GM’s Raising under the Stars
23 May 25
An open air raising by RW Bro Alan Gale
The second open air raising at Cowra attracted more than 120 Freemasons to witness Grand Master Khris Albano take the chair for a ceremony that created a unique masonic experience.
Masons from overseas, interstate and throughout the jurisdiction gathered at the Cowra property Lachballan. On the agenda was a double raising that brought together brethren from the city and the country to unite with the one goal – having a grand time meeting in the design of being happy and communicating happiness.
For the event to attract more brethren on its second year than on the first was a wonderful outcome for Lodge Aviation, which hosted the night’s proceedings. Worshipful Master Clive Lipscombe opened the lodge, conducted the business and then handed over to MW Bro Albano who conducted the dual raising ceremony, with RW Bro Lipscombe returning for the Retrospect.
Thankfully, the weather exhausted itself on the previous night with a torrential downpour accompanied by havoc-making thunder and lightning which would have been disastrous had it befallen the area 24 hours later.
As a result, the weather was clear and cool and – as a brother from the United Kingdom remarked – God’s air conditioning was absolutely perfect.
As has become the tradition, a brother from the city and a brother from the country were raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason. And so we welcome as Master Masons Bro Joshua Phillip Lewis-Driver of Lodge Caledonia of Canberra and Brother Alexander James Wormald of the Royal Empire Lodge, meeting in Sydney.
The ceremony was driven by a heavy participation by Grand Lodge Officers who supported the Grand Master on the night, including Senior Grand Warden Joshua Newman, Grand Chaplain Alan Gale, and Chairman of the Board of Management (CBOM) Joe Corrigan.
The Tracing Board was delivered by MW Bro Les Hicks and the Final Charge by Grand Treasurer Ian Hogan.
A clear sky and full moon added a magnificent lustre to the evening and it was easy to understand the depth and height of a lodge room as explained in the First Tracing Board.
