Monument Lodge hosts Grand Master of Masons

Dick Rhoda, Special to the Houlton Pioneer Times, Special to The County
12 years ago

    HOULTON, Maine — On June 23, Monument Lodge hosted A. James Ross the new Grand Master of Masons in Maine. Two dozen Masons representing lodges from Danforth and Sherman to Fort Kent were present.
    Installed as the leader of Maine Masons in early May, this was the sixth and final regional meeting Ross has held promoting strategic and improvement plans for the 186 lodges which he oversees.
Topics ranged from a lodge self-assessment survey to ideas for a successful Fellowship Night and for a “Rookie Award” for newly made Master Masons who meet certain criteria during their first year as a Mason.
“The future of our fraternity and our ability to grow is highly dependent on being able to engage and intergrate our new members into activities of the lodge,” Ross said.
He encouraged the lodges to prepare for a successful Fellowship Night by following the six-step program, which was presented and to host an open house this fall.
“The lodge is looking forward to taking part in the Maine Masonic Lodge Open House Day scheduled for Oct. 20,” said Clarence Jones, master of Monument Lodge. “This will be a statewide program for all lodges to be open to the public to stop in and learn about Freemasonry. We understand that Grand Master Ross will be in Aroostook County that day and we hope he can be a special guest at our lodge that morning.”
Also attending the Saturday meeting were David Walker of Monmouth, the new Deputy Grand Master who will lead the fraternity in 2014 and “Pat” Webber of Carmel who spoke on special fellowship events.
Leaders of the Grand Lodge of Maine took time Saturday to view the George Washington Maine Masonic Monument. It was erected in 1999 with donations from various Maine Masonic bodies to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Washington’s death and is the only public monument to him in the State. Present were Jim Catell, District Deputy of Millinocket; A. James Ross, Grand Master, of Windham; David Walker, Deputy Grand Master, of Monmouth; and Larry Greenlaw, Master of Island Falls Lodge No. 206.