The Grand Lodge of NC and the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Orient of North Carolina started a school for those filling the Deacons chairs to help prepare them to serve their lodge as master. The thought is that the deacons have a few years to work and plan for their year as master. This past Friday and Saturday night I attended the first of three sessions of this years class.
We started out with a tour of Whitestone Masonic and Eastern Star Home in Greensboro, NC. Whitestone is a 100 year old retirement community with anywhere from homes to skilled nursing care. It was wonderful to spend some time touring the facilities and talking to some of the residents that live in the community. They are one of the major charities sponsored by the Grand Lodge of NC. I would urge any mason in NC to visit and see what we are doing with our money.
After the tour we met at Haw River State Park Conference Center for dinner and to start our sessions. After a great meal we met up for an informal social time where we met each of the brethren present and were introduced to the staff. There are 36 students that make up the class and every one of them is sitting as either a Junior or Senior Deacon.We spent the remainder of the night getting to know each other.
The following morning we had breakfast and then was supposed to take part in a Fitness Course for team building exercises. We had bad storms that night so the events were moved inside where we participated in team building events. We then started the formal classroom sessions. Throughout the day we had sessions on Planning I and II, Whitestone, How it really began, Communications I, and Motivating your lodge. It was a full day and a lot of great masonic knowledge was shared.
The next two sessions will take place at the end of March and April and will be held at The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford located in Oxford, NC and The Grand Lodge of NC in Raleigh. I look forward to these next two sessions and hope to be able to be an effective leader in my lodge if elected to do so. Many thanks go out to those involved in putting together this school and for the instructors passing on their knowledge.
I would encourage any mason that has the opportunity to take part in leadership courses offered by their Grand Lode to do so. You will gain valuable information as well as meet brethren throughout the state that you might not have had the chance to meet. Click here for more information of Wilkerson College to find out the history and what is covered.
