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Regional Deputy Conference Call – August 17, 2020

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Regional Deputy Conference Call – August 17, 2020
Submitted by Stephen Balke, General Grand Recorder, Cryptic Masons International

\"General
Cryptic Masons International Collar
Photo Credit; MIC John Bridegroom

 

On August 17, 2020, a conference call was held with the Regional Deputies. A summary of the call is below.

Triennial Assembly – Saturday, September 26, 2020 1200 MDT (UTC-6)

  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • Video on YouTube Channel

Current Status from General Grand Council

  • Catching up on per capita by 31 July 2020 – Needs to be current.

Regional Conferences

  • GEKT went completely electronic – NE, SC, MA, NW, NC, SW. General Grand Council is on board.
  • York Rite Leadership – 101 Successful, 201 debut at Northeast. Fridays will be for 201 and Saturdays will be 101. Limited to members within your Region with very few and intentional exceptions.
  • NE – Sept 11, 2020 – Virtual – Welcome to the next Triennial.Coming Leadership, then in place jurisdictional leadership.Chapter in the Morning, Council in the Afternoon.York Rite Leadership Program is planning to do 101 Saturday. 201 Friday. – CMMRF.
  • SC – September 18, 2020 – Zoom conference for through GGC. Council meeting after lunch. Zoom presentation. Gary Wyne confirmed Dr. Murphy to speak. Afternoon – Council Session starts 1:00 PM CDT, Dr. Murphy to start; Steve, GGR; Bill, GGPCW;
  • Monty, DGGM; Dave, GGM – Ritual Jewel; MIGMs to finish off. Steve – follow up with volunteers for Zoom Hosting.
  • NW – October 17(16?), 2020 – Zoom. Looking for leadership input on schedule and CMMRF inclusions. – GGC Zoom available.  Steve – CMMRF Speaker.
  • NC – October 24, 2020. Zoom – Coordinating with Marv Schendel. CMMRF presentation. Leadership may contact Carl.
  • SW – Zoom on October 30, 2020 – Chapter AM and Council Afternoon – Jim Baum and Jason Varner. 1:00 PM PDT – Leadership & CMMRF.
  • EC – No change in plans for Fort Wayne.
  • EU – Conference 2021
  • SE – June 11,12 – Grand Encampment Hosting, Mobile Alabama

Regional Updates

Africa

  • Togo – Government shutdown travel and business – COVID spreading a lot now. Meetings postponed. Grand Assembly postponed indefinitely.
  • Gabon, country is on curfew at 8PM. but Gabon is scheduled for September. Zoom is possibility for Annual Assembly (in November, so not decided).
  • Madagascar – No news.
  • 14 Isolation when travelling. Changes may be communicated after July.

Asia Pacific

  • Philippines – (limited overall) relaxing restrictions in Pacific and Asia – travel is still discouraged, medical clearances must be received. Grand Lodge is encouraging electronic communications, but not in person. Government has recently (Taiwan) lifted gathering but not traveling restrictions – meeting tomorrow – going to mention correspondence at the meeting (DG). Opening with less than 9 Companions, planned Festival for 4th of July. Grand Sessions in Manila on 16-17 October 2020 – still planned in person; possibility of conducting virtually. Will keep us updated.  
  • Japan – High Priest cancelled – resuming sessions in September.
  • Taiwan – Had 1st Conferral at beginning of Covid – 4 new Companions, 17 in attendance. 1st time for both Royal and Select Masters.

Central America – Each country is reacting differently.

  • Panama is on full lockdown. Don’t foresee air transportation opening until after August. Grand Lodge is all virtual – many kinds of electronic acceptable, Grand Lodge Annual Communication happening Wednesday 10 June 2020.
  • Venezuela Illustrious Grand Master resigned for personal reasons, Deputy, MIC Domingo Castellanos Herrera, took over. Participation monthly or semi-monthly on virtual meetings.
  • Peru – Submitted AR
  • Paraguay – Submitted AR
  • Per Capita follow up this week, will be sent by check.
  • Steve – NEED PETITION FOR GRAND COUNCIL CHARTER
  • Steve – Send Excel spreadsheet for multiple registrations. – International Regional Deputies only.

East Central – Slowly opening back up.

