Mother Nature played a bit of an April Fools prank on us this year! After a fairly mild start to spring, a substantial winter storm blew in the evening of our April Stated Communication, and I thought it prudent to “cancel” our meeting. I say “cancel” in quotes because one of our great claims to fame has been the unbroken continuity of our meetings since 1736, and consequently a few of us did indeed show up at the appointed hour in order to open and close the lodge. Thank you to those who came out — we kept the streak going!

Of course, no business was conducted, and the lodge was open only as long as it took to gavel it open and closed. But what that act represented is truly remarkable: Nothing, not storms, pandemics, nor world wars, can cause St. John’s Lodge #1 to go dark.

This continuity is all the more remarkable given our numbers. Our lodge has around 230 members, and in keeping with the usual ten percent active participation rate of organizations in general, we have a couple dozen Brothers who regularly attend meetings. Of those regulars, about a third are officers. So in truth, at any particular time, just a handful of Brothers keep that flame lit.

The next time you are in lodge, I invite you to look around the room at the assembled Brethren and think “at this moment we are it — we are the ones keeping that nearly three hundred year old flame going”. For me personally, this exercise makes me appreciate everyone present, even those with whom I have perhaps disagreed. Despite whatever challenges our lodge faces now or in the future, we have a job to do and we all need to keep showing up. So mote it be.

Fraternally,

Worshipful Alan D. Ammann Worshipful Master