250 Years of American Freemasonry: Change, Constancy & Chance
Friday, July 17 – Saturday, July 18, 2026
Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel, Albuquerque, New Mexico
A discounted group rate of $149 per night is available for all participants. All meetings will take place on-site. We have secured 15 rooms at this rate for Wednesday, July 15, and 10 rooms for Saturday, July 18, for those wishing to extend their stay.
Themes
Change & Leadership: We are examining how leadership qualities have evolved over the last quarter-millennium and what those shifts mean for the future of the Craft.
Masonry & The National Landscape: This section explores the historical impact Masonry has had on our communities and how we can continue to shape national norms and civic life.
The Next 250 Years: We are looking ahead to the next quarter-millennium, discussing the foresight and innovation required to ensure Masonry remains vibrant for centuries to come.
Thursday, July 16
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Registration and Arrival (Casual Dress)
Friday, July 17
6:00 AM: Breakfast
8:00 AM: Welcome to New Mexico & Grand Master’s Address
8:30 AM: Morning Presentations
11:00 AM: Keynote: Linda Patch — Masonic Membership Trends
12:00 PM: Lunch
1:30 PM: Afternoon Presentations
5:00 PM: Cocktails (No-host bar)
6:30 PM: Conference Banquet
Saturday, July 18
6:00 AM: Breakfast
7:30 AM: Reconvene
9:30 AM: Panel Discussion: The Lodge as a Third Place
11:00 AM: Election of Officers, Passing the Gavel, and Closing
Call for Presentations
Leadership & Change Management
Describe your jurisdiction’s current approach to change management and what practices have proven successful. If you are using a formal framework, share the lessons learned and how you apply change leadership across successive Grand Masters. We are looking for insights on how to train future leaders for organizational change, whether a Grand Jurisdiction should act as a change agent or a source of stability, and how you track metrics to monitor your progress. Finally, consider what your membership truly seeks regarding social, cultural, and financial change.
Masonry & The National Landscape
Should Masonry actively recruit political leaders, and if so, by what means? Discuss how Masonry remains relevant to the development of national norms and why we see a decline in civic leaders publicly identifying as Masons. We also welcome topics on intersectionality and what it means for your jurisdiction today, as well as strategies for engaging with local civic leaders to strengthen community ties and build the next generation of national office-holders.
Strategic Foresight: The Next 250 Years
What does a 50, 100, or 200-year plan look like for your jurisdiction? Identify the social or technological innovations you are targeting for development and how you decide which modern norms to accept or reject. We will also explore the balance between traditional observant Masonry and modern digital communication, and which core practices must remain stable to ensure our survival for another quarter-millennium.
Note on Historical Perspectives: If you select one of the historical topics below, please also provide a fallback topic from the categories above.
1776–1859: Masonic impacts of the era and the lessons we can apply to today’s planning.
1859–1942: Analyzing growth and conflict in this period to help us prepare for tomorrow.
1942–2025: Comparing the rate of change in society versus the Lodge and how we are adapting.
Registration
Check back soon for pricing and online registration.