The Grand Lodge Messenger

 
May 2024
 
 

From the Desk of the Grand Master:
 
M.W. Steve C. Martin

Fraternal Greetings Brethren,

What a year it has been.  I have had the opportunity of a lifetime to serve as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Washington.  I have traveled to Washington, DC, North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and finally Scotland.  I attended lodge meetings, Annual Communications, and special events.  I have met Brothers and their families from all over the world and have enjoyed every minute of it.  I have played golf with brothers, eaten meals with brothers, visited their homes, and gotten to know many brothers I may not have had the opportunity to get to know in any other circumstance.  I talked about being All In, I talked about the obligation to travel, and I talked about enjoying what being a mason has to offer.  I wanted to lead by example and hopefully make the Fraternity just a little bit better when I left, than it was when I started.  I hope that is how I will be remembered. 



 
   
Brotherly Love to all,




Steve C. Martin 

Grand Master
     
 
From the Desk of the Grand Secretary:

R.W. Clinton M. Brown, Jr.

 
 

The Grand Lodge office is busy getting ready for the 167th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Washington in Wenatchee, Washington on June 14 and 15, 2024.  We look forward to seeing you all there.  Please note that registration for the Annual Communication ends on Thursday, May 23, 2024.  This does not mean that you cannot register at the event.  However, you will not be able to purchase tickets for meals and the ladies’ events after this date.  You can also expect long lines if you do not pre-register prior to the Annual Communication.  You can go online and register at: https://freemason-wa.org/annual-communication/.
 
If you are coming to Annual Communication, please make sure that you bring a copy of your current dues card which can be obtained from Grand View or from your Lodge Secretary.  You can also use your virtual dues card from Grand View on your smart phone. If you are carrying a proxy, please make sure that you bring the proxy with you and that it is signed by the Lodge officer who is assigning the proxy.  Remember that in order for your Lodge to be considered represented at the Annual Communication, either the Worshipful Master or one of the Wardens must be present or have given their proxy to a Master Mason in Good Standing from their Lodge.  A past master does not count as representing a Lodge unless he is carrying a proxy from one of the three principal officers. 
 
It has come to my attention that the IRS has been sending out notices to some Lodges notifying them that they have not filed their required 990 tax return even though they have.  This is an error on the part of the IRS.  I am currently working with the IRS to determine what needs to be done to correct this error.  Please do not throw these notices away.  We may need to reference them in the future.  Once I have identified a solution to this issue, I will let the Lodge Masters and Secretaries know what they need to do, if anything.
 




 
Sincerely and Fraternally,


Clinton M. Brown, Jr.
Grand Secretary
 
From the Desk of the Assistant Grand Secretary:

V.W. Clayton M. M. La Vigne



 

 

Wow. It’s hard to believe there’s only 5 weeks left until the Annual Communication. 

Please review RWB Clint’s notes on the deadline for registering, and also concerning proxies. 

As you might know, we have many resolutions to consider and vote on at this Annual Communication. Some of you might have already heard them in Lodge. And yes, I understand, listening to them being read in Lodge can be one of the more mundane meetings for the year. That being said, these resolutions cover many topics that can or will affect your Lodge. There are six carry-overs, and 14 new resolutions for this year. I strongly encourage you to read them yourself, on your own time, and then discuss them with your Brothers in your off-time. You can find the resolution booklet in Grandview, under My Portal, Resources, Master Mason. It’s towards the top of the list. The Statements of Availability are in Grandview as well, and I encourage you to look at them as well, as you will be voting on who will be leading our Fraternity in a few years. 

As we do every year, we will need assistance with the setting up and tearing down of the Grand Lodge furniture, etc. This includes loading and unloading the truck at the Grand Lodge office and at the Convention Center, and also setting up and taking down the Lodge room. We will load the truck on Tuesday, June 11th, in the morning, and unload it the following day (June 12) in the early afternoon. We will load the truck after the conclusion of the Grand Master’s Installation, and unload the truck at the Grand Lodge office the following Sunday, June 16, during the day. It’s a lot like a county fair or a rock concert. So if you’re available and would like to help, we would certainly appreciate it!

