Master's Message September 2025

Dear brothers,

I hope the summer has treated you well! September marks our return to labor in the quarry, and I am eager to see the lodge once again filled with the fellowship and spirit that make our meetings so special.

While it has been a relatively quiet summer from a Masonic perspective, we did confer the Master Mason degree on three brothers from Lafayette (James Bray, Bill Spittell, and Reon Johnson) and two brothers from Manchester lodge (Adrian Porter and Raffey Daniels) on August 18th. It was a very good night and I want to pass along some words from an email we received from our District Deputy Grand Master Daniel Rzewuski, who was in attendance that evening: “What a complete joy it was. Your lodge's level of excellence is something else. You all have a lot to be proud of.” We indeed have a lot to be proud of and I, for one, am proud to be a member of this lodge!

Our first meeting back will be Step-Up Night, an important tradition in which our officers will open the lodge in the chairs they are expected to occupy in the coming year. This is an excellent opportunity to support our future leaders, as they gain valuable experience in their new roles and prepare to carry the light of our lodge forward.

For our September dinner, we will continue a tradition passed down from Redwood Lodge and host Deli Night, a relaxed way to break bread together after our summer recess. I encourage you to come hungry and stay for the fellowship that has always been the true nourishment of our craft.

Thanks to Dennis Cipriano and Midfield Technology, Lafayette has a new(ish) website! I say newish because Dennis was able to change Redwood’s website to that of Lafayette so you may still see some references to Redwood in there during the transition. I really like our new website and I encourage you to check it out! https://lafayette47.org/

One of the last things I would like to accomplish as master is a cornhole tournament, which will be a joint fundraiser between Lafayette and Friendship lodges. It will be held on September 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM. Please see the flyer which I emailed separately for details.

As I reflect on these months in the East, I am reminded of how quickly time passes. My year as Worshipful Master is drawing to a close, and I am deeply grateful for the trust and support you have shown me. This final month in the East will no doubt be busy, but it is also a chance for me to savor these closing days, working alongside each of you to further strengthen the bonds that unite us.

Let us return to labor with renewed purpose, united in friendship, morality, and brotherly love.

Fraternally,
Jesse Thom