MCME

Midwest Conference on Masonic Education

74th Annual Conference

Program of Events

Welcome to the 74th Annual Conference of the Midwest Conference on Masonic Education!

Thanks to the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Minnesota for hosting this year's conference.

Venue Addresses

Minneapolis Marriott Southwest
5801 Opus Pkwy, Minnetonka, MN 55343

Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center
11411 Masonic Home Drive, Bloomington, MN 55437

Zuhrah Shrine Center
6120 Blue Cir Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55343

Schedule

Friday, May 3rd

3 p.m – 5:00 p.m.
Registration / Check-in
Marriott SW Minnetonka
4 – 5:00 p.m.
Program: WB Ben Franklin
Bryant Lake Room / Marriott SW Minnetonka
5 – 6:00 p.m.
Break – Transportation to Shrine for dinner
6 – 9:00 p.m.
Informal Dinner
Program: "Templars, Masons and North America"
Minnetonka Shrine Center
9 – 11:00 p.m.
Hopitality Room
Marriott SW Minnetonka

Saturday, May 4th

6:30 – 8:00 a.m.
Breakfast at the Hotel
Marriott SW Minnetonka
8:00 – 8:30 a. m.
Transportation to Masonic Heritage Center
8:45 – 9:00 a. m.
Grand Master's Welcome and Remarks from MCME
Dan Patch Hall
9:00 – 9:50 a.m.
How TOPGUN Trains Its Educators
"Bio" Baranak
Dan Patch Hall
9:50 – 10:00 a. m.
Break
10:00 – 10:50 a. m.
What is Masonic Education?
Robert Johnson
Dan Patch Hall
10:50 – 11:00 a. m.
Break
11:00 a. m. – 12:00 p. m.
Breakout Session #1
7 Habits of Effective Masonic Educators
Brad Phelps
Dan Patch Hall
12:00 – 1:00 p. m.
Lunch
Masonic Renewal Committee
1:00 – 1:50 p. m.
Masonic Library Presentation
Mark Anderson
Dan Patch Hall
1:50 – 2:00 p. m.
Break
2:00 – 2:50 p. m.
Breakout Session #2
Memorization — antiquated tradition or heart and soul of our Masonic education?
Markus Müller
Dan Patch Hall
2:00 – 2:50 p. m.
Breakout Session #3
Blue Lodge Membership: more than a numbers game
Reed Endersbe
Ames Lodge Room
3:00 – 4:30 p. m.
MCME Annual Meeting, election of Officers
Roundtable: The State of Masonic Education
Milk & Cookies!
Dan Patch Hall
4:30 – 5:00 p. m.
Transportation to the Marriiott SW Minnetonka
4:45 – 6:00 p. m.
Cocktails & Fellowship
Lake of the Woods Room
6:00 – 9:00 p. m.
Festive Board
Lake of the Woods Room
Program:
MWB Terry Tilton
Installation of MCME Officers
9:00 – 11:00
Hospitality Room

Sunday, May 5th

6:30 – 8:30 a. m.
Breakfast at the Hotel and Departures

Hospitality Suite

A hospitality room hosted by MCME will be open on Friday and Saturday night at the Marriott SW Minnetonka. Please join us for some refreshments and fellowship.

Presenters / Subject

Erforth / Sherry

MWB Franklin’s Educational methodology and attitudes towards Adult education
Franklin was a devoted Freemason occupying places of official prominence. He was intensely interested in his Craft, willing to give his enormous powers for its welfare, and leaving an indelible impression on its history in America. We become better educators realizing his gifts, what he passed on to us; we are very excited to share portions of his work at MCME 2024.

