Eight members of Raytown Lodge #391, including the Master, Senior and Junior Wardens and Secretary, attended the annual communication of the Grand Lodge this week.

We were excited to watch WM Tom Ballieu accept the following awards on behalf of the lodge: Honor Lodge with Distinction, Gold Child Safe award and the Gold Lodge Ritual award. He was also presented with a certificate indicating this is the 40th consecutive year that Raytown Lodge has received the Honor Lodge achievement award. Congratulations go to all of the members of Raytown Lodge for these exciting achievements.

Several matters of legislation were considered by the members. Among those brought for consideration was a provision that would provide for the eventual return of candidate proficiencies as a requirement to advance through the degrees. There was significant discussion and although it appeared most were in favor of a return to proficiencies, there was concern over the method proposed to implement. After a vote of the membership this proposal was defeated. The other proposals were mostly housekeeping measures and passed.

During the event RWB Stanton T. Brown II, Deputy Grand Master, was elected as Grand Master for the ensuing year. On Monday evening he announced that his appointment to the advancing line would be RWB David Brown who currently served as Grand Historian.

We were honored to be able to watch MWB Brown be installed as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons for the ensuing year. MWB Brown has been a friend of Raytown Lodge for many years and we are excited for his leadership this coming year.