Grand Lodge of NH, Free & Accepted Masons
Families and friends are invited to attend the NH Unity Picnic to celebrate the fraternal bonds of our Orders. Enjoy a traditional style cookout with all of the fixings along with games, beach and boating access, and nature trails!
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Wellington State Park, Bristol, NH
1:00 to 5:00 pm
Families and friends are invited to attend the NH Unity Picnic to celebrate the fraternal bonds of our Orders. Enjoy a traditional style cookout with all of the fixings along with games, beach and boating access, and nature trails!
Sunday, September 18, 2023
Wellington State Park, Bristol, NH
1:00 to 5:00 pm
Online sales for the Unity Picnic have ended. See you there!The Grand Master has scheduled the Town Hall meeting dates and locations in the month of March. Be sure to pass this information along to the Brethren of your Lodge and encourage their attendance. This is an excellent opportunity for the Brethren to meet with the Grand Master and Line Officers and speak to them in an informal setting.
Attire is casual, NO suits or ties.
Schedule
District 2 Monday, March 6 — Goffstown Masonic Temple, 15 Mountain Rd., Goffstown
District 3 Wednesday, March 8 — Wilton Masonic Temple, 7 Forest Rd., Wilton
District 6 Monday, March 13 — Holderness Masonic Temple, 1 US Route 3, Holderness
District 5 Tuesday, March 14 — Alton Masonic Temple, 40 Suncook Valley Rd., Alton
District 4 Wednesday, March 15 — Elkins Masonic Temple, 464 Old Rte. 11, Elkins
District 7 Monday, March 20 — Bristol Masonic Temple, 61 Pleasant St., Bristol
District 1 Monday, March 27 — Raymond Masonic Temple, 63A Main St., Raymond
District 8 Wednesday, March 29 — Colebrook Masonic Temple, 126 Main St., Library Annex, Colebrook
Agenda
Even though Town Hall Meetings have been scheduled in each Masonic district, Brethren are welcome to attend any one of the eight meetings scheduled.
The District Lodges of Instruction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of New Hampshire will be held for the year 2022 as follows:
| Date | Day | Meal Time | GL Opens | District | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 10 | Saturday | 6:30 PM | 7:30 PM | 1 | Portsmouth |
| Sept. 17 | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 2 | Nashua |
| Sept. 17 | Saturday | 5:30 PM | 6:30 PM | 3 | Milford |
| Sept. 24 | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 4 | Concord |
| Sept. 24 | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 5 | Alton |
| Oct. 1 | Saturday | 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 6 | Wolfeboro |
| Oct. 1 | Saturday | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 7 | Tilton |
| Oct. 8 | Saturday | 11:30 AM | 12:30 PM | 8 | Colebrook |
*NOTE – The meal for the Lodge of Instruction in Colebrook will be held in a separate location just across the street from the Lodge, due to the size of the dining hall. The meal will be served at the Monadnock Congregational Church, 147 Main St., Colebrook, NH (the Lodge is located at 126 Main St., Colebrook)
Book Sales will be available starting one half hour prior to the meal being served.
Topics to be Covered:
• Masonic Protocol in Lodge
• Handling Candidate Petitions and Investigations
• Proper Balloting Procedures in a Lodge
• Degree Considerations
• Constitutional Considerations for Lodges
• Masonic Educational Resources
• Ritual Excellence
• Historical Program
Ladies: The Grand Lodge ladies will be attending the luncheons at the daytime LOI’s and going out for dinner separate from the Brethren at the LOI’s in Portsmouth, Milford, Alton and Tilton.
All Brethren’s ladies are welcome to attend any of these meals but an RSVP will be needed.
Luncheon LOI’s – the ladies will join the Brethren at lunch, with a separate activity held for the Ladies during the LOI Program.
Dinnertime LOI’s – the ladies will be going out to a local restaurant when the Brethren are at dinner and arrive back to the Lodge prior to the ending of the LOI.
Details on the locations of the Ladies activities and dinners are being finalized now. The RSVP information will be provided at that time.
Dress for the event will be tuxedo and gloves with full regalia for all Grand Lodge Officers. Constituent Lodge Officers should wear their Aprons, Collars and Jewels.
All MASTER MASONS are welcome and are urged to attend. A current Dues Card is required for admission to the Lodges of Instruction.
Fraternally,
Grand Secretary
Join Grand Master David S. Collins and his Lady Colleen at the
Grand Master’s Harvest Ball
aboard the M.S. Mount Washington
Friday, October 14, 2022
Departing and returning from the Weirs
211 Lakeside Ave., Laconia, NH
Schedule for the evening
6:30 P.M. Boarding begins
7:00 P.M. Departure from the Weirs for a three-hour buffet dinner cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee
Cash bar and entertainment will be available
10:00 P.M. Boat returns to the Weirs
This event is open to all New Hampshire Masons and their Ladies or significant others.