Scott Wolter

Templars, Masons & North America
The mystery of buried treasure on Oak Island in Nova Scotia has haunted the minds of treasure hunters for well over two centuries. The mystery began when a young man found a block and tackle mechanism hanging from a tree above a man-made pit in the ground. Many had tried and at least six have died trying to find the elusive treasure that also spawned a hit cable television show now in its eleventh season called “The Curse of Oak Island.” Treasure hunters have been stymied by the island that has given up tantalizing clues, but no definitive answers, until now… In March of 2023, authors Scott Wolter and Donald Ruh, completed the decipherment of four encrypted messages from the vast trove of Knights Templar reports, maps, letters, and artifacts we now call the Cremona Document. Surprisingly, this cache included detailed information about the history of the activities, and treasures hidden on Oak Island in Mahone Bay, in Nova Scotia. Scott will tell the fascinating story of what really happened there over the course of six centuries and how he and Don were able to finally solve one of the greatest historical mysteries ever related to the Knights Templar, and their ideological descendants we now call Freemasonry.

Dave "Bio" Baranek

Educating the Educators: How TOPGUN Does It

The Navy's Topgun program was developed by a small team on a tight schedule, with virtually no budget and no top-cover. But since the first class in 1969, it has become world-famous and continues today as a model for individuals and organizations seeking excellence.
Many of the standards established by the original instructors are still in place, guiding Topgun instructors in the classroom and in the air; and many of them can apply to other instructional activities.
Officers are selected because of their performance in flight and their potential as instructors, so they arrive with strong skills, but all must complete a demanding training program before they can become a "Topgun instructor." It's never easy, requiring commitment by the individual and the organization, but the payoff is impressive. Again, you can implement many of these principles to improve your personal and organizational performance.

Learn more about Dave Baranek at his website!

Mark Anderson

Library and Museum Coordinator at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center

Masonic Heritage, Preservation, and dealing with stuff

Mark will give an overview / background of the place you will be visiting: the 100 year-old Minnesota Masonic Home campus, the entities based there, and the impact Masons have made in our in our community and State. The preservation component will offer examples of steps you can take, and tools you can use at your Lodges to safeguard your own Lodge's history.

Mark A. Anderson, KYCH, OPC, 33˚ is the Library and Museum Coordinator at the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, and the 2018 recipient of the National Duane E. Anderson Award for Excellence in Masonic Education. He enjoys teaching a wide variety of ages, audiences, and abilities at the MMHC. His writings have been published in local, state, and national Masonic periodicals.

Mark has completed terms as presiding officer for eighteen Masonic bodies. He currently serves as Intendant General for the Red Cross of Constantine – Division of Minnesota, and in the SRICF as Chief Adept of North Star College.

An erstwhile professional singer and conductor, he now enjoys being a rank-and-file member of the choir at Hope Presbyterian Church.

Though many honors of Masonry have been his, he prefers to be known as Jeanette’s husband.

Learn more about the Library and Museum at the website!

Robert Johnson

What is Masonic Education?

In this keynote address, we will explore the essence of Masonic Education, shedding light on what it truly is and why it holds significant importance in our Masonic journey. By providing a clear and definitive definition of Masonic Education, we can address the root cause of many challenges within our fraternity. This clarity will empower us to enhance our educational programs, workshops, and discussions, ultimately helping us fulfill our promise to make good men better. Join us as we delve into the transformative power of Masonic Education and learn how it can guide us towards a brighter future for Freemasonry.

About Robert Johnson:

Philosophy is at the core of what Robert is after. Having grown up in Italy and being exposed to the culture and much of the renaissance art and literature, Freemasonry became a natural place for him to gravitate toward. He is an avid musician and writer. He’s written for several print magazines and blogs on subjects ranging from Firearms and Medical Ethics to Theology and Comparative Religions. Robert's primary studies are in philosophy and mathematics. He also holds an honorary Doctorate Degree in Philosophy in Religion. Currently, Robert works as an executive in the medical industry. He received his degrees from Waukegan Lodge No. 78, becoming Worshipful Master in 2014. He’s since served as both a District Education Officer and a District Deputy Grand Master. He currently serves on the Grand Lodge of Illinois' Education Committee and is the Grand Superintendant for the Allied Masonic Degrees for Illinois. He is also the author of How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide and co-author of It's Business Time: Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry, and The Master's Word, A Short Treatise on the Light, the Word and the Self. He has also republished other various works.

