199th Grand Lodge Annual Communication Special Announcement FAQ
Because of limitations imposed upon us by local health department regulations we do not believe that it will be possible for everyone to attend the 199th Annual Communication. We also do not wish to require attendance during this pandemic for those who would prefer not to attend. Therefore, lodges will be exempt from all requirements to have a representative in attendance at the 199th Annual Communication.
Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of the State of Missouri 199th Annual Communication Monday, September 21, 2020, at 10 a.m. Holiday Inn Executive Center – Columbia, Missouri
Invitation to Submit an Attendance Request
The 199th Annual Communication will be held on a single day to allow attendees the ability to attend and return home in the same day. The Annual Communication will include the presentation of, and voting on, the Grand Master’s Address; election of officers; election of the Masonic Home Board, and legislation. No awards will not be presented at the Annual Communication this year. They will be presented at upcoming Area Meetings or other appropriate venues.
In order to attend the 199th Annual Communication, you must log on to the Grand Lodge portal and complete the Attendance Request. (Instructions are below.) We will use the Attendance Requests that are submitted to compile a list of those Brethren desiring to attend and a selection of attendees will be made from this list. The selection of attendees will be prioritized to include a randomized selection of sitting Masters of lodges from all regions of the state, and then proxies and other representatives of lodges so that as many lodges are represented as possible.
PLEASE NOTE: The Attendance Request is NOT a registration. Filling out the form does not automatically guarantee you a spot at the Annual Communication. Attendance Requests can only be made through the portal and Brethren are urged to assist individuals who might not have access to the portal.
It is expected that applicants will be notified regarding the results of the selection process on or before September 13, 2020. Notification will be via email and will include further details and seating assignments.
Attendance records and seating assignments are critical in maintaining health department regulations. Consequently, no one will be allowed to attend the 199th Annual Communication who has not submitted an Attendance Request through the portal and was selected to attend. Individual requests to not use the portal cannot be supported.
Attendance is limited to voting members of Grand Lodge, i.e. Masters, Wardens, and Past Masters of Missouri lodges. There will be no room for guests from other jurisdictions, nor for non-voting Master Mason. There are no extraneous activities planned for wives or ladies for this year, and there will not be a hospitality room. Dues cards, vendors, and the Grand Lodge office staff will not be present and the Masonic Complex will be closed.
Keep in mind that, if you are selected to attend, you will be expected to abide by all of the social distancing rules mandated at that time, including, but not limited to, the wearing of face masks and maintaining a physical distance from each other. If you are unwilling to do so, you will be asked to leave. Also, by submitting a request, you agree to hold the Grand Lodge of Missouri harmless should you be exposed to, or contract COVID-19 or any other condition, if you attend the Annual Communication. If you feel you cannot abide by such rules, please do not request attendance so that others may attend.
Though Annual Communication will look different than it has in the past, we hope to greet as many of you as we can. One thing is for sure, it will be an Annual Communication that no one will forget.
MWB Stanton T. Brown, II Grand Master 2019-2020
Request to Attend Instructions
1) Go to the Grand Lodge website.
2) Log on via the button, “Member Portal”.
3) Click “My Portal” at the top of the screen.
4) Click on last tile, “Request to Attend 2020 Annual Communication”.
5) Read the document, scroll down, and click the button at the bottom.
6) The screen will change back to the portal, and a pale green bar will appear with “Request Submitted”. You have now submitted your request to attend.
FAQ
1) Q: Will the Grand Lodge Annual Communication be live streamed?
A: No. Missouri does not allow a tiled meeting to be live-streamed, and the Grand Lodge is no exception. The installation will not be tiled, so plans are currently moving ahead to have the installation live-streamed.
2) Q: If a Lodge has an installation between now and the Grand Lodge Annual Communication, which officers should submit a make a Request to Attend?
A: All Missouri Master Masons are eligible to submit a Request to Attend.
Priority will be given to sitting Worshipful Masters, as of the date of the Annual Communication, on September 21, 2020.
For further questions and support, please email: requests@momason.org
