The North Carolina Mason

The Mason NORTH CAROLINA Official Publication of e Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina Volume 141 Number 5 Oxford, North Carolina September/October 2016 see GRAND LODGE, page 8 Ric Car ter photos 229 th Annual Communication concludes after productive session WINSTON-SALEM — Grand Master Bryant D. Webster presided over the 229 th Annual Communica- tion of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accept- ed Masons of North Carolina September 23–24. It was a session of extraordinary affability in its business and fellowship. It was also marked by immense amounts of food, not just for those present, but for the com- munity as well. e meeting was also marked by much more singing than previous meetings. It was held at the Embassy Suites here. Despite the fuel shortages around the Southeast due to a pipeline malfunction, we enjoyed the largest attendance at Annual Commu- nication we have seen in several years. Methodist minister A. Gene Cobb Jr., a member of Royal White Hart 2 who lives in Sanford, was elected grand master. e biggest surprise of the meeting was Senior Grand Warden Jimmy Hicks' withdrawal of his name from consideration for deputy grand master. All line officers moved up two steps, and two grand stewards were named. e new stewards are Don E. Kehler of Bula 409 and a Burlington resident and Robert W. Rideout of Zebulon and member of White Stone 155. e grand steward positions are at the bottom of the line which leads to being grand master a few years down the line. Officers began arriving on Wednesday night, Septem- ber 21 for committee meetings early the next morning. ursday was filled with committee, board, and commis- sion meetings pertaining to business to be brought before the assembly the next two days. Several also dealt with plans for the coming year. Lodge secretaries attended morning and afternoon workshops to learn more about caring for their lodges. is year they learned more about lodge insurance, fundraising, and MORI, the lodge re- cordkeeping software. e grand master hosted a dinner for his guests and officers on ursday evening. ree hundred forty-four lodges were represented. Seventeen Grand Lodge officers, 16 past grand mas- ters, 59 committeemen, 32 district deputy grand mas- ters, and 20 district deputy grand lecturers made for a total of 1,168 voting delegates for the meeting. ere seemed to be a larger crowd than usual at the opening. e formal opening began at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 23. District officers and visitors from other jurisdictions were received and introduced. Officials from North Carolina's Prince Hall Grand Lodge, District of Columbia, England, Georgia, Lou- isiana, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia were on hand, as were of- ficers from North Carolina's appendant organizations. ere were a few last minute cancellations because of fuel shortages that week. By Ric Carter Several lodges outdid themselves on the Masons Can project championed by Grand Master Webster. GM Webster communicates with the gavel.

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