I will be seeing many of you in person next month. I truly look forward to it; it is one of my favorite parts of being at the Annual Communication. It will be a wonderful time for fellowship. 

See you next month!
 



      
                             
Fraternal Regards,

Clayton LaVigne
Assistant Grand Secretary

 
 
                                                                                

  
From the Desk of the WAMS Executive Director:
Megan Ferland

Dear Masonic Family, 

When I started with Washington Masonic Services, then-Grand Master Edward Woods suggested I read Freemasons for Dummies. One of the sections I found most helpful defined what Masons believe in as Brotherly love, trust, and relief, and explained relief as “mutual aid for fellow Masons and charity for others.”  As the charitable entity for the Grand Lodge, that definition speaks to the core of what Washington Masonic Services does as we seek to serve Masons and their families, as well community members without Masonic affiliation. The common thread is people needing relief. Seniors needing skilled assistance to age in place safely and with dignity. People facing daunting life safety needs, such as for food or shelter. Students in need of support in their educational journey. 

Knowing that Blue Lodges are providing relief in your communities statewide, this year as part of our service to you we started a Lodge Match program designed to double the impact of your efforts. WAMS will match up to $1,500 per proposal for eligible pre-K through 12th grade Education or Community Needs programs (i.e. food, shelter, food, shelter, clothing). Both the Education and Community pools started with $25,000 available in matching funds. Proposals have come from every size of lodge, and from every region of our jurisdiction. Among others, funded programs include food banks, job training, school supplies for low income and foster kids, support for special needs classrooms and therapies, and early learning programs. We finished our fiscal year on April 30th having approved $11,230.59 in Education and $15,800.00 in Community requests. With the match, our Masonic Family has made a statewide impact of $54,061 through the initial Lodge Match program. We’re excited to partner with Lodges to grow Lodge Match this year.

We also launched the WAMS Lodge Liaison network last year. The Lodge Liaison is their Lodge’s dedicated representative, acting as a resource to help connect members to our programs, especially Outreach Services. The paramount focus of Outreach Services is to help seniors lead meaningful and dignified lives, providing peace of mind to both the senior and their loved ones. Outreach Services are here for Masons and their families, as well as other people in the community who are facing urgent, critical needs that can’t be met through alternate resources. As someone familiar, the Lodge Liaison can be an invaluable connection for someone who may need the relief of Outreach Services but is hesitant to contact a stranger. For example, one Lodge Liaison has worked with a Case Manager to provide needed medical equipment that wasn’t covered by insurance. The Lodge Liaison can also be the vital contact to ensure that information on other WAMS opportunities, such as scholarships, is shared with the families who can benefit most. In our first year, we have 25 Lodge Liaisons active, so 17% of the 147 chartered Blue Lodges in our jurisdiction designated a Liaison. We appreciate their participation. Your partnership will ensure we’re able to serve more Masons, your families, and communities.



Respectfully,

 



Megan Ferland
Executive Director 
 
Washington Masonic Services


(formerly Washington Masonic Charities)




 
 
 
 
 
 
Grand Lodge Events




Friday Harbor Outdoor Fellowcraft Degree
Sat, May 18, 2024
Salmon bake at 11:00, $20 per person
Busses leave at 12:30 PM to the Mausoleum
San Juan Lodge, No. 175
15 2nd St. N.
Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Pirate Degree
Friday, May 24, 6:00 PM
Port Orchard-John Paul Jones Lodge, No. 98
1025 Sidney Ave
Port Orchard, WA 98366

Tacoma Apron Memorial
Monday, May 27, 2:00 PM
New Tacoma Cemeteries
9212 Chambers Creek Road W
Tacoma, WA 98467

Thornton F McElroy Table Lodge
Fri, May 31, 2024, 6:00 PM
Tickets are $60
Contact WB Tom Crawford (206)805-9876 or purchase at the door
Thornton F. McElroy Lodge No. 302
1700 S 340th St.
Federal Way, WA 98003

Crystal Lodge Rededication
Sat, June 1, 10:00 AM
Crystal Lodge, No. 122
419 Columbia Ave
Marysville, WA 98270

167th Annual Communication
June 13-15, 2024 
Wenatchee Convention Center
121 N Wenatchee Ave.
Wenatchee, WA 98801