THE GRAND MASTER'S EXCELLENCY AWARD 2008-2009
1. Grand Lodge Attendance: The Worshipful Master, and either the Senior
or Junior Warden (total of 2 of top 3 officers) must have been present at
the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge in October 2008 The
report must show the names of the Officers attending.
Master John West, SW Ron Ledford, JW Johnny Yates attended.
15. Other Lodge Visitation: The Master and two of his principal officers
(Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, or Secretary) plus four other
members make a minimum of three visits, as a group, to lodges other than
their own during the qualifying period. The report on the visits must
show the dates, the lodges visited, and identify the officers and members
who made the visits.
9-18-08 The Master, SW, JW, SS, Marshall and Bros. Stipe & Crossfield visited Franklin #28.
12-23-08 The Master, SW, JW, SD, JD, MARSHALL and Bros. Jeremy Miller, David Williams and Jonathan Collett visited Harvey McGuire # 209
2-16-09 The Master, SW, Sec., SD, Marshall, JS and Devin Estes visited #209
3-5-09 The Master, SW, Sec., Marshall, Tyler and Russell Ray visited McKinney #631
7-16-09 The Master, SW, Sec., Treasurer, Marshall, JS,Tyler, Thomas Brown and Russell Ray visited Wilmore #922
The Grand Master’s Excellency Award has very high achievement
requirements and is the highest award a lodge can receive. Although the
qualifications are set high, a lodge can choose those areas in which they currently
excel and then look to the challenges that best suit the talents of their officers and
members.
The award is designed to raise the overall proficiency of a lodge by
encouraging it to broaden its horizons by focusing on specific challenges. The
Grand Masters Excellency Award will be presented at the Annual Communication
of the Grand Lodge in October of 2009 to those lodges that meet twelve (12) of the
(19) requirements after which the lodge has met their responsibility, which is
covered in the Constitution.
The time frame used by lodges seeking qualifications is from September 1,
2008 through August 15, 2009. All applications must be signed by the Worshipful
Master and certified by the Lodge Secretary with his signature and the seal of the
Lodge. The Applications will then be sent to the Area Officer and a copy to the
Awards Committee Chairman, Mike Knight at 708 Jock Rd. Bee Spring KY 42207
E-Mail lnknight@alltel.net The applications must be received by them no later than
August 30, 2009. Any application presented after this date will not be eligible for
review. The Chairman of the Awards committee will mail a letter to the Grand
Secretary and copy each
1. Grand Lodge Attendance: The Master, and either the Senior or Junior Warden (total of 2 of top 3 officers) must have been present at the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge in October 2008 The report must show the names of the Officers attending.***Note. If an officer is unable to attend due to extenuating circumstances, for example, sickness, death, or other valid reasons, and a proxy attends, the lodge may apply to the DDGM & Area Officer for relief. If they determine that the absence was due to justifiable reasons, the lodge will then be considered to have met the requirements for Grand Lodge attendance.
2. Masonic Funeral Ceremony: Your Lodge has one or more members that can and does Confer Masonic Funerals by memory ‘not read’. Give name of brother and when he last performed it. Or if the lodge does not have anyone that does, then this is a place to get started for this point. If a brother of this lodge learns it and wishes to perform it before the lodge, please invite the DDGM or Keeper of the Work or elected or appointed Grand Lodge officer to attend. This will count by giving time and place it was heard.
3. Conferral of Degrees: to achieve this point for the lodge, one or more members of this lodge must give from memory, “not read”, all of the following: Confer as Master or acting Master from the East the EA Degree first section. Confer as Master or acting Master from the East the FC Degree first section. Confer as Master or acting Master from the East the MM Degree first section. The report must show the names of the ritualist, date performed in his lodge, or was witness by the DDGM or Keepers of the Work or Grand Lodge officer? All can be given by one brother. Note: In the Constitution under Digest sec. 18 it gives authorized books by Grand Lodge (trestle board, the Kentucky Monitor, th ky rtl, and the Kentucky Ritual, are acceptable for use by its members, revised (2006) For the purpose of this ritualistic performance, the work known by your lodge, regardless of what source it came from, it must be performed in a dignified, creditable, proficient manner. Plain and simple my brothers, CONFERRED not PUT ON. We all have seen PUT ON Degrees.
