News

19th February 2010 - Wearing two hats

This writer sat in a unique position on Monday 15th February 2010. Members of Scotia Lodge paid a fraternal visit to Temperance of Brisbane and Fernberg Lodge on the occasion of their penultimate meeting. Interestingly enough I was a member of both lodges, having affiliated with Scotia only weeks before. My own lodge was being visited by my own lodge. Sounds like I was running in ever decreasing circles.
Sadly for Temperance of Brisbane and Fernberg Lodge this will be last time a third degree will be performed under that particular ritual. But we can all rise from the ashes and this is the message I want to share in this article. The move to Scotia has, for me and other like minded brethren, highlighted the absolute necessity to continue positively to grow this great craft.
Well we might be older but we are definitely a lot wiser. We now know the way forward. There is no magic formula but there are some fundamentals. In simple terms we need to be out there. We need to market ourselves. We need to show respect for those who do not share our views and nurture those who do. We need to put in, because it only then that we can take something back out.
And what of the work that was performed. It was a third degree. The recipient of this honour would rather be anonymous and we must respect that. I know there will come a time when he will wear his Masonic membership proudly and show the world that he is indeed a just and upright man.

Kerry LeBoutillier

9th February 2010 - Fraternal visit to Camp Hill Lodge

Monday the 8th of February saw several members of this lodge pay a fraternal visit to our brothers in Camp Hill Lodge. There was, while there, one of the most fruitful exchange of ideas this writer has witnessed for many a year.
The magnet which drew us to visit them was our own W.B. Tony Vecchio providing a lecture on his Italian experiences. Tony is much travelled in Italy in a Masonic sense and has been able to gather not only some great information but a background into the how and why of the various lodges in that country.
Tony surprised us all by entering the lodge room (after the lodge was closed) as an Italian entered apprentice, muttering strange Italian words and acting in way completely foreign even to us Scottish working masons, who know or thing or two when it comes to strange rituals.
But it was not all one way traffic. We noted with some enthusiasm that Camp Hill Lodge has a few tricks of its own. They have instigated a short presentation to be given at the festive board by one of their number explaining what he does outside of his Masonic activities. What a great way to get to know what each member really does in the real world. The other little gem that I picked up was that the lodge fosters a mentoring system. It also sets aside an extra night per month at a members house to deal with the many issues that arise over the month and not able to be dealt with at either the meeting or the practice night.
Brethren, holding on to those members who come to join us should be our priority and here is a lodge pointing the way.

Kerry LeBoutillier

16th December 2009 - Scotia reports

The following reports were received at the December 5th meeting.

Wor. Bro. John Ashby  attended an OPEN NIGHT held by eight (8) Lodges at Ann Street. There were in excess of 70 people interested in Freemasonry present on the night and John said that the event was very well organised and could be conducted again at Stones Corner and Kedron Centres

Wor Bro. Ashby and other members attended Grand Lodge Quarterly Communication and our Grand Master Elect is Rt. Wor. Bro. Adrian Burton. Wor. Bro. Ted Faulkner made the point that all of the Board of General Purposes candidates were successful in their respective ballots on the night.

The following applications for initiation have been received.
Mr Edward Lim,
Mr Chengi Shava

The following additional applications to affiliate were received
Bro. Ronald Francis LeBoutillier
Bro. Robert Forsyth Farmer
Wor. Bro. Charles Stuart Nobbs
Wor. Bro. Giuseppe Fillippone
Wor. Bro Derek Oswald McMillan
It is proposed that these Brethren be balloted for at our February Meeting and then obligated together on the same evening after a successful Ballot.

Wor. Bro. Ted Faulkner, will be attending Lodges Tuscan, Pine Rivers and Ashton in December.

Bro Doug Paterson will be going to Caboolture Lodge

The coming year looks like being a busy one for the lodge. How good is this?

