FROM THE EAST

I hope this message finds you all in good health and high spirits. As we begin the new year, I am truly honored to have been elected as the Worshipful Master of our lodge for 2024. I want to express my deepest gratitude to every one of you for placing your trust in me for this significant responsibility. The support and confidence you have shown in electing me as Worshipful Master are truly humbling. I am excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, and I am committed to serving our lodge to the absolute best of my abilities.
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our newly elected Senior Warden Benjamin G. Stern and Junior Warden Joseph K. Fried along with the rest of our elected brothers. Your dedication and commitment to our lodge are commendable, and I look forward to working closely with you throughout the year.
I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank our outgoing Worshipful Master Charles G Ehrentraut and his suite of officers for their hard work and dedication over the past year.
In the spirit of brotherhood, let us continue to uphold the principles of Freemasonry, supporting each other in our Masonic journey and contributing positively to the wider community. I am confident that together, we will make this coming year a period of growth, unity, and meaningful fellowship.
Once again, thank you for the trust you have placed in me. I look forward to the honor of serving as your Worshipful Master and to the shared experiences that lie ahead.
Starting off for 2024:

We will continue to support the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen this year. Please contact RWB Gary E. Cohen if you plan to help.
WB David O. Stern will continue our monthly fellowship night. I can't wait to go back to the awesome restaurants Brother David introduced us to over the years and maybe uncover some new favorites too.

 

Fraternally,
Earl W. Ehrentraut
Worshipful Master 2023

 

VIEW FROM THE WEST

I’d like to thank you for electing me to the office of Senior Warden for the 2024 year. I truly hope I can prove myself worthy of the confidence you’ve placed in me. I know that all sounds somewhat cliché, but I truly mean it in a way that is perhaps different from what you’ve heard before. A few years ago, I again found myself in the West and was actually readying myself to move ahead to the East. But I was back in school at the time and realized that I’d be student teaching at the same time I’d be serving as Worshipful Master. I recognized that attempting to do both at the same time meant that there was a good chance I wouldn’t have had the time or energy needed to be an effective Master. And so, with a heavy heart, I excused myself from the line. I fully understand how this might look to my brothers and call into question my resolve to (if elected) continue on this time around. Given the way this election went I can cautiously assume that this is not the case, but allow me to say it from the bottom of my heart anyways:

Thank you, my brothers. Thank you for putting aside any doubts you might have had about me based on my previous record and electing me to this office. All other things being equal, I do not
foresee anything on the horizon which would prevent me from successfully completing my term in office. I promise to work diligently with our Worshipful Master elect Bro. Earl W. Ehrentraut,
Junior Warden elect Bro. Joseph K. Fried, the other elected and appointed officers, and all of you, my brothers of Cosmopolitan Lodge № 125, to make this coming year a prosperous and
successful one.

Fraternally,
Benjamin G. Stern
Senior Warden

 

VIEW FROM THE SOUTH

To the many Brothers of Cosmopolitan Lodge,
First, let me extend my heartfelt gratitude to each one of you for the honor and privilege of being elected as Junior Warden. It was with great humility and enthusiasm that I accepted this responsibility, and I am eager to contribute my efforts to the continued success of our esteemed lodge. I also want to send my congratulations to our newly elected and appointed officers; I look forward to
working closely with each one of you to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood within our lodge!
As we embark on a new Masonic year, let us continue to uphold the traditions that make our lodge special and unique. Together, we can create a supportive and fraternal environment for all our members.

Something that has been on my mind since being elected as Junior Warden, is how lucky I am to be in a lodge with brothers who are new, and brothers who have been with the lodge for a long time. During my tenure, I am sure I will make mistakes, but I know that I will succeed because of the knowledge from all of you around me. If anyone has any advice or suggestions on how I can succeed, I am always willing to listen. I am confident that, with your support and cooperation, we will make this Masonic year a memorable and enriching
experience for all.

Thank you once again for entrusting me with the role of Junior Warden, and I look forward to a great year!

Fraternally,
Bro. Joe
Joseph K. Fried
Junior Warden

 

VIEW FROM THE SECRETARY’S CHAIR

 

My Brothers,

As I am now finished with my 6th year as your secretary, I have looked back at the time I was the assistant secretary under my close friend and brother RW Arnold Freedman. I
learned a lot from my brother which made it easier to take over and do the right things in my position.
Now that I have a number of years under my belt, some things have come easier and I thank the brothers for their
confidence in me to continue to do a wonderful job for our lodge.

Fraternally,
RW Gary Matican
Secretary