4. Lodge Ritual Point: to achieve this point for the lodge, one or more members must give from memory, “not read”, all of the following: 1. Bible Lecture-EA, 2. Apron presentation EA, 3. Charge in one of the degrees, 4. Letter “G” 5. Give MM degree lecture in open lodge. It may take two, one to ask and another to answer. The report must show the names of the ritualist; date performed in his lodge, or was witness by the DDGM or Keepers of the Work or Grand Lodge officer. All can be given by one brother.
5. Attend your own District Meeting: All elected and appointed officers of the lodge ( Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, Secretary, Chaplain, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Senior Steward, Junior Steward, Tyler) must be present at their own District Meeting. ***Note: If an officer is unable to attend due to extenuating circumstances, for example, sickness, death or other valid reasons, the lodge may apply to the DDGM & Area Officer for relief. If they determine that the absence was due to justifiable reasons, the lodge will then be considered to have met the requirements for that office being filled.
6. Masonic Education Conferences: Attend one of the 2009 Area Masonic Education Conferences: The Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, and any two of the remaining officers must attend the Program.
7. Masons Helping Masons Fund: The lodge contributes an amount equal to or greater than $2.00 per member to the Masons Helping Masons Fund. Any lodge contributing $2.00 or more per member will receive recognition by the Grand Lodge, This cannot be an assessment, but it may be from lodge funds, passing the hat, donations, or a fund raiser. (To be used forfuture relief of lodges that may have been hit by disaster, and not enoughinsurance, or to just help etc.. Funds administrated by agreement of majorityof the 3 Area Officers upon recommendation of current DDGM. (And fundsare available) The Rules & Criteria for the request will be published in theDDGM hand book.
8. Membership Program: Personally contact in person or by telephone all members in danger of being suspended. Discover the reason for nonpayment of dues. Also contact 50% of inactive local members (those who have not attended lodge during the prior Masonic year and living within 50 miles of the lodge). Produce and maintain a log to be attached to the application.
9. The lodge Master, Senior, or Junior Warden must get a copy of the questions on The Book of Constitution of the Grand Lodge, either from the Grand Lodge Web site, or ask the DDGM to give you a copy of the questions. Obtain an up to date Constitution or purchase one from GL. The lodge must have a constitution.
a. Complete the Written Test on the Constitution of GL of KY, filling it out completely “open book test”.
b. Look up the answers write them down along with the section (#)
c. Send the completed test to DDGM as proof work performed for this point. (have fun, call a lodge for instructions, get three or four constitutions, let all the brethren help by reading questions and looking them up. The reward will be immeasurable.
10. District Deputy Grand Masters Official Visit: All elected and appointed officers of the lodge ( Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, Secretary, Chaplain, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Senior Steward, Junior Steward, Tyler) must be present at the District Deputy Grand Masters Official Visit. If the District Deputy is an officer of the lodge, a member of the lodge will be substituted for him. No other substitutions will be allowed. The lodge will be opened in form on the Third Degree for the reception of the District Deputy Grand Master. ***Note: If an officer is unable to attend due to extenuating circumstances, for example, sickness, death, or other valid reasons, the lodge may apply to the DDGM & Area Officer for relief. If they determine that the absence was due to justifiable reasons, the lodge will then be considered to have met the requirements for the District Deputy Grand Masters Official Visit.
11. Open Installation of the Lodge; All elected and appointed officers of the lodge ( Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, Secretary, Chaplain, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Senior Steward, Junior Steward, Tyler) must be present at their own Open Installation of the Lodge. ***Note: If an officer is unable to attend due to extenuating circumstances, for example, sickness, death or other valid reasons, the lodge may apply to the DDGM & Area Officer for relief. If they determine that the absence was due to justifiable reasons, the lodge will then be considered to have met the requirements for that office being filled at the Open Installation of the Lodge.
