On Tuesday, August 20, 2019, in Washington DC at the Scottish Rite Biennial Conference, Most Worshipful Bob Moninger received the 33rd Degree Inspector General Honorary Degree, along with several other Nebraska brothers.
Among those were Don Kavalec, Chuck Sohm and Armel MacDonald, who are pictured signing the Gold Book, which all 33rds who receive the Degree in Washington, DC sign. They join luminaries like Harry Truman, J.C. Penney, Jimmy Doolittle, Curtis LeMay, Frank Patton, Robert Jordan and Albert Pike.
The Grand Lodge of Nebraska hosted the 2019 Midwest Conference of Grand Lodges on August 15-16 at the Courtyard Downtown in Omaha. Nearly 40 representatives and their ladies from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin attended the Conference. Topics presented by the jurisdictions and discussed by all were: ideas to modernize Masonry and not lose our identity; should jurisdictions require background checks; joining forces with appendant bodies for membership and retention; what can be done to keep new members being suspended for non-payment of dues; with today’s technology do business meetings need to be in person; and how best to utilize limited resources when dealing with struggling lodges.
The attendees enjoyed an outing to Henry Doorly Zoo on Friday evening for dinner and the ladies tour took them down the Missouri River on the River City Star on Saturday. Entertainment on Saturday evening following dinner was the Home Brewed Quartet with members from Omaha and Fremont.
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Esther is the 2019 Rawhide Wrangler 4-H Club’s 4-Her of the Year. She earned 12 purple ribbons; 2 silver medals; 1 gold medal; 2 reserve grand champion awards; 1 best of show awards; and 2 projects going to the Nebraska State Fair. These prestigious awards were diversified between livestock, hobby, career, woodworking, and welding projects.
The 2019 4-Her of the Year is not only active and successful in 4-H, but she is active and successful in other parts of her life. She is on the Masonic-Eastern Star Home for Children’s Youth Council and landscaping crew; she will be on the high school’s volleyball team; she earned the 4th quarter’s high grade point average in her cottage; and she is known to be one of the hardest working kids that the Children’s Home has ever had.
Most Worshipful Bob Moninger is shown making comments to the attendees of the Fremont Masonic/Eastern Star Home for Children Annual 4-H Achievement Day on August 10, 2019 prior to his awarding the Home’s 4-H’er of the Year Award.
Brother Solomon Dextator-Morenberg of Rob Morris Lodge No. 46 in Kearney received the full form challenge coin for his outstanding work in all three degrees. Pictured are his Dad Paul Dextator-Morenberg; Coach Kevin Johnson; Bro. Solomon; Grand Custodian Delmar Jones; and Grand Junior Warden Alex Straatmann. Immediately following the passing of his exam in the Masters Degree, he turned in his first petition for a new candidate.
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Brother Gary Maes of Waterloo Lodge No. 102 in Elkhorn put on an amazing display of proficiency by giving the answers in Q&A for both the Fellow Craft and Master Mason degrees during the business meeting of the lodge. Pictured are Grand Senior Warden Jim Carlton, who awarded the Grand Master’s Full Form Proficiency Excellence Coins for Gary’s performance; Brother Maes; and Worshipful Master Roger Moore.
Members of Rob Morris Lodge No. 146 in Kearney travelled to Ogallala on August 6, 2019 to present the Sonny Eatmon Traveling Gavel to members of the Ogalalla Lodge No. 159.
The Traveling Gavel was presented as a gift to the Grand Lodge by the Family of Past Grand Master James L. “Sonny” Eatmon, (GM 1992) in 2005. W.B. John Ferguson handcrafted this beautiful wood gavel and case in honor of his father-in-law. The gavel or wood maul was commissioned as the James L. “Sonny” Eatmon Traveling Gavel on February 3, 2006.
Symbolic of the operative craft working as Masons in the construction of Ancient Monumental Edifices and the intricate detail of ornamentation, it is appropriate that this gavel or wood maul work in our lodges to demonstrate leadership and concern to the fine details of fellowship among our speculative craft and thus encourage visitations among our lodges and brethren.
