Final Message

I just presided over My Final Stated meeting as the current Master of Arlington Masonic Lodge 438 I would not have made it through this year without My Officers. What follows is the final news letter report I sent in. It leaves out one very important person. My Wife Monica Riney. With out her constant support over multiple years and putting up with my self doubt and spurring me forward My Officers would never had had the chance to help me. Of all people on earth I owe her thanks first and foremost.

This year as Master has been for me a lesson in humility. It has been a lesson in asking for help. For the success of this last masonic year I owe this thanks to the Men who stood beside me.

Brethren,

One year ago I wrote to tell you how excited I was to be trusted with the office of Worshipful Master of our Lodge. In that year I have learned how honored I really should be to sit in the East in Arlington. It is a rare state that any lodge might find itself in that both the Master and the Secretary are both at times medically out of action. Many of our other officers have also faced life events in this past year and yet as a whole this lodge has risen and proclaimed that we are Brothers first. Our agendas have been attended to. Our day to day functions have not failed. We have had what I believe to be a good Masonic year.

Many of my plans went astray and had to be left to the wind due to being physically infirm. Details I had put down on paper for many many years went by the wayside. When this happened I found I had, not only the richness of the blessings of God to carry me through, I had a corps of officers who simply made things happen. I am still not sure how they did it. The Officers of this Lodge, along with our committees and all those who stepped in and often times said "Sit down Worshipful, we got this." are the ones who made things happen in the lodge for the last 12 months.

I am privileged to take the credit for the work they did my year, as undeserved as it is. I am proud to take responsibility for any thing that went awry.

I am more excited today to be a member of this lodge than I was a year ago. I am more honored to have been chosen as Master than I ever would have dreamed.

Thank you all
Don Riney
WM Arlington 438

Like