From the East
Brethren and Ladies,
I offer my sincere gratitude to you for entrusting me with the responsibility to serve you as Master of one of the most influential lodges that exists. For those of you who do not know, Hollywood Lodge No. 355 has been around since 1903. It is older than my grandfather, who was born in 1910. It is also older than the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Philippines, where he was raised as a Master Mason, and which was constituted in 1912. More importantly, Hollywood Masonic Lodge was, and continues to be, home to men who helped shape Hollywood and the City of Los Angeles into one of the most iconic cities that exists. I, therefore, do not take this responsibility lightly and I am determined to help preserve our legacy for future generations.
We have wonderful projects and events in the pipeline for this year; as you can see, we already hit the ground running. In the final week of the year 2020, we came out strong with the Holiday Food Drive and the Holiday Magic Show. The Holiday Food Drive, under the leadership of brother Walter McClain (Senior Deacon-Elect), was a great success and helped feed families in our local community through the Canoga Park Family Rescue Center. The Holiday Magic Show, under the organization of brother Cedric Williamson (Junior Deacon-Elect) and performed by the exceptionally talented Worshipful Brother Eric Sharp of Sharpo Entertainment, was also a great success and very well attended. No pandemic can stop Hollywood Lodge from shining brightly as it always does.
I am immensely privileged to serve you with a team of incredibly hard-working and enthusiastic men. However, there are still committee positions and responsibilities to be filled in order to ensure that we run a successful lodge. Some of the projects for which we could use extra hands on are our lodge website, the Chips publication, and various charity projects and social events. We are also looking for someone to be the lodge Treasurer. If you are ready to be “drafted” into any of these positions, or if you want to know how you can get involved, please e-mail me at master@hollywoodmasons.org.
Finally, as always, we are a lodge that serves not only its community, but its own family. As we were under the leadership of our Junior Past Master, Worshipful Brother Michael Schneider, we are here to help our members and their families through these difficult times. If this pandemic has affected you in ways that you think your lodge would be able to assist you, please let us know. We are an e-mail or a phone call away.
Sincerely and fraternally,
T.J. Oliva
(213)268-2408 (call/text)
T.J. Oliva
Master
From the West
Fellow Brethren,
Here we are in January of 2021, after a very challenging 2020. I first off would like to thank Wo. Michael Schneider for his dutiful job in steering our ship through a tumultuous year that I don't believe any of us could have expected. That being said, I am excited about the upcoming year and the chance to work with the new Master, Wo. TJ Oliva as he continues to steer the lodge in a positive direction. And with that, I want to also thank the lodge for their trust in electing me to the position of Senior Warden. It is truly an honor to be a part of these officer lines, and the ability to work for the lodge as a whole.
Hollywood lodge currently has 9 applicants, 31 Entered Apprentices, and 3 Fellowcrafts which are not shabby numbers. My hope for this year is to transition a quarter of each degree up to the next level. I want to thank Wo. Alex Madjeski for all of his time he has spent working with our candidates. It does take a good amount of time commitment and I am honored to say that he has agreed to stay on as candidates coach. I will be working with him to come up with a schedule and process that will be beneficial for all. Thanks to Wo. Madjeski's work we are pleased to say that a number of our Entered Apprentices are ready for their proficiencies once we are able to meet again in person. Though the beginning of 2021 may be again challenging with virtual meetings, I have a feeling that come later in the year when we can meet again, there will no shortage of work to be done in continuing many good men on their Masonic journeys.
In terms of coaching, if you were unable to make it to our Installation of Officers on December 12, it was announced our Junior Past Master, Wo. Michael Schneider, has agreed to come on board as our officers coach. I want to thank Wo. Matt Hyde for his crucial help in getting our officers qualified for installation, as well as the help of our District Inspector, Wo. Eric Bertolli, in a year with so many limitations due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation. It has not always been easy, but their leadership helped guide the officers through the storm to keep the lodge moving as well.
