Internet Lodge 9659 March 2025 - March 2026

Internet Lodge No: 9659 Manchester Installation Meeting Summer Meeting (Durham) Autumn Meeting (Bath) Curated tour of Masonic Temples and other historic locations in Turkey - May 2025 March 2024 - March 2025 Attendance Manchester Durham Bath 34 25 25 11 4 6 10 14 20 13 Members 24 Visitors Joiners Member Resignations Member Exclusions 12 1 3 5 The Lodge stood in respect of departed merit, and listened to eulogies in memory of W.Bros. Ugur Parmaksiz, Roy Hodgson. and David Starbuck W.Bro. Dimitrios Papageorgiou installed his successor Bro. Abdullah Umit Iris. The working tools in all three degrees were presented to the WM. The address to the Worshipful master was presented by W.Bro. Alan Turton, the address to the Wardens by W.Bro. Chris White, and W.Bro. John Penlington delivered the address to the Brethren. W.Bro Chris White also presented Grand Lodge Certificates to 4 brethren, while 23 brethren received their certificates by post. A change to the bye-laws was approved by the brethren, and W,.Bro Larry Porter was elected an honorary member. Members voted to donate £5,000 to West Lancs 2026 Festival, £500 to Retts and £500 to Lifelites We met in the Bath Masonic Hall, a building of considerable historic and architectural importance. It was erected in 1748 as a Theatre opening with a performance of Henry IV Part 1 (W. Shakespeare). It later served as a Roman Catholic Church from 1809 until 1863 when it was acquired by three Craft Lodges. After the meeting we were treated to a tour of the Museum located on the upper floors. After opening our WM declared the officers for the next year and the principal officers voted to admit 20 joiners and to exclude 5 members. The members enjoyed a lecture from W.Bro. Serdar Satanta on the Masonic symbolism of the number five. The summer meeting was held in the Durham Masonic Hall - a stately building of historic character, representing centuries of Masonic presence in one of England’s most ancient cathedral cities and rooted in Durham’s rich ecclesiastical and civic history. After handling the Lodge business of admitting joiners and noting leavers, the Lodge was closed so that we could be joined by guests to receive a lecture from W.Bro. Alan Turton about Durham Cathedral with its operative and symbolic masonic connections. White Table - Durham Our Worshipful Master W.Bro. Abdullah Umit Iris and his Lady, Beniye Ogretmen Iris, hosted a memorable tour of Masonic and ancient temples across Turkey. At every destination, we were met with enthusiastic welcomes and generous hospitality from the Turkish Brethren. The journey began with two remarkable Masonic meetings in Istanbul, followed by travel to Cappadocia and onward to our Worshipful Master’s hometown of Antalya. Throughout the tour, knowledgeable local Masons shared insights into their rituals, symbolism, and workings, making the experience deeply enlightening in the Masonic sense. We continued into the Lycia region, where we marveled at its extraordinary ancient architecture, and concluded our travels with visits to several magnificent resorts along the Turkish Mediterranean coast. This journey marked our Lodge’s first official visit to the continent of Asia. Our Master’s exceptional local knowledge greatly enriched the experience, making the entire journey both fascinating and stimulating. Internet Lodge concluded 2025 with a membership of just under 600 Brethren, reflecting its truly international character, with 67% of members resident in Europe and 29% in the Americas. During the year, 47 Brethren were admitted and 57 departed, resulting in a modest net reduction in numbers. Average attendance at Regular Meetings was 28, marginally lower than the previous year. The Lodge continued to meet online almost every week, and attendance at these meetings is showing a gradual upward trend as the programme is enriched with an increasing number of lectures and structured debates. In support of its commitment to serving a worldwide membership, all Members were invited to participate in a survey assessing the Lodge’s performance. The responses received now form the foundation of an action plan aimed at strengthening the Lodge’s mission in the service of Universal Freemasonry.