Oracle No.26

oracle 26 FEBRUARY 2018 Issue No.
STOWMARKET MASONIC Masonic Hall,Violet Hill Road, Stowmarket
Local Charities benefit over £4g
Thank you for all those who have kindly contributed to this edition.
Story on page 2 and 3
We look forward to all those who use the facilities at Stowmarket and welcome contributions to Oracle for future issues.
Please feel free to submit any articles you may feel of importance for Oracle to W.Bro. Codge [email protected], your secretary, or to the Stowmarket Masonic Association.
THIS PUBLICATION WOULD WELCOME ANY ARTICLES FROM OTHER DEGREES WHO USE THE FACILITIES AT STOWMARKET
Please also feel free to submit any events your lodge may have arranged i.e. Ladies Nights etc.


PHOENIX LODGE 516 bought Christmas early to a numbers of local Stowmarket and district Stowmarket Charities. The Charities that received donations from the Lodge were; the East Anglian Air Ambulance, the Contact Club, the Shed, the Girl Guides, the David Hopgood Foundation. the Street Forge Workshop, the Bumblebees Childcare Centre, the Whatisham Childcare Centre and the Suffolk Oxygen Centre. In total the amount donated came to £4000. All this money was raised by members of the Lodge.
One of the Lodges longest serving members of 45 years Traver Scarf, was on hand to preset a cheque to Terry Auld representing the David Hopgood Foundation. Traver had known David for many years and was pleased that the money donated would go to help young people with physiological problems to get counselling at the Mix in Stowmarket.
The other cheques were presented by W.Bro. Brian Evans. The photograph shows him presenting a cheque to the East Anglian Air Ambulance representative, Jeff
Harris. Jeff thanked us for the cheque but said that although the money given was substantial it only enabled the helicopter to have enough fuel for 5 hours flying time. In that time a number of lives could be saved.
The Street Forge Workshop conjures up memories of a blacksmith forge. The Charity operates out of such a premises, on the Thornham Estate. It caters for the needs of disabled people by offering them facilities to paint, compute do woodwork and learn many other skills.
Each Charity explained what they did to improve the welfare of so many people young and old. These volunteers are the people to whom we owe a deep gratitude.




£300 TO HOME START MID SUFFOLK
W.M.’s
CHOSEN
Home-Start Mid Suffolk offers support, friendship and practical help to parents with young children throughout the Mid Suffolk area.
CHARITY
A presentation was made on Friday 15th December 2017 by the WM of Bosmere Lodge at Red Gables in Stowmarket.
Parents ask for Home-Start's help for all sorts of reasons:
This money is going to help fund a welfare benefit specialist via Mid Suffolk CAB. The specialist assists clients in all aspects of benefit claims, plus providing information, advice and support to those locally affected by MS, their immediate family and carers. This service is primarily delivered through home visits as many of their members have extremely limited mobility.
They may feel lonely or isolated in their community, have no family nearby or be struggling to make friends
PHŒNIX LODGE INSTALLATION
W.Bro. D. Tombs
They recruit and train volunteers who have parenting experience themselves and offer families informal, friendly and confidential support.They provide home visits and run group sessions at Red Gables Stowmarket, Wattisham Airfield Community Centre and Bosmere Primary School.
W.Bro Paul Anderson (WM of Ala Lodge (Left) visited the offices of Iceni in Ipswich (He and his ladies chosen charity for the year) Sue Nichol (Middle left) to present the charity’s CEO Mr Brian Tobin (Middle Right) and his colleague Ms Fliss Gillett (Right) with a cheque for £500.
They may be finding it hard to cope because of their own or a child's physical or mental illness
They may be finding it hard to talk to anyone.
They may be suffering increased stress and finding things overwhelming.
THE SHRINERS
W.Bro. Paul Anderson
The Shriners aim is to help children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate and are eligible for care and receive all services in a family- centered environment, in one of our 22 Children’s Hospitals in America regardless of the patients' ability to pay, the Shriners & Sponsors foot the bill.We are also in negotiations with some of the leading hospitals & burns units in London in order to partner with them. If your not a Mason but are interested in helping then Friends of the U.K. Shrine Club is coming soon as “Together We Are
Fabulous Meeting at the installation of WB Jim King in January. The ceremony was outstanding, our newly installed Master did an impeccable job. Our installing master WB Brian Evans also did himself proud. The working tools by Bros Tiago Perdigao, Adam Lee and Gary Riches was exceptional. We were proud to have WB Roger Girling (PJGW), WB Jack
Clarke (Group 9 Rep) amongst the 22 visitors from 15 Lodges. The Festive Board was excellent, good food, good company and a lot's of laughs. 11 months to go for my installation, ( nerves already kicking in).
Also congratulations to those brethren who received notification of Provincial appointments or promotions.
(Bro. Roger Florey)
Stronger”


