The Best Show Up. Recorded attendance at the Leadership Academy held on November 4, 2017 in Topeka was 215. While this number is impressive, it represents less than one member per lodge. If just the wardens of each lodge came, there would be 436 in attendance plus the usual cadre of Area and District Deputy Grand Masters and Grand Lodge officers. It is reflective of the state of Masonry in Kansas. If you assume that 100 lodges are dead or disconnected from Masonry, then we’re pretty close to an average of 2 members from each breathing lodge. The reality is that those gathered in Topeka are the heart of Kansas Masonry; those interested in actually seeking Masonic light and learning ways to raise the value of Masonry for their lodges. Thanks to those brethren who made the trip. You are truly the top 1.26%.
Defibrillation for KSLOR
KSLOR Leadership Meets. With the departure of Bro. Crary from Kansas and two KSLOR meetings canceled due to lack of coordination, the remaining leaders and interested Masons met over lunch in Topeka to discuss the way forward. R:. W:. Wayne Rector assumed the role as Worshipful Master, Bro. Frank Keedy assumed Senior Warden, and M:. W:. Daren Kellerman agreed to and was appointed Junior Warden. The next meeting was tentatively set for Saturday, February 4, 2018 at Emporia State University the evening of the Grand Lodge Officer Orientation. KSLOR will develop online synopses for each of the 12 brothers who responded to the Speakers Bureau solicitation for speakers.
Grand Lodge Building. The concluding session was a well-researched and delivered summary of where we are in the decision-making process whether to preserve or abandon our 100-year-old Grand Lodge landmark at 320 SW 8th Ave in Topeka. MW Cole did an amazing job giving the leaders all the puts-takes. The bottom line: We Kansas Masons need to commit to an average of $365 per Mason donation within a year in order to proceed. Knowing that only 10% will likely invest in their own hallowed legacy means we few-proud Masons will need to donate $3650 per Mason. That’s a huge chunk. And we still need to finish the 50th Anniversary $20 million Kansas Masonic Foundation campaign. I have learned – “Never fall in love with a building. It will not love you back.” So it is with the Grand Lodge building. We Kansas Masons who participate in the Craft comprise the Grand Lodge. Where the administration, operations, archiving, and artifact display takes place is immaterial as long as it is effective for the Craft. If we err, let’s err on the side of preserving the Craft and move to a building we can afford. Maybe we can obtain another Masonic landmark in Kansas for the purpose before it either gets sold or falls to ruin, like the Masonic temple in Salina or the Scottish Rite building in Topeka. In ALL cases, Kansas Masons need to express their opinion NOW through the Grand Lodge web site Grand Lodge Building Survey page.