  • Ohio is loosening up – October 4, 2020 in question, may change by September currently planned for in person. Had the OSV Investiture Dinner. 2 OSV Investitures.
    • College of Preservation dinner – August 12, 2020
  • Michigan – August 22, 2020 on Zoom. Election, Live Installation at Lansing, Budget. DGGM in attendance. 3 OSV Investitures between the Assembly and the Installation. Michigan is getting stricter on 22 August, moved to one day and plans being discussed for virtual session.
  • Indiana is August 13, 2020 Zoom – Successful.
    • Ish Sodi – October 3, 2020 Cancelled.
  • Kentucky is September 16-18, 2020. (Currently no in-person meetings, but haven’t cancelled.)
  • Illinois – Successful Session on Saturday, August 15, 2020.

Europe – Europe is status quo – relaxing lockdown at this point, no measure on what the results will be. Virus is coming back in a number of places in Europe.

  • Portugal is having some outbreaks.
  • Greece is open to everyone except UK. MIGM inquiring about the Regional Recorders meeting.
  • France plans on being on the call – Norm to find out plans for their Session.
  • UK is under 14 day quarantine, announcing exceptions tomorrow.
  • Germany talking with the bank about missing funds – Constitution draft presented in email, will be sent to Jurisprudence – will follow up. Starting up meetings in September.
  • Italy is being negotiated by Trustees – information flowing through RDGGM.
  • Steve will call a Grand/Recorder’s meeting for this week.

North Central – Overall – Testing, hospitalization and deaths are going down.

  • Iowa – August 15, 2020 – Successful Session (In person).
  • Minnesota, successful. South Dakota, Officers remaining, no Assembly, but a virtual conference is being discussed.
  • North Dakota tried to do electronic working with RIC Dennis Newman, will follow up with MIC David and RIC Leo.
  • South Dakota – September 19, 2020 –  Zoom Session. 0900 CDT
  • Wisconsin – September 12, 2020 – Zoom Session.

Northeast South – Nothing new.

  • D.C. – Possible November meeting.
  • Maryland mid-year cancelled, looking forward to October, will follow up.

Northeast North

  • Connecticut – 3-5, 2021
  • Maine – April 2021
  • Massachusetts – October (second or third weekend)
  • New Hampshire – May 8, 2021 – One day.
  • New York – August 2021 – Follow up with Session – No Grand Assembly, Officers staying in position.
  • Rhode Island – April 2021
  • Vermont – Killington, VT – June 7, 2021
  • Reported from the Grand Recorders Conference call.

Northwest

  • Wyoming – Sessions in person – closed. September 19, 2020.
  • Colorado – Zoom September 11, 2020.
  • Washington – Successful Zoom Sessions. – May 2021
  • Idaho – Successful Zoom Sessions. April – 2021
    • Grand Master reducing restrictions (meetings with guidelines)
    • September Grand Lodge
  • Montana – Successful Zoom Grand Sessions. – June 2021
  • Oregon – Cancelled – GR in Lander, Wyoming – April 2021
  • Alaska – Sessions before shutdown. – March 2021

South America

  • Brazil – everything is closed – each state is setting guidelines, Brazilia, everything will start to open 1st August. Rolling open organizations by type. Rio de Janero is open due to tourism. Back to lockdown in some states. Flights are open, but less than normal. Each Lodge and Council determines daily.

South Central – Officially a virtual meeting for the York Rite Conference. Friday will be Chapter in morning, business meeting at 11:30 and Council at 1:00PM. GGOs, CMMRF and overview on awards, especially the Ritual Award. Need a Grand Recorders Meeting.

  • Oklahoma – Cancelling all in person events. Grand Council officers were installed on June 27, 2020.
  • Schedule is forthcoming. 2021- Coming back to Kansas for the 17-18 September 2021. Will continue state by state.
  • Missouri – successful Sessions electronically using WebEx.
  • Arkansas Grand Session in question due to Grand Lodge Bylaws. Arkansas August 29, 2020 on Zoom.

Southeast –.

  • Alabama – March 2021
  • Florida – communicating a lot on Zoom. May 2021
    • GM closed 2 Districts due to COVID – rest of state is open.
  • Georgia – May 2021
  • Mississippi – July 24, 2020 Zoom conference. All other states have had their Grand Sessions.
  • North Carolina – March 2021
    • Maggie Valley – July 2021
  • South Carolina – March 2021

Southwest – Pretty much locked down, California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico locked down.

  • Arizona Grand Sessions: Zoom session went well. August 2021
  • California – Successful Sessions. May 2021.
  • Hawaii – February 2021
  • Nevada on the 25th of August – June 2021
    • Special Assembly on Zoom.
  • New Mexico – April 2021
  • Utah Successful Sessions – June 2021.

Final Words

  • General Grand Chapter has postponed GG Chapter Triennial – November 7, 2021 virtually.
  • Regional Deputy Reports and PICTURES.
  • DGGM – Everyone stay safe and healthy
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