Would you prefer belonging to a Lodge that wasn’t able to meet all of your needs, but that was close enough to home that you could visit it with ease for all of its meetings and special events…
Or…
Would you prefer to belong to a Lodge that provided such a superb experience that all of your needs were met, but was of such distance from you that you might only be able to attend once a year?
We’ve heard and discussed about the failing lodge experience. About the lack of educational experiences and how that has caused brothers to drift away from participating in their lodge. We don’t seem to have a lot discussions about our responsibilities as Freemasons let alone our responsibilities as men. It’s easy to talk about problems or the lack of educational experiences in our lodges, the arguing over a $10 expenditure. But how often has a brother offered to provide education at a meeting. The adage, “You only get out what you put in” is more than true. During the dark days of Covid, I mustered my courage and put educational topics together that covered the duties of all the lodge officers and the 4 Cardinal Virtues. As a whole, none of them were anything to write home about but I put the effort in. What it did do was encourage other brothers to put different educational pieces together for our lodge experience. Going back to the question at hand, if a Mason has to travel a great distance once a year to have his lodge needs met, I would argue that it fails to provide all the needs a brother is looking for. There’s very little if any brotherhood happening, caring for older brothers, their widows and orphans. It’s every brothers’ responsibility to ensure his local lodge provides an experience that satisfies the needs of the lodge. We need to move beyond our lodges being held hostage by one or two older brothers who aren’t excited about change. Perhaps creating a Mentoring program and asking the older brothers to chair the program. It’s all our responsibility to ensure our lodge is successful.
"During the dark days of Covid, I mustered my courage and put educational topics together that covered the duties of all the lodge officers and the 4 Cardinal Virtues. As a whole, none of them were anything to write home about but I put the effort in. What it did do was encourage other brothers to put different educational pieces together for our lodge experience."
Sometimes that's what it takes. Someone to make a little research, talk with the Worshipful Master to see if he can fit one of your presentations into a meeting, and see where it leads.
It also helps to get everyone involved. For my 3rd term as WM, I would introduce a topic, and everyone would not only get a chance to provide input, they were asked to do so. Kind of like a "round robin." Also that term, I thought about the Masonic subjects that I had little knowledge about, and I made them topics and presentations for the meetings, figuring if I'm learning something, there's a good chance others are as well.
"We need to move beyond our lodges being held hostage by one or two older brothers who aren’t excited about change." I 100% agree, and I actually got a little heated with a Brother last weekend when he told me a Lodge in his area is failing because the members refuse to attend Lodge because of one Brother who is an officer in the Lodge. One Brother. I told him a Lodge is failing because of One Brother. These other members are walking away from a Fraternity that is over 300 years old, because of One Brother. These members are taking away an opportunity for good men to join Freemasonry in their area because of ONE BROTHER. I had to back up and apologize to the Mason who told me this, indicating I didn't mean to imply I was attacking him personally, but I did admonish him to tell those Brothers to come back to Lodge and get active, despite that One Brother. Like some Brothers in the LRP committee said, it's time to Lean In. Take the initiative and get YOUR Lodge active again in the community. Don't let One Brother stand in the way. Heck, you might even get that One Brother to turn things around himself! Now That's a win-win situation!
I am fairly familiar with a Lodge that operates like this. It seems that virtually all the men want to go in one direction, but then this one Brother will stand up and object, as he has done for many years now, and the Lodge just backs away from whatever it was that they wanted to do.
It's the craziest thing.
I've suggested to them that instead of trying to make every single member happy (specifically this one member happy) they just vote.
Call a vote and do what the Lodge wants to do.
Alas, that advice seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
Sometimes you’ll get that dissenting Brother who threatens that he’ll quit coming to Lodge if they decide to go a direction he doesn’t want them to go.
Our Fraternity has been struggling for membership for so long, that many of us are averse to any reduction in membership, and feel we must do whatever we can to retain Everyone who is currently active, not realizing that some decisions may “drive off” one or two old-timers, but in the long run, gain and retain even more newer members.
