Valley of Portland

Best Freemasonry Podcasts and Blogs

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If you’re like most Masons, you feel you are on an earthly and spiritual journey to become everything you can be as a man, a friend, a family member, and a member of your community. How can you deepen and enrich your understanding of that journey—and your place within it? One of the most appealing and valuable ways is to listen to freemasonry podcasts and read Masonic blogs. Here are some of the best!

 

PODCASTS

Masonic Central Podcast

Billed as “the podcast about Freemasonry by Freemasons,” Masonic Central Podcast features illuminating, character-building conversations with some of Freemasonry’s most engaging thinkers, writers, leaders, entertainers, and other newsmakers. Featuring both one-on-one interviews and round-table discussions, the podcast helps the listener delve into many of Freemasonry’s most engaging and interesting intellectual and spiritual aspects, including its meaning, works, and ideas.

The Freemasons Podcast

Begun in 2019, this podcast features members of various lodges in Connecticut offering sometimes-edgy, often-playful discussions of a wide variety of topics of interest to Freemasons. Most of the guests are younger brothers who specialize in needling themselves as well as some of the other Masons who appear on the program. This Freemasonry podcast is hosted by Right Worshipful Brother George Mudry. To watch the podcast and its memorable guests—rather than simply listening to it—you can visit its YouTube channel here.

 

BLOGS

Freemasons for Dummies

This highly enriching “read” is the official blog of author Christopher Hodapp, author of the popular book Freemasons for Dummies. Since first arriving on the scene in 2005, Freemasons for Dummies has been the top-selling introductory guide to the Masonic fraternity and its many related organizations. Among other topics, Mr. Hodapp’s blog features some of the material featured in the revised 3rd Edition of his best-seller, including updated information, statistics, websites, and more.

The Midnight Freemasons

This blog features a group of Master Masons illuminating key topics of Masonic interest—each from his own unique perspective. Among the many interesting and eye-opening topics you’ll find discussed in the blog are history, trivia, travel, book reviews, and great quotes. More often than not, things are spiced up with a bit of humor!

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and at our website here. Interested in learning more about local events? Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application process can do so by filling out the online application here.

How Did Masonic Values Impact U.S. History?

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There’s no doubt about it: From George Washington to Mark Twain to Louis Armstrong to Cy Young, Masons have contributed mightily to American culture. But the most lasting contribution of these Masons—and countless others—is the Masonic values that helped govern their lives, and which, in turn, helped shape the great nation whose story they are such a part of. Let’s take a moment to explore just how Masonic values have impacted our beloved country.

Foundation Values for the American Colonies

Though national bestsellers such as Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol have spun fanciful versions of Masons’ contribution to American history, the actual impact has been much richer. As a values movement that emerged from the Reformation, Freemasonry was the first highly influential organization to espouse religious toleration and liberty—core Masonic values that Masons helped spread throughout the American colonies.

“Yearning to Be Free”

Even prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Masonic values were fully taking flight—in ways that often were impressively ahead of the times. To cite just one example: Freemasons in Boston in 1775 were part of a British garrison that granted local Black freemen the right to affiliate as Masons under the banner of African Lodge No. 1. Its leader, a freed slave named Prince Hall, later signed some of the nation’s earliest anti-slavery petitions. In this way, African Lodge No. 1 represented the first black-led abolitionist movement in American history. Nearly two centuries later, Masonic values and membership were embraced by both the father and grandfather of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as the quest for civil rights in America deepened.

Masonic Values of the Founding Fathers

It is no coincidence that some of America’s greatest Founding Fathers—including not only Washington but also Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and seven other signers of the Declaration of Independence—were Freemasons. All these heroes rejected the European notion that one overarching authority should dominate the exchange of ideas.

To this day, this revolutionary new outlook is found in one of the greatest symbols associated with Freemasonry: the eye-and-pyramid of the Great Seal of the United States, as seen on the back of the one-dollar bill. Begun on July 4, 1776, The Great Seal’s design commenced as an order from the Continental Congress. Its Latin maxim—Annuit Coeptis Novus Ordo Seclorum—is commonly translated as “God Smiles on Our New Order of the Ages.”

An Enduring Legacy and Impact

The Masonic values that served as such a profound influence on our Founding Fathers and our early republic have endured and been strengthened by later Masons–who became everything from Presidents of the United States to musical giants to great athletes to great writers and thinkers. Just as they all owed a debt to the Masonic values that helped shape their lives, we now owe a great debt to them for the ways in which their values helped forge and shape America.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and at our website here. Interested in learning more about local events? Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application process can do so by filling out the online application here.

