Brothers, can you believe the fortuitous year we are having? Currently, we have had one brother raised at the one day class, four candidates going for their Master Mason degree, one who is working on his Fellow Craft degree, and at least one petition, possibly two, plus other men eager to join in the fall. We are doing so well that I need your help. I need brothers who know parts of the ritual to speak up. Last year, we developed a “depth chart” of brothers that knew different parts in our ritual; I want to go one step further. We have many brothers that haven’t been asked to do a part. I would like to invite any of you who would like to try out a part to come on out and give it a go. Want to do a lecture? Want to learn one of the big parts in the third degree? Please let me know. You don’t need to be a Past Master or line officer to deliver the lectures, or take a part in the third degree; you only need the drive to succeed and a willingness to try something new. In addition, the Grand Lodge offers Lecturer Certification giving you recognition and clout to travel to other Lodges to give lectures to those Lodges that need help filling those parts.

As I mentioned above, we will be having a third degree scheduled for March 16th. Myrtle Chapter will be providing dinner for ten dollars. The third degree at Corinthian Lodge has always been a spectacularly run event. If you can make it out to Lodge, it would be wonderful for our new brothers to see a great show of support as they reach the pinnacle of Ancient Craft Masonry.

We have also been in contact with the Bro. Jimmy Harris, the Grand Inner Guard of the Grand Guardian Council of Job’s Daughters in Minnesota, about potentially reviving our Bethel. The Worthy Matron, Kerry, and I have discussed its feasibility and I think it looks quite auspicious. However, if we do start a Bethel meeting in Farmington, we will need help from the brethren, both in volunteer time and also having their daughters join Jobbies. If you are interested in reviving this Bethel or have any comments, please email me at njohnson@corinthian67.org or call me at 952-432-7971.

Later this month, the Wardens, the Secretary, and I will be attending the 157th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota at the Kelly Inn in Saint Cloud. The motions before the conclave have been printed in the “Minnesota Mason” for your perusal. I am very excited to represent our Lodge as Master of Corinthian Lodge; I have had a great time these last three years and I wouldn’t have traded them for anything. All Minnesota Masons are invited to attend this great and informative conclave of great Masonic minds so come on out.

On April 16th, we will be hosting the combined Awards/Widows Night Table Lodge.  I encourage all of you to attend. I will be MCing the event this year and with the help of our great Junior Warden and the Stewards, we should have a great time. The cost will be roughly $25 per person, and yes, this is a Table Lodge, so be prepared to toast heartily.

Finally, we are devising some fundraising opportunities and will be rolling those out very soon. In the past, we have run the corn dog stand at the various town festivals with somewhat mixed results in recent years. However, that being said, it is possible to fundraise and have fun, and we are exploring many options. We have been visiting different Lodges and I have seen a great many ways for Lodges to raise funds while having fun doing it. If you have any advice or know any good fundraising opportunities, please contact Rick Vance or myself.

Brothers, Masonry is about to experience a boom and our Lodge is poised to experience more interest. Whether it’s the Lost Symbol by Dan Brown or a renewed fraternal spirit in this country, we must not lose sight of this wonderful chance to bring good men to light and make them better men. We have many volunteer opportunities and I would appreciate any help that you would like to give, whether it’s cleaning the Lodge, helping with the cemetery, organizing fundraising events, or passing Masonic education to the newest generation of Masons at a Lodge meeting. We have a great Lodge and I think we all can be proud of the work we do.

Nick Johnson
Worshipful Master, Corinthian Lodge No. 67

Another year has started, my brothers, and Corinthian Lodge No. 67 is again seeming to go onto limitless heights. With four candidates newly initiated, one having completed the One Day to Masonry class, one waiting to take his EA degree, and many more waiting to join this fall, we are truly seeing another great year on the horizon.

