Annual Communication

Updated 8/28/2020
Due to the COVID-19/Coronavirus Pandemic, the 233rd Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge will be held VIRTUALLY on September 25, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. Each Lodge shall designate ONE delegate to carry their lodge's three votes. Each delegate shall assemble in the location designated by their District Deputy Grand Master and participate in the Annual Communication electronically.

Instructions for delegates:

1. One delegate from each lodge in a district will gather at the prescribed meeting place selected by the District Deputy Grand Master before 10am on Friday, September 25th. This delegate is usually the master or wardens, but can be any master mason in good standing in their lodge. This delegate will carry three votes for the master and wardens, and therefore will need proxies for two or three officers.
2. Each delegate will present his credentials, provided to him by the lodge secretary, to the DDGM or registrar at the door before entering the meeting space.
3. Each delegate will submit to a health screen and sign a release before entering. The form containing the screen and release is here. It will be provided at the door also.
4. Upon entering the space, delegates will sit six feet apart and wear a mask. Per the Grand Master's order, there shall not be more than 10 people in a room. If more than ten delegates, including the DDGM, are present, then the DDGM will have made provisions for a second viewing room with the DDGL as a docent for it.
5. Once everyone is seated and ready, the DDGM (and DDGL if a second room is used) will join the zoom meeting and be let into the waiting room to join the other districts.
6. After the Grand Master opens a Grand Lodge with a quorum at the Winston Salem Masonic Center, each district's video and audio stream will be transmitted via secure channel at 10AM and be admitted to the Grand Lodge from the waiting room.
7. The Grand Master will present these items for consideration: Appeals, Past Grand Master Sigmon's Final Report, his interim report, Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 11, and the Annual Budget. Links to this information are below.
8. Votes will be taken by a show of hands or by written ballot and passed to the end of each row, just like all previous annual communications. DDGMs will report them to the Grand Master in the virtual East via encrypted and secure channels. Since the DDGMs collect votes at a non-virtual communication, this is no different. The Grand Master will then declare the ballot closed and announce the vote.

2020 Information

• IMPORTANT LETTER CONCERNING THE ANNUAL COMMUNICATION FROM THE GRAND MASTER
• 2020 Proposed Amendments to the Code
• 2020 Credentials Form
• 2020 Reports Book
• Health Screening Form and Waiver
• 2020 Budget Webinar/Amendment Review Monday, August 31 at 7:30pm (please email info@glnc.us for login information)
• 2020 Amendment Webinar/Amendment Review Tuesday, September 1 at 7pm (please email info@glnc.us for login information)
• 2020 Board, Committee, and Commission Meeting Schedule (TBD)

2019 Information

• 2019 Reports Book (hard copies available at the annual communication for lodge delegates)
• The amendments passed at the 2019 Annual Communication have been updated in the Code.

Hotels in the area (NOT APPLICABLE FOR 2020)