14th November 2009 - Picnic in the park

Report on the Scotia Lodge Barbecue 8/11/09

I'd like to thank all those brethren who brought their wives, partners, friends and families to our Ladies Day BBQ at Shorncliffe Pier on Sunday 8 November. The weather played a good part on the day as well.
A special thank you to our soon to be members from Temperance of Brisbane  & Fernberg, Tony & Paola Vecchio , John & Lorraine Hughes, Kerry & Donna LeBoutillier and their daughter and Wayne and Sheree. I hope you all enjoyed the day because without such an attendance, the day wouldn't have been as successful as it was.
Also some special mentions; to John and Pat for their time and effort on the famous "Ashby Pancakes"; to John for getting their early to guard our spot and to Doug Paterson for bringing along extra hot water for tea and coffee.  Still in the thank you department I was very thrilled to see Roy and Gloria Brough. Roy is one of the very senior members of our Lodge. He and Gloria came along and enjoyed the day. In finishing off my plaudits, I thank all the ladies for coming and I sincerely hope you all enjoyed yourselves. It made for a good day.
We had prizes for our ladies on the day. The first prize (an electric slow cooker) was donated by Vic Walker and won by Gloria Brough (See Photo at left). Second prize (A bottle of wine) were donated by John Ashby and won by Paola Vecchio. The final prize also donated by John (set of wine glasses) was won by David Kirk's daughter. (Sorry Dave I have forgotten your daughters name - old age !!!)
Last not but not least, it would be remiss of me not to mention the melodic harmonies on the day provided by two fine gentlemen, in the persons of Terry Philip and Peter Betel. I hope they had as good a time performing as the rest of us did listening to some fine instrumentation and singing it. It would be very pleasing to see them both again on our next BBQ breakfast. Thank you, gentlemen.
Brethren, stay tuned because their will be more BBQ breakfasts organized in the first and second half of the year.

Mick Conyard. WM, Lodge Scotia

2nd October 2009 - Decision to close Temperance Lodge

Well we have finally reached a crossroads. After 110 years, Temperance of Brisbane and Fernberg lodge will be no more. The brethren have voted to hand in our warrant. It is a sad time for many of us and something not many Freemasons like to see.
Ironically this site has been working well for the lodge and prospective candidates are coming from everywhere. Alas, we are not able to use this to resurrect the lodge. The time for a new mason to advance through the various offices and eventually to master is too great for many of us. But we have looked after these prospects by introducing them to more viable lodges and hopefully this action will produce a new generation of Freemasons stronger than the last.
Along with the lodge closure there is the inevitable question of what is to become of this site. The author is moving to Lodge Scotia, No 263. I have decided to re-brand the site with the Scotia name. The address will remain the same. In due course these changes will be made and I will add the History of Scotia lodge to the site.
This site will remain for the good of Freemasonry in general and for the good of Lodge Scotia in particular.

6th June 2009 - Temperance visits Scotia Lodge

We paid a fraternal visit to Scotia lodge on Friday evening the 5th June. The lodge was passing Br. Daniel Philip to the second degree. The ceremony itself is not really what is important, of course. It is the cementing of the relationship between the lodges. Every one says it is the great cornerstone of freemasonry. These fraternal visits reinforce the relationships between all freemasons. Other lodges, as is often the case, were represented as well. Bon Accord lodge was there as was Ionic Prudence.
There is a wonderful blend of Scottish and Queensland Constitution lodges in these visits. It demonstrates the artificiality of the differences. Indeed it celebrates them. Ritual always looks good to me when it is performed well. It does not matter what book it comes from.
All this is not to say the evening was not important for Daniel. It marks for him what is a milestone in a Masonic journey which for many lasts a lifetime. We all have to start somewhere. Confucius said, “The longest journey starts with a single step.” Who would doubt his wisdom?
The ceremony like all degrees performed by Scottish lodges in Queensland was unique. This writer was impressed by what he saw. I could only hope that the Daniel was also impressed.
So let us extend our congratulations to Daniel and our best wishes for the future. Click here for photos.

Kerry LeBoutillier