The North Carolina Mason

office helps lodges to deal with legal issues with brothers like helping a lodge remove a man when he's been convicted of murder. We file a collective tax return which not only saves lodges the cost of filing ($500-$1,000/year), but also exempts lodges paying federal and state taxes, not only on their dues revenue but in NC the Grand Lodge and its subordinate lodges do not pay property tax. Moving forward, your Grand Lodge is working to expand and deepen leadership programs to help newer Masons, many of whom are now often becoming elected leaders in their lodges within a handful of years of being raised. When the United Grand Lodge of England formed in 1717, Speculative Masonry had been around, but the lack of continuity and agreement across lodges had weakened Masonry and there was legitimate concern that its days were numbered. All of our lodges coming together as a Grand Lodge makes each individual lodge stronger. Grand Lodge is not some entity of its own. It is its member lodges. Just like members make up a local lodge, local lodges make up the Grand Lodge. "But Grand Master, what I am going to get for my $10?" Your $10 would not only help your Grand Lodge manage inflation and membership fluctuations, and continue the good work it has been doing for its member lodges for decades, but would also provide the resources needed to continue to keep the NC Mason a stellar and free publication (members used to be charged for the NC Mason) and provide resources to cultivate membership. We don't recruit, because we want men to come of their own free will and accord, but we certainly need to do the work to make sure other men are aware of Masonry and know that there's even a door to knock on. My home lodge will likely increase local dues this year, and if the delegates at Grand Lodge increase our state dues, my total dues will still only be about 55 cents a day, with the state dues increase accounting for only about 2.7 cents. Keeping and strengthening Masonry is worth the price of a Chick- Fil-A Number One Combo to me. Brothers, I'm as tight with a dollar as anyone you will ever meet and have no interest in Masonry costing any more that it needs to be a strong organization. I think our brothers on the Finance Committee have done really good work for us and are only asking for what is necessary. Please review the budget and the Finance Committee's request for a dues increase. If you have questions, send an email to grandmaster@glnc.us, and I'll get the right brother to follow up with you. When I conclude my service as Grand Master at the end of the year, I want to know that we did everything we could to strengthen Masonry in North Carolina so that it will THRIVE and not just survive. On June 22, the Grand Master made a 75-year presentation at Mt. Pleasant Lodge No. 573 to WB Edwin Ralph Church. Also pictured are WB Church's daughter, Teresa Bynum, and his son, WB Dwight E. Church, Past DDGM of the 33rd District. The 75-year Mason award is awarded to a handful of brothers each year. In addition to WB Church, the following members will be awarded this high honor this year: Meredith Craig (Newell 739), Richard Morgan (Vance 293), Thomas Mann (Phalanx 31), and Warren Mathis, Jr. (Snow 363). Left to right: GM Kevan Frazier, Teresa Bynum, WB Edwin Ralph Church, WB Dwight Church, Mack Sigmon, PGM. 8 | T H E M A S O N M AGA Z I N E

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