Regional Deputy Conference Call – April 27, 2020
Submitted by Stephen Balke, General Grand Recorder, Cryptic Masons International

Cryptic Masons International Collar
Photo Credit; MIC John Bridegroom

 

On April 27, 2020, a conference call was held with the Regional Deputy General Grand Masters and the elective General Grand Officers. Participants spanned 18 time zones! A summary of the call is below.

1. Current Status from General Grand Council
   1. Assisting and investigating technology for online meetings and ballots.
2. Triennial & Regional Conferences
   1. Preparing and having a backdrop plan – but still on.
3. Regional Updates
   1. Africa – Togo – Everything is going well in Gabon and Madagascar; Togo – all Companions are in confinement for three months – End of June. Sessions in July. Madagascar: Another Council by the end of this year or next. Mauritius- Council reinstated? Follow up by Marc. 
   2. Asia Pacific – Philippines – through May 15; Grand Master prohibited meetings. Quarantine rules by province. Taiwan and Japan – April meetings are canceled, May is tentative.
   3. Canada – General Grand Chaplain and Regional Deputy have been promoting the Veterans Medal and First Responder Awards to members in Canada.
   4. East Central – Ontario Canada – postponed sessions indefinitely. Michigan – GM shut down until the middle of May; the Governor is allowing the Primary Election; relaxing a little bit. Session in August – still a go. Kentucky is the week before Triennial, still shooting for that. Indiana is tentatively rescheduled for June 20. Festivals canceled. Ohio is in October. 
   5. Europe – Romanian Masonic Week canceled. No one has changed any of the dates for Grand Council Assemblies as of yet, will forward. Everyone has canceled everything.
   6. North Central – Nebraska had their session – FreeConferenceCall.com. GG Officers present. Votes were by email by Council and by Past Grands – each Council got to vote. Johnathan P GHP did a great job of facilitating the first Session, others followed suit. Iowa – unsure of electronic or physical; Commandery in July, may separate Chapter and Council (End of July). Minnesota – June, plus conference calls for officers every month. North Dakota – electronic in planning. South Dakota – exploring options. NC Conference still on. Wisconsin – 3 separate Council in September. Grand Commandery for this weekend. Grand Chapter ~ June/July. Two from Nebraska and Wisconsin. AJ will check in with George for South Dakota.
   7. Northeast South – Nothing new. DC no plans in play. Maryland mid-year will follow up. 
   8. Northeast North – Maine’s Session?
   9. South Central – Missouri is working on plans for their Annual Assembly; Kansas electronically May 2; Oklahoma Grand Commandery May 2, Grand Master’s Edict through May 27th, focusing electronic meetings for Grand Council learning based upon Robert Davis’ curriculum; South Central Conference is still on.
   10. Southeast – SE Conference still scheduled, checking on electronics. Alabama, South Carolina – believe that it was held. Florida – electronically May 16, Chapter first at 9 AM; 1.5 hours for each session in YR order. (elect officers and pass a budget). Mississippi – call in for return. North Carolina – rescheduled to June 21-23. Georgia – GM put on hold; looking at the electronic form. Standing Order from Florida for operating during an electronic meeting – Larry will see if he can get a Decryption article together.
   11. Southwest – Nevada – scheduled for June, California, and Utah in July, Arizona in August. Hawaii was done in February. California – in Visalia no banquet, Commandery then Chapter then Council. New Mexico is in the planning stage.
4. GGPCW – Communication is key to the preservation exemplified by Masonry for the last millennium.
5. DGGM – General Grand Council is investigating options for electronic meetings just in case; if we have to use a digital meeting environment, it is planned that a Special Assembly will be planned for the earliest opportunity.
6. Benediction: RPC Jim Baum