This gavel departs Annual Communication each year with the lodge of the new Grand Master. It is the responsibility of at least four brethren, of which at least two must be officers of that lodge, to visit another lodge within 30 days and to carry and deposit the gavel to the visited lodge. That lodge will then hold the same obligation of visiting and depositing the gavel in another lodge within 30 days.
On August 2, 2019, the Nebraska Grand Lodge Officers traveled to Columbus to perform the time honored Cornerstone Ceremony for the Columbus Police and Fire Department Building that was arranged by Lebanon Lodge No. 323. Prior to the ceremony, Lebanon Lodge was opened for a special communication during which M.W. Bob Moninger declared open an occasional lodge for the purpose of symbolically laying the two cornerstones. Following lunch all proceeded to the cornerstone location that was attended by more than 100 citizens of Columbus and surrounding communities.
Friday afternoon saw a centuries-old ceremony performed in Columbus to dedicate the new police and fire stations.
Friday, August 2nd 2019, 6:46 PM CDT by Alex Loroff Updated: Friday, August 2, 2019, 7:43 PM CDT
COLUMBUS – Friday afternoon saw a centuries-old ceremony performed in Columbus to dedicate the new police and fire stations.
The two stones for the buildings were purchased and inscribed by Lebanon Lodge 323 of Columbus, and the ceremony was conducted by the Grand Lodge of Freemasons in Nebraska. Former Grand Master of the Grand Lodge Philip Lorenzen spoke to attendees about the historical significance and tradition behind the cornerstone.
“In ancient times, buildings were plumed, squared, and leveled by stone masons, ” Lorenzen said. “A cornerstone was the starting point for every edifice, and if not set perfectly, the quality of the entire structure would be flawed and imperfect, and would not serve a long and useful life. Since a cornerstone is perfectly hewn, it is symbolic of the quality of these facilities, and the level of service they and their leaders will provide throughout the years of usage of these facilities.”
Each cornerstone also concealed steel capsules, which contained mementos from each department. Police Chief Chuck Sherer says the CPD’s capsule included historical records of the department, patches, business cards, badges, and other memorabilia. Fire Chief Dan Miller said the CFD’s capsule contained photographs of the current firefighters and VFD members, as well as rosters and badges of personnel.
Mayor Jim Bulkley spoke at the ceremony, and discussed how the two facilities showcase the dedication that both the City of Columbus and residents how towards high-quality public safety.
“This is a reality because we presented it to the people, we put it to a vote of the people, and it passed overwhelmingly, and I think in Columbus we can be proud of what we get from the police and fire departments, they are among the best anywhere you could want,” Bulkley said. “This is a facility to let them work in an environment that they deserve, and I think that everybody in the community would expect that, and welcome that.” Both the new police and fire stations are still under construction, but both projects are on track to be finished by the end of the year.
Shown is the Grand Master being escorted into the lodge room
The Grand Master is received by Lebanon Lodge Master
The Grand Master makes comments during the opening of the occasional lodge prior to the Cornerstone ceremony
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Members of Mid-West Lodge No. 317 in Hastings met in Minden on Sunday, July 7th to present W.B. Arthur S. Dye with his 65-Year Membership Pin. Also present were his wife Helen, 4 of their 5 children and spouses. Worshipful Brother Art served as a Deputy Grand Custodian for 50 years (1964-2014), received the Grand Master’s Humanitarian Award in 2002, and Secretary of the Year Award in 2006. W.B. Art passed on Monday, July 8th at the age of 95; well done good and faithful servant and Brother.
LtoR: Bob Williams PM, Don Rasmussen PGM, Dan Nonneman PM, Roger Dieninger PM, Scott Krieger PGM, Art Dye PM, Bob Summers WM, Helen Dye (wife), Bruce Baker PGM, Alan Dye (son).
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Nebraska Grand Lodge 