I do not know what the other fraternal organization is, but from your description, it appears to be a male workshop. It seems to be the difference between taking a class on the Old Testament and going to church each Sunday. The former is an extensive course on the Bible, and the latter is a way to live. Masonry could and should step up its game of teaching its members to become better men, but the Beauty of Masonry is that performing emulations and teaching allegories unveils our Grand Architect's design for living the best life.
If a mason doesn't leave a meeting inspired to become a better man, the lodge is simply doing it wrong.
Well said. Our meetings need to have some valuable content and education. If not, there is not much reason to attend other than a meal and to catch up a bit with the brethren. Brothers have so many other life obligations and chances for socialization. We need to make our meeting compelling, interesting and informative.
I am in complete agreement. Far too many Lodge meetings that I attend have zero content beyond business and event planning. A Lodge can not survive if that continues.
We have all of this rich symbolism and philosophy, but far too often it is virtually completely ignored.
>>>It seems to be the difference between taking a class on the Old Testament and going to >>>church each Sunday. The former is an extensive course on the Bible, and the latter is a >>>way to live.
I think that's a really good way of saying it, and quite close to what I'm suggesting we consider. Our Degrees, of course, teaching a way of life through their ancient forms. A separate workshop, or discussions studying the lessons related to masculinity touched upon in those degrees, and learning how those lessons can best be applied to daily situations men face.
>>>If a mason doesn't leave a meeting inspired to become a better man, the lodge is simply >>>doing it wrong.
My lodge has members from a large geographical area, making some aspects of mentoring a little challenging. However, with phones, texting and ZOOM type applications it is certainly not impossible. Without mentoring and helping the younger brother's along our fraternity is destined to fade away.
I understand the difficulty you write about here. The Lodge in my hometown has a close in membership, so it is really easy for us to get together as a group. But another Lodge I'm active with has a membership that covers a large geographical area, that makes getting together much harder.
I have though, as you mention, wondered if this couldn't work quite well via Zoom or similar application.
My lodge uses Zoom for Officer's meetings and even practices. It is a pretty good solution for these busy times. However, in my mind nothing will replace the in-person meetings.
Agreed. I use Zoom quite a lot, and find it to be a poor substitute for an in person meeting. But, it is really great to actually have a substitute now! Life was much different before our modern communications.
well ... the knights of columbus is the organization ?
just bloody well say so please when mentioning it in your texts instead of the silly circumlocaion or "the other fraternity" ...geez ... not like this is some national security secret ... gads ...
KofC is a RELIGIOUS organization designed to foster labor and economic support for the Catholic Church ... and so they have a huge constituency they serve ... in the most literal sense ... doing projects for local Catholic Parishes, access to more grand old buildings ... more regular meetings and more of everything active from pancakes and donuts to hugging ... and even ... though they make you do the disclaimer ... even related insurance and support services ...
Unless you want Masonry to become a religious organization .... their model will not work ...
As for the idea of "man school" ... and trying to force men into a certain shape mold ... well golllee cheeze whiz ... that works if they have already bought into a same religion and want guidance on how to stear their guilt and take pride in something ...
no guilt, no steering capacity ...rofl ...
navy SEALS have no problem getting too many recruits ... but if recruiting is the issue ... you want to start military training programs and issue weapons and go offshore and kill opposition individuals as part of masonry just because that makes good recruitment numbers?
geez ...
now ... it is true ...that our meetings are boring as hell ...
it is also true that youth look at what we do and see us doing ... what ? .... nothing ... zot ..zero ... no new knowledge, no new science, no new art, no social change ... so why would they want to join to watch a bunch of old guys with bad joints limp around adjusting their hearing aids and voting to pay the bills ?
want to get folks to join us
get busy doing WORTHY REAL MISSIONS ... not just talking about how special we are ...
“well ... the knights of columbus is the organization ?
just bloody well say so please when mentioning it in your texts instead of the silly circumlocaion or "the other fraternity" ...geez ... not like this is some national security secret ... gads ...”
Cameron had already addressed your comment on May 12, and here is the reason why.
“I didn't directly state that for a couple of reasons:
-I wanted folks to learn of their growth, without preconceived notions due to its religious nature.”
Then you say:
“KofC is a RELIGIOUS organization designed to foster labor and economic support for the Catholic Church ...” “Unless you want Masonry to become a religious organization .... their model will not work ...”
Which is exactly what Cameron was fearing – the preconceived notions.
You give plenty of reasons why several ideas do not work, but at the end, “want to get folks to join us get busy doing WORTHY REAL MISSIONS ... not just talking about how special we are ...”
