# Freemasonry & COVID-19 Updates



## Bloke (Mar 14, 2020)

https://forthright.space/2020/03/13/freemasonry-covid-19-updates-march-13-2020/


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## Forthright (Mar 15, 2020)

Thanks for linking my site.  I hope it's a helpful resource and want to get updates from brothers around the world.  It's been interesting to watch this unfold.    Some weeks or months after all of this is over, we're all going to have a chance to be reflective about what happened & why with full knowledge of the outcomes and so on, and I think that's going to be interesting to look at too.  Partially because freemasonry is a part of society (and of course affected by whatever is going on in broad society) and partially because we're apart and have special considerations.  So seeing the interplay on this, with a global scale, is pretty fascinating for me but I don't yet feel like I can see the full picture of what's happening & why.


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## Bloke (Mar 17, 2020)

Forthright said:


> Thanks for linking my site.  I hope it's a helpful resource and want to get updates from brothers around the world.  It's been interesting to watch this unfold.    Some weeks or months after all of this is over, we're all going to have a chance to be reflective about what happened & why with full knowledge of the outcomes and so on, and I think that's going to be interesting to look at too.  Partially because freemasonry is a part of society (and of course affected by whatever is going on in broad society) and partially because we're apart and have special considerations.  So seeing the interplay on this, with a global scale, is pretty fascinating for me but I don't yet feel like I can see the full picture of what's happening & why.


G'day - thanks for creating the site ! I know it is being widely used and it has been sent to me via several channels. Sadly, people, even Freemasons, are herd animals and I think your site help moved the herd towards social distancing. But you know what they say, your strength is your weakness and your weakness is your strength 

For the record, yesterday UGLV suspended meetings until 1 June. I will send you the announcement via PM


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## Scoops (Mar 17, 2020)

https://www.ugle.org.uk/coronavirus-member-update



> *Coronavirus - Member Update*
> The below Important Announcement from The Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Kent, was sent on 17 March 2020:
> 
> In view of the latest Government advice on the coronavirus pandemic, all Lodge and Chapter meetings within England and Wales are suspended for a period of four months with immediate effect.
> ...



That's UGLE suspending all masonic activities.


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## Forthright (Mar 17, 2020)

Bloke said:


> Sadly, people, even Freemasons, are herd animals and I think your site help moved the herd towards social distancing



The relatively few number of hits the site got, I'm a bit doubtful of my ability as a random internet blogger to move opinion of worldwide grand lodges.   

I'm most concerned about how all of this "crisis" is happening in the context of social polarization.   I do not want to make any comment on the wisdom of any grand lodge's decision or their movement over time.  I think it's important for global brethren to keep in mind that jurisdictions are widely different than one another, and if any brother were to claim that the various GLs should make the same decision, I'd argue against it.

That being said -- information transparency is a really key problem right now, and I personally think that making visible what people are doing is a help.  The less people know, the more "free floating anxiety" there is.  The more anxiety the more human decisions are driven by fear.   And those are typically not going to be good decisions.

Look if this whole virus thing is going to be awful, or going to be a fizzle - no one knows.  The only honest people who predict uncertain future are science fiction authors.  But one thing I'm fairly convicted about:  to get through this kind of situation society needs to get all of the data on the table so that everyone can make their best available decision.  If the data is bad or grim, so be it -- information intransparency just compounds our problems.


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## Scoops (Mar 17, 2020)

Can't find a decent link to their website with the information, but the Facebook page for the Grand Lodge of Scotland has a post from the Grand Master Mason suspending all masonic activity North of the border until further notice. 

Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk


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## Forthright (Mar 17, 2020)

Scoops said:


> Can't find a decent link to their website with the information, but the Facebook page for the Grand Lodge of Scotland has a post from the Grand Master Mason suspending all masonic activity North of the border until further notice.
> 
> Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk



Just the tip that it existed was enough for me to find it.   A lot of GLs and lodges have moved to Facebook and consider their actual websites an afterthought -- here is the GL's notice on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrandLodgeScotland/posts/2866690030083226


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## Scoops (Mar 17, 2020)

Forthright said:


> Just the tip that it existed was enough for me to find it.   A lot of GLs and lodges have moved to Facebook and consider their actual websites an afterthought -- here is the GL's notice on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrandLodgeScotland/posts/2866690030083226


Glad to be of assistance 

Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk


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## Glen Cook (Mar 18, 2020)

Scoops said:


> Can't find a decent link to their website with the information, but the Facebook page for the Grand Lodge of Scotland has a post from the Grand Master Mason suspending all masonic activity North of the border until further notice.
> 
> Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk


Yes, suspended in Scotland.


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## acjohnson53 (Mar 18, 2020)

MWPHGLCA has suspended all activities in California. I one of them Brothers, that when I enter a Lodge I Greet everyone before I got to my place in the Lodge. I can't do that anymore, so I just Wave...


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## Bloke (Mar 19, 2020)

Forthright said:


> The relatively few number of hits the site got, I'm a bit doubtful of my ability as a random internet blogger to move opinion of worldwide grand lodges. .



