Brothers: This will be my last column as an AGL of the Oswego district, at least for a while. It has been a poorly kept secret that our leaders have decided that I can better serve you by assuming the position of Staff Officer. The actual title assigned by Grand Lodge will be Grand Steward.
The Staff Officer is a Grand Lodge officer appointed to oversee and conduct Masonic education, with the exception of the Ritual, which is the purview of the Grand Lecturer and AGLs. It has been the recent custom in our district for the District Deputy, Staff Officer and the AGLs to function as a team for the benefit of the brothers. It is my expectation that this will continue to be the case in the future.
The foundation of Freemasonry is the Ritual but there are many aspects of Masonic life not covered there. It is my hope that in my new job I will be able to illuminate some of those aspects to help the officers administer their lodges and all the brothers in the Oswego district find more fulfillment from this wonderful fraternity we call Freemasonry.
It has been an enriching and rewarding experience serving you as your AGL, so I look forward to working with you toward reaching your Masonic goals wherever they may lead. I would like to thank all the brothers who made this such an enjoyable term but in particular I would like to thank VW Norman Kruth without whose guidance and ideas my time as AGL would have been unremarkable at best.