Page 15 - 2020 Summer

done everything from district forums, topic meetings featuring guest Our Committee will be creating a more detailed questionnaire that
speakers, and even a roast, all through teleconferencing. We have will be disseminated throughout the Jurisdiction in the near future.
also held four District meetings with our Elected Grand Lodge When you receive it, I encourage you to share it with your Lodges
officers, our Deputies, and the Brethren of the District in the month of and membership, and reply to our committee with your ideas, what
April. These meetings were also attended by brethren throughout the works and what doesn’t, and any issues that your Lodge or district
Jurisdiction, some to learn how the teleconferencing works, and might have involving electronic communication.
many to catch up on the fellowship with brethren who live hours In addition, our Committee still has the survey with the following
away by automobile travel. link: glwastrategicplan.wordpress.com. We have not closed the
Some areas of our Jurisdiction are right in the middle of the survey, and we do check it for new entries on a regular basis. And I
technology sector, and their Lodges are having fun taking advantage remind you that all of the members of the Long-range Planning
of the many new capabilities that the latest technology offers. But committee are available to answer your questions to the best of our
then there are areas that do not have the internet capabilities that the ability.
more urban regions enjoy. I was surprised to find that there are Remember, there are many of our Brothers who don’t have the
towns, even cities, which do not have the high-speed internet that tech savvy of our younger members who grew up around computers.
many of us might even take for granted. I found these issues to be a Don’t leave them behind! You can hold classes, some online, some
learning experience, and in order for our Grand Jurisdiction to learn via phone, and when we resume in-person meetings, old-school
more about these issues, your Long-range planning committee is in classroom classes that offer a wonderful opportunity to educate our
search of your input. Brothers in new methods of communicating with each other. I have
found it quite rewarding to help our older members join our virtual
Here is what we are looking for: Lodge meetings by calling them on the phone and coaching them
through it. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s great to hear the Brothers being
 If your Lodge is using teleconferencing on a regular basis to welcomed in the meeting once they’ve logged on. The same thing
maintain its meeting schedule during this shutdown applies to our Grandview database – you can assist the other
 What your Lodge is doing via teleconferencing to enhance members of your Lodge to register onto Grandview, and then show
the membership experience among your members
 What events your district is holding via teleconferencing them its many features and ways to keep your Lodge connected.
 Other methods to interact with your Lodge membership, While this is a challenging period of time in history, it also is
other Lodges, or other regular Masonic entities which involve presenting an excellent opportunity for our Lodges, and our
modern technology Fraternity, to move forward and shine bright as a beacon in our
 If you plan to continue to use modern technology in your society. Take advantage of it! Have a great summer, and be sure to
Lodge or District in conjunction with your regular Stated do what it takes for us to be able to meet and enjoy great fellowship
Communications when they resume in the future
 Other items that relate to modern technology in Lodge later this year for the holidays!
communications. Fraternally,
VWB Clayton M. M. La Vigne, Chairman, Long-Range Planning

Committee

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