Together in Unity - The Family of Freemasonry

Brethren:

As I write this newsletter, I am in my third week as your Grand Master. I deeply appreciate the trust you have given me, and as I said at our annual communication, I will do my best to represent you as Grand Master of our Utah jurisdiction.

Speaking of representation, DGM Jim Woodward, GS Blaine Simons, Curtis Lancaster and myself are just getting back from the Conference of Grand Masters held this year in Calgary, Canada. It was a great conference which allowed us a valuable opportunity to meet our North American counterparts as well as Masons from around the world. This conference is one of the best opportunities available to learn about our Masonic fraternity in North America and around the world. Although I was impressed with many of the various Masonic jurisdictions (some 50 times our size), I can report to you that Utah is second to none in the quality and dedication of its members. Brethren, because of your hard work and dedication, I was proud to sit around that U-shaped table of some 65 Grand Masters and represent the Grand Lodge of Utah.

The conference also offered a day of breakout sessions where certain topics were discussed. Jim and I took advantage of the learning experience and will be presenting some of the material to you over the coming year. Two sessions that did stand out dealt with presenting our fraternity to the general public (basically using an active public relations committee) and with using the newest technology to communicate with the general public as well as with the members of our fraternity.

Speaking of the latter, our own Internet Technology and Communications committee is hard at work on our website and I encourage all of you to visit the website often. It is our objective to soon have an on-line educational function in conjunction with our Education Committee that will allow our members to continue their Masonic education via our website as well as other features presented by our various Grand Lodge committees. This should be very useful to our lodges out of the Salt Lake area and to our Masonic insomniacs who enjoy surfing the web late into the evening. The website address is: www.utahgrandlodge.org

On another technology matter, would any of our computer technowizards like to volunteer the effort to convert our degree slides to creative DVD presentations? Another jurisdiction has done this with great success. Contact me if you happen to be interested in this effort.

Trestleboard

We will have already visited Uintah, Bonneville, Gateway and St. Andrews lodges before you receive this newsletter.

March 4: Christopher Diehl Lodge No. 19 and Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 11

March 11: Canyon Lodge No. 13 and Twin Peaks Lodge No. 32

March 19: Carbon Lodge No. 16, Joppa Lodge No. 26, Orient Lodge No. 15 Lasal No. 30

March 19th: Our first All Day Workshop to be held in Price. Starting at 9 AM, we will go to about 3:30 or 4 PM with lunch provided by Grand Lodge. All Masons are invited. Please Come.

March 12: All Masonic Ball and Charity Auction

March 24: Scottish Rite Ceremony of Rememberance and Renewal (SLMT)

March 26: Daughters of the Nile Open Installation of Officers (2 pm SLMT)

Ridge Gilmour, Grand Master (PS: I would apologize for not getting out the February newsletter but someone suggested I just say “You’re Welcome”. Stay tuned for more.)