HARMONY LODGE

 No 325

FORMED IN 1946

 

 – A MEMBER OF FREEMASONS NEW ZEALAND –

 

LOCATION

 

Masonic Centre

Havelock Street

Ashburton

New Zealand

 

Both on and off-street parking is available.

 

REGULAR MEETINGS

 

These are held on the first Tuesday of each month except January. 

Meetings commence at 7.30pm.

 

INSTALLATION MEETING

 

 First Tuesday in November.  Visiting Brethren are received at 6.45pm.

 

VISITING BRETHREN

 

Visiting Brethren are always welcome and are received at 8.00pm following General Business.

Dress code is dress suit or lounge suit, and appropriate regalia.

 

REFECTORY

 

Supper and a time of social harmony follow the formal meetings.

 

CONTACTS

 E T (Ed) Eason

Worshipful Master

   7 Bathurst Street

Ashburton 7700

Phone: 307 2107

Email: edandmarg@slingshot.co.nz

 

R J (Richard) Conway

Secretary

61 Park Street

Ashburton 7700

Phone/Fax: (03) 308 6683

Email: secretary@harmonylodge.co.nz

 

A W (Alex) Thomson

Membership Convener

Phone; 308 1450

 Mobile: 027 687 1880

Email: alexthomson@clear.net.nz

 

 

CHARITY

The Lodge gives full support to "Freemasons Charity".  The Lodge also has its own Charitable Fund which is used to assist those in need and to support our Lodge Widows and elderly Brethren.  The Brethren do not commit to 'working bees', etc as money-raising activities but our individual giving is budgeted to enable our financial commitments to be fully met.  The members are also participants in the manning of a Timaru car park and the donations received are deposited in our Charity funds.

 

SCHOLARSHIP

The Lodge provides an Annual Scholarship for the Ashburton College Trades' Course in Year 12. The top student receives a trophy in the form of the Square & Compasses and the top student who undertakes an apprenticeship receives $1,000.00 that must be spent on his/her training and tools of trade. The Lodge provides $500.00 and this is subsidised by the Midland District Charitable Trust.

 

SOCIAL

The Brethren and their ladies meet at a local restaurant on a monthly basis to enjoy each other's company and to have a meal.  A mid-winter luncheon is held in the Lodge Refectory, and an informal dinner is held towards the end of the year and before our Installation. Other diverse functions are held during the year. These functions are for brethren, ladies, families, widows and friends.

 

NEW MEMBERS

Harmony Lodge is always encouraging new members: Brethren who have transferred to Ashburton; unattached Brethren; or men who are interested in becoming members of our fraternity.  Please get in touch with any of the officers listed above and you will be contacted immediately.  There is also a Freemasons’ Website (see below), and brochures about Freemasonry.  Regular attendance is desirable but not compulsory.

 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: 20 April 2013

Harmony Lodge has a membership of 54 Brethren including one Entered Apprentice Freemason and two Fellowcrafts. Our third Fellowcraft was successfully raised to the Third Degree in April. Two propositions for membership were also declared at our March regular meeting.

Apart from one Past Master, the Brethren progressing through the chairs are Master Masons.  Unfortunately our Brother Junior Warden has left Ashburton and we will be doing some re-shuffling until our Installation meeting.  Our membership is very cosmopolitan.  In addition to our locally born and bred Brethren, we have members from Southland, Otago, Auckland and Wellington, plus three Scots and seventeen Filipinos. The members are from all walks of life: farmers, meat workers, various professionals, tradesmen and retirees.

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Harmony Lodge No 325 had a very active year in 2012. The Installation of our new Worshipful Master W Bro Ed Eason was very successful and he is 'up and running' with his year as Master well planned. In addition to the regular monthly dine-ins at a local restaurant, our next (additional) social occasion will be the Mid-Winter Luncheon.  We have had our annual 'Home-and-away' visits with two of our local Lodges: Thistle Lodge No 113 and Ashburton Lodge No 1811 EC and these visits are always very enjoyable occasions.

In May we will host the Millennium 2000 Lodge, No 465 for their biennial visit. We were also to make our biennial visit to The Mackenzie lodge No 93 but this has been postponed until June.  

A double ballot will be held in May and, if successful, one of these candidates will be initiated on that same evening. Dispensation has been granted by our District Grand Master in anticipation. 

 

Links

http://www.freemasons.co.nz/cms/