September 2026 Trestleboard

The Trestleboard is an official publication of Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32, which is a legally constituted Masonic Lodge operating under charter granted by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah. The Trestleboard is published for the sole and exclusive use of the members of Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32, and any other use is expressly forbidden.  The editor of The Trestleboard is Glen Van Steeter.  Submissions of educational articles or other announcements may be sent to the editor at [email protected], and if selected for publication, will be given full attribution. All submissions are subject to the approval of the Worshipful Master of Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32 and the editor of the Trestleboard.

Sickness and Distress

If you are aware of any members whom are in distress, please notify the Lodge Secretary using our Contact page “Email Us” form. Please put “Brother in Sickness and Distress” in the Subject line, and then provide details in the “Message” box. This information will be immediately received by multiple members of the Lodge when the “Submit” button is clicked.

Per requirement of the Bylaws and Policies of the Grand Lodge of Utah, full names will not be used in this section of the Trestleboard.

At this moment, there are no new reports of sickness or distress that have been received by the Trestleboard Editor. WB Ric Wailes has mostly recovered from his accident, which was reported in July and August.

Well my brothers, as July winds its way to a close, and August is upon us. I am struggling to find words, it seems that the years pass quicker and quicker. We have 3 petitions to vote on in our August meeting, which means that we have the possibility of doing an up to triple EA degree on August 8th.  As that work continues I think we can safely plan for at least 1 more EA degree meeting this year before November, for this one learn the part of the office above you. I would like us all to step up for that final EA of the year.

With not much else I wanted to share a poem from Bro. Ron C Nischwitz Sr. It is titled The Words Left Unspoken. 
Avoiding conflict feels easier…
You convince yourself it’s not worth addressing…
not the right moment…not important enough…
not necessary to disturb the peace…So you leave it…
Unspoken…
Unresolved…
But unresolved things do not vanish…
They settle into the quiet corners of the inner Lodge…
They accumulate like unworked stones…
small at first…
then heavier with time…
Tension forms in the spaces between words…
Distance grows where clarity should stand…
And what was once small begins to change shape…
gaining weight simply because it was left untouched…
This is the cost…
not the moment you avoided…
but what that moment becomes afterward…
Every great faith teaches this truth…
The Christian learns that reconciliation restores peace…
The Jew learns that truth spoken in love heals division…
The Muslim learns that resolving discord strengthens community…
The Hindu learns that harmony requires courage…
The Buddhist learns that suffering grows when ignored…
And the Mason learns that Light reveals what silence distorts…
In the Lodge…
conflict is not chaos…
it is a call to uprightness…
The Square demands honesty…
The Compasses demand restraint…
The Level demands equality…
The Plumb demands integrity…
A Brother does not avoid what needs addressed…
He approaches it with calmness…
clarity…
and charity…
because the Work cannot advance when stones are left crooked or when fractures are left unattended…
Unspoken tension becomes heavier with time…
But spoken truth…
handled with dignity and brotherly love…
lightens the entire Lodge…
The lesson is simple…
and ancient…
Name what stands between you and harmony…
Bring it into the Light…
Address it with the tools of the Craft…
For anything left unresolved keeps its grip…
and slows the building of your inner Temple…
A Mason does not fear correction…
He embraces it…
Because every act of courage moves him closer…
to the man he is meant to become.

Fraternally submitted,

Michael Hartman, Sr. Warden

Greetings Brethren,

It seems odd to say this, but “Welcome Back”. The days are still long and the weather is still hot, but the trees are beginning to show the first beginnings of fading, and soon fall will be in the air. Football, basketball, school buses and kids walking with backpacks and fleece jackets in the morning.

We had 26 attendees at our bowling event in August and a good time was had by all that I asked. A thriving, growing Lodge needs to work on improving it’s members through virtuous education, but we also need opportunities to just let our hair down and have a little fun. Thank you for helping make it a successful occassion.

This month, the final major social event of the year is rapidly approaching, which is our Ladies Appreciation Night Dinner. A full description of this event will be found under “Calendar and Events”. The location will be Tuscano’s Restaurant in Draper, Utah. Please make your reservations as soon as you can to [email protected]. We have to provide a final count to Toscano’s by September 6th. We need at least 20 reservations to make this work. This is an opportunity for our Brethren to show their appreciation to their spouses for their forebearance and support. Without them, our Lodge wouldn’t work. I hope to hear from many of you soon.

