Meet, Act and Part

Greg and Darin catch up with MWB Roger VanGorden to discuss his role with the Masonic Renewal Committee and the latest Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America.

Greg, Bill, and Darin discuss the impact of Social Media on Freemasonry, along with its benefits and drawbacks.

Greg and Darin discuss the relationship of Magick and Freemasonry, and if Freemasonry is a magickal system.

Greg, Bill, and Darin discuss dressing for your lodge events and if it matters what you wear. Chock filled with references to a bygone era of Television, mild profanity, and lots of humor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_shot_J.R.%3F https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford_and_Son

Bill and Darin discuss the Grotto with Special Guests, Prophets Marty Kwilosz and Vance Martin. Marty is a Charter member and Past Monarch of CHI-ILL Grotto. He also serves as an appointed officer in El Jaala and Aliabad Grottoes. Within the realm of Grotto, Prophet Kwilosz is also the Secretary of the Illinois State Grotto Association and International Secretary for Mokanna’s Cigar Aficionados. Vance is a charter member of and the charter/current Monarch of Illini Grotto, out of Mahomet Illinois. https://scgrotto.org/

WB Jon D. Hinthorne (Joined Masonry in 2015 & Past Master Delta Lodge 2019-2022) and WB Toby Reed (Joined Masonry in 1981 & Past Master of Palestine Lodge (Now Wm. Sutton Lodge) 1990, 2003, 2004.) from the Grand Jurisdiction of Massachusetts join Greg, Bill and Darin to discuss Project Delta. Project Delta has an objective of providing comfort kits (small bags containing stuffed animals) to first responders to give to children who may be dealing with trauma stemming from the crisis situation to which the first responders are responding to. All too often Police, Fire, and EMS respond to calls where children are in the middle of an unpleasant situation. The program can allow these first responders to comfort the child or children involved in the incident and help to redirect their attention away from what they are going through at that moment by giving them a stuffed animal. If you are interested in helping to bring Project Delta to your lodge or jurisdiction, you can reach out to WB Jon Hinthorne at Jhinthorne@deltalodgeafam.org or Projectdelta@deltalodgeafam.org.

Bill, Greg, and Darin discuss why they've been on hiatus for a few months.

Greg, Bill, and Darin welcome Dave Kelm, Oriental Guide, and Membership Chair for ANSAR Shriners in Springfield Illinois to the program. We discuss the Shrine and membership issues facing it and other Masonic bodies, Bill shares a very heartwarming story, Darin asks a forbidden question, and much more!

Greg, Bill, and Darin discuss ideas about how to retain and grow membership for your lodge or appendant bodies that are struggling.

Greg and Darin review their Masonic Year of 2022 and some of the challenges ahead for them in 2023.

Greg, Bill, and Darin talk to MPC Monty Glover, Grandmaster of the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International about Cryptic Masonry (https://www.crypticmasons.org/), the Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation (https://www.cmmrf.org/), growing up in Central Illinois, Hawaiian Freemasonry and other topics.

Greg, Bill, and Darin talk to Derik Hockett, the Junior Grand Warden of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Kansas, about Freemasonry in Kansas, Kansas Masonic-con, Strategic Planning at the Grand Lodge Level, and much more.

Greg, Bill, and Darin talk about the state of Freemasonry with Mark. St. Cyr, Freemason and guest Contributor to the Midnight Freemasons blog.

Greg, Bill, and Darin talk with the Membership Committee Chairman of the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Wisconsin, Bro. Mike Burnham and one of the District Membership Representatives for District Six of the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Wisconsin, Bro.Victor Magus, about their role in bringing in new membership into their Grand Lodge as well as much more.

Bill and Darin discuss Masonic Legends. Are legends like the story of the Forget Me Not and the Friend to Friend Memorial at Gettysburg harmful to the Craft? Find out what we think and more.

Greg, Bill, and Darin discuss Public Relations and Marketing for your lodge.

MWB Roger VanGorden joins Darin and Bill to discuss a presentation he recently gave to the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America that argues that Freemasonry is about to see an upswing in membership.

Greg and Darin talk about the Core Values of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (NMJ) and how they are the core values of Mature Masculine Men, the difficulties of Mature Male Friendship, and how to make a difference by becoming a Mentor.

Greg, Bill, and Darin interview Brother Christopher Earnshaw. Chris is the author of The Spiritual Freemasonry series https://www.amazon.com/Christopher-J.-Earnshaw/e/B07W4VFMV5%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) as well as the host of the Spiritual Freemasonry Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/spiritualfreemasonry), and the Freemasonry in Seven Minutes or Less podcast (Found on your favorite Podcast site). Christopher discusses his belief that Speculative Freemasonry is based on Daoist philosophies and much more.

Greg, Bill, and Darin discuss 2021 and make their Masonic resolutions for the coming year. Link to RWB Thomas W. Jackson's article: https://thecraftsman.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DONE-The-State-of-Contemporary-American-Freemasonry-Tom-Jackson.pdf Link to Scottish Rite Live: https://scottishrite.live/