We were fortunate enough to have hosted a very well-attended Entered Apprentice degree. This degree was also combined with a Table Lodge, the first time in our 142 year history. The brothers in attendance included the Grand Master of Masons in Minnesota, Most Worshipful Brother Tom McCarthy, the Deputy Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother John Cook, the immediate Past Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Tom Jackson, and a Custodian, WB Foster Solem. The Table Lodge was interspersed amongst the degree work allowing the candidates to see both the serious and fun aspects of our Fraternity. With the tables set and the cannons charged, the tenets of Brotherly Love could not have been felt more strongly. I hope our four newly admitted brothers, Jon Simon, Darren Simon, Scott Cummings, Brad Swager, along with our newest Master Mason, John Freeburg, had a great time and I’m certain that we will do this again.

Of course, we’re not done with this year but already the officers and I have planned even more interesting things for the coming months. We will be having an educational meeting opened on the first degree during the first meeting in February to present the candidates with the second and third lectures. One of my goals this year is to slow degree work down to a month at a time so that our new brothers can absorb the lessons of Masonry more thoroughly. The Fellow Craft degree will be on February 16th with the entire staircase lecture presented. We will then present another educational event around the teachings of the Second Degree on March 2nd. We then have a Third degree planned for the 16th of March at which time we will have raised six brothers just this year with many more waiting at our door.

On the 27th, we will be hosting the annual Sweethearts’ Night at “the Black Stallion” in Hampton. This is the time when we bring our wives, girlfriends, or significant others and allow them to share one special evening with their Masons. This year, we need an accurate count to help the restaurant plan. We will be ordering with separate checks so bring money for your individual meal. The room is separate from the rest of the restaurant and is sound proof making for a private experience. Contact me and I will deliver your name to Wayne.

We also have a new website. If you visit http://www.corinthian67.org, you will see our new format. We have created sections for the membership inquiries, a calendar of upcoming events, a page on recent events and pictures, as well as a section dedicated to our dearly departed brothers. You can find this and more at the website.

We are also starting three major initiatives. The first is we have decided to rededicate ourselves to the goal of fundraising. Brother Rick Vance is the new head of the fundraising committee and has great ideas going forward. He will be sending out an email inviting you to take a survey on what you would like to see in our new fundraising endeavor. I would like to see us focus our efforts on continuing to raise money during these uncertain economic times. I really think that Rick is the man to lead us on this new endeavor. If you want to join the fundraising committee, contact Rick at rvance@corinthian67.org. Brother Wayne Sisel, our Junior Deacon, will be our mentoring and membership coordinator for the ensuing year. He has put together a number of great materials to aid our mentors and our new brothers. If you would like to serve as a Mentor or know a man who would like to join, you can contact him at wsisel@corinthian67.org. Thirdly, our very own Worshipful Brother Lee Soberg has agreed to help with our newly reconstituted Charity and BenevolenceCommittee along with Worshipful Brother Bill DeJohn. I have asked them to look at the many charitable opportunities available in the central Dakota County area and toinform the brothers when a good opportunity presents itself as well as continuing to plan and coordinate those projects in which we already participate.

A 4th School of Instruction is also scheduled for February 18th. This School will not focus on degree work but rather those things that a Lodge does during business meetings such as balloting, receiving Grand Lodge officers and visitors and opening and closing a Lodge. We are fortunate to have Right Worshipful Brother Brian Beermann, the Southeast Area Custodian, attending to help us with this School. If you would like to help with this event, please contact me. We’d like to see as many brothers as possible attend this School so please plan on attending if you can.

Finally, if you haven’t been to Lodge in awhile, we would love to see you. If you need a ride, we can pick you at your house. We want all our brothers to feel that they are participating in our good works. If you would like to see a change or have any questions or concerns, you can call me at 952-432-7971 or you can send me an email at master@corinthian67.org. Farmington is again serving as a central point for Masonic light and I am proud to be serving as Master at this moment.

Nick Johnson
Worshipful Master, Corinthian Lodge No. 67



My brothers, I want to thank all of you for giving me this opportunity to serve as the Master of Corinthian Lodge No. 67 for the ensuing year. It seems like only yesterday that I was first introduced to the Lodge. My mentor, WB Don, gave me the tools and the encouragement to improve myself as a Mason, learning the Craft, and being a faithful member of the Lodge.

