March 2023 Trestleboard
The March 2023 Trestleboard is available here:
2023-03 AFL Trestleboard
Trestleboard
February 2023 Trestleboard
The print-ready Trestleboard for February, 2023, is available here:
February 2023 Trestleboard
From the East: February 2023
Brothers and friends, our Masonic year is now well underway, and we find ourselves in the honored position of conferring the Degrees of Masonry on several brethren. Already this year, we have initiated three new Entered Apprentices in Brothers Robert Kaleta, Mark Collins, and Igor Drizik; and raised two brothers – Christopher Benz and Robert Seitelman – to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. It has been an extremely busy January, and I could not be prouder of the work our officers and degree teams have done. In addition to that, I’m quite proud of the hard work our Fellowcrafts have put into their proficiencies to qualify for their Third Degrees.
In the month of February, we will continue to raise Master Masons, as Brothers Mick McNulty, Weston Wheatley, Cody Wilbur, and Raymond Franklin will all be ascending to the Third Degree in their turn. Please keep an eye on the lodge calendar and join us if you’re able.
Please don’t wait to register for the Crab Feed, happening Saturday, February 18, at 5pm! Registration ends February 10, so sign up while you can! And if you have donations to offer for our Silent Auction, please contact Bro. Mark Williams, Sr. Deacon, at srdeacon@acalanesfellowshiplodge.com. Your donations are sincerely appreciated.
Next month, the events keep coming. At our March 7 Stated Meeting, we will be honoring two worthy brothers with the Golden Veterans Award, celebrating 50 years of Masonic service. Join us as we present this well-deserved award to Worshipful Jay B. Williams, Past Master of this lodge in 1975, and Brother Richard Snowden. You can RSVP to join us for dinner that evening at AcalanesMarchGoldenVeterans.eventbrite.com.
On the evening of Saturday, March 11, we will be hosting a Master Masons Festive Board in collaboration with our brothers from Orinda Lodge. This will be a great opportunity to focus on the unique work of the Third Degree with fellow Master Masons.
Finally, please don’t wait to register for the Crab Feed, happening Saturday, February 18, at 5pm! Registration ends February 10, so sign up while you can! And if you have donations to offer for our Silent Auction, please contact Bro. Mark Williams, Sr. Deacon, at srdeacon@acalanesfellowshiplodge.com. Your donations are sincerely appreciated.
Fraternally yours,
Bob Strohmeyer, PM
Master
January 2023 Trestleboard PDF
The print-ready January 2023 Trestleboard goes out today. Check your email or download it here:
From the East, January 2023
Happ
y New Year, brothers and friends. I hope the holiday season has treated you all well, and that the new year brings you prosperity and good health.
We have a big year ahead of us at Acalanes Fellowship, and we’re already well into the swing of Masonic activity, preparing to confer degrees, getting ready for our annual crab feed fundraiser, and looking forward to a calendar full of great events.
Among all the things we’ll be doing this year, we’ll be celebrating the 70th anniversary of one of our three constituent founding lodges: Acalanes Lodge #723 was formed in 1953, and held its first meetings at Acalanes High School here in Lafayette. So, while our original charter as Fellowship Lodge #480 is now 103 years old, it is good to remember the history of all the lodges that came together to create Acalanes Fellowship, and mark this particular milestone with pride.
On the morning of Saturday, January 7, we’ll initiate three new brothers into our Craft. We sent out an invitation to all Masons on our mailing list, but if you would like to join us, please RSVP here beforehand.
As soon as we finish this weekend’s initiation, we’ll transition to conferring Third Degrees upon six brothers who made tremendous progress in their Masonic journey last year. Look for announcements of these degrees in the weeks ahead, with the first of them happening on Saturday, January 28th, and a steady cadence going into March. All Master Masons in good standing are encouraged to attend.
On Saturday, February 18th, at 5pm, we’ll have our annual crab feed fundraiser, to be held at Orinda Masonic Center again this year. Space is limited, but tickets are available now. Don’t wait to register and join the fun! (And as ever, we’re looking for volunteers to help with everything from setup to cooking to running the front of house. So please reach out to me if you’re able to help.)
We’ve come a long way since the quiet, online-only days of the pandemic, and our lodge is now active and vibrant again. More than a dozen new members have joined our ranks since the pandemic began, and more than half of them have progressed in their degree work already. It’s truly a pleasure to see Acalanes Fellowship so vibrant and full of activity. If you haven’t made it to lodge in a while, I hope you’ll come join us for a meeting or a degree soon.
Robert S. Strohmeyer, PM
Master
Secretary’s Table
Hello Brethren, Greetings from the Secretary.
Another Masonic year is upon us with January being the month we introduce new officers for the ensuing masonic year. It is my honor to congratulate Brother Robert Strohmeyer on his installation to be the Worshipful Master for 2023. It is the highest position a lodge of Master Masons can bestow on a member. I also congratulate all of the other elected officers; Bradley Rupert as Senior Warden, Pete Peterson as Junior Warden, and David Kreutzinger as Treasurer. It becomes my duty to inform you that December was the month when we pay our annual dues. Dues for 2023 are $185.25. Please be sure to pay your dues so you remain a member in good standing. If you are a life member, you may also consider paying the per capita fee that Grand Lodge charges us each year. This year the per capita fee is $59.25. I assure you that paying these fees is strictly voluntary so there is no obligation, but it will help the lodge cover many unforeseen challenges and meet charitable opportunities.