I’m curious as to what ideas you have for worthy real missions.
Yes, the KofC is a religious organization which holds as a membership requirement that only Practicing Catholic men may join.
But, the fact that they are a religious organization does not, in my view, mean that we can't benefit from learning about what is working for them. And it is working, I think. Active membership in the Church is falling rapidly in the US, while the KofC is growing despite that. So clearly there is something they are doing that men are seeking.
And I don't believe that a Lodge adopting a discussion group to talk about manhood would somehow turn Freemasonry into a religious organization. Surely we already touch upon all of these masculine virtues in our ritualistic work. We just don't really explore them beyond that, resulting, I think, in less than ideal communication of our tenets.
If, as you say, "our meetings are boring as hell" A sentiment I generally agree with, then I suggest that we do something to make them less boring.
I determined the organization's identity from your previous post. Today, I went to their website and read the document from one of their bishops that began their instruction for men. You are correct, Masonry should be structured and taught in a similar manner.
I used a similar process when creating and conducting the Ohio workshops beginning in 2015. We began by assessing our beliefs, talents, and important people in our lives, and then I provided a method to understand and practically apply the tools, lessons, and obligations to improve and enhance a Mason's life every day. I then taught the participants how to organize and conduct what I called "Master Builder Groups" to discuss and support each other in applying Masonry.
I'm not quite ready to publicly announce this, but I have been working for the last year to take my workshop and program material and adapt it to teaching online. I am still building the website and learning structure, but your posts prompted me to share with you and your followers. Here is the landing page of the site I am building. If you look about halfway down, you will see a graphic of the "Becoming Masonry" course I refer to.
WB Mike, I bookmarked your link for future reference. I look forward to your program going live and I’d like to participate! The topic of personal growth and development was at the forefront my mind since joining Masonry, more especially since my WM asked me to take on the presentation of Masonic Education.
On the topic of Masonry vs “The Other”, I don’t think a direct comparison is necessarily valid. The framework of personal development deserves study and attention. However, they have a built in devoted membership to pull from and can directly and aggressively recruit, Masonry, not so much. That’s a topic I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. Not recruitment: Advertising and Marketing.
Thanks, Kirk, I will add you to my list of interested Brothers. If you would like, send me an email at mike@masonsleadbetter.com and let me know your thoughts about Masonic education for your lodge. I'm a former Lodge Education Officer and was a District Education Officer in Ohio. I would be glad to offer suggestions, share presentations I have done, and give you references to other sources of great Masonic education. Also, if you would like, subscribe to my weekly email that presents thoughts for Masonic personal improvement. Here is the link: https://masonsleadbetter.com/365amason-signup/ Fraternally, Mike
Following a Temple Board meeting last night, some of us from my Lodge discussed this non-recruitment within Freemasonry for quite awhile.
My Lodge's experience over a great many years now has been that the more active we are (internally active, not community active) the more we have our members attend, and the more Petitions we receive. Doing big community events doesn't seem to effect our active membership levels, but hosting interesting events for our Brothers, their families and friends, does seem to make a really large difference. Things like weekend retreats, BBQ's, holiday parties, &c. We don't recruit, but we do invite our friends.
Thank you for sharing this with us! I think that adapting the workshops to an online teaching format is superb. It will open the knowledge to everyone, regardless of location, and I think that is something we must do as we move into the future.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how your project develops, and will be pleased to see it launch. Please do keep us informed of that, I'd be very happy to help get the word out about it.
While I can't agree with everything in the Bishop's letter, I do think that there is much Freemasonry can learn from the approach that it sparked.
MWB Bailey, I would really like to expand on this topic next time I see you in greater detail. I think a developmental channel promoting mental, physical, and spiritual content could be an awesome project.
Perhaps we could establish a private channel for Brethren only content, and a public channel to attract those who might make good candidates for the Craft?
As always I appreciate seeing you promote some great topics and look forward to seeing what you stir up next. Let me know how I can help.
Thank you Brother! I do feel that men and boys are struggling in our society right now, and I have to believe that our Craft has a really strong role to play in addressing that. If we chose to do so. Hopefully we make that positive choice!
I do not know what the other fraternal organization is, but from your description, it appears to be a male workshop. It seems to be the difference between taking a class on the Old Testament and going to church each Sunday. The former is an extensive course on the Bible, and the latter is a way to live. Masonry could and should step up its game of teaching its members to become better men, but the Beauty of Masonry is that performing emulations and teaching allegories unveils our Grand Architect's design for living the best life.