This year is turning out to be great. With the impressive work by WB Paul and the brothers last year, including refinishing the floor, rededicating the building, and gaining statewide press for our little country lodge, just to name a few.

The installation for the 2009-2010 officers was extremely well-attended. We had all but one officer installed on Sunday. We also had almost all seats filled in the Lodge room. The other officers and myself could not have asked for better support by our families and friends. I would like to thank my wife for being supportive, my parents for giving me guidance, my brother and his fiancée as well as my Grandparents for being there on my special day.

For 2010, I am using three guiding principles to continue to improve, our Lodge: experimentation, excellence, and excitement. Masonry is standing at a signpost, uncertain of which route it should take. We can continue our usual course of elegiac memories of days gone by or we can reinvent who and what we are while holding to the great traditions of our past.

One of our first experiments will be the initiating of five candidates using a combined Table Lodge/EA degree. This event should prove to be incredibly fun and informative. It is not often that we can celebrate Masonry and do degree work simultaneously. I have complete confidence in the Junior Warden, Joel, and his Steward crew, Dan and Art, to make this Table Lodge a great experience for the candidates and brothers alike.

As we, as Masons, should also dedicate ourselves to our community, we will be participating in many more fundraising events, directing that money back into the community. Bro. Rick has graciously taken up the challenge of finding the best way to raise those funds and continue our long tradition of giving back.

We will also be holding many more schools of instruction. This is my dedication to excellence. I want each new candidate recognize our dedication to them as Masons by witnessing our great ritual work. By implementing schools of instruction during meetings and also on non-meeting days, we will improve ourselves in Masonry.

I hope to continue to improve our Lodge facilities. One new way to do this is by finally finishing the Social/Library room during this summer. WM Kerry has whipped up a beautiful plan for finally utilizing the space on the North side of the Lodge Hall. We will be able to display the centuries-old Masonic literature and create a comfortable room to play Cribbage or to just rest on the new couches we will be purchasing and read our extensive collection of manuscripts.

Finally, I would like to see increased attendance at our Lodge functions. If you need a ride to Farmington Masonic temple, we can arrange for one. If you want to push forward a new activity, let us know. The insights and experience that you bring to this band of brothers is timely and essential for making Masonry strong once again in Dakota county and the entire state.

This year will be going by fast and I will need each and every one of you if we are to continue the great traditions of our honorable lodge. Currently, we are looking for a new member for the Cemetery Board, we need some brothers to help with organizing our fundraising events with Bro. Rick, and we need brothers to get involved in the informal schools of instruction. This list is not exclusive and if you would like to help out in other ways, please contact me or any of the other officers. We have many other opportunities for you to participate. I humbly thank all of my brothers for giving me this opportunity and I’m excited for what the future holds.

Nick Johnson
Worshipful Master, Corinthian Lodge No. 67

Before	After

On Saturday, October 10th, my Lodge, Corinthian Lodge #67 of Farmington Minnesota, will be rededicating our Lodge building. The local paper, the Farmington Independent, has published an article about this event. Worshipful Brother Paul Hardt, the current Master of the Lodge, is quoted in the article:

We want to invite the entire community to attend this wonderful celebration. With all the interest people have shown in Masons and Freemasonry, through Dan Brown’s books, and the ‘National Treasure’ movies, we wanted everyone to see just what Masons do and what we are all about.

Corinthian Lodge is one of the oldest Lodges in the state of Minnesota. It was originally founded by returning Civil War soldiers in 1867. It initially met in various locations including the Odd Fellows Lodge building until Corinthian could afford our own building. Sadly, that building burned down in the Great Fire of Farmington (thankfully, the charter survived). The Lodge would not have a building of its own until 1914, the same building that we continue to meet in to this day.

Some of the invited guests include the Grand Master of Masons in Minnesota as well as the rest of the Grand Line. If you are in the area and would like to see the new refurbished Lodge hall as well as to see just what we do, come out to downtown Farmington. The event will begin at 4 pm. I will also post a map below to find Farmington Masonic Temple. We hope to see you there!

Nick Johnson
Senior Warden, Corinthian Lodge No. 67