The 3 Great Principles of Freemasonry

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Here at the Valley of Portland, we join our masonic brothers around the world in being serious-minded about becoming our best selves and in offering caring, devoted service to others. As we discussed in our recent blog “What is Masculinity? A Valley of Portland Response,” we emphatically believe the world needs more men of honor—more men whose lives are grounded on unwavering values and principles. For Freemasons, there are 3 Great Principles of Freemasonry that are absolutely crucial to a man becoming all he can be: Brotherly Love, Relief (Charity), and Truth. Let’s take a few minutes to look more closely at each of these 3 Great Principles, and at how membership in the Valley of Portland helps you uphold them.

Brotherly Love

Every true Freemason will show tolerance and respect for the opinions of others, and behave with kindness and understanding to his fellow creatures.

Relief (Charity)

Freemasons are taught to practice charity and to care not only for their own, but also for their community as a whole, both by charitable giving and by voluntary efforts as individuals.

Truth

Freemasons strive for truth, requiring high moral standards and aiming to achieve them in their own lives.

When you join and become fully involved with the Valley of Portland, you’ll see every day how these 3 Great Principles of Freemasonry “combine forces” to empower you and make you all you can be—to yourself, your family, your community, and to God. You’ll see that—by living these 3 Great Principles—you can work to bring about loving kindness in the home, honesty in business, courtesy and civility in society, fairness in work, pity and concern for those less fortunate, resistance of evil, help for the weak, forgiveness for the penitent, love for one another, and—above all—reverence and love for God.

A Special Word about Relief (Charity)

As you go deeper into your Freemasonry journey, you’ll be struck—time and again—by how much the 3 Great Principles of Freemasonry complement and empower each other. Without a true embrace of Brotherly Love and a courageous embrace of Truth, your efforts at Relief (Charity) might lack the passion and effectiveness they otherwise would have. But when you DO embrace all 3 Great Principles, you’ll see how life-changing your works of kindness and charity for others can be.      

You’ll also see specific ways we here at the Valley of Portland “walk the talk” to lovingly help those in need. As we discussed in our recent blogs “Valley of Portland Urges Support of the Blue Envelope Appeal” and “Valley of Portland Partners with Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation,” we remain actively focused, year-round, on how we can better serve our local communities and our neighbors living in them. It all comes down to building your life on a firm foundation of principles and values. That’s the Freemason way.

 

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and at our website here. Interested in learning more about local events? Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application process can do so by filling out the online application here.

 

Valley of Portland Urges Support of the Blue Envelope Appeal

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Here at the Valley of Portland, we strive every day to “walk the talk” regarding our Scottish Rite values. Because Service to Humanity is one of those core values, we Masons are givers and doers—continually donating our time, talent, and resources to help others. This values-driven mission helps Scottish Rite Masons positively impact thousands of lives each year.

Why Donate to the Blue Envelope Appeal?

Each year, the Blue Envelope Appeal offers you the chance to donate funds in a high-impact way that changes countless lives for the better. Your donation—pooled with those of your Masonic brothers—empowers and enhances your community by:

  • Assisting distressed Master Masons, their widows, and their orphans financially and physically through the Grand Almoner’s Fund; 
  • Equipping children with dyslexia with the skills they need to approach learning with eagerness and without fear; 
  • Providing financial support to hundreds of students each year to help with the high cost of college;
  • Allowing visitors to experience the home of our new Masonic Hall of Fame, the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, as it works to restore, preserve, and share one of the largest collections of Masonic memorabilia and fraternal artifacts in the world.

Compete in a Kind-Hearted Contest

Each year we turn our Blue Envelope Appeal into a fun, kind-hearted contest to generate maximum participation. This year will be no different! Your donation to the Blue Envelope Appeal will help the Valley of Portland compete with the rest of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in a service-to-humanity contest in which we will recognize the Top 3 Valleys in the following categories:

  • Total dollars donated by members to the Blue Envelope Appeal;
  • Total number of members donating to the Blue Envelope Appeal;
  •  Highest percentage of members donating to the Blue Envelope Appeal.


The winning Valley in each category will be highlighted in our 2023 Impact Report and receive widespread recognition on social media. And here’s another huge incentive: Donors from the three winning Valleys will be entered in a drawing to win a shopping spree to The Masonic Marketplace.

