by David Grindle
General Grand Master

Here we are five weeks into producing the weekly newsletter, Weekly Decryption.  We have increased our subscribers by approximately 100 over what we started with.  We’re still trying to smooth out the process and give some good lead time for the editors and the techs to prepare the articles for the Web, Facebook, and email.  With travel schedules coming up, this process will become more challenging.

Traveling began with the Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation board meeting this past weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana, and will continue for some of us with Masonic Week in Crystal City, Alexandria, Virginia, followed by the Conference of Grand Masters of North America in Indianapolis.  The month of February ends with the Grand York Rite of Hawai’i, the Grand York Rite of Alabama, and a combined York Rite Festival of Tokyo Council #1 and Taipei Council #1 in Tokyo, Japan (This is a first of its kind in the Asia/Pacific Region).

The Deputy General Grand Master, the General Grand Principal Conductor of the Work, and I have been discussing a possible reorganization of the Regional System.  We are considering implementing a Province System which would overlay the Regional System and whereby we would give more authority to a Provincial General Grand Master.  The Provincial Officers would initially consist of a Provincial General Grand Master, a Provincial Grand Treasurer, and a Provincial Grand Recorder.  There may be a need in the future for a Provincial Deputy General Grand Master.  The Provincial General Grand Masters would still be responsible to the General Grand Master and the General Grand Council.  The Provincial General Grand Masters would provide direct guidance to the Grand Councils and Subordinate Councils under their supervision.  They would be responsible to attend the Annual Grand Assembly of their Grand Councils and to periodically observe the progress of the Subordinate Councils.  There would be a Provincial Assembly once a year in conjunction with a Grand Assembly.  This Provincial Assembly should have one or more of the General Grand Council Officers in attendance.  This Provincial System appears to reduce the requirements for General Grand Officers to travel for Grand Assemblies and to allow them to concentrate their efforts in other areas that may need their assistance, e.g., assisting Grand Councils and Subordinate Councils that are having difficulties, attending various conferences (CGMNA, CMI, WCRMGL) to identify the different players worldwide, and attend other International Assemblies/Congresses.  We hope to have an initial implementation in the April/May timeframe.