Fraternally and cordially,

Glen Van Steeter, PM – Jr. Warden

Calendar at a Glance

Our calendar page is updated regularly, and it’s the best place to know what Twin Peaks is doing in the upcoming months.

Twin Peaks Ladies Appreciation Dinner – September 12th

MENU CHOICES

Entrees (Pick One)

Sides (Pick either a salad or soup)

The cost will be approximately $52 per meal, which includes beverages, an entree and one soup or salad.  So, RSVP and let’s make it a BIG social event. RSVPs can be made to [email protected].  Please put “Ladies Night” in the subject line. Include your name, and the name of your spouse, along with your menu selections in the body of the email. All RSVPs must be made by early September 6th  in order for me to give accurate numbers to the restaurant staff.  All members and prospects are invited and encouraged to attend. 

 (Adult beverages are available at an additional charge.) 

There is a $250 fee for the Garden Room reservation, which we will divide equally between those who make reservations. For 30 diners, this would be less than $10 per person.

Brethren who were raised to the Degree of Master Mason in September

  • Brother Rubens Barbosa was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 19, 2026.
  • Brother Tiago Vidigal was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 21, 2026.
  • Brother Roland Tucker was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 19, 2026.
  • Brother Austin Jeremiah Stoker was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 11, 2023 and has 3 years of service.
  • Brother Spencer Lee Forman was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 30, 2019 and has 7 years of service.
  • Brother Kaleb Patrick Valdez was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 16, 2014 and has 12 years of service.
  • Brother Jaysen Zachary Roundy was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 27, 2013 and has 13 years of service.
  • Mister Sterling Jay Peterson was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 22, 2009 and has 17 years of service.
  • Worshipful Brother Kevin Alger Tucker was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 30, 2005 and has 21 years of service.
  • Brother Daniel M. Overman was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 28, 1998 and has 28 years of service.
  • Most Worshipful Brother George Keith Odendahl was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 9, 1975 and has 51 years of service.

Members who were born in September

  • Brother Eugene L. Tenney was born on September 1.
  • Worshipful Brother Robin Warren Winslett was born on September 8.
  • Brother Jason Arthur Dyckman was born on September 15.
  • Worshipful Brother Ephraim Y. Sng was born on September 17.
  • Brother David D. Birch was born on September 18.
  • Brother Jared Conner Sanford was born on September 18.
  • Brother John William Miller was born on September 19.
  • Brother Mark William Bisaillon was born on September 24.

Dual Master Mason Degree on Saturday, September 19th at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple

Address: 650 E. South Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT
Room: Egyptian
Time: 7:30 am to 11:50 am
Attire: Tuxedo or Dark Suit

We will be under a time constraint with these degrees. We need to be completely out of the room before noon. Officers should arrive at 7:30 am to help prepare the Lodge room for the degrees. If you have been assigned a degree part and cannot attend, please notify the Worshipful Master or Senior Warden as soon as possible to give us time to recruit a replacement.

Master Mason Degree on Monday, September 21st at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple

Address: 650 E. South Temple Street, Salt Lake City, UT
Room: Moorish
Time: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Attire: Tuxedo or Dark Suit

Officers should arrive at 6:30 pm to help prepare the Lodge room for the degrees. If you have been assigned a degree part and cannot attend, please notify the Worshipful Master or Senior Warden as soon as possible to give us time to recruit a replacement. Please be on time or a little early as we must clear the room by 10 pm.

A Surrender of Values

Brethren, I came upon this short-talk bulletin from the Masonic Service Association of North America’s Website, and considering that it is just about time to send out 2027 dues notices, I consider the topic timely and relevant. — Glen Van Steeter, PM and Trestleboard Editor.

(SCENE I)

In making their rounds through the wards of the Veterans Hospitals, the M.S.A. Field Agents frequently have patients confide in them that “I used to be a Mason.” The ensuing conversation usually brings out that the patient was “Dropped for non-payment of dues.” When MSA Field Agent follows up with a question of “How come?”, the answers seem to fall into a pattern:

1. I moved and lost contact until it was too late.

2. 1 lost interest.

3. 1 couldn’t attend.

4. Personality conflict.

5. One year I forgot to pay my dues and the next year it just seemed to be too much to pay, so I let it slip.

6. My wife paid all the bills and didn’t think it was important.

7. (And way down at the bottom of the list.) I couldn’t afford it.