Living Our Values Today and Tomorrow

You should have received your Blue Envelope Appeal information in the mail in October. If you did not and/or have any questions about the effort, please contact the Valley of Portland here.

If you have already mailed your donation, THANK YOU! If not, we urge you to mail your donation soon. Join your fellow Scottish Rite Masons in helping to make the world a better place!

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and at our website here. Interested in learning more about local events? Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application process can do so by filling out the online application here.

What is Masculinity? A Valley of Portland Response

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The debate has raged since the 1960s, if not before: What is masculinity? What should a man do and be? What is a “real man” versus a man who embodies “toxic masculinity?” One look at national bestseller lists reveals that, if anything, interest in the topic is growing stronger by the day. Titles that tackle the subject include The Masculinity Manifesto, The Mask of Masculinity, Reinventing Masculinity … it goes on and on. So here at the Valley of Portland, we wanted to take a few minutes to look at this deeply important topic and share our perspective on it.

A Foundation of Values

Abraham Lincoln famously said: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” But is also cannot stand if it lacks a strong foundation. Here at the Valley of Portland and among our Masonic brothers worldwide, we believe that foundation is comprised of the enduring values we’ve cherished and upheld for centuries—as they apply to today’s men and today’s world. Think about it: We are living—sadly—in a world where lying … bullying … cheating … demonstrating a lack of respect for women and/or for people from other cultures, and more … are too often met with male silence or with outright male affirmation. One critical way to battle this tide is by men stepping up and rejecting it. And we believe one clear pathway for doing that is by actively embracing the Masonic values we lay out in our Mission Statement, which reads:

It is the mission of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, to improve its members and enhance the communities in which they live by teaching and emulating the principles of Brotherly Love, Tolerance, Charity, and Truth, while actively embracing high social, moral, and spiritual values, including fellowship, compassion, and dedication to God, family, and country.           

“The World Needs Men of Honor”

As discussed in the video “Not Just a Man. A Mason,” we Masons have, for 300 years, helped men become the best version of themselves. We don’t do that by giving them a gym pass or changing their diet, or helping them navigate the business world. We do that through our fraternity and by inviting each man to take an oath of Service, Integrity, and Brotherly Love—placing THOSE values at the center of what they embrace as true masculinity.

A Final Word

In his book Understanding Manhood in America: Freemasonry’s Enduring Path to the Mature Masculine, Robert G. Davis asserts that the road to the “mature masculine” is not an easy road; it involves work, perseverance, and a commitment to personal responsibility. Stated another way, it involves a deep commitment to living a values-centered life. Here at the Valley of Portland and throughout the Masonic world, that is exactly the kind of masculinity we strive to manifest each and every day of the year.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and at our website here. Interested in learning more about local events? Visit our website and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application process can do so by filling out the online application here. 

Valley of Portland Partners with Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation

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Corner Stone Lodge, with the help of Brother Rick Olfene’s fundraising and The Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation’s Matching Grant Program, proudly supports the Westbrook High School Football Boosters with a $2,000 donation presented by WB Mike Chambers and RW Jonathan Rosen.

Here at the Valley of Portland, we enjoy the comradery of brotherhood while maintaining a deep devotion to our core Scottish Rite values. One of the most important is Service to Humanity. We uphold this value by seeking—each day of the year—to enhance our local Maine communities by teaching and emulating the principles of Brotherly Love, Tolerance, Charity, and Truth.

To powerfully and effectively “walk this talk,” we proudly partner with the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation.

Members of Triangle Lodge #1 giving bikes at the Portland Public Library. From left to right: Marlon Welch, Chris Camire, Misha Pride, Michael Chambers, Jody Hersey, Frank Klingensmith, Justin Wesley, Carlo DiCelico, and Wayne Leonard.

Uplifting Mainers and Maine Communities

With its high-impact focus on assisting local individuals, families, and communities in need, the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation performs the life-changing work of building strong, inclusive communities that enrich the lives of all Maine residents.

What impact has this had so far? Just this past year, the Foundation issued 390 grants in partnership with the Lodges, which provided more than $750,000 to local community nonprofits, towns, and organizations across the state. In so doing, the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation continued to be a powerful force for good in efforts such as supporting suicide prevention, improving literacy in children and adults, reducing food insecurity, and reducing violence.