If a mason doesn't leave a meeting inspired to become a better man, the lodge is simply doing it wrong.
Well said. Our meetings need to have some valuable content and education. If not, there is not much reason to attend other than a meal and to catch up a bit with the brethren. Brothers have so many other life obligations and chances for socialization. We need to make our meeting compelling, interesting and informative.
I am in complete agreement. Far too many Lodge meetings that I attend have zero content beyond business and event planning. A Lodge can not survive if that continues.
We have all of this rich symbolism and philosophy, but far too often it is virtually completely ignored.
>>>It seems to be the difference between taking a class on the Old Testament and going to >>>church each Sunday. The former is an extensive course on the Bible, and the latter is a >>>way to live.
I think that's a really good way of saying it, and quite close to what I'm suggesting we consider. Our Degrees, of course, teaching a way of life through their ancient forms. A separate workshop, or discussions studying the lessons related to masculinity touched upon in those degrees, and learning how those lessons can best be applied to daily situations men face.
>>>If a mason doesn't leave a meeting inspired to become a better man, the lodge is simply >>>doing it wrong.
Agreed, 100%.
Emeth once again you hit the nail on the head.
All very powerful words that our current and future leadership throughout the world should read and meditate on. This is a keeper!
Thank you Brother! I'm really pleased that you found value in this. I truly believe that it is something that we should consider.
I'm shocked you don't call out the name of this "other fraternity"?
Oh, I've mentioned it a number of times in the comments to the previous posts this week. It's the Knights of Columbus.
Yes, I was going to say; look at the May 12th post. ;)
Thanks VW.
My lodge has members from a large geographical area, making some aspects of mentoring a little challenging. However, with phones, texting and ZOOM type applications it is certainly not impossible. Without mentoring and helping the younger brother's along our fraternity is destined to fade away.
I understand the difficulty you write about here. The Lodge in my hometown has a close in membership, so it is really easy for us to get together as a group. But another Lodge I'm active with has a membership that covers a large geographical area, that makes getting together much harder.
I have though, as you mention, wondered if this couldn't work quite well via Zoom or similar application.
My lodge uses Zoom for Officer's meetings and even practices. It is a pretty good solution for these busy times. However, in my mind nothing will replace the in-person meetings.
Agreed. I use Zoom quite a lot, and find it to be a poor substitute for an in person meeting. But, it is really great to actually have a substitute now! Life was much different before our modern communications.
well ... the knights of columbus is the organization ?
just bloody well say so please when mentioning it in your texts instead of the silly circumlocaion or "the other fraternity" ...geez ... not like this is some national security secret ... gads ...
KofC is a RELIGIOUS organization designed to foster labor and economic support for the Catholic Church ... and so they have a huge constituency they serve ... in the most literal sense ... doing projects for local Catholic Parishes, access to more grand old buildings ... more regular meetings and more of everything active from pancakes and donuts to hugging ... and even ... though they make you do the disclaimer ... even related insurance and support services ...
Unless you want Masonry to become a religious organization .... their model will not work ...
As for the idea of "man school" ... and trying to force men into a certain shape mold ... well golllee cheeze whiz ... that works if they have already bought into a same religion and want guidance on how to stear their guilt and take pride in something ...
no guilt, no steering capacity ...rofl ...
navy SEALS have no problem getting too many recruits ... but if recruiting is the issue ... you want to start military training programs and issue weapons and go offshore and kill opposition individuals as part of masonry just because that makes good recruitment numbers?
geez ...
now ... it is true ...that our meetings are boring as hell ...
it is also true that youth look at what we do and see us doing ... what ? .... nothing ... zot ..zero ... no new knowledge, no new science, no new art, no social change ... so why would they want to join to watch a bunch of old guys with bad joints limp around adjusting their hearing aids and voting to pay the bills ?
want to get folks to join us
get busy doing WORTHY REAL MISSIONS ... not just talking about how special we are ...
“well ... the knights of columbus is the organization ?
just bloody well say so please when mentioning it in your texts instead of the silly circumlocaion or "the other fraternity" ...geez ... not like this is some national security secret ... gads ...”
Cameron had already addressed your comment on May 12, and here is the reason why.
“I didn't directly state that for a couple of reasons:
-I wanted folks to learn of their growth, without preconceived notions due to its religious nature.”
Then you say:
“KofC is a RELIGIOUS organization designed to foster labor and economic support for the Catholic Church ...” “Unless you want Masonry to become a religious organization .... their model will not work ...”
