Grand Lodge of Indiana - Alcohol Amendment, and Degree of Choice Enacted

I couldn't be there today, but congratulations and many thanks to Jeffrey P. Zaring, the immediate Past Grand Master of Indiana, for an outstanding year in the East. Indiana Masons have accomplished many things under his watch this past year, and it has truly been exciting.

• The 100th anniversary cornerstone rededication of Freemasons' Hall.
• The 200th anniversary of Vincennes Lodge No. 1.
• The return of the Library and Museum to the Grand Lodge building; and many more.

Including this. News just in from the floor of the annual communication: the amendment allowing temple associations to rent their facilities to groups with proper licensing to serve alcohol at their events has PASSED. Sanity is slowly returning to Indiana Freemasonry, and this marks an historic move forward. Our temples now have the opportunity to rent their facilities to wedding receptions, fundraisers and other gatherings that properly serve liquor at their functions, and we now have the chance to become a stronger, more vibrant and more visible part of our communities. And the increased use of our buildings means more income to save struggling temples.

This has been a long uphill struggle for those of us involved in saving our architectural treasures.

Additionally, Indiana lodges may now open their business meetings on the degree of their choice, so EAs and FCs may attend. This, too, is a huge leap forward (or backward, as the case may be, to the days prior to 1843).

Congratulations are in order for our new Grand Master Charles F. Marlowe, who is being installed in the auditorium of Indiana Freemasons' Hall. This is the first installation of a Grand Master in that historic hall since 1963. I am truly looking forward to a fantastic year with Chuck at the helm.

It's another great day for Freemasonry in Indiana.
Grand Lodge is dead.
Long live Grand Lodge!