Attire is formal • (Men) black tux and bow tie or dark suit • (Ladies) formal evening wear
Cost $75.00 per couple or $40.00 per person
Includes boat ride, buffet dinner and commemorative item
Please provide name(s) and Lodge and check by September 1, 2022 to:
Grand Lodge of NH Office
PO Box 486, Milford, NH 03055
To purchase tickets online, click here
Email questions to the office at [email protected]
Phone reservations will NOT be accepted
You may look at my schedule sometimes and wonder, the Grand Master says he is busy but I do not see him at that many events this week. The role of Grand Master is one where the phone calls and emails never stop; day or night. I often spend my evenings answering Brethren on questions about protocol, discussing Lodge issues, or speaking with those looking to put together a Lodge event and they want some idea of what to do. The role of Grand Master has its challenges but I can assure you that it is the Brotherhood that makes this all worthwhile.
This past week I attended Gideon Lodge No. 84 in Kingston and had two very memorable presentations. The first was to a Brother who has been an active Mason in New Hampshire for the past two decades but began his career as a Mason in Vermont. I was able to hear of this Brother’s journey, both in life and Masonry and present him his 65-Year Service Award on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Vermont. The second was to a Brother who we honored last year with a Centenarian Award (award for reaching 100 years of Age). This year I had the honor to present him with an Award for 75 Years of Masonic Service at the age of nearly 101. What a pleasure it was to see this Brother again and be able to greet him in Lodge. I have been a Mason for over a quarter of a century and I can only hope to be in as good a physical health as these two Brethren. The difference they have made in the lives of others personally as well as Masonically it worthy of note.
One sad note to share. I received a call earlier this week that a Past Grand Master of this jurisdiction, Most Worshipful Brother George Dixon Van Dyke had passed to the celestial Lodge above. M.W. Van Dyke served this Grand Lodge as Grand Master in 1993 & 1994. Prior to 2010 I would say I knew of M.W. Van Dyke but didn’t really know him personally. However, for nearly five years beginning in 2011 I met with him and a small group of Brethren weekly to work on a complete review/rewrite of the Grand Lodge Constitution. What an absolute pleasure it was to get to know this Brother on that personal level. He was a brilliant individual who I was able to share memories of his personal life and learn more about Freemasonry in New Hampshire.
The real value of Masonry is not in the awards of titles we may have but rather it is in all of the Brethren we meet and the relationships we make!
David S. Collins
Grand Master
This past week I attended two events that struck a chord with me. It reminded me of how I answer the question when people ask me: “Why are you a Freemason and what does it really offer you”?
In Concord I was able to attend a Master Mason Degree where two new Brethren were Raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason. Freemasonry, like other fraternal orders has an initiatory process that all members must go through. The ceremonies date back hundreds of years but the lessons they impart stay with the new Brethren for their lifetime. Each time I sit through one of our Degrees I am reminded of the important lessons they impart. Brethren study these Degrees for a lifetime and never attain all the knowledge as it offers so much.
On Sunday in Pelham I attended a Lodge Installation and due to COVID only a few Lodge Members along with the Officers were in attendance. During the Installation the Installing Master who conducted the ceremony, pulled out a Masonic book from the early 1800s and in it he read a specific part of the installation ritual that the Master agrees to. In New Hampshire we are purest at heart and have done little to change the ritual in several centuries. As I sat there listening and contemplating, it reinforced to me the directives that are being given to the officers each time they are installed into office.
These two events reminded me what my answers to several questions:
1) Why are you a Freemason? My answer: I joined because of an interest and a family connection but it was only after I joined that I understood the bond it creates among the members that is not provided elsewhere.
2) What does it offer you? My answer: As an individual I was always searching for a better understanding of the human experience, in short how do I as an individual place in relation to the world. The philosophical aspect that Freemasonry provides to me helps me every day understand who we are as people and what do we have to offer to others. As an officer in a Masonic Lodge, I have learned that my duty is to share this with fellow Masons.
I know to some of this may seem a little deep, but what I described are questions that I have seen Freemasons struggle to answer when asked why they stayed part of our organization for so long. We all have something to offer and for those who become a Freemason it does provide many of those answers.
David S. Collins
Grand Master
Below is information on the 40th Annual New England Brotherhood Night, to be hosted by the Grand Lodge of Vermont on Saturday, March 19, 2022.
The first New England Brotherhood night was held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1982. The event was created so that the Brethren in New England could come together one evening a year to “spread the cement of Brotherly Love”. Too often Brethren don’t get an opportunity to travel to other jurisdictions. This event provides an opportunity to build those interjurisdictional friendships.
Over the years there has been an assumption that this is a Grand Lodge event. It is definitely not that, nor was it ever intended to be. Rather, this is an event for all Masons in New Hampshire and New England to socialize with their Brothers at a casual affair.
The tradition has been that the next Grand Lodge to host the event, provides the guest speaker. In 2023, the Grand Lodge of Maine will host, and they have invited Brother Luke Shorty to speak this year. Brother Shorty currently serves as the Dean of the Maine Masonic College and has been an instructor for the College for the last two years. He is the Past Junior Warden of Limestone Lodge #214 in Limestone, Maine. He holds a BA and MS in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Maine at Farmington and Montana State University, respectively. His career has been in education for the last thirteen years and he currently is the Executive Director of Lee Academy in Lee, Maine and its campuses in Shanghai, China, and Daegu South Korea.