Brethren, I think this will be a great year for the lodge, and a very memorable one at that and am looking forward to serving the lodge to the best of my ability.
Fraternally,
Your Senior Warden,
Daniel Haff
Dan Haff
Senior Warden
From the South
Brethren,
First and foremost, I would like to thank God, my family and all the members of this great lodge for the opportunity to serve. As this year starts off, it reminds me of how a new start can give you a new perspective about life. This will be my 20th year as a mason and this lodge has helped me grow and become a better person, brother, father, and leader. It is by far one of the best decisions I have ever made. This year I will be helping with the “Chips” to keep the brethren informed about events and activities with the lodge.
I would like to congratulate all the newly installed officers of Hollywood #355 for your incredible service. I am more than humbled to serve with you.
I am looking forward to great things for this lodge and the members in the near future and I will do my best to make it the best year we can.
I wish you and your family a very prosperous and safe new year.
Fraternally,
Cedric Williamson, Sr.
juniorwarden@hollywoodmasons.org
Junior Warden-elect
Cedric Williamson
Junior Warden
January 7, 2021 at 7:30 P.M.
Stated Meeting via Zoom
Join us for our monthly stated meeting where we discuss important lodge business. This meeting is open to all Masons. We only request that you keep your camera on during this meeting, so that we may be able to verify your identity.
Meeting ID: 852 1194 8862
Passcode: 261905
Called from Labor
Rex B. Shannon
Brother Rex Shannon was born in Los Angeles in 1930 and grew-up in the Larchmont area. His maternal grandparents owned Balzers Market on Larchmont Boulevard. After acquiring his MBA from Wharton in 1955, he started a lengthy career in the life insurance industry. He took his family to Tustin in the late 1960’s, to Boston in the 1970’s, and finally Dallas in the 1980’s. His final employment was as Chief Executive Officer for Allianz Insurance North America. He was active in charitable work his entire life, with a highlight of serving as the 1986 Campaign Chairman in Dallas for the United Way. He was also an active leader in Scouting and he spent ten years on the board of the Andrus School of Gerontology at USC. In 1993, he moved back to Tustin with his wife, Mary Jo, to retire.
He has two sons, one of whom is also a Mason. Despite not being very active in Hollywood Lodge due to the nature of his work, he always held the Craft near and dear to his heart. After his son, Wade, joined the Blue Lodge in Dallas and was raised the the sublime degree of Master Mason in 1988, they both subsequently joined the Scottish Rite in Dallas. It was a time of great fraternity and family.
He often spoke of the Hollywood Lodge and when he would visit LA with his family, he would point out the original Lodge on Hollywood Boulevard.
He is buried at Fairhaven Cemetery in Santa Ana and his casket and grave marker have the Square and Compass as they should.
"You would have a hard time finding someone who lived their life more to Masonic ideals than Rex Shannon." - Brother Wade Shannon
Send condolences to:
Mary Jo Shannon
2172 Liane Lane
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Lodge activities
Holiday Food Drive
From December 28 to December 31, we collected meat products and donated them to the Canoga Park Family Rescue Center. Your donations went a long way in relieving the distress of the members of our community who are in need, and were deeply appreciated.
Holiday Magic
The incredibly funny and talented Wor. Eric "Sharpo" Sharp gave us reason to smile and laugh on December 30. A world-class talent and a true gentleman! A great time was had by everyone!
Find out more about more about Sharpo by clicking the button below.
Current Events
Laundry Day Made it to the Final Week of the GeekFest Film Festival
Laundry Day Made it to the Final Week of the GeekFest Film Festival
Laundry Day Made it to the Final Week of the GeekFest Film Festival
Wor. Joshua Weathersby's Endless Mile Studios made it to the final week of GeekFest's December Madness with their entry, Laundry Day.
