160th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of California

The 160th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of California is currently taking place at the California Masonic Memorial Temple in San Francisco. Grand Lodge opened on ritualistic form yesterday morning, October 2. The ritual was performed very well in a deliberate manner with excellent floor work.

Yesterday evening, the visiting Grand Masters and their wives were invited to attend a dinner hosted by Grand Master Larry Adamson and his lady, Lynn. It was a wonderful evening with good food and good fellowship. We had an opportunity to visit with old friends and make new ones.

The regular business of Grand Lodge continued today, with discussion of resolutions, adoption of the budget and per capita, and the elections of Grand Lodge officers for 2009/2010. Kenneth G. Nagel was elected Grand Master, William J. Bray III was elected Deputy Grand Master, Frank Loui was elected Senior Grand Warden, and John F. Lowe was elected Junior Grand Warden.

During the noon break, I visited the Henry Wilson Coil Library and Museum of Freemasonry and its curator, Adam Kendall. At the end of the business day, I had the honor of presenting Bill Bray with his Alaska Past Master’s apron from Kodiak Lodge No. 9.

This evening, Beth and I attended the Grand Master’s Banquet at San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel. A highlight of this evening’s events was the Grand Master’s announcement that the members of the Grand Lodge of California had voted in favor of sharing its jurisdiction with the Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile.