019 – Stated Meeting; Installation of Officers; Community Builder; Open House

Our stated meeting in July will be eventful!  Plan to bring your friends and your cameras for photo ops!

• We will be having our regular stated meeting.  
• We will be having installation of officers for 2019-20.  
• We will be presenting a Community Builder Award in open meeting.  
• We will be conducting an open house and displaying our lodge room, and the upper room, with explanatory placards.

It will be quite the event!  Bring your friends, bring your cameras, and come enjoy the day.  As is our lodge tradition, wear your Victorian era outfits if you desire, or just come and enjoy the day with us whether your have period clothing or not.

Our anticipated schedule will be:

April 13, 2019 Meeting Summary

As we had hoped, the weather for our April 13th meeting at San Felipe de Austin was glorious! We had an eventful day and if you missed it you missed out on a good deal of learning.

The "upper room" of the church building was unlocked and we were able to take in the progress made thus far on restoring the upper room to a more usable condition.  The air conditioning unit and ductwork have been removed from the old lodge room, the flooring repaired with the original flooring, and window shades installed to prevent further deterioration due to light.  The improvements stimulated our imaginations for how our lodge might be of service in helping to restore the lodge room to a more original appearance for limited service.

At noon we had a delicious lunch of rice and stew, with cooked carrots, rolls, tea and a cake that was highly praised.  The lodge was then set up for work and for the reception of our District Deputy Grand Master (DDGM).   

Next Meeting: April 13

Our next meeting of Olive Branch Lodge No. 26 will be Saturday, April 13, the second Saturday in April.

We will have food, fellowship, some fun and some business to conduct. We have received new petitions for affiliation, Grand Lodge communications, and this being the last stated meeting prior to June 23, we will have elections of officers.  Fair warning: those who are not present to protect themselves my find themselves elected or appointed to an office.  :-)

Please come out Saturday, before noon, and enjoy the welcoming of Spring with a (hopefully) fine day!

A Baker's Dozen. THANK YOU!

At our stated meeting of Jan. 12, 2019, we had about a half a dozen regular members and a half dozen visitors to make a total of a bakers dozen, 13 members and visitors at our stated meeting!  

The photo provided by Brother Bart Dawson show some of the brethren after the meeting.  Brother Dawson, unfortunately, was behind the camera.  

We thank the brethren and the visitors for making our meeting a successful and enjoyable endeavor!

Secrets of the Castle, Building a Medieval Castle in a Modern World

Secrets of the Castle, is a British factual television series that first broadcast on BBC Two from 18 November to 17 December 2014.  In the series, the team takes part in the medieval construction project at Guédelon Castle in Treigny, France.  

The castle construction site shown in the series is Guédelon Castle in France, a 25-year experimental archaeology project where a castle is being built using only the techniques, tools and materials from the Middle Ages.

Recently The Secrets of the Castle, was published on YouTube.  I have listed the episodes with their links below.  These videos offer some useful insight into our free mason ancestors. and the Freemason will recognize much of what is discussed by the masons building this medieval castle.  

We Attract What We Are

In the article Mind the Gap in the January 2019 issue of Knight Templar Magazine, brother Matt Nelson shares some astute observations that Masons should consider.

"We attract what we are, not what we want.  If we are an organization of motivated, influential, good men, we will attract the same.  If we are simply another social club that promotes pseudo-elitists to fulfill egotistical goals, that is exactly the kind of man that will knock on our doors."

"Men have an idea of what Masonry is already, and they have expectations.  If we do not help set these expectations, but simply demand that the candidates appreciate the ceremonies, they will leave disappointed."

Jan. 12, 2019 Stated Meeting

Olive Branch Lodge No. 26 will hold its next stated meeting on Saturday, January 12, 2019. 

Please come for food and fellowship at noon.

It is reported that some five brothers from Brookshire who have an interest in our Lodge and in the history at San Felipe are planning to visit at our meeting on Saturday.  

We should have a good attendance this weekend! Y'all come!