February

Greetings Brethren!

As we enter the month of February, I want to extend my sincere thanks to each of you for your continued dedication to our Lodge. Our most recent stated meeting required us to gather in the dining hall due to necessary repairs in the main Lodge room. I greatly appreciate the patience and flexibility shown by every Brother, which allowed our work to continue in harmony. It is moments like these that remind me of the strength and adaptability of our Fraternity.

I would like to offer special thanks to Brother Bill Woodward for the time and skill he devoted to repairing the Lodge floor. I also extend my gratitude to Brother James and Brother Jason Gerock for their efforts and hard work in the renovation of the Secretary’s office. Their willingness to give of their time exemplifies true Masonic labor. Because of Brothers like these, our Lodge continues to improve both in form and function.

During our last meeting, I shared a reading from scripture, 1 John 1:5–7, which reminds us that walking in the light brings fellowship and truth. This passage closely reflects our Masonic obligation to live uprightly and to support one another as Brothers. I also ask that you keep Brother Andy Baldwin and his family in your thoughts and prayers as they recover from the devastating house fire they recently endured. Any donations or assistance, of any kind, are deeply appreciated as we come together to support a Brother in need.

Fraternally yours,
Kevin Herring

Kevin Herring 2026 WM

I am sincerely grateful and honored to serve as Worshipful Master of Hendersonville Lodge #359 for 2026. Thank you for the confidence you have placed in me. I am mindful that I follow a long line of dedicated Past Masters, and I am proud to continue the work they have done in building and strengthening our Lodge.

I would also like to congratulate our newly installed officers. I look forward to working alongside each of you as we serve the together. My thanks as well to all who were able to attend the installation ceremony. Your presence and support made it a memorable occassion. A special note of appreciation goes to Roy Etherton and Bill Woodward for their participation and assistance with the installation ceremony; your efforts were greatly appreciated.

We are fortunate to be members of such a strong and respected Lodge, and I am excited about the year ahead. I encourage each of us to reach out to Brothers we have not seen in a while and invite them to return and take part in our meetings and activities. Our Lodge is at its best when we support one another and share the fellowship that makes Masonry meaningful.

As we move forward, let us keep in mind the words of Brother George Washington: “So far as I am acquainted with the principles and doctrines of Freemasonry, I conceive it to be founded on benevolence and to be exercised only for the good of mankind.” May that spirit guide us throughout the year, and I look forward to working with each of you to make it a great one.

Kevin Herring

2025 in review

It is at this time of year, when the cold is settling in and the trees turn bare, that we gather with our friends and families to celebrate and cherish another year of life. Thanksgiving is just past and soon Christmas will see us come together again. For many, there is no better season. We are blessed to live here in Hendersonville, Tennessee; neighbors do for one another, and we are kept safe by our first responders, whom we hold in the very highest regard.

There are those among us, however, who do not have the benefit of nearby kin and loved ones. For many, a phone or video call will have to do. Technology has been invented to bridge the miles, but there is no substitute, no smartphone or webcam or technological wonder, that can replicate the benefits of an embrace, or a handshake between friends.

Again, we here are fortunate. Hendersonville Lodge #359 has a reputation for producing some of the finest Masons in the state. If, by some happenstance, any of us find ourselves alone this season, I encourage you to reach out. Each and every Brother is welcome now and always at my table, as I am confident I would be at theirs.

In addition to our gatherings and festivities, this is also a time to look back and take stock of the year. Brother Benjamin Franklin was fond of this annual activity, as he believed a man should not seek perfection, but rather should improve himself by assessing, correcting and addressing his own weaknesses. He is said to have begun each morning by saying “What good shall I do this day?” and in the evening would ask “What good have I done this day?”

Brother Franklin set a fine example, and as I look back on 2025, I can’t help but take pride in our Lodge and our Brothers. This year has been one of many trials, and just as many victories. For a time, we seemed to experience one setback after another, but in each instance, volunteers immediately took on the task. We have run the gauntlet with attorneys and contractors, fought wind and floods, scraped, cleaned, polished and replaced. We have battled insurance companies and code compliance inspectors, made deals to enhance our property, and even got our official name change taken care of after a minor 60-year delay.

The officers that I have had the privilege to lead this year are of the finest quality, and I will be forever grateful for their hard work and dedication. If not for them, this year would not have been the great success that I believe it to be. I would especially like to thank Treasurer Dustin Jones PM and Chaplain David Butler PM, who both agreed to take on daunting jobs at difficult times.

We lost three cornerstone Masons this year with the passing of Brothers Don Woodard, Tommy Henly and Randy Williams, past masters all. Let us honor their memories by living as just and upright men and Masons.

Finally, I would like to thank Secretary Jeff Phillips PM for guiding me through the year and for being the backbone of the Lodge. His invaluable contributions have made a great difference in all our lives.

Jason Gerock