Initiatives that Transform Lives

In partnership with the Valley of Portland and 176 other Masonic Lodges across Maine, the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation engaged in a wide number of local community-empowering initiatives. Among the life-enhancing programs supported are:

  •  The Bikes for Books Program … which encourages young students to read and receive a chance to win a bicycle. Thanks to this Masonic program, librarians, school teachers, and administrators across Maine have seen a dramatic, positive impact on youngsters’ reading habits;
  •  Nonprofit Maine Healthcare Organizations …  including NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), which provides suicide prevention training in Maine communities, along with the sponsorship of Bike MS®: Great Maine Getaway, which raised more than $400,000 for MS research in 2021;
  •  Unified Champion Clubs … a multi-year partnership with the Alfond Youth & Community Center and Special Olympics Maine. These clubs foster a community of inclusion through sports competition;
  •  Maine Boys to Men … multi-year grants helping to further the organization’s training capabilities to reach communities across Maine, including work with the Wabanaki People.

Bob Jewett and Shaun West present a check to the South Portland H.S. Football Boosters.

For more information about the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation, visit their website or email Susan Scacchi, Executive Director. 

Why the Valley of Portland Supports the Children’s Dyslexia Center

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As you go through your life, it’s important to ask yourself these critical questions: Do I live the ‘Rite’ way? How am I incorporating the Scottish Rite’s core values into my daily life? How can I support its charities?

Let’s take a moment to focus on one Scottish Rite core value—Service to Humanity—and see how the Valley of Portland embraces it through its passionate support of the Portland Children’s Dyslexia Center.

A Life-Changing Helping Hand for Young Readers

Do you know that 1 in 5 Americans battles some form of dyslexia? This neurological condition basically “scrambles” how printed words appear on the page to would-be readers. And when those readers are children, the condition can pose a huge obstacle to their educational progress, ability to keep up with peers, and self-esteem.

That’s why Maine Masons have—for decades—committed hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to the Bikes for Books reading-incentive program. And why, as a Scottish rite organization, we at the Valley of Portland so ardently support the Portland Children’s Dyslexia Center. If a child is struggling with reading difficulties that go unaddressed in local school systems, our support of the Children’s Dyslexia Center can make a major, positive impact on the lives of that child.

Long-Time Masonic Partnership with Children’s Dyslexia Centers

Children’s Dyslexia Centers started 30 years ago in Newtonville, Massachusetts, and have now spread across the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. Demonstrating our devotion to the Scottish Rite’s values, we now help support more than 1,100 children in 45 centers, including one in Rochester, New Hampshire, and two in Maine—one in Bangor and ours in Portland. The Bangor Center will soon celebrate its 25th anniversary, and Portland recently celebrated its 20th.

For a more in-depth look at Maine’s Children’s Dyslexia Centers, please see the upcoming issue of The Maine Mason magazine, and be on the watch for an exciting new film about the centers being produced with funding from the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation.

Please Support Our Fundraising Efforts

We urge you to support the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation’s critical support of Children’s Dyslexia Centers. Each center must fully fund and oversee its operations; the Portland CDC budget for 2022-23 is $165,000. Additional funding would allow us to serve more children, including hopefully the 52 on our waiting list. There are several ways you can help:

  • The Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation provides $2 for $1 matching grants (up to $3,000) to Lodges in support of the CDCs. Please urge your Lodge to take advantage of this generous opportunity.
  • The L.L. Bean Raffle should fund up to $18,000 (11 percent) of our budget. Tickets are $10, and the three winners will be awarded $1,000, $750, and $500 L.L. Bean gift cards. Tickets are now available at the Portland Children’s Dyslexia Centers and from many Valley of Portland members. If you can sell tickets, please contact the Children’s Dyslexia Centers at 207-773-4949 or call Tom Pulkkinen, the Center’s Chairman, at 207-350-9525.
  •  Our 2nd annual Festival of Trees will be held two weekends following Thanksgiving at the Portland Masonic Center. Thirty trees were donated last year for our first Festival, and we hope to have 40 this year. People buy raffle tickets and place them in collection boxes beside the tree(s) they want to win. If you or your business would like to donate a decorated tree with presents or become an event sponsor, please contact the Portland Children’s Dyslexia Center at 207-773-4949 or call Tom Pulkkinen at 207-350-9525.  Also, please let us know if you would like to assist during this important fundraiser, which we hope will net over $55,000.

