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From the South September 2024

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Hi brothers from sunny Florida! Hope all brothers had a great summer and lots of fun. Florida weather hasn’t been great. It rained like clockwork at 12 noon thereabouts so there’s no need to wear a watch. Can’t wait to get started with this year‘s program finishing up a3degree and starting the cycle again. Hopefully we will have new candidates for our first degree. From the AGL side, there are a lot of new ideas suggested by the GL to make degrees a lot easier and fill parts. When I get back, I wanna concentrate on opening and closing the Lodge and the floor work for degrees.  Stay well, my brothers and see you in September as the song goes!

Junior Warden Stu Smith

The post From the South September 2024 first appeared on Smithtownlodge1127.

From the South July 2024

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Hi Brothers, I would like to congratulate all the appointed and elected officers of Smithtown Lodge. As a retread Junior Warden, I ‘m planning some unique culinary delights for this year. I know, it will be a tuff act to follow trying to out cook Ed and our New Master Bill when they were Junior Wardens. But, I will give it a hell of a try. As Junior Warden and with approval of Worshipful Bill Hanson, I would like to have a few training meetings at lodge this year to go over the Marshal’s floor work for upcoming degrees. I will still be working with W:. Frank Ida carrying out our North Star duties and we both will be mentoring all new candidates applying for membership to Smithtown Lodge. As V:. W:. I will be doing a lot of traveling with in the district and any Brother(s) from our lodge are welcome to travel with me if they would care too. I will say, that I will not miss any of Smithtown’s meeting’s as part of my new A.G.L. position. My first a foremost duty is to our Blue lodge and I will the there too for fill my elected duty as your Junior Warden. During this Masonic year, I’m sill planning to visit my sister down in Florida a few times but, I will schedule my tips around Blue lodge meetings. That said, have great summer my Brothers and will see you guy’s at some of a summer events.

Fraternally,

Stu Smith J. W.

The post From the South July 2024 first appeared on Smithtownlodge1127.

From the South May 2024

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rethren,

From the South,

I’m honored to be a part of the rededication for the “Smithtown Lodge”. Seeing the Grand Line attending was amazing.

Its election time the year again Wow how it went so fast. Hope everyone enjoyed the past years collation menu, and will continue to contribute to the appetites of the Brothers.

Regards

Junior Warden Edward Matuszak

The post From the South May 2024 first appeared on Smithtownlodge1127.

Tri Lodge Fishing Trip!

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Bro. John Umina is coordinating a Tri-Lodge fishing trip for members of Potunk, Riverhead and Peconic Lodges. This should be a fun and exciting day on the water fishing with Brothers.

We’ll be leaving the dock at about 1 PM and returning about 4 PM. Coffee, soft drinks and lunch will be included as well as all needed tackle. if you prefer another beverage, it’s BYOB.

Please see the events link to RSVP to this event or contact Bro. John Umina. Its first come first serve for the 40 slots available.

Events for March 2024 – Potunk Lodge #1071

Potunk Lodge soon to celebrate its 100th Anniversary

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Contemporary image of Mechanics Hall in Westhampton Beach, NY

Long before this Mason was even a thought, a group of Brothers and members of Riverhead Lodge #645, who traveled the dimly lit and rutted roads between the south shore of Long Island to Riverhead to attend meetings, got together and decided to form a new Lodge closer to home. Bro. Hermon Bishop and others gathered and formed a Square Club with the intention of forming a new Lodge south of Riverhead Lodge. In 1923 these Brothers were granted a dispensation to form a new lodge in Westhampton. The new lodge took up residence in the Mechanics Hall in Westhampton and worked at getting a new charter.

In early 1926 they received the good news that they would receive a charter that year. The brothers called the new Lodge Potunk Lodge and would be numbered 1071. Over the years the Lodge prospered and grew and soon they outgrew the Mechanics Hall, as well it has some structural issue and parking for members attending Lodge was limited. So, they endeavored to build or purchase their own building. In the late 1960s they realized their dream and land was acquired and permits granted so building could begin.

The new structure w took about 8 months to build and was nearly complete by the end of 1968, The Grand Master and many Masons from NYC and surrounding Lodge came out to Westhampton to lay the cornerstone and dedicate the building as a Masonic edifice. The first meeting was held in the new building in the winter of 1969, W:. Arthur Rumph presiding.

The Lodge saw many good days as well as trying times. All the while a succession of dedicated Masons took up the mantel and did whatever needed to be done to keep the doors open and the lights on.

