Grand Lodge of Russia-Sing Auld Lang Syne

The Grand Lodge of Russia with Grand Master Andrey Bogdanv has made a video in support of Freemasons across the globe. 

Edict #3 From the Grand Master Of Minnesota Masons Ethan A. Seaberg

Edict From The Grand Master on COVID-19

Owatonna-Austin Minnesota York Rite Get Together

Generally speaking Freemasonry in our state is decreasing in size, and our York Rite is to no acception. In the past decade the population in our smaller communities, and rural areas have decreased as well. Throw in the aging population in the equation and there is a problem to having thriving Lodges, and effective York Rites.

There are a few people (myself included) who saw the problem, and working with other Companions and Sir Knights to develop a plan to get over those obstacles.

The Owatonna and Austin York Rite have come together for a monthly social event, and to assist each other with degree work. This photo is the second such monthly event. Positive things are already occurring from it. One of those Brothers pictured is a potential candidate. There was discussion that at our next meeting three more perspective York Rite Candidates will be invited to join us. Seventeen came for dinner. Plans for this quarterly business meeting will be for a full form ritualistic opening. Something that has not been seen in these parts for sometime.

To make changes, all is needed is a little thinking out of the ordinary, having the courage to try something  different. a little communication and finding a comfortable place with great food.

Minnesota Grand Commandery Selects Pastor to Attend Holy Land Pilgrimage

Pastor Karl Jacobson with members of the Minnesota Grand Commandery

Holy Land Pilgrimage 2020

The Minnesota Grand Commandery is proud to announce that it has selected a Pastor to attend the 2020 Knights Templar Holy Land Pilgrimage. Reverend Dr. Karl Jacobson of the Good Shepard Lutheran Church, located at 4801 France Ave. Edina, Minnesota is the Pastor chosen for 2020. Karl graduated from St. Olaf College in 1996 and was then accepted at Luther Seminary graduating with a master’s in divinity in 1996. He has subsequently served congregations in California, Virginia and Minnesota.

Karl took a break from parish work and returned to school to obtain a doctorate in theology to undergo a more in-depth study of Gods Word. Karl then taught Religion and the Bible at Augsburg College for six years. He currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the Good Shepard Lutheran Church. 

Karl is married to Angela (who is also a Pastor) and they have five children. In his free time, he enjoys reading, golf, tennis, and watching the Vikings (and simultaneously despising the Packers). Karl is also a published author and he has written many books, written commentaries on Biblical topics, and blogs about the Bible and popular culture.

Pastor Jacobson is very excited to have been selected for the Holy land Pilgrimage. He stated, “I know the gospel and the other biblical stories well, but to walk them, to be in the physical locale will I believe enrich them for me and for my teachings.” He is looking forward to having the opportunity to make a presentation, upon his return, to the Sir Knights of our Grand Commandery.

The Knights Templar Holy land Pilgrimage for Christian Ministers is a program that has been offered from Grand Encampment since 1977. The purpose is to provide an intensive educational and spiritual study with a historical and cultural immersion experience. Sir Knight Tom Hendrickson, who traveled to Israel in 2017 for the same pilgrimage stated, “it’s easy to see why a Pastor who has had the opportunity to walk where Jesus walked, to see the landscapes, to place your hand on the Wailing wall in old Jerusalem, to hear the sounds and see the cultures of the people will gain much that will have a positive effect on the Pastors spirituality, and in his teaching and preaching to his congregations”

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The Knights Templar have sent over 3,000 ministers on the pilgrimage over the last 40 years. The Minnesota Grand Commandery has sponsored four Pilgrimage Ministers since 2010. The Grand Commandery has a dedicated fund for the purpose of sponsoring a Minister for which they hold an annual fundraiser to raise funds. The cost of the pilgrimage is approximately $3,400, which includes round trip air travel from JFK airport to Tel Aviv Israel, all lodging, meals, transportation, tour guide, travel Insurance as well as other associated expenses.

For 2020, Zion Commandery has generously provided Pastor Jacobson with additional funds that will assist him with the cost of air travel from Minneapolis to JFK airport in New York city.

If a Commandery would like to sponsor a Minister for next year’s trip please see the requirements on the Holy Land Pilgrimage website and send a recommendation to the Minnesota Grand Commandery Grand Recorder.

Thanks for Lunch Bob

Special Masonic Lunch-Thanks Bob

Those of you who are Freemasons know that we enjoy good food and Brotherhood. You are probably wondering what could be so special about this photograph of a plate of food and why is it so important to write about it. That's easy, "Bob bought us Lunch'. Now here is the rest of the story...

In Freemasonry we develop long term relationships with members that can last well over half a century or longer. This is a short story about Robert John Pemberton, a Masonic Brother who I have known since the Fall of 2008 when he was raised a Master Mason.