I have been a mason for 18 years. Masonry is not a hobby. It is a way of life. We are taught the mystery of the craft and how to lead a better and fulfilling life. Masonry’s prime objective is to make good men better. It is a never-ending journey filled with joy and brotherhood. We have an obligation, an oath to make the world better for Masons and non-Mason’s. Those of us who regularly attend meetings experience that brotherly love and truth at every turn. We are challenged from that experience to go out and make a difference in the world though our words and actions. I challenge you to do the same. For you to experience the same brotherly love, come to the stated meeting. It is THE event of each month when we can all get together and share. If you have not been for a while, we miss you! As always, you are invited to attend our stated meeting dinner and meeting on the first Tuesday of each month. The camaraderie and good fun continue abound. This is the time for you to return to lodge if you haven’t been for a while. Don’t feel embarrassed or shy. We want you back and I can guarantee you will be welcomed. You will thank yourself for attending. If you need a ride, please call me at (925) 818-8033. See to you in lodge Brethren!
Fraternally,
C. Randall Tolerton
Secretary
2023 Committees
Brethren, I am pleased to share with you our fraternal committee appointments for the 2023 Masonic Year.
Executive Committee
Bob Strohmeyer, PM, Master – Chair
Brad Rupert, PM, Senior Warden
Pete Peterson, HA, Junior Warden
David L. Kreutzinger, Treasurer
Randy Tolerton, PM, Secretary
Charity Committee
Brad Rupert, PM, Senior Warden – Chair
Bob Strohmeyer, PM, Master
Pete Peterson, Junior Warden
Auditing Committee
Adam Hanin, PM – Chair
Terry Killgore, PM
Marion Rogers, PM
Member Retention Committee
Randy Tolerton, Secretary – Chair
Tom Riley, PM, HA
Fred Lezak, HA, Marshal
Hiram Award Committee
Brad Rupert, PM, Senior Warden – Chair
Pete Peterson, HA, Junior Warden
Marion Rogers, PM, HA
Fred Lezak, HA, Marshal
Sunshine Committee
Frank Shoffner, Chaplain – Chair
Tom Riley, PM, HA
John Minagro
Dining Committee
Pete Peterson, HA, Junior Warden – Chair
Christopher Benz
Rob Seitelman
Mark Williams, Senior Deacon
Life Membership Committee
Randy Tolerton, PM, Secretary – Chair
Rider Brose
Mark Williams, Senior Deacon
Installation of 2023 Officers
Thank you to all who joined us for our annual Installation of Officers on Saturday, December 3. Despite the rain, it was an evening of warmth and brotherhood as we celebrated the installation of our 2023 officers.
Master: Robert S. Strohmeyer, PM
Senior Warden: Bradley O. Rupert, PM
Junior Warden: Peter Peterson, HA
Treasurer: David L. Kreutzinger
Secretary: C. Randall Tolerton, PM
Chaplain: F.H. “Frank” Shoffner
Marshal: Frederick T. Lezak, Jr., HA
Senior Deacon: Mark A. Williams
Junior Deacon: Kaveh Astaneh
Tiler: Chandler S. Eason, Jr.
Above: A very special thank you to our installing team: Marion P. Rogers, PM (left), Master of Ceremonies; Robert A. L. Whitfield, PM (second from left), Installing Officer; Phillip L. McAllister, PM (far right), Chaplain.
Our incoming Worshipful Master, Robert Strohmeyer, PM, with Inspector of the 305th Masonic District of the State of California, the Worshipful Michael Tagulao, PM.
From the East, December 2022
Greetings from the East Brethren!
I write to you as I am on my way out, making room for the next generation of leaders. There are a few familiar faces moving into new positions in 2023. There are also some new faces joining the line. With them they carry new ideas. I encourage you to get to know them and give them your full support as I am.
Masonry has many secrets. Perhaps the greatest secret is what it brings out of you. I believe Masonry has enabled me to look inside of myself and see how I can improve. I wasn’t sure how I would feel after completing my year as Master. Do I feel as if I have accomplished a goal? Absolutely. Do I feel as if Masonry has more to offer? Yes. What is the next step in my Masonic journey? Now that is a question.
The Masonic Journey is different for each of us. Personally, I look forward to exploring The Shrine and York Rite. I look forward to supporting the new leadership of Acalanes Fellowship Lodge in any way I can. But most of all I look forward to seeing new members come into our lodge, our craft, and taking Masonry into the future.
Thank you for your time and support during my year. Thank you for your counsel and guidance. Be safe and be kind to one another. Help each other when possible.
We’ll talk again soon.
Fraternally,
Terry Killgore
2022 Master AFL #480
Bro. Kaveh Astaneh Raised to Master Mason
Congratulations to Bro. Kaveh Astaneh on being raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Bro. Astaneh was raised during a visitation to Orinda Lodge No. 122 under the charter of Acalanes Fellowship.
The officers of Acalanes Fellowship are grateful to Worshipful Michael Finein and the officers of Orinda Lodge for their conferral of such an excellent degree. The fraternal bond between our lodges remains as strong as ever.