One of the more important facets of true leadership is making tough decisions like this one. There are times where you’ll need to make a decision for a no-win situation. Somebody’s going to be hurt and not come back to Lodge regardless of what decision you make; you’ll have to make a decision that works best in the Long-term.
I don't think I'd cross the street if it didn't meet my needs so I can't imagine going to a nearby lodge that offered nothing more than proximity. At the same time traveling to a lodge so distant that I could attend only once a year is also unlikely to meet my needs. I'm probably not alone when I say that I want both proximity and substance.
Thank you Most Worshipful. If I was still traveling I would.. I look forward to our Sunday night discussions. On my way to a MM degree in a neighboring District that Widows Sons are doing the work.
I’ve been fortunate to be able to move my home closer to my Lodges that addresses the Masonic substance and experience I believe I need. And since that move my Lodge activity has increased despite the pandemic disruptions. That said, my activity in our rural Lodge that’s an hour+ drive away and only meets four times a year is poor.
That's too bad about your rural Lodge. I've heard it was quite successful in years past after being brought back from the dead. I hope it can come back to life again.
I believe we need to get our lodges back to being involved in the community they reside in. I see so many lodges failed because the community didn't even know they existed. Our lodges in the past were the backbone of their communities and were thriving, seems somewhere along the way they lost that connection and slowly started dying a slow and steady decline. Get involved it works.
I'd *prefer* to attend (and participate with) a lodge that both met my expectations and provided friendship. It *is* possible to have both, but the brethren must be committed to making that happen. One or two men cannot make that happen. Strong leadership is a must. Commitment to the virtues and principles of Freemasonry is a mandate. Above all, a willingness to both teach and learn will improve the lodge experience for everyone. It's so much more than just a social hour. It's an opportunity to improve one's self. Isn't that what we're seeking? Just my thoughts...
We’ve heard and discussed about the failing lodge experience. About the lack of educational experiences and how that has caused brothers to drift away from participating in their lodge. We don’t seem to have a lot discussions about our responsibilities as Freemasons let alone our responsibilities as men. It’s easy to talk about problems or the lack of educational experiences in our lodges, the arguing over a $10 expenditure. But how often has a brother offered to provide education at a meeting. The adage, “You only get out what you put in” is more than true. During the dark days of Covid, I mustered my courage and put educational topics together that covered the duties of all the lodge officers and the 4 Cardinal Virtues. As a whole, none of them were anything to write home about but I put the effort in. What it did do was encourage other brothers to put different educational pieces together for our lodge experience. Going back to the question at hand, if a Mason has to travel a great distance once a year to have his lodge needs met, I would argue that it fails to provide all the needs a brother is looking for. There’s very little if any brotherhood happening, caring for older brothers, their widows and orphans. It’s every brothers’ responsibility to ensure his local lodge provides an experience that satisfies the needs of the lodge. We need to move beyond our lodges being held hostage by one or two older brothers who aren’t excited about change. Perhaps creating a Mentoring program and asking the older brothers to chair the program. It’s all our responsibility to ensure our lodge is successful.
Very good reply and I can’t think of anything to add Brother Brockman.
"During the dark days of Covid, I mustered my courage and put educational topics together that covered the duties of all the lodge officers and the 4 Cardinal Virtues. As a whole, none of them were anything to write home about but I put the effort in. What it did do was encourage other brothers to put different educational pieces together for our lodge experience."
Sometimes that's what it takes. Someone to make a little research, talk with the Worshipful Master to see if he can fit one of your presentations into a meeting, and see where it leads.
It also helps to get everyone involved. For my 3rd term as WM, I would introduce a topic, and everyone would not only get a chance to provide input, they were asked to do so. Kind of like a "round robin." Also that term, I thought about the Masonic subjects that I had little knowledge about, and I made them topics and presentations for the meetings, figuring if I'm learning something, there's a good chance others are as well.
