September 2024 Trestleboard

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Greetings From the East!

I hope you are enjoying Summer and making great memories with your family and friends.  As we come back to Lodge in September, I am very excited for the events we have planned!

At our first meeting on September 5th, we will be hosting a joint communication with Douglas Lodge #153.  We have some Fellowcraft proficiencies on the agenda, so I hope you join us to see all the hard work our brothers put into their proficiencies.  We will also be having Masonic Trivia this evening hosted by WB Scott Bates. There will be prizes to give away so come test your Masonic knowledge!

For our second meeting on September 19th, Denver Royal Arch Chapter No 2 of the York Rite will be coming to put on the Mark Master degree in our lodge.  This is a fantastic opportunity to receive the initial degree of the York Rite for free!  This meeting will only be open to Master Masons, and I invite all Master Masons to attend and see the work of Denver RA Chapter No 2.

As the summer comes to a close, I hope you can reflect on how you spent your time this summer, and how the lessons taught in Masonry were able to influence you in your actions and interactions with those around you.  I look forward to seeing you in September!

My Best to all of you, my Brethren,

Joshua Ruegsegger
Worshipful Master 2024
d5wmaster2024@gmail.com

February 2024

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Greetings from the East!

As January comes to a close, I hope all of you have had a good start to your year.  Last month we initiated brother Drew Turner and brother Jason Keeler.  It was a great night and I hope it was a memorable experience for both Drew and Jason.  I enjoyed seeing all of the brothers who came to lodge and were there to support our new EAs.

This month we will have plenty to discuss in lodge as we continue to look forward to the new year and all that we would like to accomplish.  The first meeting this Thursday, February 1st, will have a presentation on a short talk bulletin by bother Bro Sr Deacon Troy and Bro Jr Deacon Conner.  I look forward to both of their presentations as they share a part of Freemasonry they find impactful.  Please be sure to RSVP for dinner here.

In our second on February 15th, we will be raising brother Eli and Max to the sublime degree of a Master Mason.  We will be opening the Lodge at 5:30 PM to cover any bus I encourage all brothers who can attend to join us and make this a memorable event.  I am still putting the cast list together, and if you are interested in being a part of this degree, please let me know. Please RSVP for dinner here.

I look forward to seeing you all in lodge this month as we progress through the beginning part of the year.  My hope is that you will come to lodge to strengthen our fraternal bond, and I encourage you all to think about how Masonry makes us better men.

My best to all of you, my Brethren

Joshua Ruegsegger

Worshipful Master 2024

d5wmaster2024@gmail.com

April 2023 Trestleboard

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Greetings from the East, Brethren

Wishing you a joyful spring season! I know I’m looking forward to longer days and blooming flowers; to the seeds planted thus far sprouting into opportunities for exciting events and fellowship. 

 *April 15th is the deadline to submit applications for scholarships!!!!*  If you are sponsoring a student make sure everything required is submitted to the Secretary on time for it to be considered by the scholarship committee.  If you are sponsoring a student please rsvp for the scholarship dinner on  May 18th here.  Include your sponsored student and his/her family in your rsvp count.  I would like to get ahead on head count for this dinner so arrangements can be made.

Thank you all for the great turn out last meeting!  It was a very pleasant surprise to have so many visiting Brothers and Past Masters attending. Dinner conversation was stimulating and the meeting and education afterward was great!  My thanks to our speaker WB. Ryan Wallace for his talk.

April 3rd we will be visiting Harmony Lodge #61 located at 350 S. Broadway  Denver CO  80209.  Dinner is at 6:30pm with lodge at 7:30pm.  

April 6th our first Thursday meeting in April we will be hearing a Master Mason proficiency from Bro. Brian Neeper come out and support him!
As always rsvp here for dinner

The second meeting in April we will be entranced by the riveting words of our own Worshipful Brother Van Troi Perozo.  He will be giving a talk on the FC degree regarding the pillars of the temple.  This is sure to be a great night, don’t miss our and rsvp here for dinner.

Brethren, In keeping with the season remember not to judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. 

March 2023 Trestleboard

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Greetings from the East!   

First I’d like to congratulate our Junior Past Master James Bechtel for receiving the honor lodge award from Grand Lodge for his year, 2022. We presented the lodge with the plaque at the last meeting, I hope to continue the tradition this year and know that with all the Brothers help we will achieve it.  I’d also like to congratulate Brothers  Romini Sherali, Brian Neeper and Donald Stewart for receiving their third degree at our first meeting in February.

