"A System of Morality, taught by Allegory and Illustrated by Symbols" 
In our continuing mission to be beacons of light we ask you all to "Prepare, Prevail & Prosper" Above all; "Think for Yourself!"
Coming up @ Lodge 693 All meetings will be held via Zoom Conference call. Tuesday, October 6th -Officers meeting at 7pm. Tuesday, October 20th - Socrates Cafe at 7pm "Technology" "Is technology and A.I. good for us and our children?" Tuesday, October 27th - Hall Association meeting at 6:30pm. 
September 2020 From the desk of Worshipful Master Ted Parker ... Brothers and friends, I'd like to start off by saying thank you to all who visit our web page, those who are seeking more light, more knowledge, another perspective in hopes to help understand the world around us and our place in it. Please join us in our Trivium discussion group we hold each month. We talk about a variety of topics and gear them to what is happening in the world around us. These groups are open for all to join in where no one is judged by their opinion, just an honest talk among adults learning new ideas and different perspectives from other people. Please join us, the dates and topics are located on our page here. Send us an email and we will send you the zoom link. This past week my eyes have been yet opened more to the world around us here in California. As we deal with an election coming up in less than a month there have been political attacks by special interest groups distracting the people from what is really happening, and to further distract us from the reality of California is Burning! One of the biggest issues I've seen is the Homeless Population here in California and the numbers are staggering. It's disgusting that the leaders of OUR state continually fail its' people- Us, the ones that live here and those of us who are fortunate enough to work here as well. California has the #1 largest homeless population in our country, with Los Angeles and San Francisco leading the way. Los Angeles' homeless population has grown like the wild fires that are burning our state. San Francisco's homeless population has taken over the city and San Francisco is now one of the dirtiest cities in the nation. You will not see this on the regular news, you have to dive deep and do your research to see what I see. As Masons we have learned to self educate, gain knowledge from others and if we are lucky, we lead the way to a better understanding to help better ourselves, our families and those around us. We start with the discussions that most are afraid to have, or even talk about. Sadly though, we have failed. We have not held up the standards we talk about because we “don't want to get involved” or “it's not our problem”. So, if not us then who? I was born and raised in California, this is my State, My Home, and as one of it's citizens I am accountable for the state it is in. I let these leaders along with everyone else destroy this state and run it into the ground. We have become a state of Freeloaders. We have let those elected leaders open up the doors to everyone and have given them a free ride with no accountability. Masonic Principals: If we practice what Masonry has taught us we learn we do not open our doors and just let people in. We have rules and guidelines we follow and we know and/or are taught each one of us is accountable for our actions. To succeed in Masonry we need to put in the work, have “skin in the game”. We do not hand out degrees, one has to Earn them. As leaders, We are the teachers. Not just in Masonry, but in our society as well. When the “leaders” stop leading and they stop being the Light. We need to make adjustments and sometimes replace those leaders that have lost their way. We may have to put them in check and guide them back to the path. Having open communications and talking about the subjects we avoid and are uncomfortable has to happen. We need to put aside our differences, search within ourselves and start the work it will take to bring us together. As a Mason I get lost too, I get off the path, I'm too busy..... I want to apologize for not being the best leader I can be. I will put myself on the path again and become a brighter light, not just for Masons but for our communities, our State and our Country. If anyone needs to reach out and talk or is having a hard time and needs an ear please reach out to me, I will listen. Brothers and Friends, thank you for who you are and all that you do. Know that the Masonic community is here for all. Fraternally and Sincerely, Ted Parker, PM Worshipful Master Palm Springs Lodge #693 tedparker93@yahoo.com VISION
To restore Palm Springs Lodge #693 as a beacon of light in Masonry for all worthy and well qualified men. MISSION Our mission is to lead by example. To provide a sanctuary away from the world at large where Brothers are free to teach, learn and explore the symbols, values, morals and principles of the Symbolic Blue Lodge that will help us live a righteous noble manhood, "making good men better" 
Inside The Symbolic Blue Lodge is where every Masonic journey begins. Whether you become a Shriner, Scottish Rite, York Rite or Royal Arch Mason, your search for Light begins and ends...
Inside The Symbolic Blue Lodge. Socrates Cafe/ Trivium Discussion Group
Insightful conversations exploring the key questions of life. We convene every 3rd Tuesday of the month to discuss philosophical questions we ourselves have chosen and to think for ourselves about the life we want to lead. This is open to the public. (Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric)- The Trivium October 20th at 7pm - "Technology" and "Is technology and A.I. good for us and our children?" Previous questions we have explored: "What is government?" "What is COVID-19?" "What is fear?" "Should we elect anyone?' "What is money?" "What is the occult?" "What is a Secret?" "What is Ritual?" "What is Authority?" "What is Freedom, is it Free?" To learn more, click on the Trivium Tab above. 
"The function of the trivium is the training of the mind for study of matter and spirit, which together constitutes the sum of reality. The fruit of education is culture, which Mathew Arnold defines as "the knowledge of ourselves [mind] and the world [matter]." Manly Masonic Maxim of the month: |
Symbolism - "Freemasons study symbolism immediately upon their initiation into the craft. Our fraternity's rich and varied symbolic legacy serves as the nexus, or core, of a Mason's quest for truth."
