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Cobleskill and Working Brothers All,

Keep your eye on your mailbox — you should already have gotten (or will within a few days) a letter SUMMONING you to the next communication at Cobleskill Lodge on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 — a Joint Communication of the two Lodges coinciding with Cobleskill's regular third-Tuesday meeting. (I've attached copies of the two formal summons letters; our Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts are invited to participate in the meeting as well (though unable to vote, a privilege reserved to Master Masons).

Cobleskill's members will discuss and vote on our revised Bylaws (first presented to the Lodge on Jan. 2), which includes provisions establishing a Working Lodge Legacy Committee to determine the disposition going forward of that Lodge's resources at the time of merger..

Then each Lodge will vote separately on the Agreement on Consolidation that was signed at our meeting last week.... our long-awaited merger. Each Lodge's vote must exceed two-thirds of all those Master Masons present and voting in order to ratify the agreement, which would then be submitted to the Committee on Charters of Grand Lodge for their review and that of the Judge Advocate — and, if all goes well, scheduled for ratification by vote of Grand Lodge at its Annual Communication in May.

Momentous stuff — so we're hoping for a substantial turnout of our members to participate. And if you're planning on attending the pre-meeting meal at 6:30, please give our Junior Warden, David Grace, the courtesy of an RSVP at dgrace3 at rocketmail.com.

Please consider being there for this special occasion!

And just four days later, don't forget our annual midwinter feast : our Moose And Squirrel Table Lodge on Feb. 24, a Saturday, with fellowship beginning at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6. Please RSVP to Bro. Grace if you're coming — it's likely to be a full house!

In Brotherhood,
V.W. Joe Phillips
Secretary, Cobleskill Lodge

On Sunday, December 3rd at 1 pm Cobleskill Lodge #394 will present Mrs. Trista Bradt (she does not know this, so keep it a secret!) of Cobleskill with the DeWitt Clinton award for community service at the Cobleskill fire station during the Toasty Toes wrapping day event. Mrs. Bradt started the Toasty Toes project a few years ago after making a delivery of a Thanksgiving meal to a family in need and was greeted by a small child wearing only a tee shirt and diaper. The child was shivering in the cold and Mrs. Bradt felt a tug on her heartstrings and decided to do something about it. She contacted her old room mates from college, brainstormed a bit and came up with the Toasty Toes Project that would collect donations of new pajamas, socks and hot cocoa mix during the year, wrap them up and have the county social services network distribute them to families in need. During the first year the collected nearly 300 pairs of pajamas. Last year that amount was almost 1,500! The Brothers of Cobleskill Lodge have been sponsoring this project since its inception and decided to recognize Mrs. Bradt for her wonderful giving spirit.

If you happen to be in the Cobleskill area on the 3rd please come down to the firehouse and assist us in recognizing this remarkable woman.

Brothers all,

Our next stated communication of Cobleskill No. 394, on Nov. 7 at our Lodge builidng, will be the occasion for the final visitation by our own Brother and District Deputy, R.W. Theodore Volkert, speaking on behalf of our Grand Master, M. W. Jeffrey Williamson. As such, it's a special occasion for us, to welcome our Brother and district leader home, focus on the Grand Master's designs upon the Masonic Trestleboard, and spend an evening of good fellowship with other brothers in the district — so it'd be extra-special if we could have a great turnout of our Brethren from R.w Ted's home Lodge. If you haven't been to Lodge lately, this would be an excellent opportunity, one and all, to come see what the excitement's all about!

Also, this year, we welcome the Brethren of our partner Lodge (and soon to be joined with us in Merger, all things willing), Working #553, for whom this also constitutes their (likely final) official visitation.

The evening's festivities will begin with dinner before the formalities; our excellent cooking squad under the leadership of J.W. David Grace is planning a feast of ziti with sausage, organic tossed salad, fresh bread, locally produced apple cider and a dessert. Normally we settle down for food and fellowship at 6:30, but given the numbers we'd like to hope will be there, I suspect you'll be welcome any time after 6 or so. (Kindly RSVP to Bro Grace via Masons Online or e-mail at dgrace3 at rocketmail.com so he can plan.)

Then the formal meeting takes place at 7:30, and with the dignitaries on hand, please be on time, if you're going to miss the feed. Also ,we will, under dispensation from Grand Lodge, be opening on the First Degree, per the proposed new changes under consideration by Grand Lodge — so all are welcome, right down to all who stand in the Northeast Corner of the Lodge!

Other news from the Lodge:

• The Brothers present at our Oct. 17 communication approved two contracts to have significant improvements to heating on both floors of the building done — and with improvements already in the works on the roof, we're looking at upgrades to our Lodge expereince, hopefully for years to come. (These things don't come without a cost, however, and our Building & Maintenance Fund is taking a significant hit to make these things happen. Contributions will be most welcome, and are tax-deductible — and watch for your year-end Dues notice package for an opportunity to add a contribution with your payment. And watch for an invitation from our Trustees to help with cosmetic improvements soon....)
• The work of the Merger continues apace. On Oct. 30, the negotiating teams from both our Lodge and Working #553 will be meeting in Cobleskill to hopefully hammer out details of our merger agreement, for the subsequent approval of our respective Lodges and submission to the Grand Lodge committee on Charters. Look for a summoned communication sometime in, probably, late November or December to take this matter up.
• Our Bylaws are also under review at the moment — and the three-man review committee hopes to report back to the Lodge with any proposed revisions soon. Perhaps we take them up at the same summoned Communication? Watch this space....
• And watch it, also, for news of special year-end events — an Honors Night at which we will present an honored member of our community with the DeWitt Clinton Award, and our annual family holiday party, anticipated to be in early January.
• And don't forget the Grand Lecturers' Convention set for Nov. 2; important discussion of those proposed new opening and closing procedures for opening on the first and Second Degrees..... come one, come all.

Brother Dan Bartholomew of Cobleskill Lodge is offering a Utah State Concealed Carry Permit course on June Thursday, June 4th, 2015 at 6 – 11 pm or on Sunday, June 7th from 9 am – 2 pm, both at Cobleskill Lodge. This is an important course for New York State pistol permit holders because our state does not give reciprocity to any other states permit, therefore no other state gives reciprocity to ours. Utah on the other hand, recognizes 31 other states permits and therefore shares reciprocity with them. This means that with this permit you will be able to carry your handgun concealed in 31 other states plus Utah. The cost for this course is $150.00. That covers all the training requirements, materials, fingerprinting, and photograph and application package. Dan has graciously offered to give all of his fees for these 2 courses to Cobleskill Lodge for our much needed roof replacement and building renovation. If you ever considered getting an out of state permit now is the time! He is offering this course only to Masons in our and the Delaware districts this time. If there is enough interest from others he will consider adding more courses at a later time. Please contact either Ted Volkert at (518)376-6550 or Roy Bilby at (518)231-7335 to make your reservations.