The North Carolina Mason

July/August 2011

North Carolina Mason

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NORTH CAROLINA Volume 136 Number 4 The Mason Official Publication of The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina Oxford, North Carolina July/August 2011 Cornerstone set for WhiteStone’s phase two Visitors and residents shared the shade for the dedication of the cornerstone for the next stage in the growth of our retirement community in Greensboro. September 23–24 in Winston-Salem Annual Communication is coming soon By Ric Carter will preside as 2011 Annual Communication opens in Win- ston-Salem. The 224th WINSTON-SALEM — Grand Master Lewis R. Ledford annual meeting of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina is scheduled for September 23–24. The communication will be at the Twin City Quarter here, the same hotel we have used last few years. It will be the headquarters hotel, the site of all committee meetings, and Grand Lodge business sessions. The hotel is large enough to house all delegates to the com- munication. Participants at previous communications held here enjoyed having everything on one site. It will be a great chance to enjoy a classic convention atmosphere, with every- one spending a couple of days in close proximity. You are en- couraged to bring a large delegation from your lodge, share a suite or two, and enjoy the fellowship and fun. While every Mason in the state is invited, only the master and wardens of your lodge, or their official proxies, may vote during business sessions. They’ll join the same officers of the other lodges around the state. The other votes come from committeemen and officers of the Grand Lodge and its districts. Workshops and committee meetings held before the official sessions will be at the Twin City Quarter on Thursday, Septem- ber 22. The Lodge Secretary’s Workshop will be held there that Thursday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. All voting sessions will be held in the Twin City Quarter’s Grand Pavilion Friday and Saturday, September 23–24. Lodge officers are asked to bring and wear their aprons for all busi- ness sessions. Your dues card and the pass will be necessary to enter business sessions. see ANNUAL, page 4 Amendment roundup By Ric Carter Here we go with our annual recap of the year’s pro- posed amendments to The Code. This is an effort to put the proposals in plain language and share some of the arguments commonly expressed on the amendments. The discussion is far from exhaustive, but intends to give you a better understanding of the changes offered and their possible repercussions. A lodge cannot and should not attempt to bind its del- egates to a particular vote on a particular question. Very often, the amendments are changed on the floor before see AMENDMENTS, page 4 GREENSBORO — On June 11, about 200 people gathered here at White- Stone, a Masonic and Eastern Star Com- munity to do a full Masonic cornerstone dedication for the newest phase of the retirement community’s expansion. The ceremony was arranged, coordinated, and emceed by Past Grand Master William H. Simpson, a resident of WhiteStone. The ceremony was preceded by a ham- burger and hot dog cookout on the shady grounds. It was attended by many visitors as well as residents. The blazing hot day was too much for the planned ceremony beside the construc- tion area. Overheated pavement at the site drove observers to the meager shade on that corner of the campus. Officials made a last minute change, moving the festivi- ties to the picnic pavilion on the other side of the recently renovated Linville build- ing. There, things went along nicely in the much cooler, grassy, shaded area. Several Grand Lodge officers participated in the historic dedication. Speakers at the event included Board Member Gene T. Jernigan, PGM, Eastern Star Past Worthy Grand Matron Grace Rea, Board chairman, and WhiteStone Administrator Mark Kolada. Participating in the ceremony were Grand Master Lewis R. Ledford, Deputy Grand Master Robert E. Gresham, Se- nior Grand Warden Dewey R. Preslar, Junior Grand Warden Dalton W. Mayo, Junior Grand Deacon Bryant D. Webster as architect, Grand Chaplain Paul F. Kelly, and PGM Simpson as the representative of the building authority. Ledford presid- ed over the ceremony. In January 2011, the renovation of the Linville Building, the first phase of White- Stone’s expansion/renovation project, was completed. The six-month renovation see CORNERSTONE, page 5 Delegates of the lodges set Grand Lodge policy and regulations at the annual meeting. THE BOTTOM LINE Making good men better leaders By Lewis R. Ledford Grand Master On a spring Saturday in late May, it was my pleasure to attend the Wilk- erson College graduation at the North Raleigh Hilton, share some comments and perspectives, and present certifi- cates of completion to the 35 graduates for 2011. This gradu- ation marked the tenth anniversary of North Carolina’s Col- lege of Freemasonry that was founded in 2002 by our Grand Lodge and the North Carolina Scottish Rite Orient with a single mission in mind: to provide Freemasonry with the best- trained leaders possible. It was especially enjoyable for me to attend this year’s gradu- ation along with Past Grand Master Tom Gregory. It was just over ten years ago that he and I first discussed the importance and a concept of a training session