If a new lodge was formed with the ideals we've discussed here on Emeth, would you help form it? By recruiting? By writing bylaws? By finding a meeting place? By memorizing parts of degree lectures? By holding an office it's first year? Etc...
Have appendant bodies been a good thing or a bad thing for Blue lodges? I know what I think, but what are your opinions. List if you are in Appendant bodies, and active.
Have appendant bodies been a good thing or a bad thing for Blue lodges? I know what I think, but what are your opinions. List if you are in Appendant bodies, and active.
Brother Robert, that is a very wide, deep topic and can be subjectively be described as appendant bodies being good and bad in different times, decades of past history. My personal experience in the York Rite has been an ecstasy of enlightening knowledge and the agony of not enough knowledgeable Brothers and much lost of Ancient Knowledge, Traditions and Culture. My answer to your question is Yes, appendant bodies have been a good thing and a bad thing for Blue Lodges. I believe the most important point is the current state of Brothers and Lodges, are in need of reformation. A template as such, like the following via Wikipedia: Confucius's principles have commonality with Chinese tradition and belief. With filial piety, he championed strong family loyalty, ancestor veneration, and respect of elders by their children and of husbands by their wives, recommending family as a basis for ideal government. He espoused the well-known principle "Do not do unto others what you do not want done to yourself", the Golden Rule.
Objectively speaking, yes the appendant bodies are good and bad for the Blue Lodge. What is good and or bad for Blue Lodge are the Brothers…Brothers Roy and Glenn, spoke about a general web page template if I remember correctly from reading their posts. Which Brothers are healthy for the Lodge and which Brothers are knowingly or unknowingly unhealthy for their Lodge? I believe we need to start with our own reflection of that mirror. We also need a new template that we all need to adhere to, actually the original template…
I have experienced a Brother get up in the middle of the WM giving a charge to a Brother and approach the Secretary and then start arguing??? The lack of etiquette, respect, reverence and even seeing Brothers and Grand Officers have side conversations during Lodge have made me physically sick. That has been my experience through out the York Rite, starting with our Blue Lodge. Apologies for straying down this rabbit hole and my gratitude’s for such.
The York Rite, Scottish Rite and the rest of the appendant bodies are a Blessing for Blue Lodge, it’s the quality of the lack there of our Blue Lodge Brothers that are the thing of it.
For Brother Robert; Sovereign Master AMD, PWM Blue, PHP Red, PIM Purple, PEC Black, Red Cross of Constantine, York Rite College and PWP OES.
Lodges generally (universally?) lack the capacity to design, build, and maintain simple and attractive web pages. They don’t look good on their own and they bear no relation to Grand Lodge.
Why not discuss what that template should look like, then have it hosted at the state level so Lodge pages look like they belong together?
Instead of each Lodge reinventing the same thing haphazardly, let’s divide the work and draw on the best talents across the jurisdiction.
I know this is a future topic thread, but I have to respond to this idea. I've heard the words "website template system" quite a lot, I think I should clear this up a tad.
There are plenty of web hosting sites online that provide ready made templates that with some tweaking, can furnish the lodge with a nice inexpensive website, without having GL reinvent the wheel. In addition, if the GL did come up with some sort of "template", just who is going to maintain it? The act of modifying and updating that sort of website requires some knowledge of web development regardless, so it sort of defeats the entire purpose.
The real issue is that lodges tend to be lazy, and not willing to put the time and effort to put up an online presence. Even something as simple as a group page on FB is neglected. Some lodges are very successful in maintaining an active online persona. Others, well, not so much. Even my own lodge, I set up our group FB page years ago, and gave the appropriate permissions to the officers. The last post to our FB page not posted by me was back in May, and before that, June of 2020. This is not because of the pandemic, this is simply people that are frankly too lazy to utilize the tools given to them.
Based on my personal experience, having some sort of GL "website template" is just as useless. The lodges wanting them won't update them regardless. Chris Heck and I set up a brand new website for the lodge back in august, and it's sat dormant ever since.
In NC weve been using part of groupable, called Our Lodge page. Its a great WYSIWYG tool for social pages. includes a chat function and a calendar. Not overly complex and needs some development, however it functions. https://244-nc.ourlodgepage.com/
Money in masonry. How important is it? Should lodge dues be higher or lower? Does money just get in the way? Should lodges save money? Should they take from their members only what is strictly necessary to support their functioning? How much should lodges give away to charity? Would you pay more/less for better/worse food?
Candidate mentoring. How is it done right? What should a candidate get out of their mentor? How do lodges recruit & develop mentors? You could do the same topic about ritual proficiency. Who is responsible? How much is enough (perfection can't be the goal)?
think you do a perfect job and amazed at the ability to pick great subject matter as much as you do. I check Emeth out far more than I do facebook or any other social vampireism site. I would throw into the ring, topics of the Liberal Arts, Ancient Landmarks, Astronomy/Astrology, Philosophers Stone. I think those could be interesting topics on here.
I would welcome commentary on "Getting members into meetings." What attracts a man who is already a Mason, but doesn't attend meetings? What drives him away? What will it take to get back, and more importantly, engaged? Just my thoughts...
If a new lodge was formed with the ideals we've discussed here on Emeth, would you help form it? By recruiting? By writing bylaws? By finding a meeting place? By memorizing parts of degree lectures? By holding an office it's first year? Etc...
