What is your favorite position to hold in Lodge? Why that specific office? What can a man who holds that office do to ensure that the Lodge experience is great?
Let’s chat about it…
On Saturday I’ll be sending out an email discussing some future plans for Emeth. An improvement that I think will be appreciated. Please watch for it to know what is coming up.
SD. Hands down, outside of the WM, the SD is in my opinion the best chair in the lodge. You have the most responsibilities, at least in our lodge.
The SD is responsible for setting up and putting away all of the furniture, tools and jewels for the meeting.
The SD is responsible for greeting brothers,, finding the first time visitors, and making people feel welcome. For those dreaded introductions, he should know just who is visiting so he can present them properly.
The SD is responsible for the 2nd and 3rd degree circumambulations (JD should do the 1st), and conferring the 1st degree. He should also know his drama part in the 3rd.
It's probably the most difficult and challenging of all of the officer positions, and that's why I enjoy it the most. A good SD can make a lodge shine in both business and degree conferral meetings.
I enjoyed being Master, but that came with a lot of responsibility. The job I had the most fun with, even though it was a difficult year in my Lodge, was Senior Warden. The Junior Warden was a good Mason, and ritualist, and we had a lot of fun with the ritual, and we worked hard behind the scene to improve our Lodge. It was a year of planning for my year in the East, negotiating with PMs for support, building teams and relationships. Yeah, SW was the most fun. WM was the most rewarding, but not quite as much fun.
I also feel Sr Deacon is my favorite for performing ritual. You have the Candidates! You are their first big contact in lodge ritual. If you know your stuff, they’re golden!
Second is Musician. I love using the piano to evoke a mood. To add depth to the ritual and to alleviate stressed hearts with beautiful sound. I can play funny or serious. Religious or patriotic. You name it. Lodge is silent without a pianist/musician.
I completely agree with WB Glenn Geiss! Senior Deacon was my absolute favorite position. I got to move around, make introductions, meet and conduct candidates, and be an impression of Masonry for them. I took my job very seriously (being a retired military man), and tried to put military precision into everything I did. Circumambulations and conferrals were my favorite parts. As SD, I was extremely nervous when I did my first conferral. I wanted it to be absolutely *perfect*!
Plus, as SD, I got to actually *do* something. I didn't just sit and observe, I moved around, and got to actually engage with the Brethren.
for myself, it was JD. But I didn't have that position but for 4 meetings before I was launched into the East. It was difficult, and of course I didn't know the work well....it took me most of the first year to find the ground.....but feel as time went by, I grew into the role of leadership of the Lodge. Looking back, I most certainly wish I had the opportunity to go thru all the chairs in the Lodge, certainly I would have been able to "perform" the ritualistic opening & closing much better. SO because of all of that, it seems weird to me that I now find myself in the position I'm in now.
I don't feel like the elder member with a wealth of knowledge, but others see me in the role. Its very humbling!! I'm not certain I am fulfilling my role properly....LOL!!
am hoping to become JD once more, and let others fill the 3 principal officers chairs!! One can dream!!
If I had answered this question before today, I’d be in total agreement with those who’ve posted here in my favorite position being the Senior Deacon, for the reasons also cited here.
But last night, my home Lodge held its first in-person meeting since March of last year. Since the Secretary was out of state, the Worshipful Master asked me to pro-tem for the meeting. It had been a few years since I was Tenino’s Secretary, but when I sat in the chair, it felt like coming home. I can’t believe I actually missed being in that office.
That being said, I do realize being a Lodge Secretary and being the Lodge’s Senior Deacon encompass different outlooks. As the Deacon, you’re focusing on introductions and ritual. As the Secretary, it’s mostly administrative. I’m currently installed as Senior Deacon of two of my Lodges, although I’m more than happy to hand the position over to a younger member, as all of you know the benefits of being in that position.
“What can a man who holds that office do to ensure that the Lodge experience is great?” The Senior Deacon is the key when it comes to the Lodge experience. That position and the Worshipful Master. I remember the officers in those two positions doing very well when I joined Lodge in 1996. It inspired me to learn the ritual and perform it well.
One chief duty of the position of the Senior Deacon is the Middle Chamber Lecture. While most Lodges have an experienced ritualist deliver this lecture, he delivers it as the Lodge’s Senior Deacon, carrying that officer’s rod as he ‘climbs’ the staircase with the new Fellowcraft. I was told, even before I joined Lodge, that the Middle Chamber Lecture was considered by many to be the best piece of the ritual in our ceremonies, and I wasn’t disappointed when I received my 2nd degree. I am really glad I took that lecture on, learned it, and have perfected its delivery over the years, and now over the last few years, I’m honored to have been able to deliver this lecture in ways that give an even better impression on our new Fellowcrafts. I thank those who have come up with the great ideas, and those in the Lodges who have supported those new ideas.
“What can a man who holds that office do to ensure that the Lodge experience is great?” Let’s look at it again as the Lodge Secretary. Like many have noted in previous threads, nobody wants a boring, drawn out business meeting. A Lodge’s secretary can be a big key in making that part of the meeting quick and efficient, which gives the Worshipful Master more time to allot time for education, which in an indirect manner, improves the Lodge experience.
So that’s two sides of improving a Lodge Experience.
Personally, my favorites were Senior Deacon and Worshipful Master. For the reasons given by others.
I just really enjoy the Senior Deacon role, especially when it comes to the Degrees. Taking the fellow in charge.
As Master, one is allowed to make a tremendous impact on the Lodge, and put ideas into practice. I found that to be extremely rewarding.
I do agree with what has been said about the Secretary position. In my view, a great Secretary can make a Lodge, and cover a lot of a WM's rough patches. Unfortunately, I'm not cut out for the Secretary role, so figure that I was poor to middling when I had that position. When we do get a great Secretary, we need to do our best to support him so that he will want to stick around!
