Know What You Are Doing . . . “If you want to be successful, it’s just this simple: Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing.” ~Oklahoma Mason, Will Rogers. Several months into serving you as Grand Master I still worry that I am not worthy of the position and will let you and history decide whether or not I knew what I was doing, but two out of three is not bad! I have really loved serving you as Grand Master these past few months traveling the state of Missouri, enjoying fun, food and fellowship with Missouri Masons. And my Brothers, I certainly believe in Freemasonry and the good things that are happening in our Lodges across Missouri. If you missed attending one of the seven Grand Lodge Area Meetings, you missed out on a wonderful opportunity to share your vision for the future of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. The main focus of the meetings was the roundtable discussions where the Brethren came together to share their ideas and concepts for a better Grand Lodge. Attendees were asked to give additional input on results from the surveys on six different areas: 1) How can we improve the experience a member has, from the very first contact he has with the organization, through his initiatory and education experience, to his on-going participation in Lodge activities and functions? 2) How do we improve how we educate our members about what it is to be a Freemason? 3) How do we improve the effectiveness and operation of the organization, from the Lodge level up to the Grand Lodge? 4) How do we spread what Freemasonry is, within the organization, and to those in the community and world? 5) How do we best serve the communities that we are in and by what methods and programs? And finally, 6) What other ideas do you have to improve the fraternity? The Grand Lodge officers acted as scribes and collected many great ideas from the Brethren. The Long Range Planning committee is now charged with condensing and collating these ideas into a mission statement and focus areas for the upcoming years. I wish to thank the many Brethren who attended one of these meetings and gave their input and I also thank the Lodges and temples that hosted the meetings. Your Grand Lodge has been working hard, putting a public face on Missouri Masonry. Four of our Lodges, Memphis #16, Willard #620, Weston #53, and ON THE COVER: The Grand Lodge of Missouri’s Square & Compass Courtyard, one of nature’s concealed recesses. Committee on Masonic Publications David W. Haywood, Senior Grand Warden C. Brent Stewart , Junior Grand Warden Ronald D. Miller, Grand Secretary Steven L. Harrison, Editor, Chairman Editor Steven L. Harrison P.O. Box 1120 • Kearney, MO 64060-1120 816-558-0436 / Call for Fax editor@momason.org The Missouri Freemason (USPS 573-920) is the official publication of the Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Missouri, and is published four times yearly. Articles to be considered for publication should be e-mailed to editor@momason.org, not later than the first day of the month preceding publication in February, May, August, and November.
30 Spring 2013
Crestwood-Anchor #443, celebrated significant anniversaries in their history with Dedication Ceremonies, renewing their relationship and commitment to their local communities. Our Lodges are not building many new facilities these days, so this is a ceremony that most of our Brethren (and the public) have not seen. Several more public events are scheduled over the next few months — watch the calendar on the Grand Lodge website (www.momason.org) for times and locations. I encourage you to contact me or your Grand Lodge office if your Lodge has an upcoming event in which your Grand Lodge officers could participate. At this writing, your Grand Lodge officers are busy working with the Grand Lodge of Kansas to finalize plans for the upcoming Conference of Grand Masters of North America. The conference agenda is set and some interesting sessions are planned. One breakout session of particular interest deals with Warden’s Training. Two jurisdictions, Texas and New Jersey, will share with us about their programs that are designed to help Wardens prepare for their journey to the East. The need for additional training and education for our Wardens was a topic often mentioned at the 2012 Grand Lodge Area Meetings. Continuing a tradition established a few years ago, there will be a Grand Master’s Chance-to-Advance class held on Saturday, May 11, 2013. The GM C-2-A class will be held in Booneville, Missouri, this year due to the opening of the Lodge of Research Library in the space used for previous C-2-As in the Masonic Complex. I want to thank Cooper Lodge #36 members for their willingness to host this event. If your Lodge wishes to have members participate, please contact the Grand Lodge office. I will close with a quote from another famous Mason, Red Skelton – “All men make mistakes, but married men find out about them sooner!” I look forward to seeing you in Lodge. Fraternally,
David L. Ramsey Grand Master
Submit articles to:
editor@momason.org Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policy of the Grand Lodge A.F.&A.M. of Missouri. The Editor reserves the right to accept, reject, subedit and rearrange material submitted for publication. Pictures submitted for publication will not be returned. The Missouri Freemason does not accept forms or clippings for publication. Please do not submit materials in PDF format. office of publicationS: Grand Lodge of Missouri, 6033 Masonic Drive, Suite B, Columbia, MO 65202-6535. Printed by Tribune Publishing Co., Columbia, Missouri. Periodicals Postage paid at Columbia, Missouri. postmaster: Please send Address Forms 3579 to Grand Secretary, 6033 Masonic Drive, Suite B, Columbia, MO 65202-6535.
subscriptions: The Missouri Freemason is mailed to every member of this Masonic Jurisdiction without charge. Domestic subscriptions elsewhere are $12.00 annually. permission to reprint: All recognized Masonic publications have permission to reprint original articles from The Missouri Freemason with credit to the author and the publication. change of address (Important): Whenever a member changes his mailing address without notifying his Lodge Secretary and a mailing of the Freemason magazine occurs, the Post Office charges the Grand Lodge 75¢ per undeliverable Freemason. please, contact your Lodge Secretary with your address change so that the Grand Lodge can then be notified. GRAND LODGE OF MISSOURI grand lodge of missouri internet addresses E-Mail to the Grand Lodge Office grlodge@momason.org The Grand Lodge web page www.momason.orgPhone: 573-474-8561
the missouri freemason