A good reference: https://www.amazon.com/How-Charter-Lodge-No-Nonsense-Unsanctioned/dp/B08SP5GQHG
Have appendant bodies been a good thing or a bad thing for Blue lodges? I know what I think, but what are your opinions. List if you are in Appendant bodies, and active.
Have appendant bodies been a good thing or a bad thing for Blue lodges? I know what I think, but what are your opinions. List if you are in Appendant bodies, and active.
Brother Robert, that is a very wide, deep topic and can be subjectively be described as appendant bodies being good and bad in different times, decades of past history. My personal experience in the York Rite has been an ecstasy of enlightening knowledge and the agony of not enough knowledgeable Brothers and much lost of Ancient Knowledge, Traditions and Culture. My answer to your question is Yes, appendant bodies have been a good thing and a bad thing for Blue Lodges. I believe the most important point is the current state of Brothers and Lodges, are in need of reformation. A template as such, like the following via Wikipedia: Confucius's principles have commonality with Chinese tradition and belief. With filial piety, he championed strong family loyalty, ancestor veneration, and respect of elders by their children and of husbands by their wives, recommending family as a basis for ideal government. He espoused the well-known principle "Do not do unto others what you do not want done to yourself", the Golden Rule.
Objectively speaking, yes the appendant bodies are good and bad for the Blue Lodge. What is good and or bad for Blue Lodge are the Brothers…Brothers Roy and Glenn, spoke about a general web page template if I remember correctly from reading their posts. Which Brothers are healthy for the Lodge and which Brothers are knowingly or unknowingly unhealthy for their Lodge? I believe we need to start with our own reflection of that mirror. We also need a new template that we all need to adhere to, actually the original template…
I have experienced a Brother get up in the middle of the WM giving a charge to a Brother and approach the Secretary and then start arguing??? The lack of etiquette, respect, reverence and even seeing Brothers and Grand Officers have side conversations during Lodge have made me physically sick. That has been my experience through out the York Rite, starting with our Blue Lodge. Apologies for straying down this rabbit hole and my gratitude’s for such.
The York Rite, Scottish Rite and the rest of the appendant bodies are a Blessing for Blue Lodge, it’s the quality of the lack there of our Blue Lodge Brothers that are the thing of it.
For Brother Robert; Sovereign Master AMD, PWM Blue, PHP Red, PIM Purple, PEC Black, Red Cross of Constantine, York Rite College and PWP OES.
We need a good web site template system.
Lodges generally (universally?) lack the capacity to design, build, and maintain simple and attractive web pages. They don’t look good on their own and they bear no relation to Grand Lodge.
Why not discuss what that template should look like, then have it hosted at the state level so Lodge pages look like they belong together?
Instead of each Lodge reinventing the same thing haphazardly, let’s divide the work and draw on the best talents across the jurisdiction.
I know this is a future topic thread, but I have to respond to this idea. I've heard the words "website template system" quite a lot, I think I should clear this up a tad.
There are plenty of web hosting sites online that provide ready made templates that with some tweaking, can furnish the lodge with a nice inexpensive website, without having GL reinvent the wheel. In addition, if the GL did come up with some sort of "template", just who is going to maintain it? The act of modifying and updating that sort of website requires some knowledge of web development regardless, so it sort of defeats the entire purpose.
The real issue is that lodges tend to be lazy, and not willing to put the time and effort to put up an online presence. Even something as simple as a group page on FB is neglected. Some lodges are very successful in maintaining an active online persona. Others, well, not so much. Even my own lodge, I set up our group FB page years ago, and gave the appropriate permissions to the officers. The last post to our FB page not posted by me was back in May, and before that, June of 2020. This is not because of the pandemic, this is simply people that are frankly too lazy to utilize the tools given to them.
Based on my personal experience, having some sort of GL "website template" is just as useless. The lodges wanting them won't update them regardless. Chris Heck and I set up a brand new website for the lodge back in august, and it's sat dormant ever since.
You can lead a horse to water...
In NC weve been using part of groupable, called Our Lodge page. Its a great WYSIWYG tool for social pages. includes a chat function and a calendar. Not overly complex and needs some development, however it functions. https://244-nc.ourlodgepage.com/
Are temple boards really necessary when a lodge can purchase insurance with the affect??
Brother Clay, yes I believe the temple board is needed as a shield to protect our Lodges...
Money in masonry. How important is it? Should lodge dues be higher or lower? Does money just get in the way? Should lodges save money? Should they take from their members only what is strictly necessary to support their functioning? How much should lodges give away to charity? Would you pay more/less for better/worse food?
Candidate mentoring. How is it done right? What should a candidate get out of their mentor? How do lodges recruit & develop mentors? You could do the same topic about ritual proficiency. Who is responsible? How much is enough (perfection can't be the goal)?
think you do a perfect job and amazed at the ability to pick great subject matter as much as you do. I check Emeth out far more than I do facebook or any other social vampireism site. I would throw into the ring, topics of the Liberal Arts, Ancient Landmarks, Astronomy/Astrology, Philosophers Stone. I think those could be interesting topics on here.
Thank you Brother, I really appreciate your kind words.
Shouldn't we be automatically inviting DeMolay boys to become Freemasons when they age out? That seems to be low-hanging fruit.
I would welcome commentary on "Getting members into meetings." What attracts a man who is already a Mason, but doesn't attend meetings? What drives him away? What will it take to get back, and more importantly, engaged? Just my thoughts...
Make the meetings worth attending.
I'd like to see a discussion on how to bring the subject of Freemasonry into our daily discussions amidst the outer world.