09/23/2026
Brethren,
It was a busy summer at Hays Lodge, and as we return to our regular schedule this fall, there is a lot for us to be proud of—and plenty of work ahead.
Over the past few years, our Lodge has experienced tremendous growth. We have also benefited greatly from the Masonic Day of Light, where several of our Brothers were able to receive their Fellow Craft and Master Mason Degrees. MDOL has been an important opportunity for Masonry in Wisconsin, and it has served a number of our members well.
At the same time, the direction appears to be moving toward more degrees being conferred within our individual Lodges, and some of our candidates have expressed a desire to experience each degree separately. That means it is time for the Hays Boys to roll up our sleeves.
Brothers Jim Creegan and Tim Murray are ready for their Master Mason Degrees. Brother MacKenzie Corbit will soon be ready for his Fellow Craft Degree, and we recently conferred the Entered Apprentice degree for Brother.Tevin Matlock.
My Master's theme this year is Partnerships, and we have now partnered up with Palmer Lodge twice this year to confer degrees, including providing courtesy work for their newest EA. It should be noted that we could not do all that we do, were it not for the hard work and generosity of providing the space we rent from them. So thank you to our friends and brothers at Palmer Lodge and their Worshipful Master, Robert Galburth Sr.
Growth creates an obligation. We have men waiting to advance in Masonry, and now it falls upon us to provide them with the best experience we can.
That thought ties closely to the Masonic education I presented at our August meeting, where I presented a paper I wrote entitled “The Perfect Stone.” Its message was simple: a strong wall is not built from stones that are identical. Each stone has its own shape, purpose, and place in the structure. Our Lodge is no different. One Brother may excel at ritual, another at cooking, membership, organizing or simply making a new Brother feel welcome. None is less important than another when we meet upon the level. The discussion that followed was excellent, and I appreciated the thoughtful insights shared by the Brethren.
Our summer also provided several opportunities for fellowship and service.
Although our Lodge picnic was officially rained out, the Milwaukee Hurling Club was able to reschedule its match later that afternoon, and Brothers Jory Rule, Alen Osmanovich and Norm Siegel joined me at the pitch.
In June, approximately 15 Hays Boys cooked dinner at the Ronald McDonald House, serving vegetable lasagna and hamburger steaks to approximately 60 family members whose children were receiving treatment nearby. Many of those families were obviously exhausted and under tremendous stress, and their appreciation for something as simple as a warm, home-cooked meal was evident. Thank you to our Junior Warden, Mike Mars, for organizing the evening. The Brothers enjoyed the experience so much that we intend to do it again.
Several Hays Boys also traveled to Three Pillars in Dousman to support a Master Mason Degree for a Brother from Daylight Lodge. It was another good opportunity to travel, support another Brother, and experience Masonry outside our own Lodge room.
Earlier this summer, I also had the privilege of recognizing Brother Charles Desjarlais for his continued service to Hays Lodge and presented him with the Masonic Lodge Service Award. Sadly, this month Brother Charles passed on to the Lodge eternal. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.
But on to sunnier news, our July Hawaiian Shirt Night and our August Sports Shirt Night added a fun and whimsical flair to our meetings. However, I am a great fan of setting a standard, and we returned to formality in September. Formality allows a brother to prepare himself externally as well as internally in the short time it takes to put in the effort to prepare for our meetings. It continues to be my belief that a well-dressed lodge is a well-run lodge, and the brother who puts in the effort to conform to the rules of the lodge is one that contributes most productively.
I want to take a moment to thank our Lodge Membership Representative, Brother Don Kernan. Brother Kernan follows up on every lead, chats with them over the phone, and then invites them out for lunch to explore their needs. This is a long and somewhat tiresome process but Brother Don has been a quiet but exceptional member of our lodge. His patience, kindness, and willingness to put in the work, without the accolades, should serve as an inspiration to us all.
Upcoming Events
Fall Formal: November 14 at 6:00 p.m. Brothers, spouses, and significant others are invited. Please contact Junior Warden Mike Mars if you plan to attend.
Ronald McDonald House: October 25th at 2:00, we will again be preparing dinner for the families whose children are inpatient at the nearby hospital. This charitable event is one of the most rewarding events we take part in.
We have built considerable momentum at Hays Lodge. Now comes the important part: putting that growth to work.
I look forward to seeing what we build together.
Fraternally yours,
Jim McGuigan
Worshipful Master
P.S. There's a few items I included from the last update so apologies for any redundancy. I ran it up to the Lodge's Department of Redundancy Department and they gave it their stamp of approval. Again.
P.P.S. There is no Lodge Department of Redundancy Department but I appreciate those of you who suffered through my updates.
P.P.P.S. There is no such thing as a P.P.P.S. but for those of you who know the air speed of an unladen swallow, we share a satirical sense of humor and you're my kind of people.