Brad Phelps

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Masons
Around thirty years ago, the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Steven Covey brought me out of my shell and transformed my life. Every couple of years, I revisit the book and each time learn something new. There are many underlying themes in the book that should be of particular interest to Freemasons. In his exploration of Leadership approaches, Covey discovered a concept called principal-centered leadership; it is a concept inspired by thoughts and writings of our own Brother Benjamin Franklin. We are surrounded by natural laws and principles. This interactive discussion looks at the lessons of Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (with a hint of Simon Sinek thrown in too) and considers similarities in how we live and learn as Freemasons.

Markus Müller

Memorization — antiquated tradition or heart and soul of our Masonic education?

Memorization is an art. Verbatim memorization not only was one of the most admired skills in the medieval philosophies — word-for-word memorization is of outmost importance when dealing with sacred texts or rituals in general and with Masonic ritual in particular. That’s what we say and do. But why is that so? And is there a way to learn word-for-word memorization available to us all?

About Markus A.F. Mueller:
Markus is 57 years old and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. He was born and raised in Essen, Germany, moved to Denmark when he was 20 years old and lived there for 25 years. In 2009, he moved to the US.

He has been a Freemason since 2017 and is a member of Glen Avon Lodge, no. 306, in Duluth, and has served served as the Lodge’s LEO for several years. He is a Monitor of the ritual in Minnesota. He is also a Scottish Rite Mason and currently serves as the Senior Warden in the Lodge of Perfection of the Scottish Rite Valley of Duluth.

He works for Minnesota masonic Charities. When he is off work he enjoys the outdoors together with his wife, Lara, and their two Alaskan Malamutes. One of Markus’ other favorite pastimes is Neo-Babylonian astronomy and ancient calendars.

Markus comes from a different educational background (Germany) that focused on a particular type of education in grades 5 through 13 (a Gymnasium dedicated to classical studies/languages) that taught memorization as part of the curriculum.

Reed Endersbe

Blue Lodge Membership: more than a numbers game

Before we become preoccupied with merely “growing,” it is vital that we are actively engaging and retaining our existing members. If we fail to provide relevance and meaning in our members’ lives, replacing those who didn’t stick around with more paper members will keep us in the same cyclical pattern. This affirms the priority of building quality relationships, which starts the day we meet a prospect (thus kicking off what should be a long term “mentoring” process). Attendees will be challenged to rethink what constitutes “lodge education” and we’ll discuss a balance of Masonic and non-Masonic material (and why it’s important). We have a very limited window for our newer members to see and feel that we’re enriching their lives, and if we don’t deliver, they will move on and find “it” elsewhere.

Successful mentoring occurs when we focus our efforts on lifelong relationship building and thinking of a mentor in greater terms than merely that of a short-term “memorization coach.” We’ll wrap up with a discussion centered around “what’s our cause?” as Freemasons.

Reed Endersbe has been serving as the fulltime Director of Membership Engagement for the Grand Lodge of Minnesota since April 2023. He is a Past Master of Minneapolis Lodge No. 19 (2011) and active in multiple appendant bodies. Reed has also served as a District Representative and Grand Orator. He is passionate about lodge education (Masonic and non-Masonic), mentoring, and leadership training. Join Reed for a discussion centered around relationship building and re-thinking what constitutes “lodge education.”

MWB Terry Tilton

Masonic Education – Our Challenges and Opportunities
In 2002 MWB Terry was elected Grand Master of Masons of Minnesota and is Secretary and Past President of the Philalethes Society, the oldest international Masonic education and research society in North America. He was named the 200th Fellow of the Society in 2007 for his contributions to Masonic education and research. Brother Tilton has been a guest speaker at many Grand Lodge, regional, and national Masonic education forums and has had numerous articles printed in the Philalehtes Journal, Rocky Mountain Mason, and most recently, an article on “Deism, Rational Theism and the Religious Philosophy of Freemasonry” in Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, the premier Masonic research journal.