Grand Lodge musing and other notes to pass along

 

I had an opportunity to spend the past couple of days at the 209th Annual Communications of the Grand Lodge of F & AM of Ohio.  The years proceedings were held at Kalahari Resort in Sandusky.  I was joined on Friday by WB Bill Pacak for the election of Grand Line officers and voting on proposed legislation.

 

MWB Jess N. Raines gave a great presentation on the 2019 membership initiative called "This is Ohio Freemasonry".  I would encourage all brothers to visit the www.freemason.com website which was just rebranded this morning with messaging relevant to drawing in new membership, and is a great resource for anyone interested in joining the fraternity.

 

I have a copy of the Annual Address and Committee reports which I will bring along to the Lodge meeting on Tuesday, and will forward the URL for the PDF version when it is published.

 

2018-1 Changes to Election requirements for Honorary membership: Failed

2018-2 Changes to the use of alcohol in a lodge building: Passed

2018-3 Inclusion of Membership Committee description and purpose: Passed

2018-4 Renaming Committee for Fraternal Relations to Membership: Passed

2018-5 Moving endowments when lodges close or merge: Passed

2018-A Resolution regarding Goose & Gridiron Lodge 1717: Passed

 

Further reading can be found here: https://grandlodge2018.com/docs/Legislation.pdf

Grand Master: Jess N. Raines

Deputy Grand Master: Keith W. Newton

Sr Grand Warden: Richard A. Dickerscheid

Jr Grand Warden: Timothy S. Wheeland

Secretary: C. Michael Watson

Treasurer: Steven E. Cokonougher

 

The experience of attending Grand Lodge Communications and being able to sit lodge with hundreds of other masons from around the state, and from other jurisdictions around the world, is something every brother should try to experience.  I have been fortunate enough to be able to attend the past four Communications and each one brings new experiences to take away.  Like other years in the past, I had opportunity not only to connect with brothers from our own district, but to meet and establish friendships with brothers who would have otherwise "remained at a perpetual distance".  

 

Grand Lodge Communications 2019 will be on the campus of Marietta College in Marietta, OH on October 18-19, 2019.