Does your Lodge ever hold formal, tyled, Table Lodges?
If so, or if you have attended one elsewhere, do you find them to be great Masonic experiences?
What about un-tyled Table Lodges, with non-Masonic guests, and without the secret work?
I’ve attended both types, and greatly enjoy them. I find them a wonderful diversion from our normal way of working. In fact, I attended a great one last night. But in talking with the other Masons present, it seemed to me that a great many of the Masons there had never before attended a Table Lodge of any type.
It seems to me that our Lodges are missing an opportunity for a fun and interesting evening, and a great way of building fellowship.
I have been to several table lodges and enjoy them. Some were held by a lodge, but most of them were in my home district. My home district in Maine holds a yearly table lodge with each Lodge being in charge. We normaly have about 100 Masons attending. We honor either a PDD or a special Mason. We also have 3 Masonic awards that are given out for Masons that have gone above and beyond as Masons. It is ALWAYS a good time and a friendly gathering.
100 Masons would truly be awesome at such an event! The one I attended this week had a bit over 50, but that took the room to capacity. We do have larger Masonic buildings that could handle 100, so that seems like a wonderful goal to shoot for!
Last night our Lodge had it's annual untyled Table Lodge. It was fun and commadery was prevelent and boisterous. We toasted, sang and shared a great meal. After skipping a year, it was good to see brothers enjoying themselves, including myself. Most didn't want it to end. Ours is the only one in the District, but we had brothers outside of it in attendance. My suggestion is we hold a District Table Lodge and this would help unite our Brotherhood.
I agree with you that our Districts are probably the best sized group to draw from for these events. Many Lodges are too small on their own, or otherwise lack some needed resource, but a District can pull one off well. Plus as you say, it is a great way of uniting the Lodges and Masons together.
My suggestion would be to have the annual district meetings held as a tiled table lodge. As we rotate the annual district meetings to each lodge in the district, they are responsible for the planning and execution of the event under the direction of the district deputy. Thus, every district has at least one table lodge a year.
I had the same thought as we were driving home, that a Table Lodge could make a superb District meeting. One of our Districts, under the previous two DDGM's did do something quite similar to a Table Lodge for their District Meetings, and to be honest those were some of the best I've attended.
As you know, in Washington this year we've moved to virtual District Meetings, in order to free up time and other resources so that more actual Lodge Stated Meetings can be visited by the Grand Lodge Officers. I don't know if that will continue into the future or not, but if the format does move back to in person District Meetings I think that as you suggest, doing them as Table Lodges could be quite superb.
A "Table Lodge" is a tiled dinner held during a call to refreshment for Masons only. A "Festive Board" is a Masonic dinner free from restraint that can have non-Masonic guests. There seems to be some confusion among the workmen as to which is which.
I won't argue with you, because I believe you to be correct.
But I think that most Masons, around my neck of the woods anyway, use the terms differently now. I think that most view a Table Lodge as being a ritualized Masonic meeting taking place with food and drink, closed with secret work, or open without it. I think that most consider the Festive Board to be a good dinner, either before or after the Lodge Meeting. I think that is how I hear the terms most often used anyway.
But, as mentioned above, I believe that your explanation of the terms is the correct one. I imagine that the confusion has come about because these great events are so seldom taking place anymore.
I have been to several table lodges and enjoy them. Some were held by a lodge, but most of them were in my home district. My home district in Maine holds a yearly table lodge with each Lodge being in charge. We normaly have about 100 Masons attending. We honor either a PDD or a special Mason. We also have 3 Masonic awards that are given out for Masons that have gone above and beyond as Masons. It is ALWAYS a good time and a friendly gathering.
100 Masons would truly be awesome at such an event! The one I attended this week had a bit over 50, but that took the room to capacity. We do have larger Masonic buildings that could handle 100, so that seems like a wonderful goal to shoot for!
Last night our Lodge had it's annual untyled Table Lodge. It was fun and commadery was prevelent and boisterous. We toasted, sang and shared a great meal. After skipping a year, it was good to see brothers enjoying themselves, including myself. Most didn't want it to end. Ours is the only one in the District, but we had brothers outside of it in attendance. My suggestion is we hold a District Table Lodge and this would help unite our Brotherhood.
I agree with you that our Districts are probably the best sized group to draw from for these events. Many Lodges are too small on their own, or otherwise lack some needed resource, but a District can pull one off well. Plus as you say, it is a great way of uniting the Lodges and Masons together.
My suggestion would be to have the annual district meetings held as a tiled table lodge. As we rotate the annual district meetings to each lodge in the district, they are responsible for the planning and execution of the event under the direction of the district deputy. Thus, every district has at least one table lodge a year.
I had the same thought as we were driving home, that a Table Lodge could make a superb District meeting. One of our Districts, under the previous two DDGM's did do something quite similar to a Table Lodge for their District Meetings, and to be honest those were some of the best I've attended.
As you know, in Washington this year we've moved to virtual District Meetings, in order to free up time and other resources so that more actual Lodge Stated Meetings can be visited by the Grand Lodge Officers. I don't know if that will continue into the future or not, but if the format does move back to in person District Meetings I think that as you suggest, doing them as Table Lodges could be quite superb.
A "Table Lodge" is a tiled dinner held during a call to refreshment for Masons only. A "Festive Board" is a Masonic dinner free from restraint that can have non-Masonic guests. There seems to be some confusion among the workmen as to which is which.
I won't argue with you, because I believe you to be correct.
But I think that most Masons, around my neck of the woods anyway, use the terms differently now. I think that most view a Table Lodge as being a ritualized Masonic meeting taking place with food and drink, closed with secret work, or open without it. I think that most consider the Festive Board to be a good dinner, either before or after the Lodge Meeting. I think that is how I hear the terms most often used anyway.
But, as mentioned above, I believe that your explanation of the terms is the correct one. I imagine that the confusion has come about because these great events are so seldom taking place anymore.