N.J. Grand Lodge 2009

As a voting member of my lodge, this week I attended the 222nd annual communication of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey.

There was an awful lot going on in the short two days we were there - first the fellowship shared with friends and Masons from around the jurisdiction is always something to enjoy.   The opening of Grand Lodge began with the Knights Templar presenting the colors, and the introductions of all the representives of all the visiting masonic grand jurisdictions - attendees included representatives from most local states as well as Florida and Wisconsin.

Then the required business that needs to be attended to during the meeting, including reading the names in nomination for office.  Shortly after that the polls were opened for voting and the meeting adjourned for the day.  Then the activities included a blood drive as well as visiting the vendors that were on hand selling their wares and offering information.  

There were hospitality suites a plenty and a lot of fellowship was shared into the evening.

The second day began with the Masonic Kilties presenting the colors and then more important business, which included a report on how it hoped we will save our home from it's current financial crisis, as well as voting on legistlation and awards.  I was honored to be a recipient of one of those awards being the blood drive coordinator for my lodge - we were honored for collecting the most pints of blood on any lodge in New Jersey.

The voting results were that R. W. Glenn Trautman was elected Junior Grand Warden - he is from my district so it will be an interesting time as he progresses through the Grand Lodge Offices on his way to being Grand Master, at the same time as I am progressing through the officer's line of my lodge.

Our new Grand Master is M.W. Bill Berman, while I really do not know him well I trust that he will lead our craft with wisdom this coming year.

Our outgoing Grand Master John M. Colligas was a great leader and seems to have been the right man at the right time to deal with the difficulties that presented themselves with our country's current recession, causing a funding crisis for our masonic home.  I have had a few dealings with M.W. Colligas and I found him at all times to be a gentleman, and I thank him for his leadership this past year.

Should the "G" stand for Google?

If you do a search on Google for the word "Freemason" it offers 1.44 million possible results!

Is this a good thing for our craft?  I think the answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no.  I speak for most Freemasons I know when I say that I wish our "secrets" were not available in so public a forum, and that those with an anti-masonic agenda often can promote their unsubstantiated information to an unknowing public without censure.

That said the availability of masonic information to the Freemason wanting to learn more about the craft is unprecedented.  Should you want to find Masonic clipart or simply look up information on the history of square and compass - the internet world can bring the information right into your living room.

The discussions groups open up a new world of sharing of thoughts and ideas from one state to another, and from one country to another.  If you want to know if there is a lodge in Zurich that meets in May, it can be a simple matter to inquire on one of these discussion groups to locate a local Freemason that knows the answer to your questions.  While I am a member of a number of masonic discussion groups the one I find that covers all area of masonry is the Masonic Light grooup on Yahoo Groups.

Podcasts allow for us to share short essays about the craft that can be uploaded and then listened to at a later time.  While many lodges have ventured into this forum - Bro. Scott Blaskin of King George Lodge in Calgary Alberta Canada has offered the most successful podcast I know of and it is called the Digital Freemason.

The more recent popularity of Facebook and other social networking sites offers a new dimension in getting to know fellow masons via the internet, typically you get top see a picture and and see a brief biography.

Will we someday be able to "virtually" attend lodge?  I sure hope not, but there seems to be no limits to the ways people can interact via the internet.