Are you looking for education at your next lodge or chapter meeting? See below our list of papers and presentations from our council members. Please reach out to us at education@buffaloplains.ca and we will connect you with the appropriate brother.

Craft Lodge Education

Building Character: The Cardinal Virtues in Freemasonry

Written and presented by: Ven. Bro. Gordon Bristow
Category: Craft Lodge - All Degrees
Estimated Time: 30 minutes. (20 mins presentation - Discussion / Questions 10 mins)

Summary: "Building Character: The Cardinal Virtues in Freemasonry" explores how the Four Cardinal Virtues—Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and  Justice —serve as timeless guides for personal growth in Freemasonry. Drawing from ritual teachings and real-world examples, it offers practical insights, reflective questions, and meditative prompts to help Masons apply these virtues in daily life. This presentation bridges tradition with modern relevance, inspiring ethical living both within the lodge and beyond.

Meeting Expectations: Transforming Foothills Kelvingrove #174 into a Traditional Observance Lodge

Written and presented by: Ven. Bro. Gordon Bristow
Category: Craft Lodge - All Degrees
Estimated Time: 30 minutes. (20 mins presentation - Discussion / Questions 10 mins)

Summary:  In 2016, FHKG 174 was struggling. Membership was falling, attendance was low, and new brothers weren’t sticking around. Recognizing the need for change, the lodge leadership decided to transition into a Traditional Observance (TO) lodge, inspired by Andrew Hammer’s "Eight Steps to Excellence: The Observant Lodge."

This paper details the symptoms the lodge faced, the common ideas that people thought would fix them, and how FHKG 174 went beyond surface-level solutions to address the core problem and save their lodge.

The Meaning of Grand Honours

Written and presented by: Bro. Chris Webber
Category: Craft Lodge - All Degrees
Estimated Time: 25 minutes. (15 mins presentation - Discussion / Questions 10 mins)

Summary: This is an exploration of the meanings and symbolism of the actions involved in providing a Brother Grand Honours. This short talk explores each action and what it represents and its potential origins and ties to Freemasonry. If you have ever wondered why we do what we do, this discussion is for you!

The Parallelopipedon: Symbolism & Meaning - Craft Lodge 1st Degree

Written and presented by: Bro. Chris Webber
Category: Craft Lodge - Entered Apprentice and higher
Estimated Time: 45 minutes. (35 mins presentation - Discussion / Questions 10 mins)

Summary: This is an in depth exploration of an often overlooked, and seemingly trivial, excerpt from the 1st Degree lecture to an Entered Apprentice. It speaks to the form of the lodge and what deeper symbolic meaning it has. Truly a "hidden symbol" within the lodge room that many Masons have never considered or understood, this lecture highlights that the smallest aspects of our Ritual hold profound and complex meanings.

Education in Freemasonry: A Path to Vitality and Relevance

Written and presented by: Bro. Chris Webber
Category: Craft Lodge - All Degrees
Estimated Time: 30 minutes  (20minutes - Discussion / Questions 10 mins)

Summary: Outline for Development of Educational Program available after presentation In an era where connection, purpose, and intellectual growth are increasingly sought after, Freemasonry finds itself at a pivotal crossroads. Once a vibrant “school of virtue” that played a prominent role in the development of good character and moral integrity, Freemasonry must now actively respond to the needs of a modern world that values these very virtues. Good for all Masonic groups & those interested in establishing an educational program with purpose for their lodges.

Royal Arch Education

The Stone Rejected: The Meaning of the Mark Master Mason Degree

Written and presented by: Bro. Chris Webber
Category: Royal Arch - Mark Master Mason or higher degree
Estimated Time: 40 minutes. (30 mins presentation - Discussion / Questions 10 mins)

Summary: The Mark Master degree is one that is integrated into the York Rite system in Canada but yet has its own Grand Lodge in England. This would suggest that the meanings within hold a significant and meaningful purpose to those that are Mark Master Masons. This lecture explores the author's interpretations and apprehensions of the first half of the Mark Master degree as well as offers an explanation of the first "Act" and its meaning. The lecture will explore the hidden meanings of the interactions of the Overseers & the Rejected Stone.

Meanings & Associations of the Keystone in the Mark Master Mason Degree

Written and presented by: Bro. Chris Webber
Category: Royal Arch - Mark Master Mason or higher degree
Estimated Time: 40 minutes. (30 mins presentation - Discussion / Questions 10 mins)

Sumary: The keystone is the central element around which the Mark Master’s degree is based. We are told in the ritual it was the stone prepared but yet it was once rejected. There are several symbolic associations which can be made regarding the keystone in relation to the story of the Mark Master Mason degree. This short talk explores some of the potential meanings of the Keystone to the Mark Master Mason.

The Mallet & Chisel: Meanings in the Mark Master Mason Degree & Degrees of the Craft Lodge

Written and presented by: Bro. Chris Webber
Category: Royal Arch - Mark Master Mason or higher degree
Estimated Time: 25 minutes. (15 mins presentation - Discussion / Questions 10 mins)

Summary: This lecture explores the connection between the Working Tools of the Craft Lodge degrees and the Mallet & Chisel, which are central in the Mark Master Mason's work. This presentation aims to connect the meanings in the Mark Master degree back to the symbolism explored in the Craft degrees (Canadian Rite). This lecture aims to connect the Craft lodge to the continued symbolic journey begun with the Mark Master degree.