For our opening meeting I'd like to discuss the "mandate/mission statement" I have set for my year as WM. ERAC has a long history of hard work which in many ways culminated in the fine degree work we bore witness too last year. In no way do I anticipate any decline in our ritual work in the coming year but its hard to improve upon the near perfection we are starting to see in some areas. Given this I have looked to what I consider to be my own particular skill set and set the challange of raising the quality of the non-degree meetings to closer to that of our ritual work. In doing this I have turned to our ritual for guidance in how to pay the craft its wages, as I believe they are due. I look forward to sharing these thoughts at our opening meeting.

Our annual opportunity to recognize the year's of work in the quarries our brother's have contributed to the craft.

Speaking Opportunity: There are brothers who put work into our lodge in ways that are not always recognized. I am looking for a few brothers who are willing to nominate another brother for some special service they have provided, and who are willing to get up and speak about what that brother has meant to them. We have more official awards for the more common duties and efforts so what I am looking for here is something more personal. For example, were he still with us I would nominate Rev. Paul Gleason for being a calming influence on me through out my masonic career. Whenever he was on the sidelines I always knew I could look over and his smile would settle me back down so that I could continue with whatever work I was presenting. Brother Gelason of course meant much more to the fraternity than just that but I never got the chance to thank him properly for that and as such I would like to provide the opportunity for others to recognize their brothers for the small things that make fraternity such a pleasure in our lives. Looking for 3-4 nominations in this area. (For past masters there may be another opportunity, see below, for such appreciation).

We will be running the table lodge program based upon the masonic compact.

Speaking Opportunity: A speaker is needed for each toast to discuss, in five minutes or less, the masonic principal we are toasting to.

Borther Reninger will be presenting a program on Masonic Conduct from Rudyard Kipling's: "The Man Who Would be King." I would encourage the brothers to take the opportunity to read the book beforehand (or at least watch the movie). We are also targetting this evening to read the outstanding petitions so please make sure to get your petitions in prior to this meeting.

We will be holding a chicken & pork BBQ table lodge program in honor of our masonic veterans.

Speaking Opportunity: I am looking for two speakers, one on Masonic Lodges during the Revolution and another on Masonic Lodges in Iraq & Afghanistan. 5-15 minutes each.

The objective is to ballot on all petitions this evening.

Speaking Opportunity: Democracy was a pretty novel concept, and certainly not the default option in society throughout most of history, including our own Masonic history. Thus I think it is something special to be celebrated and discussed that Masons has such a long history of democracy adn I would like a brother to speak on the history of balloting on petitions and the importance of democracy as thus exemplified to masonry.

Please come out for the official visit by one our very own.

"How Should He Be Prepared?" In anticipation of our first degree the officers will be wearing hawaiian shirts for a discussion on masonic attire.

Speaking Opportunity: Looking for two brothers to speak for 5-15 minutes each. The first on the preperation of the candidate and the second on different Masonic attire in foreign coutnries or through history.

We are always looking for brothers to contribute to the degree work beyond the officers line.

Come out for the Turducken, stay for the discussion. February 12 is Darwin's Day, celebrating Darwin's birthday and there is a tradition of trying to eat as wide a range of taxa as possible. Since I was a steward many years ago some of the brothers have been talking about doing a Turducken and I think this is as good an excuse as any. Masonry also has a long history in the sciences to celebrate.

Speaking Opportunity: Looking for a Brother to speak on Darwin's Masonic history (I know his grandfather, father & son were WMs, but I keep seeing conflicting reports on Charles himself) and if any other Brother would like to discuss another famous Masonic scientist please let me know.

We are always looking for brothers to contribute to the degree work beyond the officers line.

Masononry exists not only in each of our hearts but in (an admittedly warped form) popculture as well. From Monty Python's "How to Spot a Mason Sketch" to the Simpson's Stonecutters, as well as Alan Moore's "From Hell" to Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol" Masons and Masonry are a popular subject. What can we learn from how we are portrayed? Speaking Opportunity: Any of these a particular passion of yours? Take the lead in presenting it for discussion (<5 minutes as we are looking for an open talk).

With the 3rd Degree in particular there are multiple opportunities to participate.

With the degrees completed we continue the new brothers education and reflect on each of our arrival into the Lodge.

Speaking Opportunity: Looking for a brother from one of the recent classes to discuss their experience as a new brother in masonry as well as one of our long-term members to discuss a lifetime in masonry.

After all of our hard work let us celebrate our fraternity over the festive board.

My last meeting as WM some concluding thoughts. I am looking to fill all of the chairs with past masters for the evening to provide our newly elected brothers with time to reflect on their new positions before installation. We are a lucky lodge to have so many active past masters and so many new brothers so I would like to end my term by reminiscing over the good times under previous masters and would look for brothers to talk about the good memories they have regarding some of our past masters to illuminate our newer brothers on the deep fraternal history of ERAC.

I'm guessing I'll feel a lot lighter after I hand off the charter to our next Wm (I'm looking at you John). Past Master in the East Initiative: For some reason last year brothers thought it was funny almost every meeting to come up to me and say Pat Mulrooney was going to miss the mtg so I'd have to sit in the east. It never really bothered me because I always knew that, worst come to worst, there were always past masters to help me through. While I have every intent to attend everyone of our meetings and I know that John could step up just fine I also know that due to work my cabletow can shorten unexpectedly and I can find myself across the country or the ocean on short notice.