SD. Hands down, outside of the WM, the SD is in my opinion the best chair in the lodge. You have the most responsibilities, at least in our lodge.
The SD is responsible for setting up and putting away all of the furniture, tools and jewels for the meeting.
The SD is responsible for greeting brothers,, finding the first time visitors, and making people feel welcome. For those dreaded introductions, he should know just who is visiting so he can present them properly.
The SD is responsible for the 2nd and 3rd degree circumambulations (JD should do the 1st), and conferring the 1st degree. He should also know his drama part in the 3rd.
It's probably the most difficult and challenging of all of the officer positions, and that's why I enjoy it the most. A good SD can make a lodge shine in both business and degree conferral meetings.
I enjoyed being Master, but that came with a lot of responsibility. The job I had the most fun with, even though it was a difficult year in my Lodge, was Senior Warden. The Junior Warden was a good Mason, and ritualist, and we had a lot of fun with the ritual, and we worked hard behind the scene to improve our Lodge. It was a year of planning for my year in the East, negotiating with PMs for support, building teams and relationships. Yeah, SW was the most fun. WM was the most rewarding, but not quite as much fun.
I also feel Sr Deacon is my favorite for performing ritual. You have the Candidates! You are their first big contact in lodge ritual. If you know your stuff, they’re golden!
Second is Musician. I love using the piano to evoke a mood. To add depth to the ritual and to alleviate stressed hearts with beautiful sound. I can play funny or serious. Religious or patriotic. You name it. Lodge is silent without a pianist/musician.
I completely agree with WB Glenn Geiss! Senior Deacon was my absolute favorite position. I got to move around, make introductions, meet and conduct candidates, and be an impression of Masonry for them. I took my job very seriously (being a retired military man), and tried to put military precision into everything I did. Circumambulations and conferrals were my favorite parts. As SD, I was extremely nervous when I did my first conferral. I wanted it to be absolutely *perfect*!
Plus, as SD, I got to actually *do* something. I didn't just sit and observe, I moved around, and got to actually engage with the Brethren.
Yep. And I'd do it all again!
for myself, it was JD. But I didn't have that position but for 4 meetings before I was launched into the East. It was difficult, and of course I didn't know the work well....it took me most of the first year to find the ground.....but feel as time went by, I grew into the role of leadership of the Lodge. Looking back, I most certainly wish I had the opportunity to go thru all the chairs in the Lodge, certainly I would have been able to "perform" the ritualistic opening & closing much better. SO because of all of that, it seems weird to me that I now find myself in the position I'm in now.
I don't feel like the elder member with a wealth of knowledge, but others see me in the role. Its very humbling!! I'm not certain I am fulfilling my role properly....LOL!!
am hoping to become JD once more, and let others fill the 3 principal officers chairs!! One can dream!!
If I had answered this question before today, I’d be in total agreement with those who’ve posted here in my favorite position being the Senior Deacon, for the reasons also cited here.
But last night, my home Lodge held its first in-person meeting since March of last year. Since the Secretary was out of state, the Worshipful Master asked me to pro-tem for the meeting. It had been a few years since I was Tenino’s Secretary, but when I sat in the chair, it felt like coming home. I can’t believe I actually missed being in that office.
That being said, I do realize being a Lodge Secretary and being the Lodge’s Senior Deacon encompass different outlooks. As the Deacon, you’re focusing on introductions and ritual. As the Secretary, it’s mostly administrative. I’m currently installed as Senior Deacon of two of my Lodges, although I’m more than happy to hand the position over to a younger member, as all of you know the benefits of being in that position.
“What can a man who holds that office do to ensure that the Lodge experience is great?” The Senior Deacon is the key when it comes to the Lodge experience. That position and the Worshipful Master. I remember the officers in those two positions doing very well when I joined Lodge in 1996. It inspired me to learn the ritual and perform it well.
One chief duty of the position of the Senior Deacon is the Middle Chamber Lecture. While most Lodges have an experienced ritualist deliver this lecture, he delivers it as the Lodge’s Senior Deacon, carrying that officer’s rod as he ‘climbs’ the staircase with the new Fellowcraft. I was told, even before I joined Lodge, that the Middle Chamber Lecture was considered by many to be the best piece of the ritual in our ceremonies, and I wasn’t disappointed when I received my 2nd degree. I am really glad I took that lecture on, learned it, and have perfected its delivery over the years, and now over the last few years, I’m honored to have been able to deliver this lecture in ways that give an even better impression on our new Fellowcrafts. I thank those who have come up with the great ideas, and those in the Lodges who have supported those new ideas.
“What can a man who holds that office do to ensure that the Lodge experience is great?” Let’s look at it again as the Lodge Secretary. Like many have noted in previous threads, nobody wants a boring, drawn out business meeting. A Lodge’s secretary can be a big key in making that part of the meeting quick and efficient, which gives the Worshipful Master more time to allot time for education, which in an indirect manner, improves the Lodge experience.
So that’s two sides of improving a Lodge Experience.
Personally, my favorites were Senior Deacon and Worshipful Master. For the reasons given by others.
I just really enjoy the Senior Deacon role, especially when it comes to the Degrees. Taking the fellow in charge.
As Master, one is allowed to make a tremendous impact on the Lodge, and put ideas into practice. I found that to be extremely rewarding.
I do agree with what has been said about the Secretary position. In my view, a great Secretary can make a Lodge, and cover a lot of a WM's rough patches. Unfortunately, I'm not cut out for the Secretary role, so figure that I was poor to middling when I had that position. When we do get a great Secretary, we need to do our best to support him so that he will want to stick around!
Senior Deacon. The SD sets the stage for the entire degree.