South Central Region Happenings – November 27, 2020
Submitted by Steve Balke, General Grand Recorder, Cryptic Masons International

John L. Logan
South Central Regional Deputy General Grand Master

 

On November 27, a regional conference call was held with the South Central Region South Grand Recorders. These calls will be mentioned in the Decryption as a way to notify every Companion of what is happening with each Region. The Jurisdictional Highlights of the call are below. Other Regional Calls will be covered in the upcoming weeks.

In Attendance: Michele Balke, Dennis Newman, George Bauder, Marv Schendel, Carl Lidstrom, and Stephen Balke.

Invocation: Stephen Balke

Sickness & Distress: Robin Hill is in the hospital.

General Grand Council

1. Triennial Convocation – 
   1. Lessons learned – We have tech support in a breakout room. Translated items should be staged with a slide deck.
   2. WhatsApp was successful for several languages.
   3. Feedback: if you don’t attend practices, your technical issues should not hold up the meeting.
2. Concentrating on the distribution of labor and getting programs and projects done.
   1. Website suggestion – navigation menu headers are not links – leave the links below.
3. 48th Triennial Assembly Meetings
   1. 1st Meeting (Tentative Planning) 2021
      1. Sunday, August 15, 2021 – Lunch/Afternoon Meeting
      2. Monday, August 16, 2021 – Followup
   2. 2nd Meeting – Virtual 2022 – TBA
   3. 3rd Meeting – 2023 – Establishing dates now.

North Central Region

1. Pretty much closed down across the North Central
2. The North Central Conference
   1. Went well – virtual sessions – Council Separated from Chapter, two individual sessions.
      1. Generated $370.00 for CMMRF
   2. October 22-23, 2021 Planned in person. Sioux Falls, SD.
   3. Will do more planning as we get closer – working on the announcement by June.

Jurisdictions

• Iowa
• Minnesota
  • January Festivals to be cancelled due to COVID.
  • February – Council Statewide Festival likely to be cancelled.
  • Most Councils are meeting via Zoom.
  • Education Council – First SUCCESSFUL meeting!
• Nebraska
  • Grand Lodge to go to a day and a half session.
  • York Rite Sessions – Planned in person in Kearney, NE
    • April 15-17, 2021
    • Holiday Inn
    • May go to virtual.
  • Lodge/Chapter/Council/Commandery – Meeting in person or virtually (by decision of the leadership.
  • Governor not implementing mandatory health restrictions, Mayors for urban areas implementing social distancing restrictions. Business is affected (capacities).
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
  • Eastern state – wide open, having Lodge/York Rite meetings.
  • Central state – wide open.
  • Western state – Only two Masonic bodies meeting (limiting to the dining room, can have meetings). Some restrictions on facilities and utilization.
  • Zoom meetings are being used, many are still operating.
  • Concerns regarding the value of membership, retention of active members.
    • Suggested: Educational opportunities listing on the calendar.
    • Suggested: Blog/Vlog/Pod Cast listing for Masonic content.
• Wisconsin

What If?

• MMM is done in some areas to expose Lodge members to the first degree of the Royal Arch.
• Past Master’s Degree is given in some states to Past Masters (also suggested – Masters Elect) to give people a platform to be questioned.

Questions to be Answered:

• Ritual – revisions, etc. – Planning to present at August 1st Triennial Assembly meeting.
  • Poll the membership for any eratta or inclusion possibilities.

Next Meeting December 31, 2020 – Noon CST

Benediction: Carl Lidstrom