‘Grand Lodge looks to October’

     

The Grand Lodge of New York is aiming for an October date for its next annual communication, Grand Master Bill Sardone announced minutes ago in a Zoom discussion.

After much time invested in exploring potential alternatives, from online conferencing to relocating the full agenda physical meeting to the Catskills, the GLNY leadership team determined that October at Masonic Hall in Manhattan is the optimal contingency. (A brief business meeting will be held May 3.)

“The planets have to line up to do this,” Sardone said, explaining the logistics of arranging hotel accommodations, bus transportation, meals, and other planning that demand much lead time—all potentially vexed by the unknowable vicissitudes of the pandemic itself.

And some form of amendment to Grand Lodge’s Constitution is being drafted in anticipation of future similar emergencies that would prevent Grand Lodge from convening.

No date was mentioned.

Grand Lodge has been busy steering the fraternity through the months of lockdowns and other restrictions. Sardone listed adaptations varying from degree rituals modified for physical distancing to grant money to lodges of up to $2,000 to improve building security as successes in managing this uncertain time.

At the local level, the ten-attendee maximum at meetings is lifted, with the decision of how best to proceed left to the Worshipful Master in accordance with the State of New York’s Micro-Cluster Strategy. Physical distancing and masks remain required. These apply to all concordant bodies also.

Look for official word from the Grand Master shortly.