So often, the person who has been dropped for NPD, has no knowledge of how to become reinstated or has the misconception that he must pay dues for all of the years he has been suspended. M.S.A. Field Agents have “salvaged” a great many by bringing them back into the fold.

(SCENE II)

In a telephone conversation, which is repeatedly encountered, a wife or other family member, requests assistance in getting a loved one admitted to a Masonic Home, nursing home, or hospital, and is chagrined to learn that he is not eligible because he had let his membership lapse.

(SCENE III)

Death is always a traumatic experience for the family. Knowing that Dad was a Mason, the family requests a Masonic funeral because they have been impressed with its dignity. Unfortunately, the Masonic service cannot be conducted because Dad was not in good standing at the time of his death.

(SCENE IV)

Johnny proudly tells his Dad that he has been “accepted” and will be initiated next month. Dad has to make all kinds of excuses as to why he can’t be there that night. The truth of the matter being that he was “suspended for NPD. “

(SCENE V)

The Secretary reports: “Worshipful Master, there are seven Brothers who are two years in arrears. If their dues are not paid by next month, they’ll have to be suspended for N . P. D. “

The Master’s reply is: “Seven! Wow! . . . is there anything else on your desk?”

(Unfortunately, reactions such as this are all-too-frequent. It has become too mechanical; too much a matter of form.)

Many surveys have been conducted over the past few years to determine the cause of losses through non-payment of dues, and to determine ways of reducing the losses. The results of such surveys, for the most part, have been in conclusive and unrewarding. There has been insufficient follow-through to adequately find a long-range solution. In some communities, there are more “former Masons” than current ones. This is a sad commentary. Little more has been done other than to identify it as a problem facing the Fraternity. We are applying light bandages when we should be applying tourniquets.

We wring our hands and look around to see where to place the blame, when all we need to do is practice what we preach. Just like the church which was having problems in its growth. After trying socials and Bingo games, dances and chicken suppers–all without success–someone suggested they should “Try religion.” Maybe it’s time for the lodge to “Try Masonry . “

We proudly proclaim that we “take good men and make them better.” We express our tenets as “friendship, morality and brotherly love.” We announce our belief in “faith, hope and charity.” We use the lessons and tools of the operative Masons to teach–symbolically-that we must place our designs on the trestle board so that the stones will fit with exact nicety. The trestleboard is translated to “life” and the stones to each of us as individual Masons.

We–each and every one of us–must make a renewed commitment to those precepts if we are to meet this challenge. It’s a matter of education and communication. It’s a matter of pride. It’s a necessity for our existence as a “brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God. “

“Taking good men” implies that we must be highly selective in whom we admit to our Order. Is the petitioner a “good” man? Is he “of good report?” Does he measure up to our moral standards? Does he truly believe in a Supreme Being? Does he have concern for his fellowman? Can he meet his financial obligations? If he has those qualities he is deserving of our brotherly love and our desire “to make him better” using the “working tools” as they should be used, so that he may have pride in himself and satisfaction with his new profession .

Once he has been given the working tools and taught to use them, we must ensure that he is “gainfully employed” in his new profession. There is nothing which will cause him greater frustration than being put on “unemployment.” He needs to be gainfully employed in meaningful work. There is a commitment when we petition a lodge that we want to be a part of the lodge–that we are willing to work at it. However, too frequently we are not given the opportunity. Communication -Leadership -and Education are the three keys to an effective solution. The instructive tongue can and should be one of the most effective working tools of Masonry. The Masonic leader must put it to use to instruct, to guide, to lead, to build and to translate the lessons of our ritual into meaningful applications in the lives of the Masons. With proper guidance and instruction, everyone can be inspired, motivated and involved in the affairs, operation and activities of the lodge.

An active Mason is involved. His involvement maintains his interest. He is part of the Brotherhood. By maintaining his interest and involvement, there is little chance that he will become an N . P . D . statistic .

There are instances when pride, false pride, or stupid pride, will prevent a Mason from admitting that he cannot meet his obligations. A careful and personal contact with those in arrears should determine if that is the problem. The cause is even more important than the result. We must be as careful–or even more so–in making these investigations as when we investigated him as a petitioner. He may need the compassion of his Brethren more now than ever.

