Hope you enjoy our newsletters!

June 20, 2025, Newsletter #103

Dear Brethren and Friends,

Important Announcements:

Tomorrow! June 21 (Saturday) – 3rd Annual Masonic Jamboree. Held at Chandler Park in Tulsa, Ok from 10am-6pm. ALL MASONS, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS ARE WELCOME. There will be free burgers and hot dogs. Plenty of amenities for the kids, inflatable obstacle courses, slushie truck, splash pad, etc. T-shirts are $25 at the event.

Officer Positions: We must have a strong officer line to keep our Lodge functioning properly. Elections are in December, but we need to hear from you as to whether you want to be an elected or appointed officer. The only requirement to be an officer is to be in good standing (up to date on dues) and to have done your Master Mason proficiency.

I can’t stress enough how important it is for brothers to get involved. Moving through the chairs will teach you a lot about masonry and about yourself.

Freemasonry is about making you a better man. Learning new skills and doing new things in the Lodge will do that. But you have to step out of your comfort zone.

If you are interested, please make it known to us. We need your active participation to make this Lodge successful.

Looking for Speakers: We have several speakers over the next several months coming to our Lodge. We would also like to have some of our own lodge members make presentations as well. So if you have an educational topic you would like to present, please let the WM know.

I Want to Talk to You!

One life skill that is imperative for your success in life is the ability to talk to people in an engaging way. You know people who can talk with just about anyone. They are not intimidated with the status or persona of other people. They don’t get star-struck when meeting famous or important people.

If you are afraid to talk to people you don’t know, there are some things you can do to become more comfortable.

One is to do some study on the subject. One book you might find helpful is “How to talk to anyone” by Leil Lowndes.

Here are some pointers from her book plus a one of my ideas thrown in:

1. The Flooding Smile – this is a slow genuine smile.

2. Sticky Eyes – maintain eye contact even after someone has finished speaking. This helps to create an immediate sense of warmth, interest and credibility.

3. Confident posture. I can’t tell you how important it is so “stand erect” and face the person you are speaking too. A firm handshake is also a necessity.

4. Avoid fidgety or guarded body language.

5. Master introductions and small talk. For small talk focus on putting people at ease and finding common ground, rather than trying to impress them.

6. Mood Matching means aligning your tone and energy with the other person.

7. The Big-Baby Pivot means turning your body fully towards someone to show undivided attention.

8. Mirroring means subtly imitating the other person's body language and speech patterns. This builds subconscious comfort and connection.

9. Active listening and showing genuine interest in what others are saying.

10. Effective compliments and praise means delivering sincere and impactful compliments. This also includes asking for their opinion to make them feel valued.

11. For professional communications concentrate on communicating succinctly with superiors, focusing on mutual benefits.

12. Learning to deal with difficult conversations. During these discussions, concentrate on parroting back what someone said to show understanding and starting and ending a difficult conversation with a positive statement.

13. Focus on confidence and self-presentation.

14. Don’t worry about the fear of judgment. Focus your attention outward and give people tangible actions to perform.

And here is one of my pointers: Have something to talk about. Before you enter a social gathering, think of something to talk about. It should be interesting, but not controversial. “I saw a video on a new discovery, did you see that?”. “I hear there is going to be some construction east of town, have you heard about that?”. “I read something on Freemasonry that I found interesting, have your read that book?”.

Have a few topics in mind so you aren’t struggling to find a topic under pressure.

Coming to lodge is an excellent way to overcome fears of talking with people. Our fraternity is focused on helping you improve. Practice makes perfect, as they say, and being in a warm, welcoming environment like the lodge is a way to practice your skills in a non-judgmental place.

As always, you can’t do all these things at once. So, pick a new once each week and practice it. They will soon become second nature.

Lord, help us to be the best person we can be, following your guidance and understanding that we are all valuable and have something to offer. Amen.

Contributions from your Senior Warden: Aaron Walker

Good day brothers and raptured readers. It's been a wildly busy time with all of my various activities, so I have not contributed to this newsletter much. A recent chat with a dear Arkansas brother about this newsletter was the kick in the pants I needed to enter this to you all. I recently composed and presented a small piece of poetry I had written for a new master mason and figured I should share it for your enjoyment.

If you wish to use it for your lodge or brothers, you are of course free to do so. I do not profess to be any accomplished writer or poet but when inspiration strikes me, I try, and any work kept secret is unhelpful to the rest of us.

