By Paul Rodriguez-Obrian, PM—Master Brethren and Families, This spring is off to a great start. We’re bringing in several new Entered Apprentices and have already welcomed two new Brothers to the lodge, Brother Brian Rodgers and Brother Jacob Mapp, who joined us on March 26. Both have shown real enthusiasm for the Craft and have now been placed in the capable hands of their coaches. Thank you to the Officers who performed a fantastic degree and the brethren who were in attend

By Alex Von Stadt — Sr. Warden Brethren: April is now upon us, and Spring is now officially here. As the cold Winter temperatures and rainfall come to a close, it is now time to think about planting gardens and planning outdoor activities once again.  The word, April, is believed to be derived from the Latin words "aperio" or "aperire" meaning "to open". It is thought that both words refer to the opening of buds on trees and flowers that occur during this month. Two notable e

By Andrew Hawes, PM — Jr. Warden Welcome to April, brethren. After one of the hottest March months ever, I am already prepared for it to be winter again... and yet here we are, merely a quarter of the way through the year. As is typical for my monthly article, I shall endeavor to enjoinder you to: Let it go. Turn the other cheek. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. With heart and tongue, promote one another's welfare, and rejoice in one another's prosperity! Be

Celebrating a Century of Masonic Support for Education April 30, 2026 at 6:00 PM —Our lodge is proud to carry this legacy forward with this year’s Public Schools Night, a community focused evening dedicated to the Castro Valley Unified School District. The event begins with a shared dinner, giving members, families, and guests time to connect and reflect on the vital role public education plays in the life of our community. Following the meal, we will honor two exceptional te

By Denise Jow—Past Grand Guide On March 11th we welcomed two new members into our Bethel! We are so happy to have Fiara and Noreen join! March 14th was the Dublin St. Patrick's Parade. The Bethel Daughters decorated the truck and marched in the parade with JoBee (our CAJDI mascot) right behind the Shriners. They passed out information about Job’s Daughters and our Ice Cream Social on March 25th. We were even featured in The Mercury News! In March we continue to travel and

By Paul Rodriguez-Obrian, PM—Master Brethren and Families, Congratulations to our newest Fellowcraft Masons, Bro. Ildjer Baron and Bro. Robert Johnson, who received their First Degree from our lodge officers on February 19. It is always rewarding to be reminded that no two degrees are ever the same. Often, the most meaningful (or humorous) moments come from the unscripted interactions between officers and candidates, moments that become lasting memories for everyone involved.

By Alex Von Stadt — Sr. Warden Welcome to the month of March. March is named after Mars, the Roman God of War. It was at this time of year that Roman military campaigns resumed after they were paused during the winter months. The month of March marks the arrival of the Vernal Equinox on March 20th which signals that Spring is now upon us. For avid gardeners like myself, it is now time to dust off the shovel, sharpen the hoe, and get to work preparing the soil for Spring plant

By Andrew Hawes, PM — Jr. Warden   There's a good chance that of the people you have to deal with today, there will be some who are ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest or surly.  Perhaps many.  Perhaps even most.  Sadly, the world is full of darkness.  People who lie, cheat and steal.  People who don't care about anything but themselves. But the fact that they're out there, so many of them, doesn't mean we should join them. Instead, it is our duty, as good men and Masons, to be b

For more than 100 years, California Masons have championed the importance of strong public schools. In 1920, the Grand Lodge of California established Public Schools Week, encouraging lodges statewide to honor educators and promote the belief—central to Masonry—that an informed, educated community is essential to a free society. That tradition continues today as lodges partner with local districts, support literacy and youth programs, and recognize the teachers who shape the

By Denise Jow—Past Grand Guide March will be a very busy month for our Bethel with some great opportunities for us to promote Job’s Daughters in Tri-Valley.  March 7th we are selling used books & handmade bookmarks at the Trinity Lutheran Church on Hopyard in Pleasanton. Stop by and say “Hi”.   March 11th we are having a Membership Ceremony for one new member maybe more!  March 14th the Bethel will be participating in the annual Dublin St. Patrick’s Parade.  Come visit us at