Today the Lodge is in better shape than ever, and the current members are proud of the history and look forward to the future of the Lodge. In 2026 Potunk Lodge will turn 100 years old, it’s charter date May 6th, 1926. We look forward to celebrating 100 years of Freemasonry in Westhampton, Good Ground (Hampton Bays), Eastport, East & Center Moriches. This milestone is once in a lifetime for most Freemasons, and it will be a sight to see.

Dedication and Cornerstone Ceremony at Potunk Lodge 1969

Look for upcoming events and news about Potunk Lodge’s 100th over the coming months. All culminating with a grand celebration in the spring of 2026!

If you would like to know more about the history of Potunk Lodge No. 1071 you can go to the About Us page.

For more information about Freemasonry in Suffolk County you can hop on over to Suffolkmasons.com and explore the rich history of Freemasonry in Suffolk, dating back to before the nation’s founding.

Want to investigate Long Island Freemasonry, Ron Seifried, wrote a wonderful history of Long Island Freemasonry that you can purchase off Amazon or see some of on the Long Island History Project. Ron is a proud Past Master of Jephtha Lodge in Huntington NY.

Finally, if you would like more history of Freemasonry in New York, there is always the Grand Lodge of New York, which governs all regular Masonic Lodge’s in the state of New York.

We look forward to celebrating 100 years of Freemasonry with our Brothers and the surrounding communities.

 

Potunk Lodge today!

From the South August 2023

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My Brothers,

As August slips past us and the summer begins to turn to fall and the temperature dips slightly each night, can only mean one thing….

It’s time for the Lodge to come together for the upcoming season. As the Jr. Warden of Potunk Lodge, it’s my duty to call the Craft from Labor to refreshment. We have several talented cooks in the Lodge and things being what they are I would ask anyone who would like to prepare a meal for the Lodge to please contact me (see my contact info below).

I can cook OK, and our WM can cook even better, but we should all share the “joy” of preparing the collation meal. I would also just make it plain now that I would hope that ALL would pitch in and help clean up after our meal. We need to leave the collation room as clean and neat as possible after each meeting.

I am sure the WM has an exciting trestle board prepared for the year and I look forward to seeing my Brothers once again at the Lodge, which has been newly renovated. The collation room is bright and clean. New pain, new floors. So yes, that means no smoking in the lodge, up or downstairs. We must be mindful that we are now only tenants in the building and use all care to maintain the owner’s property as if it were our own.

Some other new (and very welcome) additions: The Lodge is now fully into the 21st century. Yes, we have Wi-Fi throughout the Lodge. If you would like to connect to the Lodge Wi-Fi, you can get the network (SSID) and Password from the Lodge secretary if you didn’t catch it on the Potunk Lodge BAND. Remember that the Lodge Wi-Fi is for members only. There is a Potunk Lodge Guest Network that is for guests and Hall renters, etc. There will be signs with QR codes in the Collation Hall for them to connect to this guest network.

There is also a new Lodge phone number: 631-898-5241. There is no receiver in the Lodge but it’s specifically for the Lodge Secretary to conduct business with potential renters and alike.

I do hope all are looking forward to the upcoming season as I am. Our first Stated Communication is Thursday, September 7th, 2023. The bar will be open and the meal tasty and hot. So come out the first and third Thursdays and support the WM and the Lodge.

 

Sincerely and Fraternally,

Bill Arnold

Jr. Warden

Potunk Lodge #1071

Cell: 631-903-1510

email: billarnold@optonline.net

Some images of W:. Peppaceno’s 2023 Installation

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W:. Peppaceno’s Installation – June 2023

Greetings from the South, February 2023

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Greetings from the South my Brothers!

I hope this newsletter finds you well and in good spirits as we approach February 2023. One exciting month is already down in 2023. Doesn’t time fly when we are having Masonic fun?

We have some great upcoming events, and we hope to see you all. Join us for the St. Patty’s Day Party on March 12th, the 3rd degree raising on Saturday, April 29th, and let’s not forget the District Deputy Grand Master visit on March 27th. For those of you who have not come down to the lodge in a long while, we cordially invite you to join us. We want to see you, laugh with you, see how you are doing and catch up at the Lodge. These meetings are our meetings, let’s enjoy them in harmony, together.

For the ladies of Jephtha Lodge, we wish you a Happy Saint Valentine’s Day.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
John A Lentinello, Junior Warden

The post Greetings from the South, February 2023 appeared first on Jephtha.com.