"We need to move beyond our lodges being held hostage by one or two older brothers who aren’t excited about change." I 100% agree, and I actually got a little heated with a Brother last weekend when he told me a Lodge in his area is failing because the members refuse to attend Lodge because of one Brother who is an officer in the Lodge. One Brother. I told him a Lodge is failing because of One Brother. These other members are walking away from a Fraternity that is over 300 years old, because of One Brother. These members are taking away an opportunity for good men to join Freemasonry in their area because of ONE BROTHER. I had to back up and apologize to the Mason who told me this, indicating I didn't mean to imply I was attacking him personally, but I did admonish him to tell those Brothers to come back to Lodge and get active, despite that One Brother. Like some Brothers in the LRP committee said, it's time to Lean In. Take the initiative and get YOUR Lodge active again in the community. Don't let One Brother stand in the way. Heck, you might even get that One Brother to turn things around himself! Now That's a win-win situation!
I am fairly familiar with a Lodge that operates like this. It seems that virtually all the men want to go in one direction, but then this one Brother will stand up and object, as he has done for many years now, and the Lodge just backs away from whatever it was that they wanted to do.
It's the craziest thing.
I've suggested to them that instead of trying to make every single member happy (specifically this one member happy) they just vote.
Call a vote and do what the Lodge wants to do.
Alas, that advice seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
Sometimes you’ll get that dissenting Brother who threatens that he’ll quit coming to Lodge if they decide to go a direction he doesn’t want them to go.
Our Fraternity has been struggling for membership for so long, that many of us are averse to any reduction in membership, and feel we must do whatever we can to retain Everyone who is currently active, not realizing that some decisions may “drive off” one or two old-timers, but in the long run, gain and retain even more newer members.
One of the more important facets of true leadership is making tough decisions like this one. There are times where you’ll need to make a decision for a no-win situation. Somebody’s going to be hurt and not come back to Lodge regardless of what decision you make; you’ll have to make a decision that works best in the Long-term.
As master I provided masonic education at every meeting, including having the lodge fly out bro Andrew Hammer to give a presentation.
That was a truly superb evening! Thank you for doing it, and thank you for allowing me to attend!
I don't think I'd cross the street if it didn't meet my needs so I can't imagine going to a nearby lodge that offered nothing more than proximity. At the same time traveling to a lodge so distant that I could attend only once a year is also unlikely to meet my needs. I'm probably not alone when I say that I want both proximity and substance.
I f I could afford the travel expense I would join a Washington lodge and have a lodge in the East and West.
We would love to have you Brother!
Thank you Most Worshipful. If I was still traveling I would.. I look forward to our Sunday night discussions. On my way to a MM degree in a neighboring District that Widows Sons are doing the work.
I’ve been fortunate to be able to move my home closer to my Lodges that addresses the Masonic substance and experience I believe I need. And since that move my Lodge activity has increased despite the pandemic disruptions. That said, my activity in our rural Lodge that’s an hour+ drive away and only meets four times a year is poor.
That's too bad about your rural Lodge. I've heard it was quite successful in years past after being brought back from the dead. I hope it can come back to life again.
I believe we need to get our lodges back to being involved in the community they reside in. I see so many lodges failed because the community didn't even know they existed. Our lodges in the past were the backbone of their communities and were thriving, seems somewhere along the way they lost that connection and slowly started dying a slow and steady decline. Get involved it works.
If i was new to Masonry, I would prefer the Lodge that met my needs. Now, being a mason with established friendships, its nice to be near my friends.
I'd *prefer* to attend (and participate with) a lodge that both met my expectations and provided friendship. It *is* possible to have both, but the brethren must be committed to making that happen. One or two men cannot make that happen. Strong leadership is a must. Commitment to the virtues and principles of Freemasonry is a mandate. Above all, a willingness to both teach and learn will improve the lodge experience for everyone. It's so much more than just a social hour. It's an opportunity to improve one's self. Isn't that what we're seeking? Just my thoughts...