Please contact the Grand Lodge office if you have any questions.
40th Annual New England Brotherhood Night
Hosted by the Grand Lodge of Vermont, F&AM
WHERE
Lake Morey Resort
82 Clubhouse Road
Fairlee, Vermont
WHEN
Saturday, March 19, 2022
Cash Bar Social Hour – 6:00 PM
Buffet Dinner – 7:00 PM
Speaker at the Conclusion of Dinner
Speaker from the Grand Lodge of Maine
Brother Luke Shorty
Maine Masonic College
COST
$50.00 per person
RESERVATIONS
Reservations are essential and must be made with the Grand Secretary by March 4, 2022
ATTIRE
Business casual
Your lady will join us for the entire evening.
Overnight Accommodations
A special room rate of $149.00 will be available.
Make reservations on your own, by calling Lake Morey Resort at 1-802-333-4311. Mention the ‘Masons Brotherhood Night’
Make check for event payable to the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire
Mail to:
Grand Lodge of New Hampshire
PO Box 486
Milford, New Hampshire 03055-0486
NH Masonic Decal License Plate Guidelines
The Plate
The State of New Hampshire has allowed the Grand Lodge of NH Free & Accepted Masons to obtain specialty Decal License Plates to display the Masonic Square & Compasses on the plate. This is a special plate very much like a Vanity Plate in New Hampshire. In order to obtain this Decal License Plate you would have to return any License Plates you now have on the vehicle back to the State. This new Decal Plate would become the Vehicle’s primary License Plate.
Who can obtain this License Plate?
1) ONLY Masons per the below Guidelines can obtain these Decal Plates. Members of other Appendant or Concordant Bodies need the status of a Master Mason in order to obtain this Specialty Plate and Decal.
a. A Master Mason in Good Standing in the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire F&AM who is a Resident of the State of New Hampshire.
b. A New Hampshire Resident who is a Master Mason in Good Standing from another Jurisdiction in Amity with the Grand Lodge of NH F&AM.
2) Charges for the Decal Set (Two decals provided, one for the front plate and one for the rear plate)
a. $4.00 for NH Master Masons
b. $10.00 for Master Masons from OTHER Masonic Jurisdictions
i. Payment must be by check, money order or cash
Process to Obtain
STEP 1: Go to the NH DMV Office and obtain the NH Decal License Plate. Advise the State of NH you are a Member of the Freemasons and want to obtain a Decal License Plate. The State of NH will charge the applicable fees for this specialty license plate. The State of NH does NOT issue or have the Decal, the Grand Lodge office handles this. These Decals are specifically approved with the State of New Hampshire and the ones provided by the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire, F&AM must be used.
STEP 2: Reach out to the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire F&AM Office to obtain the Decal Set for the Plates.
a. If a Master Mason in New Hampshire: The Grand Lodge Office will confirm you are in Good Standing and request the Fee of $4.00 for the Masonic Decal set.
b. If a Non-New Hampshire Mason: You will need to provide the Grand Lodge Office with a copy of your Dues Card and Certificate of Good Standing from your Home Jurisdiction. Once confirmed, the Grand Lodge Office will require the Fee of $10.00 for the Masonic Decal set.
c. You can come by the office during regular business hours, 8am-4pm, Monday – Friday. Be sure to bring your Dues Card or Dues Card and Certificate of Good Standing.
d. If you prefer, you can mail your payment, with a copy of your Dues Card or Dues Card and Certificate of Good Standing and we will mail you the Decal Set.
The Grand Lodge Office will track all Decals issued. In the event that the Decal becomes Lost, Damaged or Wear out a Duplicate Set can be obtained from the Office for the applicable Fee.
The Grand Lodge Office is located at:
Milford Masonic Temple
30 Mont Vernon St.
Milford, New Hampshire
Mailing Address is:
Grand Lodge of New Hampshire
PO Box 486
Milford, NH 03055-0486
Phone 603-554-1723
Email [email protected]
Saturday, February 19, 2022
Blazing Star—Eureka Lodge No. 11.
53 Iron Works Rd., Concord, NH
8:30am Registration
9:00am to 12:30pm (Breaks included)
Topics Covered:
Who should attend?
This workshop is specifically designed for Fellow Crafts and other Master Masons who want to a deeper understanding of this degree. This is an ideal opportunity to develop the foundation of your Masonic knowledge. My
Brother you came knocking on our door seeking light and this program has been developed to provide you just
that! We encourage Masters of the Constituent Lodges to invite their new Candidates to this workshop and
attend with them.
Dress is casual. Jeans are ok.
The Grand Lodge Book Table will be available for those interested in more information.
The Workshop is FREE of charge, but we ask that you RSVP to allow us to properly prepare.
RSVP to:
Dave Akridge, Grand Education Officer at [email protected] or the Grand Lodge office at [email protected].