Bob was an active Mason, but I spent most of the time with him in our York Rite (Chapter,Council, Commandery). Two nights a month we would have dinner at our Rite. I always made sure that I sat next to Bob for I found him to be a wonderful conversationalist, plus he really cared about people.

Bob was like a loaf of fresh French Bread. Hard and crusty on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. Those who didn't know him so well may have thought him a curmudgeon.

I have always believed that our personalities are made up of our life experiences and how those experiences shape us. I think that was true of Bob as well. Bob and I shared the experience of being Veterans. That experience that we shared and gave more insight to each other. Bob served in the Navy, a real Blue Water Sailor his whole tour was spent on a Replenishment Oiler. This is a ship that carries tens of thousands of gallons of aviation fuel, diesel  and other highly combustible fuels. His ship would replenish air craft carriers and other ships at sea. Bob said it was a task that required you to perform in hazardous heavy seas. You had to follow the simple rules or you could have a disaster. The kind of disaster that you did not get a do over. I think this is why Bob had great difficulty accepting peoples bad behavior or inability to follow the simplest of tasks, like not using your turn signal when driving, people using cellular phone while driving and bicyclists  on freeways just to name a few.

Another of Bobs life experiences that gave me great perspective about him was that he was a proud graduate of the University of Michigan, He also identified closely with his Finnish heritage. He had a successful career in the Risk Management business. He always had a hug smile when he talked about his kids.

One day Bob said that he was thinking of going to a summer camp to work on his understanding of the Finnish language. At first I was very supportive, and informed him of all the benefits to immersing into that language environment. Then I changed course and gave him a hard time about going to a summer camp with twelve year olds. Bob tried to calmly inform me that this language camp had an adult only week. I then proceeded  to kid him about summer camp romance sitting around the campfire flirting in Finnish with women half his age. We had a good laugh.

Bob had a series of serious health issues for awhile. We had kept in touch as he progressed thru them and when Bob would come to our meetings I was glad to see his improvements and his health becoming restored.

About six or seven months ago Bob said that he had a pretty busy day with an appointment. Now Bob always had an appointment during his day, so it was nothing unusual. Usually he would share information he received when visiting with his investment counselors, his tax accountant, or while attending one of his professional associations that had a speaker. It was always some kind of information that I could use or something that may make me think in my own affairs.
Except that night Bob said that he had just prepaid for his funeral! I said "Bob, I thought you were ok"?  Bob replied "oh ya Tom I'm fine" but there are a lot of advantages of doing this and then Bob gave all the benefits and disadvantages of planning early and how it all worked.  Just like he was explaining the new tax law or the Governors screwed up transportation bill.

When Bob had finished I said " Bob, are you really ok"? Bob explained he wanted to do this so his kids wouldn't have to go thru that experience and expense when that day comes.

Then Bob said "Tom you gotta to come to my funeral, I got a great lunch planned for you guys". Tom you like Hawaiian Rolls and Cheesy potatoes"?  I said "Ya Bob, I love them". Bob said "You think most of the guys will like that?" I replied "Bob, whats not to like"? Then we both laughed.

Bob was not feeling well and went to the hospital on December 21, 2019. He unexpectedly passed away on December 23, 2019. Today, January 18, 2020, the family held Bob's funeral and the Brothers of Minnehaha and Phoenix Day Light held the Masonic Service.

Today, Bob bought me and his Masonic Brothers that he loved lunch.

Thanks for lunch Bob, and for all the time we shared on this earth together. It meant alot to me.

Robert John Pemberton

Born

March 27, 1940

Flint, Michigan

Died

December 23, 2019

Memorial Service

Washburn-McReavy Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Officiant

W.B.Wiley Smith

Pastor Paul Nelson

Inurnment

Fort Snelling National Cemetery

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Allied Masonic Degrees

Minnesota Council # 111 Allied Masonic Degrees

This is the Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Council #111 Allied Masonic Degrees. We are located in Minneapolis Minnesota. Our group is a invitational body that is  limited to 27 members. We meet four times a year for the purpose of researching and studying what is called "Detached Degrees" That is simply Degrees that were once conferred by Craft Lodges in the United States and Great Britain that are no longer practiced.There are Seventeen Degrees that are the focus of our study and research. 

There are many benefits to this type of formation of a group. I find that people who are genuinely interested in the study of old rituals come prepared to part take in sharing their thoughts of their study and research.The discussions are very lively and all take an active role. 

I am so interested I also belong to Johnny Nelson Council #252 Allied Masonic Degrees which is located in Owatonna, Minnesota. Belonging to two Councils allows me to go to eight meetings a year. 

Tonight seventeen of our members showed up on a very snowy and windy Minnesota Winter night. We all knew that the roads were filled with ice, snow, and traffic would be slow and snarly. To us that's a cheap price to pay for an evening of great food, brotherly love, and  intellectual stimulation.