Spotlight - Mike Richards Ala Lodge
MIKE was initiated in to Ala Lodge in January, 1985 and became their master in March 1994 (The Master of Phoenix Lodge was W.Bro. Walley Haywood).
Past Group Nine Rep.
He was honoured and privileged to serve as the Provincial Representative for Group nine for five memorable years
He has enjoyed Freemasonry and takes pleasure in seeing Brethren enjoying themselved.
To be given Honourary Membership was both an honour and a surprise, and he would like to take this opportunity to thank the Master and Brethren of Phoenix, Ala and Bosmere Lodges together with members of Virtue and Silence, Brett Balley, Round Table and Rotary Lodges for the welcome and courtesy extended to him.


THE THREE LODGES CAROL CONCERT
W.M.’s
CHOSEN
CHARITY
On a January morning the Worshipful Master Paul and the Almoner set out to deliver cheques to the Upbeat Charity and Street Forge Workshops.
First stop was Upbeat in Bury St.Edmunds. They are a small Charity which meets in several locations in West Suffolk and helps people who have suffered from strokes and other heart conditions to build their strength back up through careful monitered physio and checks with the nurse.
All the phyios and the nurses are fully trained and work at West Suffolk Hospital and the people that are recovering find their help very reassuring.
Later a visit to Street Forge Workshops, who do some wonderful work helping people with disabilities use their time in a creative fashion and help to give them a sense of self confidence and belief that they may otherwise not find in a larger unit or home. It is altogether a very happy place and the work they produce from their specially adapted workshops is incredible.
W.Bro Graham Mason The above photographs show WM Paul presenting cheques to Valerie Axton the Treasurer of Upbeat assisted by Ala Member Bro. Gerald Black who uses their services, and W.M. Paul presenting a cheque to Claire Keeble, the Manager
of StreetForgeWorkshops
Bosmere Lodge had the privilege of co-ordinating this ever popular festive event. The evening started with a warm welcome to all by WM David Tombs who also gave the first reading. This was then followed by the Masters and Wardens from the three lodges. With such a large gathering of members and their good ladies supporting this event, it was noted that the carols were sung with what can only be described as great gusto. It made us smile to hear a small group of gentleman who still enjoy singing that good old school days carol ‘The shepherds wash their socks by night.’ At the end of the carol service everyone retired to the dining room and bar to continue the nights festivities.
Once again the ladies provided what can only be described as an outstanding, and very tasty array of food to satisfy everyone's gastronomic indulgencies .
On behalf of the Master, Wardens and brethren of Bosmere Lodge, I would like to thank the members and partners of both Ala and Phoenix Lodges for their support, which
Lotsofaudienceparticipationandsome realfun.TheFestiveBoardafterwasagain superb (Lamb Shank), Bro Andrew was welcomed into the lodge and gave a good reply to his toast.
ensured a wonderful evening was had by all.
Bro Alan Edwards
STOWMARKET MARK MASONS
Columbyne Lodge of Mark Master Masons.Greatmeetingmet toadvance "Bro Andrew Hare."
An excellent Ceremony headed up by WM William McColl.


