Senate Resolution No. 1967

BY: Senator PARKER

COMMENDING the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand
Lodge of New York upon the occasion of hosting its
181st Annual Grand Lodge Divine Service on May 3,
2026

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay tribute to those institutions of high purpose and distinguished
accomplishment whose enduring commitment to faith, service, leadership,
and community uplift has enriched the civic and moral life of the State
of New York; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New York upon the
occasion of hosting its 181st Annual Grand Lodge Divine Service on
Sunday, May 3, 2026; and

WHEREAS, The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New York is
a historic fraternal institution comprised of men of conscience and
character, bound together as Freemasons by shared moral ideals and
esoteric values grounded in the timeless principles of Brotherly Love,
Relief, and Truth; its history in New York stretches back to the
earliest days of African American civic life in this State, and its
legacy of service, scholarship, and community empowerment continues to
shape the fabric of our communities to this day; and

WHEREAS, The Annual Grand Lodge Divine Service is a cherished and
sacred tradition of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New
York, gathering the full Craft, together with officers and members of
the Eureka Grand Chapter, Prince Hall Order of Eastern Star, and all
appendant and concordant bodies, in a unified act of worship,
reflection, and rededication to the moral foundations upon which Prince
Hall Masonry was built; and

WHEREAS, Under the distinguished leadership of Most Worshipful Grand
Master Darren M. Morton, Ed.D., a 33rd-degree Prince Hall Mason, Senior
Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, and a lifelong
servant of the Prince Hall fraternal family and the broader community,
the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New York continues to
fulfill its mission with excellence, vision, and an unyielding
commitment to the welfare of those it serves; and

WHEREAS, The Reverend Keith I. Harris, Presiding Elder of The
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, has been invited to serve as
the Guest Minister for the 181st Annual Grand Lodge Divine Service,
bringing to the occasion his distinguished record of pastoral leadership
and his abiding commitment to accountability, integrity, and ministry
rooted in service to the community; and

WHEREAS, The Annual Grand Lodge Divine Service stands as a testament
to the faith tradition that has always animated Prince Hall Masonry,
affirming that the fraternity's commitment to community, service, and
justice is inseparable from its commitment to the Divine; and


WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proudly moved to honor the Most
Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New York, its officers, and its
members, who have labored so conscientiously to secure and improve the
quality of life for the communities they serve; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New York upon the
occasion of hosting its 181st Annual Grand Lodge Divine Service on May
3, 2026; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Most Worshipful Grand Master Darren M. Morton, Ed.D., and
the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New York, Free and
Accepted Masons of the State of New York.