The North Carolina Mason

July/August 2017 The North Carolina Mason Page 5 W hen I was a statistician for Coach Dean Smith during my days at Carolina, I kept the points per possession chart. Someone else kept the assists and rebounds. My job was to calculate how many points North Carolina and our opponents averaged every time the ball was touched. Naturally, that meant I kept up with individual field goals attempted/made, individual free throws attempted/made and team turnovers. It was a huge task and Coach Smith depended on accu- racy so that he could measure our excellence at both ends of the floor each game. One thing I never understood was why he made some of the substitutions at the times he made them. I just did what he told me to do. He knew what he was doing. Coach Smith believed basketball was a team game at every level. Hold that thought. During the District visits this year, I wanted to recognize our District Deputy Grand Lecturers by asking them to lead the closing charge. ey did it in a variety of ways that blessed us all. Whether solo, in unison, "sentence-prayer" style, or whatever, the words of the closing charge resonated so well among the Craft that all of us attending appreciated who we are, what we are supposed to be, and those faithful servants called DDGLs who keep us in due bounds with the work. ey are a pillar of wisdom, strength, and beauty in North Carolina. eir work this year has been so inspirational that I received a phone call from the Order of the Eastern Star leadership informing me that they are asking our brothers to say the closing charge at their meetings! What a great testimony to who we are as a Masonic family! ere are 41 districts in North Carolina and the service rendered by our District Officers is phenomenal. Recently, I asked the District Deputy Grand Masters to secure Form 39 from every lodge in the state. It is still a requirement in the Code, even after MORI. Our DDGMs have worked tirelessly providing valuable information we need going forward that will benefit everyone in the future. ey worked tirelessly in this effort without warning or preparation from the Grand Master. eir excellent work has provided valuable information that will help us all be fully accountable and faithful to our trust in financial matters in the future. Lodges are chartered by the Grand Lodge of North Carolina and as such, are fully account- able for their financial matters. By the time this message is printed, I trust 100 percent of our chartered lodges will have completed their financial responsibilities. ank you to all of our DDGMs. Davie's lion roars loud because of you. As I think about the teamwork I've witnessed with the District Deputy Grand Masters and Lecturers this year, I am humbled by their service. We haven't scored on every possession and there have been a few turnovers, but we have played like a team. Masonry is a huge task and we depend on accuracy so that we can measure our excellence as far as our cable tow allows. Some changes have to happen if excellence is to prevail because as I see it, we are in this together. Freemasonry in North Carolina involves a team of excellent people at every level who know what they are doing. Hold that thought, too. Let's Go to Work! Freemasonry is a team effort By A. Gene Cobb Jr. Grand Master e "Vile and Impious Wretches" won the open competition and Lebanon #391 took top honors in the closed competition at the 2017 Ritual competition, sponsored by Wilkerson College #760. Winners of the open competition receive a plaque and winners of the closed competition are honored by having their lodge name placed on the perpetual trophy kept in the Grand Master's office in the Grand Lodge. Runner-up in the open competition was the "Down East Rascals," and runner- up in the closed contest was Semper Fidelis #680. Vile and Impious Wretches Master – Mark Alexander, North Wilkesboro #407 Senior Warden – David Wyatt, Mount Pleasant #573 Junior Warden – Steven Russell, North Wilkesboro #407 Senior Deacon – Robert Doyle, North Wilkesboro #407 Junior Deacon – Jason Yale, North Wilkesboro #407 Down East Rascals Master – Loren Jones, Semper Fidelis #680 Senior Warden – Bill Thacker, Seaside #429 Junior Warden – Mike Wagoner, Lafayette #83 Senior Deacon – Jim Fitzgibbons, Lafayette #83 Junior Deacon – Thom Reconnu, Semper Fidelis #680 Lebanon #391 team Master – James Pugsley Senior Warden – Charles Everitte Junior Warden – Allan Faires Jr. Senior Deacon – Mark Saults Junior Deacon – Fernando Rodriguez Semper Fidelis #680 team Master – William Fitzpatrick Senior Warden – Keith Koch Junior Warden – Thom Reconnu Senior Deacon – Jason Caldwell Junior Deacon – Heriberto Acevedo Jr. Ritual competition winners named THANK YOU, BROTHERS! An annual tradition is revived as brother Masons serving in the NC Legislature gather at the Grand Lodge for a reception and fellowship. About 20 lawmak- ers were invited, along with our brothers from the NC Prince Hall Grand Lodge and the NC Masonic Foundation staff to spend time together and for all to thank those who serve our state and Freemasonry.

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