Well, it was shared here and helped support the opinion I gave. Its not about how many saw it, but who.


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## J.R. Massey (Mar 19, 2020)

Grand Lodge Of Ireland has recently suspended all Masonic activity until 31st August, previous advice was for individual lodges to decide for themselves with GL issuing suggestions that they follow.


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## Forthright (Mar 23, 2020)

Updates continue to be made on https://forthright.space/2020/03/13/freemasonry-covid-19-updates-march-13-2020/

I've verified to the best of my abilities that the entire United States & Europe is up to date with the latest information I can find there as of the middle of yesterday.   Montana is the only state that I have no information on, and that no brother has reported in about.


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## Glen Cook (Mar 23, 2020)

AMD Councils are at a minimum to follow the policies of their GL and civil authority. 
Utah:
To: All Lodges, Appendant and Concordant Bodies and Every Mason under the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Utah 

Brethren, This decision is to be published via Grandview to all members and is effective immediately. 

Whereas there is an ongoing and evolving health crisis surrounding COVID19 in Utah, our country and Worldwide. 

Whereas the local and State Health departments have issued orders and enacted temporary laws restricting gatherings to fewer than ten (10) individuals due to the health risk of contracting or spreading COVID19. 

Whereas we should be compliant with local and State laws. 

It is therefore my decision that No Masonic gatherings may be held until otherwise directed. This includes all youth groups and appendant bodies. 

Further, it is my order that all Masonic buildings be closed. Maintenance, janitorial and administrative work may continue. To support the continued operations of lodges throughout this period the following will apply: 

1) All usual and customary bills that have been budgeted are to be paid. Others may be paid with the order of the Worshipful Master with the consent of the Wardens, Secretary and Treasurer. 

2) You are encouraged to use social and electronic media, email lists or other video conferencing technology to remain in contact with your lodge membership. 

3) Masonic funerals may be performed at the request of the family of a Mason in compliance with current local and State restrictions. 

I encourage you to reach out to one another. Pick up the telephone and check in on your Brethren, especially those who are at risk or may live alone. We are in this together and remember always we are our Brothers keeper. 

Fraternal regards, 

Clay G. Hamblen , Most Worshipful Grand Master 

CGH/let


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## Bloke (Mar 23, 2020)

We did that Monday 16 March 2020 at 1:14 pm (local time).


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## Thomas Stright (Mar 23, 2020)

Grand lodge of Texas just suspended all Stated and Called Meeting as well as all Masonic events/gatherings until further notice.








*GRAND MASTER’S PROCLAMATION*

*Cancellation of Stated and Called Meetings*

March 21, 2020


*      The COVD-19 pandemic has caused substantial and material disruptions in the lives of all Americans, including the activities of Texas Masonic Lodges. For this reason, I issued an Order cancelling all gatherings of Texas Masons which were anticipated to exceed ten in number.  This Order included stated meetings of Lodges for an indefinite period of time unless, in the discretion of the officers and members of the Lodge, the meeting would be in the best interest of the Lodge and, most importantly, would not pose a risk to the health of those attending.*



*     Since that time, the Governor of Texas and state public health officials have strongly discouraged all meetings of ten or more individuals. At this time, it is not known when the pandemic will end or whether the conditions that are now occurring in Texas will worsen.*



*     The charge of the Worshipful Master given and accepted at every installation requires, among other things, that he “cheerfully conform to the laws of the country in which he resides”. The action taken in this proclamation is consistent with the above affirmation.*



*     Because of danger to human life that presently exists, and the directions of various officials of the State of Texas concerning the risks of holding meetings, I am today issuing the following Proclamation:*



*     It is ORDERED that no Texas Lodge may hold a stated or called meeting until this order is rescinded by subsequent proclamation of the Grand Master.*



*      I and your Grand Lodge Trustees are well aware that this Order will cause substantial disruption in the operations of Texas Lodges, including perhaps the election and installation of Lodge officers. However, the existing world-wide crisis requires the Grand Lodge of Texas to take extraordinary action to protect the lives of its members and follow the lawful directives of Federal, State, and local authorities.*



*Paul D. Underwood*

*Grand Master*


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## Mark Stockdale (Mar 23, 2020)

Scoops said:


> Can't find a decent link to their website with the information, but the Facebook page for the Grand Lodge of Scotland has a post from the Grand Master Mason suspending all masonic activity North of the border until further notice.
> 
> Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk



https://www.grandlodgescotland.com/2020/03/17/coronavirus-update-from-the-grand-master-mason-2/

comes under the 'Latest News' section, along with other notices on the subject as things developed here in the UK.


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## Forthright (Mar 24, 2020)

Mark Stockdale said:


> https://www.grandlodgescotland.com/2020/03/17/coronavirus-update-from-the-grand-master-mason-2/
> 
> Thanks, I've updated the Scotland reference on the site.  I do appreciate all references & contributions there.


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## Glen Cook (Mar 24, 2020)

By the way, I used your list last night and again just now in administering one of the national orders. Thanks for the efforts.


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