I suppose it depends on each individual what their reasons are. I got burned out as treasurer. Slowly watching a bank account get smaller and smaller. Repeatedly suggesting needed reforms to raise dues or sell the building before we went broke. Ignored. Dues hadn't been raised since Nixon ended the gold standard. What is it about so many civic fraternities that they act as if inflation doesn't exist. On that note, if your bylaws don't accommodate for automatically raising the dues annually with the BLS CPI inflation rate then your organization will be held hostage by those members unwilling to invest in the fraternity. They will vote down any increase. Killing the lodge in the process.
I think it depends on the lodge, the activities and how engaged the committees are. I noticed over the years the Past masters who do not stay are the ones who struggled with leadership, and lodges do not have a clear community plan, or long range plan that instills continuity. We move our past masters to the trustees and ultimately to chair committees. We also ensure they stay involved with the LRP committee to ensure that the business of the lodge looks over the horizon and is mission based . On average the lodge it self during a business meeting will have 10 or more past masters on the sideline, grumbling and reporting on their committee activities. I think the continuity of business with regards to the long range plan keeps them engaged. We have a under 5 year degree team that the PM's help with coaching, and designated duties assigned to the board of trustees. In addition to this, we ensure that new masons have a path, and responsibility. I think at the heart of our success, is organization, a program, a civically oriented public presence and long range plan. We Raised 12 masons this year. https://www.facebook.com/MONROE244https://www.monroe244.org/
To add to the above. We didn't start seeing retention until the LRP was in place and had been acted upon for 2 years. We have always waxed and waned with the times according to retention and growth, but the last 5 years have been anomalous. We collectively think the LRP has every thing to do with it.
I don't think there is one reason. I know of a few. One is simple boredom with business meetings. Another is exhausting and continuous conflict combined with disappointment over the idea of Freemasonry and the reality. Finally, it's evolution. Some brethren progress thru the degrees, and the concordant bodies and are hungry for more, which they don't find in Lodge. They become involved with Masonry at a level outside of the standard Lodge room. They specialize in areas of Freemasonry that are very specific. It might be charity, it might be history, it might be esoterica. They are still active, but differently. These guys show up from time to time, often with good effect.
Hers one way to look at it ... Past Masters come in two flavors.
The first are part of the "in" crowd, ready to join with and support other Past Masters who may control the Lodge behind the scenes.
The second are ones that aren't in that clique and are not given anything to do after they leave. They also tend to be the ones who had to fight too many battles against the status quo and are just too tired.
I'm not suggesting this dynamic exists in all Lodges, but I'd be surprised if anyone found it unfamiliar upon reflection.
I have wondered why there are so many examples of men "taking a break" immediately following their year in the East. Maybe they did not accomplish what they thought they would?
Then, there are the past masters who should be done. You know the type. They want to see the Lodge ran as they think it should be and don't let the next generation do what they think is prudent. This is where that wise council idea comes in.
I had an experience where I was volunteered to plan an event. My wife and I reached out to a certain past master to talk about it since he had planned these events in the past. Every single idea we brought up was shot down by this good brother. A short time later, someone told me that this past master told him that I an hard to work with.
The event went off without a hiccup, we had Brothers from around the entire jurisdiction in attendance. It was a great time!
Past master's are just that - past. They can be a great resource, but they can also hold a Lodge back by being change resistant.
From my experience, the work of leading a lodge, the scheduling, the finances and the recruiting simply take away from the splender of what masonry is. When PMs feel like they are merely donating time to a charity instead of growing in masonry, their post-leadership schedules simply fill with other activities.
I suppose it depends on each individual what their reasons are. I got burned out as treasurer. Slowly watching a bank account get smaller and smaller. Repeatedly suggesting needed reforms to raise dues or sell the building before we went broke. Ignored. Dues hadn't been raised since Nixon ended the gold standard. What is it about so many civic fraternities that they act as if inflation doesn't exist. On that note, if your bylaws don't accommodate for automatically raising the dues annually with the BLS CPI inflation rate then your organization will be held hostage by those members unwilling to invest in the fraternity. They will vote down any increase. Killing the lodge in the process.
I think it depends on the lodge, the activities and how engaged the committees are. I noticed over the years the Past masters who do not stay are the ones who struggled with leadership, and lodges do not have a clear community plan, or long range plan that instills continuity. We move our past masters to the trustees and ultimately to chair committees. We also ensure they stay involved with the LRP committee to ensure that the business of the lodge looks over the horizon and is mission based . On average the lodge it self during a business meeting will have 10 or more past masters on the sideline, grumbling and reporting on their committee activities. I think the continuity of business with regards to the long range plan keeps them engaged. We have a under 5 year degree team that the PM's help with coaching, and designated duties assigned to the board of trustees. In addition to this, we ensure that new masons have a path, and responsibility. I think at the heart of our success, is organization, a program, a civically oriented public presence and long range plan. We Raised 12 masons this year. https://www.facebook.com/MONROE244 https://www.monroe244.org/
To add to the above. We didn't start seeing retention until the LRP was in place and had been acted upon for 2 years. We have always waxed and waned with the times according to retention and growth, but the last 5 years have been anomalous. We collectively think the LRP has every thing to do with it.
I don't think there is one reason. I know of a few. One is simple boredom with business meetings. Another is exhausting and continuous conflict combined with disappointment over the idea of Freemasonry and the reality. Finally, it's evolution. Some brethren progress thru the degrees, and the concordant bodies and are hungry for more, which they don't find in Lodge. They become involved with Masonry at a level outside of the standard Lodge room. They specialize in areas of Freemasonry that are very specific. It might be charity, it might be history, it might be esoterica. They are still active, but differently. These guys show up from time to time, often with good effect.
Hers one way to look at it ... Past Masters come in two flavors.
The first are part of the "in" crowd, ready to join with and support other Past Masters who may control the Lodge behind the scenes.
The second are ones that aren't in that clique and are not given anything to do after they leave. They also tend to be the ones who had to fight too many battles against the status quo and are just too tired.
I'm not suggesting this dynamic exists in all Lodges, but I'd be surprised if anyone found it unfamiliar upon reflection.
I have wondered why there are so many examples of men "taking a break" immediately following their year in the East. Maybe they did not accomplish what they thought they would?
Then, there are the past masters who should be done. You know the type. They want to see the Lodge ran as they think it should be and don't let the next generation do what they think is prudent. This is where that wise council idea comes in.
I had an experience where I was volunteered to plan an event. My wife and I reached out to a certain past master to talk about it since he had planned these events in the past. Every single idea we brought up was shot down by this good brother. A short time later, someone told me that this past master told him that I an hard to work with.
The event went off without a hiccup, we had Brothers from around the entire jurisdiction in attendance. It was a great time!
Past master's are just that - past. They can be a great resource, but they can also hold a Lodge back by being change resistant.
From my experience, the work of leading a lodge, the scheduling, the finances and the recruiting simply take away from the splender of what masonry is. When PMs feel like they are merely donating time to a charity instead of growing in masonry, their post-leadership schedules simply fill with other activities.