Passing the Threshold: Bro. James Murphy

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Bro. James Murphy passed into the celestial realm on April 13, 2024

There will be a Masonic ceremony for Bro. Murphy, please attend if you can.

When:           Monday, April 29th 1:00 PM

Where:          Glen Oaks Cemetery

Our brother has reached the end of his earthly toils. The brittle thread which bound him to earth has been severed and the liberated spirit has winged its flight to the unknown world. The silver cord is loosed … the spirit has returned to God who gave it.”

Passing the Threshold: Bro. Max McCaig, PM

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In Memoriam

Brother Max Mccaig, PM was called to the Celestial Lodge above on March 16, 2024.

50 Year Golden Veteran Award


A Masonic memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 6th, 2024, at Newton-Bracewell Funeral Home, 680 Camellia Way in Chico, CA.


Our brother has reached the end of his earthly toils. The brittle thread which bound him to earth has been severed and the liberated spirit has winged its flight to the unknown world. The silver cord is loosed … the spirit has returned to God who gave it.”

Double 1st Degree Ceremony: April 16th @ 7:00pm

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When: Tuesday, April 16th @ 7:00pm


Come out to support Andrew Mattly and Sebastian Sheldon as they individually knock on the door of the porch to enter the beautiful craft of Freemasonry.


Do you remember your 1st degree?


Please make time to come out to support these new young brothers on their Introduction to the craft.

We welcome all members from neighboring lodges to participate.

Donations raising awareness: Lodge and Shrine

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Our lodge recently donated $150 to the Vietnam Veterans of America to bring the traveling memorial wall to Chico. 

We will let you know when it is scheduled for our area.

Chico Shrine Club made a $300.00  donation to Pleasant Valley High School for Special Education students to have shirts for Track and Field Day in May for the Special Olympics.

1st Degree Ceremony: February 27 - 7pm

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When: Tuesday, February 27th @ 7:00pm

Come out to support Aaron Whitman as he knocks on the door of the porch to enter the beautiful craft of Freemasonry.

Do you remember your 1st degree?

Please make time to come out to support this new young brother on his Introduction to the craft.

We welcome all members from neighboring lodges to participate.

Brothers from Chico, Paradise, Gridley, Red Bluff and Oroville Lodges raising up our new Brother.

February 2 - Ground Hog Day, Candelmas or Imbolc? Freemasonry?

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The many meanings of February 2nd, a very auspicious day!

For most Americans today represents that time when that big rodent “Punxsutawney Phil” makes for the biggest meteorological holiday of the year. Yep, its Ground Hog day with all eyes on Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania as he emerges from his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob for the 138th annual prediction. Today, Phil did not see his shadow so an early spring, well at least for some regions of the country ;)

World wide there is a deeper meaning to February 2nd, much older than the late 1800s founding of the US Groundhog Day prognostications. The extensive use of candles or tapers in the ritual of the Roman Catholic church (as well as Anglican/Episcopal church) is well known. February 2nd  is known as Candlemas Day (or Candelaia; candle mass) and thus today, there is a blessing of candles by the clergy and a distribution of them to the people, by whom they are in some churches lighted and carried in procession. Candlemas Day is also observed by Catholics as the festival of the Purification of the virgin Mary (also of renewal and hope), and hence some writers have supposed the candle bearing on that day to refer to Simeon's words (Luke 2:29-32): "a light to lighten the Gentiles."

In astronomical time it coincides with half winter in the rural cycle, when we approach the end of winter and the beginning of spring. To the delight of many, Snowdrops (galanthas nivalis) also known as Candlemas Bells because they often bloom early in the year, even before Candlemas have shown themselves in gardens. According to folklore, an angel helped these Candlemas bells to bloom and gave them as a sign of hope to Eve, who wept in despair over the cold and death that had entered the world.

This leads to a much older than Christianity tradition in Celtic culture, today is Imbloc. Imbolc celebrations took the form of a festival in honor of the pagan goddess Brigid (St. Brigid in Christianity), who was evoked in fertility blessings and oversaw poetry, crafts and prophecy. Brigid was worshipped by the Filid, a class of poets and historians among the Celts of ancient Ireland and Britain. The energy that Brigid is bringing is the one of the returning Sun. It is this energy that is honored during Imbolc bringing new energy, inspiration and creative forces. It is symbolized by St. Brigid’s crosses that look like the sun weaved from last years wheat stalks.

Its also instructive to see that in the Western world we incorporate both the ancient pagan and Christian calendars into our lives as traditions and important agricultural dates (created by Dennis Kolcek). The ancient past is always underlying the present.

The pagan calendar documents:

  • Focus is on potentials for plant growth. Based on solar movements in declination around the solstices, and thus between solstices and equinoxes.

  • Its a calendar of the surges of growth (renewal, hope, potential…)

The Christian calendar documents:

  • Focus is on the high points of solar year: solstices and equinoxes

  • Is a calendar of the directions of plant growth: ascending (growth) and descending (death)

Finally, is there any meaning in Freemasonry for February 2nd? Ahhhh, no, sorry there is not. Still, what an auspicious day February 2nd is for much of the world. Enjoy!

Happy New Year and Officer Installation

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Lodge installation of officers is Saturday, January 6 starting at 10:30am.

The Chico-Leland Stanford Lodge No. 111 of Free & Accepted Masons installed officers on Jan. 8 for 2024. From left: Richard Wanacott, tiler; Dan Heal, treasurer; Ray Dunham, chaplain; Larry Willis, senior deacon; Fritz Zanker, junior stewart; Glenn Story, master; Darrel Roe, assistant secretary; Michael Gersonde, marshal; Sid Crane, secretary; Will Royal, senior stewart. Not pictured: Michael Meyer, junior deacon.

Lodge Christmas Dinner Tonight! Chateau Briand with Red Wine!

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Dinner will be personally served to your table.

See you all at 6:30pm