Which is exactly what Cameron was fearing – the preconceived notions.
You give plenty of reasons why several ideas do not work, but at the end, “want to get folks to join us get busy doing WORTHY REAL MISSIONS ... not just talking about how special we are ...”
I’m curious as to what ideas you have for worthy real missions.
Thank you VW.
Yes, the KofC is a religious organization which holds as a membership requirement that only Practicing Catholic men may join.
But, the fact that they are a religious organization does not, in my view, mean that we can't benefit from learning about what is working for them. And it is working, I think. Active membership in the Church is falling rapidly in the US, while the KofC is growing despite that. So clearly there is something they are doing that men are seeking.
And I don't believe that a Lodge adopting a discussion group to talk about manhood would somehow turn Freemasonry into a religious organization. Surely we already touch upon all of these masculine virtues in our ritualistic work. We just don't really explore them beyond that, resulting, I think, in less than ideal communication of our tenets.
If, as you say, "our meetings are boring as hell" A sentiment I generally agree with, then I suggest that we do something to make them less boring.
I determined the organization's identity from your previous post. Today, I went to their website and read the document from one of their bishops that began their instruction for men. You are correct, Masonry should be structured and taught in a similar manner.
I used a similar process when creating and conducting the Ohio workshops beginning in 2015. We began by assessing our beliefs, talents, and important people in our lives, and then I provided a method to understand and practically apply the tools, lessons, and obligations to improve and enhance a Mason's life every day. I then taught the participants how to organize and conduct what I called "Master Builder Groups" to discuss and support each other in applying Masonry.
I'm not quite ready to publicly announce this, but I have been working for the last year to take my workshop and program material and adapt it to teaching online. I am still building the website and learning structure, but your posts prompted me to share with you and your followers. Here is the landing page of the site I am building. If you look about halfway down, you will see a graphic of the "Becoming Masonry" course I refer to.
I would welcome any comments, suggestions, and topics as I continue to build. Thanks for allowing me to share this, Most Worshipful. Here is the link: https://masonsleadbetter.com/new-course-landing-page/
WB Mike, I bookmarked your link for future reference. I look forward to your program going live and I’d like to participate! The topic of personal growth and development was at the forefront my mind since joining Masonry, more especially since my WM asked me to take on the presentation of Masonic Education.
On the topic of Masonry vs “The Other”, I don’t think a direct comparison is necessarily valid. The framework of personal development deserves study and attention. However, they have a built in devoted membership to pull from and can directly and aggressively recruit, Masonry, not so much. That’s a topic I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. Not recruitment: Advertising and Marketing.
Thanks, Kirk, I will add you to my list of interested Brothers. If you would like, send me an email at mike@masonsleadbetter.com and let me know your thoughts about Masonic education for your lodge. I'm a former Lodge Education Officer and was a District Education Officer in Ohio. I would be glad to offer suggestions, share presentations I have done, and give you references to other sources of great Masonic education. Also, if you would like, subscribe to my weekly email that presents thoughts for Masonic personal improvement. Here is the link: https://masonsleadbetter.com/365amason-signup/ Fraternally, Mike
Following a Temple Board meeting last night, some of us from my Lodge discussed this non-recruitment within Freemasonry for quite awhile.
My Lodge's experience over a great many years now has been that the more active we are (internally active, not community active) the more we have our members attend, and the more Petitions we receive. Doing big community events doesn't seem to effect our active membership levels, but hosting interesting events for our Brothers, their families and friends, does seem to make a really large difference. Things like weekend retreats, BBQ's, holiday parties, &c. We don't recruit, but we do invite our friends.
Thank you for sharing this with us! I think that adapting the workshops to an online teaching format is superb. It will open the knowledge to everyone, regardless of location, and I think that is something we must do as we move into the future.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how your project develops, and will be pleased to see it launch. Please do keep us informed of that, I'd be very happy to help get the word out about it.
While I can't agree with everything in the Bishop's letter, I do think that there is much Freemasonry can learn from the approach that it sparked.
MWB Bailey, I would really like to expand on this topic next time I see you in greater detail. I think a developmental channel promoting mental, physical, and spiritual content could be an awesome project.
Perhaps we could establish a private channel for Brethren only content, and a public channel to attract those who might make good candidates for the Craft?
As always I appreciate seeing you promote some great topics and look forward to seeing what you stir up next. Let me know how I can help.
Thank you Brother! I do feel that men and boys are struggling in our society right now, and I have to believe that our Craft has a really strong role to play in addressing that. If we chose to do so. Hopefully we make that positive choice!