12. Widows Communications: The lodge begins or continues an active communications program with the widows of lodge members including personal contact with them. Examples include, but are not limited to, sending holiday and birthday cards, giving holiday gifts, sending invitations to public functions of the lodge, and assure their financial needs are met. The lodge will provide the Grand Lodge with a current list of widows including addresses and telephone numbers or a contact person with a phone number. The report must describe the activities and actual results obtained.
13. Officers Proficiency: The three principal officers to be proficient in the ritualistic opening and closing of all three degrees and a minimum of eight 8) of the officers of the lodge consisting of the Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, Secretary, Chaplain, Senior Deacon, Junior Deacon, Senior Steward, Junior Steward and Tyler receive a Certificate of Proficiency in their station or place. They must have been examined and be recommended for a Certificate of Proficiency from the Grand Lodge by June 30, 2009.
14. Dinner Meetings; have at least five dinner meetings consisting of: One or two fraternal dinners for Masons only. These may be in conjunction with a called or stated meeting and are to be solely for the purpose of promoting Masonic and fraternal fellowship, friendship, and brotherly love. Report the dates of the meetings, the topics presented at each, and number attending One or two dinners for ladies and families that includes a speaker or some type of entertainment for the family. Report the dates of the meetings and the topics presented at each. Host a Widows Sweetheart night for example.
Father and Son and/or Daughter: Host a Father and Son and/or
Daughter Night (grandchildren included) with a lodge meal and program. The report must give the date, attendance, and program.
Observing Past Masters Night, including a dinner and some type of special recognition for these brethren. Report the date and program.
Host a lodge dinner for prospective candidates and their families, featuring a speaker on Freemasonry. The intention is to make prospective candidates and their families comfortable with Masonry and answer any questions they may have. The reports must show the date, number of prospective candidates and their families, an outline of topics presented and number attending.
15. Other Lodge Visitation: The Master and two of his principal officers (Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, or Secretary) plus four other members make a minimum of three visits, as a group, to lodges other than their own during the qualifying period. The report on the visits must show the dates, the lodges visited, and identify the officers and members who made the visits.
16. Cornerstones of Public Buildings: The lodge will secure in writing an official invitation for the Grand Lodge to lay the cornerstone for a new church or other public building. (We suggest and encourage for historicalreasons that that the stone be allowed to have Date, Year, Square &Compasses, and Grand Masters name engraved upon it.) The confirm date of the ceremony be after the qualification period as long as the Grand Master receives the invitation within the qualification period. The report must give the church or public building, the date of ceremony, and the date agreed upon by the Grand Master.
17. Scholarship Program & or Community Awareness: Implement a scholarship with a local school. Host a lodge dinner for the recipients and their families, community leaders and teachers from the local schools. The report must show the names of the scholarship recipients, date of the lodge function, and number attending. And OR perform something in Community: The lodge host a community fund raiser or volunteer for a community project such as Hospice, Habitat, Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Meals-On-Wheels, Camp for Children with Cancer. Write a letter telling of your involvement and achievements with this program.
18. Visit a Masonic Youth Group: The Master, Senior Warden or Junior Warden plus four other members make a visit, as a group, to a Chapter, Assembly and/or Bethel meeting during the qualifying period or have a representative of one of the Youth Groups come to their lodge and speak on behalf of their organization at a dinner. Show time and date of function
19. Kentucky Ritualist Award: The lodge may get a point for having one or more of its brothers that attains the very Coveted Kentucky Ritualist Award by achieving any level of the Awards.
THE GRAND MASTER'S EXCELLENCY AWARD 2007-2008
10 of the 16 requirements must be met to receive this award.
All applications must be signed by the Master and certified by
the Lodge Secretary with his signature and the seal of the lodge. The
applications must be received by the Grand Lodge Office by August 30,
2008.
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