The North Carolina Mason

September/October 2021

North Carolina Mason

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The Mason Official Publication of e Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina Volume 146 Number 5 Oxford, North Carolina September/October 2021 NORTH CAROLINA Photo by Michael Harding ■ see ANNUAL, page 2 GM R. David Wicker Jr. prepares to present Grand Secretary Jonathan Underwood with a personalized fez from Amran Shrine. In the center is Clyde Alvin Billings Jr., a past potentate of the temple. On Saturday GM-Elect Larry B. Thompson Jr., would name Billings as his choice to join the Grand Line as Junior Grand Steward. Mask-to-mask, 100s gather for Grand Lodge By Beth Grace Mason Editor A second year of pandemic could not keep North Carolina's Grand Lodge from doing what it does best: the work of Freemasonry. Some 917 delegates gathered for the 234th Annual Communication Sept. 24-25 in Winston-Salem to consider amendments, elect officers and to see face to face — rather, mask-to-mask — brothers they have not seen in two years. Among the votes cast: Deputy Grand Master Right Worshipful Larry B. ompson Jr. was over- whelmingly elected to become the 169th Grand Master of North Carolina Masons. e 20-year Master Mason will be installed Dec. 4. (See a profile of our incoming Grand Master on page 2) Brothers shared a laugh after Grand Master R. David Wicker Jr. asked how many of ompson's votes were actually for his beard. A brother in the crowd shouted, "What about both?" In other votes, delegates: Knocked down an amendment that would have allowed lodges to conduct some meetings and some brothers to attend some stated communications virtually. Passed amendments that would require lodges to fully insure their property, deed property; consoli- dating lodges to deed property to the consolidated lodge; remove outdated and poorly phrased Masonic offenses from e Code and render obsolete Code language deeming professional and legal gambling and operating a legal gambling business a Masonic offense. Approved an amendment that states all service awards shall be presented by the Grand Master or his representative. Rejected an amendment allowing lodges to open on the First Degree and conduct business. (See the full list of amendments and how they fared on page 3) In all, five amendents passed, four failed, four were ruled out of order, and two were withdrawn.

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