Greetings from the South – January, 2023

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GREETINGS FROM THE SOUTH

My brothers, as we approach the new year having celebrated the holidays with family, friends and fellow Brothers, we should be reminded of three important teachings which are too easily forgotten:

First, the wise and noble words set forth in the opening of Psalm 133, specifically, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity.” What a joy it is to celebrate and rejoice together with Brothers of Jephtha Lodge in harmony. Isn’t it? Brotherhood unites us and should always be on our minds as we approach and reflect on the new year with excitement and refined purpose. As Masons, we are taught to strive for kinship, obtaining peace and prosperity within the Lodge. For some, it may have been distinguished by what is past, but fear not, harmony will be back again in the present and into the future. Let us continuously remember this about friendship and realign our goals so it is the main destination or central ingredient of our success going into 2023 and beyond.

Second, the compasses are always leading the way and teaching us to look beyond our inflamed desires and focus on what is most important within the bounds of all mankind. This teaching should not be overlooked as there may come a time when we have been tested, or perhaps our desires and passions lead us and cause an event to occur which was the opposite of our intentions. Later we may realize what is really most important. Let us learn to circumscribe our pulling desires so we can enjoy the new year with a new start and work together with all mankind to spread Brotherly Love and compassion that is the heart of Freemasonry. For without our Brothers beside me, we are not a Lodge, but a freestanding fellow Mason when we should be Masons jointly. We are equals set forth to help all Brothers. We should always take care to listen before responding, or not act in the heat of our passions at any given moment. What is said by one speaking brother may harm another listening brother, even if that speaking brother had the best of intentions but may have chosen the wrong words or time to do so. Let us circumscribe our desires and refocus on what is the most important of all – Harmony and Unity that strengthen our Brotherhood.

Third, harmony. For after all, there is no truer phrase than “harmony is the support of all institutions especially this of ours.” I did borrow this from the Senior Warden (sorry Brother Bill), but no truer words have been spoken. Let us always remember, we must have peace within the Lodge to succeed and be successful. In our joint undertakings, Lodge like-mindedness is required for Jephtha to grow and prosper. To be truly in this spirit, we must all think before we act. We must all safely guide our fellow brothers by providing strong, positive examples and not examples of what should be avoided when our passions are not kept in the due bounds of all mankind. Any team, organization, corporation, union, group, fraternity or brotherhood – you name it – must have a meeting of the minds for it to adapt, to continue and to grow. Yet we should also be blessed with our own inner harmony or peace that we all seek. Sometimes, however, we can lose sight of it when we forget the teachings of the compasses. As we approach the new year, let us humbly come together and remember it is the joy of inner peace and that of the lodge that fosters brotherhood and unity, and that harmony and togetherness allow us all to dwell together while the Lodge continues onward toward thousands of more communications.

Let this be a new year with new beginnings, new thoughts, new considerations, new leadership and let harmony reign supreme again. As the new year progresses, let us continuously remember to subdue our discordant passions and always be reminded to keep those passions in the due bounds with all mankind. Let us celebrate Harmony with Unity as our ultimate goal.

I wish all Brothers and their families a happy and healthy new year. In the spirit of the station in the south, let us all enjoy nourishment, sustenance, and refreshment together in happiness.

Fraternally yours from the south,
Br John A Lentinello, Junior Warden

The post Greetings from the South – January, 2023 appeared first on Jephtha.com.

From the South Jan-Feb 2021

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Greetings my Brothers,

 

I think it appropriate to point out that even in the most troubled times, perhaps especially so, that we remember what Masonry represents and why we proud to be a part of it. Charity, brotherhood, self improvement and moral behavior, in the eyes of the Grand Architect of the Universe are among our most sacred mandates. Although we are unable to meet at lodge in traditional fashion to practice our craft, we are still able to carry on the spirit of Masonry by helping someone less fortunate and in need.

As I write this article, it is snowing and Center Moriches is in a state of emergency. I think i will go help shovel some snow for my elderly neighbor and see if any of my older clients need a hand. I encourage you all to keep your heads up and make the most of the moment by carrying on the work we have all endeavored to do. Covid 19 will be a distant memory soon enough. It is much easier to be a good person when times are good,  A man is better defined in the tough times, when the chips are down as you really get a glimpse into their true character.

Rise to the challenge my Brothers!

Bro. Jeff Lanzet

Jr. Warden

Potunk Lodge #1071