Speaker Biography: 

Markus is 58 years old and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. He was born and raised in Essen, Germany, moved to Denmark when he was 20 years old and lived there for 25 years. In 2009, he moved to the US.

He has been a Freemason since 2017 and is a member of Glen Avon Lodge, no. 306, in Duluth, and has served as the Lodge’s LEO for several years. He is a Monitor of the ritual in Minnesota. He is also a Scottish Rite Mason and currently serves as the Venerable Master in the Lodge of Perfection of the Scottish Rite Valley of Duluth.

In 2021, after two decades of working in his own companies—and after always working with either information technology or photo journalism (or both)—he decided to change 'career' paths: He joined Minnesota Masonic Charities.

When he is off work he enjoys the outdoors together with his wife, Lara, and their two Alaskan Malamutes. Markus describes himself as a knowledge nomad: always wanting to learn a new skill, gain deeper knowledge, find new perspectives. He enjoys blacksmithing and wood working. One of Markus’ other favorite pastimes is Neo-Babylonian astronomy and ancient calendars

A Cutting Edge for the Benefit of the Lodge:

What could steel making and vintage crosscut saws possibly have to do with you as a Mason? why is it so important that steel is hardened and tempered properly especially when it comes to cross cut saws? what lessons could we possibly learn from an old piece of steel and the way it was made more than a hundred years ago? how about teeth patterns, flat and abrupt bevels, or the shape and depth of rakers? 

Check out—and maybe even use—a few vintage cross cut saws; hear a thing or two about why they were so efficient, why their quality and longevity is unmatched even today and what we can learn from all that in out lodge duties.  

Speaker Biography: 

Born and raised in Cedar rapids, Iowa, Brad has lived in the Midwest his whole life. Proud of his Midwest heritage, he holds his family and community dear. He has served as the worshipful master in Rochester Lodge #21 (2010) and Kasson-Mantorville Lodge #11 (2016, 2017). he has also served as a Minnesota district representative for district 28 (2019-2022) and as a member of the Minnesota leadership committee. continuing a tradition of a long line of educators in his family, brad is honored to be Minnesota’s current Grand Lodge Education Officer. he loves to facilitate conversations and together explore a variety of topics. Brad is also active in a number of appendant bodies - having held offices in the Scottish Rite, York Rite, Shrine and the Order of the Eastern Star. 

Brad and his wife are also ham radio operators - both participating in amateur radio emergency services and weather spotting. professionally, he has had many roles in software engineering, architecture and leadership for companies in the financial, technology, data quality and medical industries. outside of work, brad is captivated by a large number of interests ranging from technology, the arts, content creation and motorcycles. He considers himself a tinkerer, and enjoys sharing the learning process with those that are around him. most of all, he is proud of his kids and spends every day trying to make them as proud of him as he is of them. 

What Do We Teach About Freemasonry? 

In my day job, I learned the importance of extending learned knowledge by practice and repetition. As Yoda famously said, “Do or do not.... There is no try.” This is an interesting introduction into the concepts of learning, engaging, and giving back: a basic (yet very Masonic) framework that I have been sharing with data and computer scientists as they ask about engaging with professional communities or guilds.

I was taught long ago that we should be mindful of our actions because it might influence those we do not know are watching. This is sage parental advice among other things. In a world of extreme interconnectedness and visibility, what do our words, actions, and critics say to the next generation about who we are? Do we know how AI will frame us to them?

This discussion will explore how we apply the ideas of learning, engaging, and giving back. What do we focus on? We will explore what we radiate as we apply these concepts in our actions—both as humans, and as Freemasons.

The Religion of Freemasonry: 

Brothers, often in defense of Freemasonry, say that we are "religious but not a religion." Is that true? What do we believe? How does it influence our rituals and practice? Where did our understanding of God, man, and moral or ethical teaching come from? This talk is an enlightening discovery of what we believe, why, and how we practice in the Lodge.  

The Untold History of Freemasonry:

It is estimated that there are more than a dozen theories as to how Freemasonry came into existence. They cannot all be right. So, how did Freemasonry begin? What were the antecedents to the formation of our rituals and our moral and ethical teaching? We will discover they go back to Scotland and newly uncovered documents that, if true, will reshape our understanding of our Craft and its purposes which span the ocean to bring about our country "the land of religious freedom."

Speaker Biography: 

Nick Settich is a Past Master, serving two different Lodges a total of four years; has served as a Masonic officer a total of 13 years. A Past Wise Master of the Minneapolis Valley Scottish Rite; where he has been an assistant librarian for the past 12 years and coordinates an education program for the classes. At the Scottish Rite he has been given the honors of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in 2019. He is a member of RAM, Philalethes Society, Phylaxis Society, Zuhrah Shrine and Osman Shrine. He is an acolyte and educator on several Masonic subjects, presenting at over a dozen Lodges in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Currently he is working on launching two different Masonic Podcasts. He is a member in good standing at Minnehaha Lodge #165 GL of A.F. & A.M. of MN and Anchor-Hilyard Lodge #2 of MW PHA GL of F. & A.M. of MN. 

Short Talks:

1) Modern Masonic Education: Taking a look at what we do now, and how to improve for new generations of Masons. 

2) Exo, Eso and the Gesis: What should we be looking for and how to look for it in Masonry. 

3) Chamber of Reflection: The good, the bad and the frequently misunderstood in the Chamber of Reflection. 

The Star Decked Heavens: 

Astrology and it's connection to the symbolic lodge. 

Russ Wolf Jr is a fourth generation Freemason and is involved in Templar Collegia. Over the past several years he has been studying and unlocking the esoteric information contained within Masonic Ritual. He has written lectures for his Lodge, given presentations at esoteric conferences and has been a guest on esoteric podcasts. He will be doing a presentation titled, "The Star Decked Heavens" and will take you on an esoteric journey to the Middle Chamber. 

Cryptic Code on the Kensington Rune Stone:

Three pieces of evidence will be presented that will prove the medieval Knights Templar beginning in the mid-12th century, operating in North America for more than 400 years prior to colonization beginning in the late 16th Century. The Templars and their descendants, worked in concert with the indigenous people ad their "blood brothers" after forming a deep spiritual bond through the sharing of rituals and strategic intermarriage. Due to this strategic alliance, the indigenous people guarded the Templar treasures for over four centuries until they were recovered by the Founding Fathers, most of whom were Freemasons, who inherited the obligation from their medieval brethren to finish the job of establishing the United States of America. During this tumultuous time the Templars tried to stay one step ahead of the Jesuit agents of the Church who were hunting them down in a secret inquisition to eradicate them. The clues lie in the three pillars of evidence including known Templar artifacts, secret medieval documents and maps, and personal journals spanning 400 years that document the covert activities by members of two prominent Templar families. The Templars were in pursuit of a sanctuary where they could live free of the tyranny and persecution of the monarchs of Europe and the Roman Catholic Church as part of a Covenant with the Goddess. 

The Divine Feminine in Craft Origins: 

Janet Wolter will present how she and British Templar expert co-author, Alan Butler, discovered a cabal of medieval families, many associated with the Knights Templar, coining them "Venus Families," for their reverence and protection of the Sacred Feminine. These Families kept the Goddess carefully veiled yet ever present for countless generations as they secretly worked over the centuries to find their New Jerusalem and sanctuary, free from the monarchs of Europe and oppression of religious powers in North America, eventually founding the United States of America. The clues our Founding Fathers, most of whom were Freemasons, left for future generations with the "eyes to see" to discover in Washington DC will be revealed and confirm that indeed the United States of America is, the Nation of the Goddess.