Our annual participation in the Special Olympics polar plunge is coming up quickly. This year it is being held March 11th at Boulder Reservoir. Come out and show your support for the cause and spend time with your Brothers! WB Tom Shoots needs to get our list of participants in ASAP so rsvp to him here right away, please. 

Note* The lodge will not be doing the St Paddy’s day parade this year as it falls on the same day as the polar plunge. 

The first meeting in March I look forward to a lively discussion on lodge culture and expectations so think about what it is that brings you to lodge, what gets you excited and what are you looking forward to in the future. RSVP for dinner here.

Our second meeting we have a guest speaker, Brother Ryan Wallace, member of Research Lodge of Colorado, giving his talk on “Freemasonry and Morality”.  RSVP for dinner here.

Upcoming events: Denver Lodge is sponsoring the Scottish Rite’s Clays for a Cause and Eastern Star Masonic Retirement Community’s golf tournament.  Spots are available and are first come first serve,  RSVP you interest to WB Pablo Colomban.

“We Mason’s are among the fortunate ones who are taught to meet together with others opposing convictions or competitive ideas and yet respect each others as Brothers.”  -Albert Pike

December 2022 Trestleboard

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Greetings from the East!

I hope everyone had a safe and very filling Thanksgiving! I know I definitely ate more pie than I needed but hey, it’s a holiday right! Now it’s on to the next set of holidays and then it’s time for the year 2023! When I started my year in the East, I was given lots of advice from past masters but the one constant I heard from them all was just how fast the year would go. They were not wrong. It does not feel like it’s been a WHOLE year already and I don’t think the realization has fully set in yet. We had a lot happen this year and had some very good meetings and always shared in some great fellowship along the way.

Our first meeting of December (Dec. 1st) we will be hearing from our committees and submitting their reports and then we will be holding the election for officers, for the 2023 Masonic year! Come and show your support for our future D5 officers! Dinner at 6:30pm. RSVP here

Our second as well as final meeting (Dec. 15th) for the 2022 year will be our Annual Agape Dinner! This dinner is open to Masons only and will start around 6:30pm.  As this is a popular event, to ensure there is enough food and drink it’s very important that you RSVP here.

Our last event of the year will be our installation of the new Denver 5 officers! This will take place Saturday, December 17th. Dinner will be at 6:30pm, with the installation to follow. this is always a fun evening and I highly recommend coming and supporting our brothers on their journey. Since this is an open lodge event It will be absolutely crucial that you RSVP here, so we have enough food to go around.

I have learned so much during my year in the East and I truly love and appreciate everyone who has helped me during my time. I will miss wearing the hat, but I know I’m leaving D5 in better, more capable hands than ever. Looking to the bright future of Denver 5 and Colorado Masonry, I’m excited to see what the newer members will bring to the table and confident that the craft we all love will continue to grow strong. Thank you all, my brothers!

Fraternally yours always,
James Bechtel, Worshipful Master 2022

October 2022 Trestleboard

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Greetings from the East!

Congratulations to our newest EAs and a big thank you to the degree team who put in the work to make the degree excellent! Also, congratulations to the brothers who put in the hard work to become proficient on various degrees. We’re looking forward to putting on your degrees next!! This cooler weather and turning leaves are definitely putting me in the holiday mood and it’s hard to believe that our Masonic year is just about over but there is still work to be done!!

Our first meeting on Oct. 6th, W.B Aaron Klostermeyer will be presenting a lecture/discussion on the symbolism of the EA working tools (and how symbols work in general.) Since we just initiated two new brothers, I feel this will be very informative and we can all do well to remember the meaning of our working tools. Please RSVP for dinner.

Our second meeting on Oct. 20th, we will be putting on a Fellowcraft degree. If you’d like a part or want to present a lecture, please reach out to Bro. Bryan Cummings S.W. Remember we always love a volunteer! Please RSVP for dinner.

A heads up for November. Our first meeting Nov. 3rd, is Denver 5s heritage night. we’re celebrating 163 years of fellowship. This meeting will be an open meeting so please please please bring your friends and family along. just be sure to RSVP so we can make sure there’s enough food to go around.

Fraternally yours,
James Bechtel

September 2022 Trestleboard

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Greetings from the East!

Where did the summer go?! The evening air is starting to cool, the kids are back in school and the pumpkin spice is flowing. All this points to us coming back from being dark and I know I’m ready to get back to work!