By Paul Rodriguez-Obrian, PM—Master Brethren and Families, Here we are in February, and I am excited to share that our Lodge is revving up its activities for the year. Your officers and I are very much looking forward to seeing you at each event this Lodge hosts in your honor. We have scheduled a Super Bowl party (2/8 @ 2:30 PM) in the Lodge fellowship hall (for Brothers, wives, and guests). We expect it will be  well attended, lively, and full of enthusiasm, both Masonic and

By Alex Von Stadt — Sr. Warden Welcome to the month of February, the shortest month of this year. The name February is derived from the Latin word "februa" which means to clean or purify. It was named after Februalia, the Roman festival of purification and atonement, which was a month-long event. Two notable events during the month of February include Valentine's Day on February 14th, and Presidents' Day on February 16th.  Another February event that I look forward to every y

By Andrew Hawes, PM — Jr. Warden   Wow, look at us, over 8 percent of the way through 2026.  We live in a world of technological marvels, taken for granted every day.  Our electronic alarms wake us in the morning, our computerized cars drive us to work (with less and less assistance from us) we can use a palm-sized device to check the time of day, read predictions about the future weather, and learn about events from around the world.  We can walk into a vehicle and sit down,

By Ron Katz with assistance from Microsoft CoPilot   Brethren, As we gather in the spirit of fellowship, it is fitting that we pause to reflect on President’s Day, a time set aside to honor the leaders who have guided our nation through trials and triumphs. While the holiday often brings to mind the towering figures of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, it also invites us to consider the deeper qualities of leadership — qualities that resonate strongly with our Masonic pr

By Denise Jow—Past Grand Guide 2026 began on a high note with four of our Past Honored Queens receiving their Majority on January 7th. It was wonderful to see these young women—who joined us at such early ages—now moving forward with their education and lives. Our Installation of Bethel Officers took place on January 10th. This term’s theme is “Winter Wonderland,” complete with polar bears as mascots. The ceremony was beautifully done, and we were delighted to welcome one pot

By Paul Rodriguez-Obrian, PM—Master Brethren and Families, Happy New Year - 6026 A.L. Thank you to all who attended the Installation of Officers for 2026. The lodge was honored to have our DeMolay team perform the Arch of Steel as the new officers entered the lodge room. Our guests, the installation team, and the officers were then privileged to witness the ceremonial presentation of our nation’s flag by the Grand Patriotism and Representative to Iowa, Mississippi, and Missou

By Alex VonStadt — Sr. Warden Brethren: I hope that each and everyone of you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! It’s now time to pack up the Christmas lights and decorations and make way for the events of 2026. It’s time to recycle the Christmas tree- if you had a “real” one or if you didn’t, it’s time to box up and store the artificial one. It is at this particular time of year that I will hear multiple traffic reports during my morning commute of the sudden and mys

By Andrew Hawes, PM — Jr. Warden 2026!  Wow.  Time keeps flying past. To start this year, I will digress a bit from my usual introspective attempt to provoke thought, and take a more Junior-Warden-based approach to my article.  Specifically, I want to share with everyone the tentative menu for each stated meeting dinner of the year.  Subject of course to minor changes or large corrections as deemed appropriate, here is the plan: January: (Winter belly warmer!) - Soup, Meatlo

By Denise Jow—Past Grand Guide Job’s Daughters Bethel No. 1, Dublin Bethel One ended the year attending Ashleigh’s Lily of the Valley Award on December 27th. Ashleigh joined Bethel One when she was 10 years old, later her family moved to Sacramento so she joined Bethel No. 291. She is a PHQ of both Bethels & was a Grand Bethel Officer in 2023. This award is presented to young women between the ages of 18 and 24 who have shown outstanding dedication to both their Bethels an