What a busy month January has been, I have had the great opportunity to visit many Lodges, Youth Group functions, Shrine events and even attend the Grand Lodge of Texas.

I can honestly say that at each event I experienced the fellowship of Freemasonry. One of which was the 2024 Annual MLK Remembrance March. Brothers from PHA Freemasonry, the Grand Lodge of New Mexico and the Ballut Abyad Shrine and their families all came together for the celebration. Lucky for us the March was all downhill, it wasn’t until we finished, we realized we had to walk all the way back! Thank you to Bro. and Noble Robert Gough for thinking ahead and having transportation at the bottom of MLK Blvd. It’s amazing how many Masons and Shriners fit into a minivan, probably looked like a circus when we all climbed out!

January also took us to the Grand Lodge of Texas, RWB Steve Almager, RWB Jim Bungard and his wife Francis, RWB Glenn Connolly and RWB Chuck Bass had a great time, and were received with tremendous hospitality and friendship. Their Annual Communication was an amazing event. Over 4,000 Masons were in attendance, and in the end, peace and harmony prevailed after dealing with some very tough issues.
On our journey back to New Mexico, we all stopped at a small café in Hico, Texas for breakfast. Inside were several men, all enjoying their morning coffee and conversations, one by one we took turns talking to each of them. It wasn’t very long before we figured out that we were all Masons. One of our Brothers was the Pastor of his church, while the other was the sitting Master of his Lodge. We finished our breakfast and upon checking out we were informed that our meal had been taken care of by our Texas Brothers. Thank you to the Masons of Hico, Texas and Erath & Hamilton Counties.

If you did not know this already, there is a connection between New Mexico and Hico, Texas. Old West history claims that William Henry Roberts, aka Brush Bill Roberts, aka William Antrim, aka William Bonney, aka Billy the Kid ended up in Hico, Texas, after the long and bitter Lincoln County War held here in our very own Lincoln County, New Mexico. The same place where Carrizozo Lodge No. 41 holds its Annual Lincoln Lodge. Ironically, there is a Billy the Kid Museum in Hico, Texas as well.

It truly is amazing what a cup of coffee and good company will do. Through these conversations all the world’s problems can be solved. This past month I also had the opportunity to attend two Daylight Lodges. It’s funny, we had greater fellowship and conducted more work just sitting around the table, than we did in the Lodge!

While sitting at those tables I realized that there are great advantages of attending a Daylight Lodge. One, I was always under the impression that Daylight Lodges were for our older Masons, those Masons who have trouble driving at night, or who need transportation to Lodge.

Two, Daylight Lodges can be for everyone, they provide a great opportunity for Masons who work at night, work differing shifts, attend school or even have a young family. These Lodges can even provide that extra Masonic experience that some Masons only get once per month.

New Mexico has three Daylight Lodges, Four Corners Daylight No. 80 in Aztec, Zia Daylight No.77 in Albuquerque, and Dona Ana Daylight No.78 in Las Cruces all of which meet on various Saturdays of each month. We even have a Regular Lodge in the southeast corner of the State that meets on Saturday, that being Eunice No. 67. Four Lodges, one in almost every corner of our State providing that Saturday Masonic experience.

I know that many Lodges share coffee during the week, some even on Saturday morning, even my home Lodge, Ruidoso No. 73 has Saturday morning coffee, there are times we have more in attendance on Saturday than we have at our monthly Stated Meeting. Perhaps this may become the wave of the future.

Brethren, in support of these Daylight Lodges, attend them whenever possible, but better yet, refer them to those Brothers within your own Lodges who might possibly receive greater Masonic benefits by attending a Daylight Lodge, rather than attending a traditional one.
Thank you for all the support that each of you give to Freemasonry.