To find out more, visit http://www.endlessmilestudios.com
The Jackson Family is Growing
Laundry Day Made it to the Final Week of the GeekFest Film Festival
Laundry Day Made it to the Final Week of the GeekFest Film Festival
After years of doctors saying it would never happen, and with an incredible wife who was willing to put her own comfort on the line to keep trying, the healthy (and large) Knight Alfred Jackson was born on October 8, 2020. Jacko, Ashley, and big brother Dodger couldn’t be happier.
Congratulations to brother Mark Jackson and family!
Stan the Man
Laundry Day Made it to the Final Week of the GeekFest Film Festival
The Mowreys Moved Out of the Valley
Brother Stanley Zwicker is in good spirits after completing his fourth session of chemotherapy. He will go back for a check-up in mid-January and is feeling positive about the results.
Brother Stan, we're cheering for you and we love you!
You can reach brother Stan at
(818) 642-5344 (call/text).
The Mowreys Moved Out of the Valley
The Mowreys Moved Out of the Valley
The Mowreys Moved Out of the Valley
Wor. Sheldon Mowrey, his lady Suzanna, and their son Tristan have moved out of Chatsworth to their new home in Chino Hills.
Congratulations to the Mowreys!
We want to know how you are.
The Mowreys Moved Out of the Valley
We want to know how you are.
Drop us a line and tell us what you're up to. Did you learn a new skill during the lockdown? Buy a boat? Get married? Your lodge brothers want to know.
Hollywood DeMolay
Hollywood DeMolay is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit organization under DeMolay International and dedicated to preparing young men to lead successful, happy, and productive lives. Basing its approach on timeless principles and practical, hands-on experience, DeMolay opens doors for young men aged 12 to 21 by developing the...
Bethel 289 - Tarzana - Job's Daughters International
Dear Members and Friends of Hollywood Lodge #355 F&AM,
Happy New Year!!!! I hope everyone is doing well and is healthy. I would Like to congratulate the newly installed officers of Hollywood Lodge. I hope that this year is a great year for the officers.
The month of December we only had 1 meeting. We had a good time using gourds to paint Snowmen. Our own Mrs. Whitaker taught how to paint the gourds to make them look like Snowmen. The girls had a great time and painted some amazing snowmen.
We hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. Also, we hope that everyone was able to enjoy some family time even if it was by way of Zoom or any other way. As the new year starts, we will begin with our installation of Officers. We will be installing our officers via Zoom on January 26th. If you would like to join us let me know and I will get the Zoom information to you.
We at Bethel 289 Tarzana wish everyone to continue to be safe and healthy during this tough time we are currently going through. We have been told that we are to suspend all in-person meetings and functions for now. Hope that we get to see everyone soon.
Fraternally,
John Schnepp
Associate Bethel Guardian
Bethel 289 Granada Hills
Cell Phone # 661-312-7398
Email- johnabgbethel289@gmail.com
Hiram Award
The Hiram Award was designed to be presented to the “unsung hero” of every Lodge such as the volunteer who makes the coffee at each meeting, the one who sets the tables or arranges the furniture and ornaments in the Lodge room, the painter, the gardener, the handyman, the organist, the program chairman or any...
Child ID Program
Bro. Walter McClain - Chairman
818-337-9883 cell/text
Child ID is the program promoted by our lodge to identify children for their families. If anything were to happen to a child or a child is lost, this program helps the authorities to help find and identify missing or harmed children.
Call Brother Walter to Volunteer for any event.
Sunshine Committee
Call for any major event in your immediate family.
Help is always a phone call away.
Bro. Spyros Pappas - Chairman
818-894-5690
New Masons Proficiency Training
Candidates' coaching is every Tuesday.
Wor. Alexander Madjeski, P.M. - Candidates' Coach
818-304-5250
Social Hall Rental
The social hall is available for parties, weddings, receptions, bar mitzvahs, quinciñeras, etc.
Contact: Bro. Walter McClain
theboulevardbanquethall@gmail.com
818-925-8333
Have you registered to iMember?
When you log in to iMember, you will be able to interact with your lodge brothers, pay your dues, and use resources available to you as a member of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 and the Grand Lodge of California.