LETTERS...LETTERS...LETTERS...
LETTERS TO PHOENIX LODGE
Dear Worshipful Brother Jimmy, Further to our visit to Phoenix Lodge on Friday, please could you convey our thanks to your Worshipful Master, WBro Brian Evans, and indeed all of the brethren of Phoenix Lodge for the warm welcome that we received. And to Yourself for helping to organise the visit and to Bro Stephen Leigh for booking us into the Festive board, the meal was really good and so generous of the Lodge to treat us to this, very much
appreciated, Thank you.
With our visit to you we have now
covered 1779 miles cycled so far. Together with your generous donation of £184 (£96 from the Broken Column & £88 from the raffle) we have now helped to raised £12,834 towards the Festival. As mentioned this was our 57th visit out of the 68 in our quest. With 11 lodges still to visit and our original target of £6,600 more than achieved, it just goes to show the strength and camaraderie of Suffolk Freemasonry. Last year we re- evaluated our goal to £10,000 but have now settled upon a final target figure of £15,000. Your Lodges generosity has certainly helped us towards the new target. Although
the visit to Phoenix was one of the shorter cycles it has to take the prize for the coldest one so far!
Our quest has two aims, one is somewhat personal as Nick and I both enjoy visiting lodges and visiting all the Suffolk lodges will be a great achievement for us over the remaining year, whilst also hopefully making us a little fitter! But the second aim, and definitely the more important one, is to highlight the Festival and maybe act as a catalyst for the fundraising efforts of the entire Province. As mentioned we will be recording the donations received from each and every lodge during our quest and any amount donated will be accredited to that particular Lodge’s total contribution to the Festival. If we continue getting the same warm welcome and support in the future as we have done to date then we are well set for an enjoyable adventure and successful outcome.
We very much enjoyed the ceremony and the raising of Brother Arnel de Sola, the work being carried out in a superb manner by the WM and his assisting officers.
The festive board was really great, an excellent Christmas meal and a very jovial and sociable atmosphere.
Once again we all had the opportunity to meet new Brothers and friends within the fraternity that is Suffolk Freemasonry and hopefully Bro Gary Riches may even join us on a cycling visit!
So thank you once again for the very generous to the Festival 2019 via ourselves making the evening very worthwhile for all involved. Your support of our challenge and the 2019 RMBI Festival is very much appreciated. To receive so many supportive comments and interest from a great number of the Brethren was also very encouraging. A most enjoyable evening.
Yours Sincerely & Fraternally, WB Andy Gentle
Dear Jimmy,
Thank you for your kind note
this week - it was an enjoyable evening at a lodge that I had not visited before and would be pleased to attend again should I be required and indeed meet yourself and hopefully Jim Daltry whenever he able to attend. I was pleased to make the aquaintance of the two Philippino members as my lady herself is a Philippina!
Regards, S & F Ron Turland


Almoners
In Memoriam
notes...
Bro. Richard Rednall
The Belstead Brook Hotel, Ipswich
Saturday 19th May 2018
LODGE ALMONERS
_____
Called to the Grand Lodge Above
Ala Lodge, Phoenix & Ala Royal
Arch Chapter, Gipping Valley
Chapter Rose Croix
Need an Almoner? Although the Lodges have a summer recess, the Almoner’s door is always ajar - 24/7.
28 January 2018 _____
Who Lived Respected and Died Regretted
In Memoriam
W.Bro. Terry Potter
Ala Lodge, Phoenix & Ala Royal Arch Chapter
_____
Called to the Grand Lodge Above
28 January 2018 _____
Who Lived Respected and Died Regretted
In Memoriam R.W.Bro. Terry Potter
P.Prov. Grand Master of Suffolk
_____
Called to the Grand Lodge Above
27 January 2018 _____
Who Lived Respected and Died Regretted
COME ALONG TO PHOENIX LODGE
CLUB OF
INSTRUCTION
USUALLY THE TUESDAY AFTER LODGE MEETING at 7.30pm
OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS
Please ask our Mentor W.B. John Shaw or DC Codge for more information
Please keep these contact details where they are clearly visible - like by using a magnet on a fridge door.
Looking for a new hobby?
Interested in digging up buried treasure or history?
Have you considered
Metal Detecting ?
Following conversations with some Masonic friends I am currently looking at starting a joint Lodges Group, if there is interest.
If you would like to have a go and don't have a detector, that's not a problem, I have equipment you can loan.
Also we are looking for land owners, who would let us detect on their land.
What could be found on your land?
Whether you own a paddock , large garden or farm, there could well be interesting artifacts waiting to be found.
If you are interested in giving metal detecting a go
please contact
Bro Alan Edwards via email [email protected] or phone 07706861952.
Cut along dotted line
IN AN EMERGENCY RING AN ALMONER
Phoenix - Bernie Nunn [email protected] 01359 232960
Ala - Keith Cadby [email protected]
01449 258406 Bosmere - Tony France
[email protected]
01359 240208 or 07759 442946
Gipping Valley Rose Croix - Colin Barber - [email protected]
01449 675548
NEWS & DIARY...
Phoenix Ladies Festival
Sat 19 May, 2018
Thank you to all our ladies
National Memorial Arboretum June
Coach trip
Armistice Day Dinner
Nov, 2018
A 100 year remembrance dinner
ABOVE TO BE CONFIRMED
3 DAY TRIP TO ARRAS visiting Vimy Ridge, The Somme etc. 6-8th October 2018
A LIMITED EXTRA NUMBER OF SEATS JUST ACQUIRED Call Codge 01449 675548
COMPLETE YOUR JOURNEY IN PURE ANCIENT FREEMASONRY
1 ENTERED APPRENTICE
2 FELLOWCRAFT
3 MASTER MASON
ROYAL ARCH COMPANIO4N
For more details contact the Phoenix Lodge representatives [email protected]
or [email protected]
A big thank you to all those contributors, please keep sending articles events etc. to [email protected]
SUPPORTING YOUR LODGE
The Great War
Centenary
1914-1918 • 2014-2018