A Final Word: Leadership & Teaching Opportunities

The support of the Valley of Portland and the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction for the Children’s Dyslexia Centers offers exciting, high-impact leadership and teaching opportunities.  If you or someone you know may be interested in learning more about these opportunities, please contact Barbara Labrecque at the Portland Children’s Dyslexia Center at 207-773-4949.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and on our website. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application can do so by filling out the online application here.

Valley of Portland Holds Annual Abbott Scholarship Luncheon

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The Valley of Portland, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, held its annual Leon M. Abbott Scholarship luncheon on June 18 at the Masonic Temple in Portland. This year we were pleased to offer scholarships to 18 very deserving local students, totaling $24,200.

Applications for annual Leon M. Abbott Scholarships are due by April 1 each year. Members, their children, and their grandchildren are eligible for these scholarships, and they may apply each year they attend college.

Pictured above at this year’s luncheon are recipients Courtney Jackson–Gordon College; Kayla Jackson–University of New Hampshire; Kyle Fairfield– Rensselaer Institute; Lauren Johnson–Clark University; Margaret Boislard–the University of Maine at Farmington; and Jack Simonton–Wentworth University.

The officers in the picture are Maine Consistory: Ill. Claire V. Tusch 33°; First Lieutenant Commander, Rose Croix; Brian S Jackson–Most Wise Master, Lodge of Perfection; Jody J. Hersey–Thrice Potent Master, Princes of Jerusalem; Paul F. Poulin – Sovereign Prince. Brother Edward “Andy” Caron, Jr. received his scholarship at our June 25 Degree.

A big THANK YOU to all members who helped set up and clean up after the event!

REMINDER—Valley Secretary’s Office Has Returned to the Masonic Temple

Just a reminder that, as of this past June 1, the Valley Secretary’s Office has returned to the Masonic Temple at 415 Congress Street in Portland. The telephone number remains 207-772-7711 and the secretary’s email address remains secretary@valleyofportland.org.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and on our website. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application can do so by filling out the online application here.

Valley of Portland Announces Rescheduled Consistory Spring Reunion, June 25

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The Valley of Portland, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, is pleased to announce the rescheduled Maine Consistory Spring Reunion on Saturday, June 25.  The Consistory Degrees illustrate the creation of the ideal balance between the spiritual and the temporal. Please note that you MUST register in advance for this enriching, invaluable degree work. Here is the information you will need to attend and benefit from this important upcoming event:

32° Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret

31° Will be shown at 2:00 digital in the 5th Floor conference room.

When:   Saturday, June 25, 2022

                (Candidate Registration from 2 to 3 p.m.; Degree Work at 3 p.m.)

Where:    Portland Masonic Temple, 415 Congress Street, Portland, Maine
                  (Please use the Chestnut Street Entrance.)


Ladies Program:   During the Degree Work, 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Social Hour:    5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with cash bar

FREE Evening Banquet:   6:30 p.m., with Our Ladies

Easy Advance Registration (Required)

You MUST register by Friday, June 17, if you plan to attend the banquet. And please be sure to let us know if your Lady will be joining you. There is no charge for the meal, but we guarantee our count and must pay for it. Unfortunately, we cannot provide meals for those who do not register in advance.

To make reservations for the FREE banquet for you or you and your Lady, please call Secretary Michael J Chambers, 32°, at (207) 772-7711 by Friday, June 17,
or send an email to Secretary@ValleyofPortland.org.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland is available here and on our website. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in completing the application can do so by filling out the online application here.

New Election of Officers

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The Annual Meeting of Yates Lodge of Perfection, Portland Council Princes of Jerusalem, Dunlap Chapter of Rose Croix, and Maine Consistory will be held at the Portland Masonic Temple, 415 Congress Street, Portland on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 7:00 PM for the consideration of the Reports of the Officers and several Committees, the Election and Installation of Officers, and such other business as may regularly come before the meeting.

Under the Election of Officers, it is worth noting that we will be electing a new Valley Secretary.  After sixteen and a half years, Brad will be retiring.  Interviews were held, and Brother Michael Chambers has accepted the position of Valley Secretary.

Also, Brethren, you should know that effective June 1st, the Secretary’s Office will be returning back to the Masonic Temple at 415 Congress Street in Portland.  The telephone number will remain 207-772-7711, and the Secretary’s email address will remain secretary@valleyofportland.org.

So when you are in Town, stop in and meet your NEW Secretary, Brother Michael Chambers!!