VMMA Official Visit to Powlett Lodge No. 661
Thursday 5th November 2009
The VMMA was invited to attend Powlett Lodge No. 661 General Meeting on Thursday 5th November at the Wonthaggi Masonic Centre.
The agenda being a quick open and close so that invited guests from the general community could join with us in the lodge room for a presentation from Glen Richards of Powlett Lodge on freemasonry along with David Hall of the VMMA to give a brief overview of the VMMA activities.
Brian, Bob and Chris arriving at the Wonthaggi Masonic Centre.
This invitation was only received two days prior, hence prompt action was required to gather a few VMMA members to attend and give support to both the Powlett Lodge and David Hall.
Chris rode around to Bob's at 4.30 pm for the ride down to Tooradin to meet with Brian Sanders at 6.00 pm, we three then rode down to Wonthaggi Masonic Centre arriving just before 7.00 pm.
The ride down was very pleasant with day light saving giving us daylight all the way down and with the warm weather of late it was not that cold on the return ride back home later in the evening.
Glen Richards was the main presenter for the evening of enlightenment for visitors from the local community who were invited into the lodge room.
The Powlett Lodge brethren were very happy to see that a few VMMA members at very short notice found the time to join with them for this particular meeting and on arrival we soon had a cuppa in the hand and settled in the a great evening.
David Kent (VMMA member) and DC of Powlett Lodge welcomed Chris, Bob and Brian and invited us in the the opening, with David Hall arriving as the lodge tyled he came into the lodge under the wands as the W.M. of Phillip Island Lodge.
It was pleasing to see that the lodge room was at least 80% full prior to the invited guests joining with us.
Powlett Lodge D.C. and VMMA member David Kent introducing the VMMA representatives.
David Hall was the main VMMA speaker for the evening.
The DC David Kent took control of the evening and explained the format of opening and closing the lodge quickly and then inviting their guests into the lodge room for additional information on freemasonry that was to be presented by Glen Richards, following by David Hall of the VMMA.
Whilst the lodge was opened and closed Glen Richards was explaining to the guests some of the aspects of freemasonry so that when they entered the lodge room Glen could continue his explanation that was then to enhance on his presentation outside the lodge room.
When Glen had completed his presentation in the lodge room David Kent introduced the VMMA representative elected (appointed!!!!) David Hall who gave a brief overview of the formation of the VMMA and the progress it has made in many facets of freemasonry and the general community.
A 50 year jewel was presented to David Jeffrey with the invited guests in the lodge room.
Questions were asked for after the presentations and one that was asked was why were ladies and non-Masonic men spoke of as members of the VMMA.
Chris answered this question explaining that the VMMA Inc. was not a lodge but a incorporated association based on the tenants of freemasonry and that a good number of our activities involved people that were not freemasons. Chris also explained that those people were unable to participate in any work in a open lodge, but were catered for whilst these lodge room activities took place.
A 50th year jewel was presented in the lodge room to David Jeffrey who joined freemasonry in Ireland, due to his work came to Australia and visited many lodges around the country until his employment allowed him to have a fixed abode and then he joined a Victorian Lodge.
The south was very well patronised by brethren and visitors.
To concluded the presentations in the lodge room the Powlett Lodge demonstrated how a W.M. would leave a lodge room under the wands at the conclusion of a lodge meeting.
The south was extremely well patronised with Powlett Lodge putting on a tremendous supper, there were a couple of announcements in the south, one that was notable was the explanation of the Masonic Centre restoration program that has seen a great deal of time and money in repairs and decoration of the centre, it was also mentioned that GL had approved money and a loan so that the roof could be replaced.
Some of the VMMA members motorcycles at Powlett Lodge.
Finally it was time to head homeward with all four of us riding to the Phillip Island turn off were David Hall had a very short ride home whilst Bob, Chris and Brian continued the journey with Brian peeling off just after Tooradin with Chris and Bob continuing their ride back to Mooroolbark arriving home at a very civilised time of midnight.
Reported by CW