In a closing remark, I will try to write a couple more pieces for the newsletter but no promises. As always, I am here to serve masonry and its members, so my number is included here, and you are welcome to reach out to me. So please enjoy this poem on the meaning of the masonic ring.

The Ring of a Master

A ring is one of the many ways that a Freemason can reveal himself to the world. Many wear other jewelry and clothing or even paint their flesh with tattoos to show such pride. However, the ring and it’s long history stands as the most famous and iconic of a man’s status as a Freemason.

The symbolism of a ring has depth beyond the eye

Many enjoy wearing them and it is plain to see why

Some men covet the looks of shiny silver or gold

Yet the mason wears his for more so we are told

The mason values the internal more than the external

Thus the meaning of a ring to a brother is eternal

The jewel will scratch on top or the band scuff on its side

But regardless a man of the Order will wear it with pride

The wearer of a ring his loyalty is declared

By the band displayed on his hand to be shared

A reminder to him of oaths to be upheld

His virtue, honor, and reputation never dispelled

The band around his finger like a cable tow

Keeps him faithful whether feeling high or low

Formed in a circle the ring is round

A reminder for him to what he is bound

So to you my brother a ring I present

Wear it proudly and know what you represent

May it remind you of all that we stand for

And live the life of a true master forever-more

Lodge Calendar

June 21 (Saturday) – 3rd Annual Masonic Jamboree. Held at Chandler Park in Tulsa, Ok from 10am-6pm. ALL MASONS, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS ARE WELCOME. There will be free burgers and hot dogs. Plenty of amenities for the kids, inflatable obstacle courses, slushie truck, splash pad, etc. T-shirts are $25 at the event.

June 24 (Tuesday) – Ritual Practice.

July 1 (Tuesday) – Stated communication. Dinner at 6 pm, lodge at 7 pm.

July 8 (Tuesday) - Education: “Esoteric Application of the Blue Lodge Working Tools” by W:. Randy Sanders

July 12 (Saturday) - Widow's Luncheon. 11 am. We need volunteers to greet and serve. Volunteers please be there by 10:30 am. It would be nice, at a minimum, if all elected and appointed officers attended to pay tribute to our widows.

July 15 (Tuesday) - Stated communication. Dinner at 6 pm, lodge at 7 pm.

July 22 (Tuesday) - Indian Taco Fundraiser night for Rainbow Assembly #74. Dinner at 6 pm. Ritual practice to follow.

July 26 (Saturday) - Rainbow Installation.

July 29 (Tuesday) - 5th Tuesday, Family Night + Masonic Birthdays.

August 2 (Saturday) – Child ID program at Back to School Bash. Location is The Assembly Church 3500 W. New Orleans St. (101ST & 129TH EAST AVE ). We need volunteers. OES and Rainbow are welcome to volunteer as well.

August 12 (Tuesday) – Presentation by MW Robert Davis.

Sept 9 (Tuesday) – District 12 – Delta 425 – 1630 S 101st E. Ave, Tulsa 74128. Dinner at 6 pm program to follow.

Sept 23 (Tuesday) – Presentation by MW Brad Rickelman

October 14 (Tuesday) – Presentation by MW John Carter.

Oct 30 (Thursday) – District 12 – Tulsa 71 - 5925 E. 9th St., Tulsa 74112. Dinner at 6 pm program to follow.

September 27 (Saturday) - Fish Fry at the Lodge. 5 pm to 8 pm or whenever we run out of fish. We need volunteers to help work this fundraiser for the Lodge.

Other Business

Please remember to pay your dues. 2025 Dues Notices are out. You can pay dues at https://balodge243.square.site/ . Or mail in your dues to 117 W. Commercial St., Broken Arrow, OK, 74012. Due date is Dec. 31.

For those who are behind in your dues, we do not want to be a financial hardship for you. We will work with you on staying in good standing, but you have to reach out to us. Please contact the lodge office at 918.251.9282 to make arrangements or email us at brokenarrowmasons@gmail.com .

Please note we are making every attempt to keep our meetings to one hour. However, if you attend and the meeting is going long, you can certainly excuse yourself from the meeting at any time.

As always, if you need a ride to/from any of these activities, please contact the lodge office at 918.251.9282.

Sincerely,

W:. Scott A. MacDonald, Treasurer and Membership Calling Chairman