Grand Master’s Class

The 2006 Grand Master’s Class, the latest in a series of such classes begun in 1992, was convened on Friday evening, October 20 th , in the Scottish Rite Center. Festivities began with dinner, after which East Gate Lodge No. 34 opened a special communication for the purpose of conferring the degrees. Following inspirational remarks by the Grand Master, Albert McNair Smith, the officers of Potomac Lodge No. 5, led by WM Jeffrey Russell, conferred the Entered Apprentice degree.

• Grand Master’s Class. WB Patrick Nnaji (L) and RW Teko Foly, JGS (R), registered the candidates. On Saturday morning the Fellowcraft degree was conferred by the officers of Naval Lodge No. 4. Following lunch a team composed of Jerusalem Lodge, U.D. (first section) and Benjamin B. French Lodge No. 15 (2nd section) conferred the Master Mason degree. Interestingly, Brothers Scott McLean and Demetri Karousos (15) and WB Charbel Fahed (3), Deputy Grand Lecturer, jointly delivered the lecture of this degree. At the conclusion of each degree, the Deputy Grand Lecturer, WB Sheldon Rappeport, assisted by members of the Grand Master’s Class Committee, offered well-crafted explanations of the degree and of all things pertinent thereto to members of the class. In addition, following the conclusion of the conferral of the Master Mason degree, Teko A. Foly ,

Junior Grand Steward

WB John Jordon, Past Master of Camp Springs Lodge No. 227 in Maryland, shared an inspiring Masonic poem that focused on esoteric aspects of all of the degrees. The number of degrees conferred in this class was impressive. On Friday evening 28 candidates were initiated. On Saturday morning 28 candidates were passed to the Fellowcraft degree. And on Saturday afternoon, 32 candidates were raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. In consequence of this work, 18 lodges were benefitted by new members, 17 in the District of Columbia and one, by courtesy, in Maryland. As is the practice in the Grand Lodge of D.C., every candidate in this class received every part of every degree. There were no short cuts, no exemplars, and no ritualistic omissions. The work, presented in such excellent form, was differentiated from the norm prevailing in individual lodges only by the waiving of the waiting period between degrees by the Grand Master. At the conclusion of the class the Grand Master extended warm congratulations and thanks to all, the casts, the candidates, and the supporting lodges, for their good work, their enthusiasm, and for the excellence of their cooperation with one another. By laboring together in a spirit of brotherly love and affection, he said, “you have demonstrated how good it is for Masons to work together in unity.” ■

• Grand Master Albert McNair Smith congratulates the class on the completion of their work.

• The Grand Master’s Class of 2006

Preparing for the Future...

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It means, brethren, that we must exercise effective leadership in our lodges and in our Grand Lodge. This leadership conference is but a small step in that direction.

What can and should the Grand Lodge do in support of leadership development and lodge management? After all, our lodges, and not the Grand Lodge, are entrusted with the fundamental task of making and enabling Masons! Your mission as leaders is to produce more leaders, not more followers. As we look ahead into the future, leaders will be those who empower others; the growth and development of worthy men is the highest calling of leadership. The Grand Lodge is really an umbrella organization, consisting of its constituent lodges. and it is charged to serve the Craft. Although each lodge is influenced and guided by its own traits and traditions, and entitled to set its own agenda, there are many instances where the Grand Lodge can be of assistance and provide support if and when required or requested. How?

It is an American trait that when confronted by significant and vital issues, one must back his words with action and put his treasures where his interests are. Our budget is a case in point: The budget of any institution reflects the true priorities of its leadership. Where and how we spend our money within our lodges and the Grand Lodge is of high importance and a real indicator of where we are headed as an institution.

With that in mind, let us work together and develop budgets that reflect the priorities of our fraternity which include among other things:

Pride in Freemasonry: Create a deep sense of value, interest and pride in your lodge by first recognizing the needs of your membership and then developing programs and activities that satisfy those needs;

Excellence in Ritual: Promote excellence in ritual and Masonic education, through continuous mentoring programs and regular training workshops for officers. Our Masonic ritual is the soul of our fraternity. Let us not debase it or treat it like "fast food". As one of our esteemed Past Grand Masters once told me, " We should not be in the business of "MacMasonry." Brotherly Love: Develop fellowship activities and discussion opportunities for our members to know one another and learn from one another with the aim of strengthening fraternal ties and bonds among Masons; Responsibility in Management: Preserve and grow the financial resources of our lodges through sound and transparent practices;

Becoming an Integral Part of the Community:

Identify opportunities for engaging our local communities and making our presence truly felt through public events and meaningful charitable endeavors.

The role of the Grand Lodge should be to help and facilitate these objectives as set and defined by our respective lodges. For this reason, the budget of the Grand Lodge should be based on meaningful allocations under the motto: "Investing in Our Craft". In conclusion, my brethren, let us remember that leadership is a matter of human relations, more participative than directive, more enabling than performing. As Henry Ford said, "nobody can really guarantee the future. The best we can do is size up the chances, calculate the risks involved, estimate our ability to deal with them and then make our plans with confidence." Our strength lies in our ideals, hope, brotherly love and doing the right thing, for as Abraham Lincoln said, "I am bound to win, but I am also bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right and stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong." I thank you my brethren, once again, for the opportunity to share with you some of my ideas and aspiration for our beloved brotherhood, in this the 20th Leadership Conference held by your Grand Lodge. I hope and trust that you will take away with you some sound thoughts and fond memories. May God bless you, our country and our fraternity! ■