A personal, face to face, contact with one in arrears will usually provide an indication if it is an oversight, or a sincere desire to sever “the mystic tie.” It will also offer the opportunity to present the honorable option of requesting a demit once he is “clear on the books.”

In the Short Talk Bulletin of March, 1943 (“Dropped N.P.D.”) the causes, effects and solutions to the losses of membership are fully discussed. Thirty-nine years later, the same reasoning remains valid. We urge a complete re-reading of this important Short Talk Bulletin, and quote the final paragraphs which so succinctly define the challenge:

“The one and only way to keep them is to make the Lodge worthwhile. To many the mere fact of belonging; the right to see a degree; the thought of being a part of the Fraternity is enough. But others want more; more entertainment, more chance to take part; more good times, more Masonry in Lodge.

If the Master is sufficiently on his toes to appoint, inspire and put to work a committee which really works at the task of recovering the lost members, he should also be clever enough to plan interesting meetings and carry them through.

There is nothing the matter with Masonry; the matter boils down to the questions of leadership, sustained and interested planning, enthusiasm for the Fraternity and the Lodge. Given these and members will not drop themselves; begin with these this year and many who have dropped themselves will return–and be happy in their homecoming.”

While some refer to this challenge as “membership retention,” it is actually more a matter of meeting our obligations as Masons-of showing concern, both for our Brethren and our Ancient Craft. Losses through nonpayment of dues are a surrender of our values.

Editors Thoughts and Comments

Brethren,

I take great pride in the knowledge that Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32 is one of the least-likely lodges in the Grand Lodge of Utah to suspend a brother for non-payment of dues. I take even greater pride that for the last four years, we have suspended only three members for failure to keep current on their dues. Take greater pride still in the fact that Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32 did not “remit” these brothers-in-arrears dues, but instead “passed the hat” to collect money from brethren who answered the call to assist “a sick and needy brother.” I’m working largely from memory, but at least four-thousand dollars have been donated by charitable brethren to keep our “in-arrears” brethren on the books.

However, as a former secretary of the Lodge, I am also very discouraged when we send out either imminent suspension letters OR dues notices where the brother is in arrears for the current year, we get no response at all!

Here’s an example of a notice that was sent in October, 2021:

“Realizing that we are facing tough economic times, the Lodge remitted your 2021 dues and
sent your dues card to you. In that letter, it was stated that you were still responsible for
paying your 2022 dues to remain current. I hope that you looked favorably on this kind act
from the members of the Lodge. If you are enduring economic hardship due to employment
or health problems and you do not believe that you cannot afford to pay your 2022 dues,
then I encourage you to contact either myself or the Worshipful Master. There are things
that we can do to help you out if this be the case. But you must take the first step.”

Please read this carefully, my brothers! The Lodge, not wanting this brother to be suspended for non-payment, remitted his 2021 dues and sent his dues card to him. That was the FOURTH notification to this brother. First, a delinquent dues notice was sent in June, 2021 gently reminding the brother that he had not yet paid his 2021 dues. Several emails and phone calls were made to this same brother in March, and again in September and October. There was no response from this brother. Our calling committee tried to reach him to no avail.

Your Lodge Secretary can only do so much! We later discovered that this brother had a change in his U.S. Post Address. Well… OK. But how come emails and phone calls weren’t getting through? Well, we found that his phone number had changed as well. Well…. OK. But how come EMAILS weren’t getting through? Apathy? Anger? Frustration? Indifference? Well, we don’t know, because we never heard from this member!

I am firmly convinced that Twin Peaks Lodge goes above and beyond to help our brethren when they fall into arrears. But is a two way street! If you move, update Grandview or notify the Secretary! If you change your phone number, notify the Secretary! If you change your email, notify the Secretary! And most importantly of all, if you find yourself still in financial distress and you just can’t justify paying your dues… NOTIFY the Secretary!

As the above example shows, the Secretary and the Lodge Leadership made every reasonable effort to keep this Mason up-to-date and on the books! Without your help, we simply cannot fulfill our mission.

So, with dues notices coming out next month… please! If you are in financial distress, or you find that there is a situation that prevents you from sending in your dues payment for next year, please, please, PLEASE: Let the Secretary or the Worshipful Master know! There are tools we can use to help! But you must take the first step!

Respectfully submitted,

Glen Van Steeter, PM
Junior Warden, Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32.