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Issue No. 69 August 24, 2007 |
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R:.W:. Joseph R. Leo R:.W:. David L. Blasch V:.W:. John W. Cola V:.W:. Scott A. Klein Lodges of the Athelstane Cornerstone Goshen Hoffman Hudson River Jerusalem Temple Naurashank Port Jervis Stony Point-Wawayanda Wallkill Warwick West Point Archives No.
1 5/5/06 |
It's gotten a little chilly out, unusual for August. Perhaps this is the harbinger of an early Autumn, reminding us that ere long we must return to our labors in the quarries of Freemasonry. I, for one, am eager to see us resume our Work, as we have many new opportunities to build upon the exciting and productive period that many of our Lodges enjoyed last year. Your Grand Lodge remains poised to assist you in numerous ways, and we welcome your questions and requests, but the real Work must be initiated from within. Enjoy your last few weeks of Summer, Brothers, but oil up your Working Tools and get ready for a busy Fall. While we want to move forward, it seems wrong not to comment on the services for Bro. Anthony Cola, son of our AGL, V:.W:. John Cola, and a member of Orange-Rockland Central Chapter, Order of DeMolay. Brethren of DeMolay and Freemasonry came together from far and wide to say farewell to a son and comfort a Father and his family. Among those gathered to pay their respects were the Grand Master and members of the Grand Line and the Personal Representative of the Grand Master of DeMolay in NY, both of whom knew Anthony personally. The line of those wishing to pay their respects wrapped throughout the funeral home and halfway around the building outside, an awesome tribute to a young man who truly exemplified the Seven Cardinal Virtues of a DeMolay; Filial Love, Reverence for Sacred Things, Courtesy, Comradeship, Fidelity, Cleanness, and Patriotism. On Sunday, the Brothers of Wallkill Lodge organized a gathering of Brethren, family, and friends at the Cola home to help begin the healing process. I think we all learned something about why Masonry is so necessary in our communities this weekend and I thank everyone who came out to support the Cola family. Plans are continuing for the Masonic Family Days at Tappan and West Point next month. We'd love to see a great turnout from the District at Tappan on Sunday September 16th, and ORDMA will be there to help prepare the barbecue. Tickets are still available for Masonic Family Day at West Point on Saturday September 29th, but please get your orders in quickly! More details appear elsewhere in this issue. Well, that's it for now. Enjoy the end of your break, and we'll see you next week! DISTRICT NEWS
Masters and Wardens Meeting Masonic Family Day at West Point Orange-Rockland Central Chapter, Order of DeMolay UPCOMING CHILD ID PROGRAMS
Child ID System ORDMA NEWS
2007-2008 Calendars DATES TO REMEMBER
2007-2008 DDGM Visits
SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION
The Orange-Rockland District School of Instruction is on a hiatus for the summer. We will re-open in August to review the Opening and Closing, and should you wish to hold other rehearsals for your new officers over the summer, your AGLs will be glad to attend provided you give them sufficient notice. The School will recommence in September, rotating on a different evening each month throughout the District at the invitation of individual Lodges. More details will be provided as the time draws closer, Have a great summer! If you have any questions, please contact the DDGM. LEADERSHIP ESSENTIALS
by Dr. John C. Maxwell Have you ever met someone who wasn’t happy unless he or she was going through some kind of massive change? Perhaps there are a few individuals in this world who thrive on uncertainty, enjoy feeling insecure, and love to have their routines disrupted. But I think it would be safe to say that most people resist change every now and then, especially when it affects an idea, position, or practice that is near and dear to them. Although people in leadership roles are often called upon to be agents of change, I have found that leaders resist change as much as followers do! As you might guess, that poses a big problem in this world of rapid transition and constant flux. As I wrote in my book, "Developing the Leader Within You", 'Unchanged leaders equals unchanged organizations.' My goal in this column is not to teach you how to enact change or tell you when you need to change. I merely want to help you understand what most people including many leaders think about change. Here are six key observations: 1. Most people change just enough to get away from their problems,not enough to solve them. They change just enough to escape; and as soon as they escape, they say, I’m OK now I don’t have to do anything else. Unfortunately, this is like painting a rusty car. Sooner or later, the paint wears off, and the rust has only gotten worse. 2. Most people want to change their circumstances to improve their lives instead of changing themselves to improve their circumstances. Let’s say you came to me, as leaders often do, and said, John, give me some leadership ideas so I can change the people of my organization. Well, I’m happy to offer leadership advice, but not so you can change someone else. If I give you advice, I’d like it to change you, because if I can change you, your organization will change, too. As I’m fond of saying, People do what people see. 3. Most people do the same thing the same way and expect different results. I see it happen all the time: People keep doing the same thing the same way, and yet they expect something to get better. When you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done. 4. Most people are willing to change, not because they see the light, but because they feel the heat. Read this carefully. As a leader, you better change when you see the light because if you wait and change when you feel the heat, it’s too late. Leaders go first. I know sometimes we don’t want to go first, especially when it comes to change. But we have to that’s what it means to lead. 5. Most people are unwilling to pay the immediate price of change; therefore, they do not change and pay the ultimate price. Change is uncomfortable. It’s unsettling. Sometimes, it’s downright painful. But in the long run, the alternative is often much, much worse. 6. Most people see change as a hurtful thing that must be done, instead of a helpful thing that should be done. Not all change is good. Some changes are based on bad ideas. Others are self-serving to the people who enact them. But as Max De Pree aid, "We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." Did you see yourself in any of these six observations? If so, decide today to change the way you think about change. Why is this so important? I stated the answer in Developing the Leader Within You: When change is successful, you will look back at it and call it growth. Copyright 2006-2007 Orange-Rockland District, GLNY F&AM. All rights reserved. |
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