Our first meeting on Sep. 1st will be a step-up night. This will be a good one because not only will our JW. Bro. Ruegsegger be sitting in the East stepping up and down through the degrees, we will also be hearing proficiencies on all three degrees from some very hard working brothers! I highly recommend coming out to support all these brothers. Dinner as always is at 6:30 pm and please RSVP here.

Our second meeting on Sep. 15th will be an EA degree. If you would like to have a part in this degree please reach out to our JW. and be on the lookout for the cast list. D5 officers, we will be opening early at 5:45 pm to help keep the night from drawing on too late. Dinner at 6:30 pm and as always please RSVP here.

There are some fun things planned out for the remainder of the year. a few visitations, a lecture or two, more degrees, our annual heritage night, and lots of fellowship in between. I look forward to seeing everyone again and hearing everyone’s summer stories!

Fraternally Yours,
James Bechtel WM.

June 2022 Trestleboard

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Greetings from the East!

The official days of summer are so very near. The kids are out of school and the days, as well as the nights, are heating up despite late-season snow that breaks everyone’s tree branches. We had a lot of fun at the annual scholarship night and handed out 13 scholarships and redecorated the fifth floor by officially hanging the portrait of Henry Bromwell that was donated to and restored by the temple association last year. The next time you’re at the Welton building, pop up to the fifth floor and check out the new artwork.

We have only one Stated Communication on June 2nd to read suspensions. Since this will be a Masons-only night, we will not have dinner open to prospects and non-masons. This will be a quick meeting to read suspensions and finish any remaining business we have left open. Also, let’s forgo the suits for casual wear. In the theme of the quick informal nature of this meeting we’re going to order pizza for dinner so please RSVP, so we know how much to order.

We may be dark after this meeting on June 2nd but there will be many things happening this summer. In the pipe, there will be several visitations, a few degrees, hopefully, a summer BBQ and several other fellowship building events, an officer’s workshop, and if reception is good the continuation of Masonica in August. Be on the lookout for correspondence related to any of these events in the very near future.

Fraternally yours,
James Bechtel

May 2022 Trestleboard

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Greetings from the East

Firstly, congratulations to Brother Donald Stewart on receiving your first degree in Masonry! I hope you enjoy your journey. The Polar Plunge with the nonexistent “polar conditions” was still a lot of fun and the money donated went to a great cause.

Our first communication on May 5th we will be hearing several proficiencies from hard-working brothers on several degrees. So, we will be opening on the first degree but need to step up to the third degree to hear them all. As always please RSVP for dinner.

Our second communication on May 19th will be our annual scholarship night. This is an open night so please bring your family and friends along. Denver 5 officers we will be opening early at 5:30 to take care of any business before dinner. With a usually larger than normal turnout for this event is really, really important that you RSVP for dinner. 

Summer is approaching fast, and with it, Denver 5 goes dark for the months of June, July, and August. We do this out of tradition but rather than going dark it feels appropriate to say we go dim. There is more work to get done and there are several fun events planned and in the works for continued fellowship throughout the summer months. For instance, the Scottish Rite Clays for a Cause is happening on May 27th. So be on the lookout for communications informing you of all the summer happenings.

Fraternally yours,
James Bechtel

April 2022 Trestleboard

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Greetings From the East!

Congratulations to Bro. Brian Neeper on your initiation into Freemasonry! Your journey is just beginning. March was a lot of fun with events that took place outside of the lodge room. A big thank you to the brothers who participated in the St. Patrick’s Day parade and to the brothers who made the long drive to visit with Pueblo No. 17. Both events were truly enjoyable!

For our first communication of April, we will open on the EA to hear a proficiency. Then we will hear an education from WB Rob Jones of East Denver No. 160 on the topic of “Effective Masonic Communication.”  If you plan on attending dinner at 6:30, please RSVP.

At our second Communication of the month, we will be initiating two more worthy candidates into the brotherhood of Freemasonry. If you would like a specific part, please reach out to JW Joshua Ruegsegger to secure a spot for you. As always please RSVP if you plan on attending dinner.

The annual Boulder Polar Plunge is scheduled for Saturday, April 9th. This is a fun event that helps support the Colorado Special Olympics. if you haven’t yet, please reach out to WB Tom Shotts to get on the list.

Last chance to get scholarship requests turned in for our annual scholarship night in May. Everyone could use a little extra help so If you or anyone you know who is looking to further their education, please consider having them fill out the scholarship request forms and have them submitted by April 15th for review. Applications are available here.

Fraternally yours,
James Bechtel

Upcoming Events
We are happy to be sponsoring the 2022 SCOTTISH RITE SPORTING CLAYS CLASSIC! Registration is now open here.