EA Candidate Guide What is Freemasonry? Want some good Masonic reading?See our Links and Books page
September 2020
From the desk of Jeffrey Bayer, Senior Warden... Greetings Brothers and Friends! My last message about family was longer than I intended yet, many of you read it and responded positively. Thank you for your affirmations and support. Today I'm writing to you about responsibility. Each of us has certain responsibilities, some of us have families and that should be/is your first priority (as it should be). I mentioned before the comment "family first". In a way, this reinforces my previous statement regarding familial responsibility. In families we are a team and being a member of that team requires certain responsibilities as well. The parents are responsible for being a good role model, teaching moral and ethical values and teaching decision making. Our children will shirk their responsibility at every opportunity. Not because they're irresponsible or lazy, but because children will test how serious we are as parents about (the children's) responsibilities. If there are no consequences to ignoring responsibility will our children grow to be complacent and let someone else "do the work". Yes, they will. But again, not because they're irresponsible, but for reasons previously stated. As Masons we take on even more responsibilities. We are each one of us, responsible for being a constant example to anyone we come in contact with. Otherwise Freemasonry would not be a fraternity revered by many, respected by others and a goal men seek for self-betterment at everything we do. We aspire to teach responsibility to speak a certain way, to ensure we are spelling correctly, to be grammatically correct, stand upright and be a good emissary for our ancient and honorable fraternity. Many "famous" people were Masons and some were notorious. It isn't my intention to name them but to show (you) the reader we aren't perfect. We aren't perfect because we're human beings. But we strive for excellence and at times, perfection. These things are the responsibilities of every Mason and for that matter, for each man. We take oaths (called obligations-responsibilities) to uphold our fraternity and to be an asset to our fraternity. To add to the fraternity in order to continue the strive/goal for excellence. Sounds simple, yes? It isn't. Because as men (each of us has a little boy living inside us) we tend to test how serious our "parents" are about the responsibilities we promise to uphold. "Parents" would be a coach or mentor or an older, more experienced member who has been around long enough to see just about everything (regarding the fraternity). As the second senior member (yes, there's someone who's been around longer than me) of our lodge, it is my responsibility to instill in the "younger" (not always age-related) Masons the responsibility of being, doing and living the way I described previously. All of these things are responsibilities which are expected from all members of our lodge and if you're desirous of joining our lodge you must remember there are responsibilities expected of you, but family is your first responsibility. If/when family comes first, this means you have to responsibly contact your mentor or coach several days before you're expected to be at the lodge. Not the day of, several days. Now life happens and we understand this, but if "family issues" become a constant reason (seen as an excuse) for not showing up at the very last minute, we begin to wonder whether you're as committed to your responsibility to uphold your obligation as we are/have been. There are responsibilities each of us holds to our neighbors/neighborhoods and our communities. These responsibilities are just as important as the fraternity but you have to learn to prioritize. Your mentor/coach is there to help you decide which is priority and which is secondary. And yes, sometimes the fraternity should take a back seat. The bottom line is; as adults, we are responsible for more than just ourselves (family included). As Masons we are responsible to show the world why our ancient and honorable fraternity has survived through the ages and why so many important, historical men have sought membership to Masonry. We are here to improve ourselves every day, hour, minute and second of our existence. Going forward, look into yourself to see how responsible you really are. Only you can seriously judge how responsible you've been with; time, money, relationships, life and work. To do this I stand in front of a mirror and look myself in the eyes and ask that question and many more. This is a method I use to keep myself centered and focused on what is really important to invest my valuable time in and what won't make a difference in 100 years. My hope is you will take time to think about responsibility and how good at it you truly are. Your feedback is welcome and appreciated. If you have something to share, please send it to this address and it will be sent out to our contact list. Content will be edited for content when deemed necessary. Be well. Be safe. Fraternally and Sincerely, Jeffrey M. Bayer, PM Senior Warden Palm Springs Lodge #693 jmilesbayer@gmail.com 
"that cement which unites us into one sacred band, or society of friends and brothers"
"A book that all lodges should buy, read, discuss and implement in order to revive some of what Freemasonry should be."
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Our Message to All: Welcome!
Vision Statement: To restore Palm Springs Lodge #693 as a beacon of light in Masonry for all worthy and well qualified men.
Mission Statement: Our Mission is to lead by example. To provide a sanctuary away from the world at large where brothers are free to teach, learn, and explore the symbols, values, morals, and principles of speculative Freemasonry that will help us live as righteous and noble men.
Masons meet "on the level." No matter your profession or your economic status (some financial responsibilities required), when our Lodge is in session, we're equals where outside worldly titles and social status disappear while we are in the pursuit of our Masonic labors. We are a sacred society, or band of brothers formed in a centuries-old tradition.
What's Freemasonry all about? Freemasonry is refinement in everything we do. From the way we dress, speak, prepare for our meetings, interact with one another and share meals, it's all about hard work. That work is work we do internally, True, there's a lot more to the vast tapestry of our Craft. Learn more here.
Masons do not solicit new members. Interested men must approach of their own initiative. However, first a friend, then a brother. All prospective members are vetted over a 6 to 12 month period. No one is guaranteed membership, not every man should be a Mason, and not every Mason should be a member of our lodge.
Don't know a Mason? No problem. Lodge 693 welcomes inquiries! Contact us here