for the future leaders of local lodges. The need and benefit for the training of lodge deacons as they advance toward becoming the lodge master were obvious. We gave much thought as to how it could be structured to insure success. I had just completed a Natural Resources Leadership Institute at North Carolina State University. After a subsequent meeting with Dan Weatherington and Billy Dill, and later with Bill Brunk, Walt Clapp, and Ric Carter, the idea flourished and the “college” was formally established. The format chosen was in large part similar to that of the NRLI – bringing together students from across the state, with diverse experience, and a common interest, once a month at different locations with cre- dentialed instructors. This course in leadership was named in honor of an active Free- mason and Past Lt. Commander of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, H. Lloyd Wilkerson, Major General, USMC (ret.). Wilkerson College held its inaugural session March 1, 2002, at a rustic camp in northern Granville County near the Masonic Home for Children. Dan Weatherington, who became affec- tionately known as “Dean Dan,” led the effort in a most effective manner in the formative years. Though there have been a few changes, PGM Billy Dill, now serving as the dean, along with a Board of Regents have contin- ued the basic format. Wilkerson College consists of three ses- sions. Each begins on a Friday evening and concludes the follow- ing day at 5:00 p. m. A graduation banquet is held on the Saturday evening of the last session, often with spouses in attendance. Following an ice breaker exercise at the beginning, the follow- ing subjects are covered during the three weekends: The Master’s Calling, How It Really Began, Exposé of 18th Century Masonic Ritual, sessions on the operations of the homes in Oxford and Greensboro, three sessions on Planning, two sessions on The Code, The Master’s Toolbox, Public Relations, The Past Masters, two sessions on Communications, Freemasonry Beyond the Blue Lodge, Masonic Education, Mentoring, two sessions on fund- raising, The Master and Secretary’s Relationship, Motivation, and Rules of Order in the Lodge. With the 2011 class, 283 members representing 88 different lodges from across the state have attended this leadership train- ing. Greensboro 76 has the distinction of the most graduates with 12, followed by Cary 198, and Manteo 521 with nine each. The student’s immersion in North Carolina Freemasonry is enhanced by the meeting locations themselves. The first session is held at The Summit at Haw River State Park, which is in close proximity to WhiteStone — A Masonic and Eastern Star Com- munity in Greensboro. On the other weekends, they stay close to The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, and the Grand Lodge of North Carolina office located in Raleigh. Class par- ticipants have the opportunity for structured tours of all three facilities. We have heard from our administrators of the Masonic homes that charitable donations have increased from those lodges that have sent members to the college – just one of the benefits that can be attributed to the Wilkerson College. The faculty of Wilkerson College is comprised of men who are important to Freemasonry in this state. Each instructor is a recognized Masonic leader in whose life Freemasonry plays a vi- tal part. Not only do the students get to meet and spend time learning from these individuals, they also gain some sense of how Freemasonry has influenced their lives, why our fraternity holds so much value in their daily activities, and their other successes in the workplace and community. The entire Wilkerson College experience is designed to bring the student from a level of merely “filling an officer’s chair” to a point that he holds a newfound respect and honor for this frater- nity and the part that he is, and will be, fulfilling as an officer and Masonic leader. It epitomizes what I have sought to share this year. We are successful because of two primary traits, passion and competence. Truly believing in what we are doing and improving our skills will advance our achievement in any area, and certainly for our beloved fraternity. To those that will be serving as deacons next year, I commend this training for your consideration. Applications will be due in early January. Space is limited, and financial scholarships are also available. This information and much more can be found at . The success of the College is due to the collective and industrious efforts of many – too numerous to list in this column. The instructors, the “worker bees” that coordinate the logistics, the officers and others donate considerable efforts. For more information on the formation of Wilkerson College or the man whom the college was named for, read Masonic Miracle by Dan Weatherington, dean emeritus and A Man, a College, a Lodge - All Dedicated to Future Masonic Leaders by Walter Klein. The idea was to provide the fraternity with the finest possible leaders, now and in the future. It has been a very positive experi- ence during the first ten years. We have long heard the adage that Freemasonry makes good men better… it is our sense from vari- ous reports, including student feedback, that Wilkerson College makes good Masons better leaders! Ric Car ter photo Ric Car ter photo

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