My oft repeated axiom when speaking with brethren…”we have to stop using a 19th and 20th century model of Freemasonry in the 21st century if we want to be relative in the 21st century”.
First, it's long shot for me to be in attendance at your May 7 Roast, but whether I'm there or not I'm not the least bit worried about your pre-printed stack of suspension letters. You've had plenty of opportunities to yank my ticket and thus far you've exercised remarkable restraint, for which you have my sincere admiration.
Yes, radical thinking is what it will take ... thinking so radical that we'll actually have to do what we say we do. We say we make good men better. Now put a stop watch on all the things we spend time on and let's see how much of our time is actually spent on making good men better. We all know the answer: not enough. The only way to get out of this rut is to start and the top. We good men gather and spend an inordinate amount of time checking ourselves against the WMC. And of course to be able to do that we have to study the WMC so we can have spirited disputes about what the code really says. I'm not disparaging the good men who do this; they made an obligation to obey and that's what they're doing. I'll probably not live long enough for the WMC to be right-sized. In the meantime there might at least be an opportunity to avoid future code mutations.
When our daughter was little my wife came up with some very simple guidelines for her behavior. She had to let us know where she was, she had to finish her homework, and she could pick any activity she wanted as long as she had one routine physical activity that was adult supervised and she couldn't do anything to harm her health or property or that of others. With that baseline she had free rein. Thirty one years in we have an intelligent, healthy, compassionate, empowered, and accomplished daughter. And it looks like she's just getting started.
Without re-writing the code what if a similar framework was advocated by a string of Grand Masters, who in turn implored their Deputies to promote the same. And what if ... and this is big ... the Grand Master simply rejected any proposed resolution to the WMC that didn't advance that framework, the point being that the last thing we need is better rules. We need a better and simpler guiding framework.
Grand Master, once again you've caused me to stand up and cheer early in the morning. Thank you.
Ultimately, it’s not that hard to get participation. People will not go to your meetings if they are boring. Or rather, if you provide value at a meeting, people who want that value will likely attend.
There should be a ten commandments of planning a meeting.
It will take a few more years I think to turn things around. I am going to be callous, but the resistance to change older crowd needs to die off or fade away before real change will happen. My personal observations are that there are too many old members influencing the rest against change. They don’t see where the problems are and cover their ears and eyes to the truth. They would prefer the lodge continue down the path of least resistance, ignorant of the damage they are doing. Not all, it’s been refreshing to run into a handful of older members that know things must change. But not enough, and certainly not all in the same lodge.
For example, of the four lodges within my district, not one sent anyone to the lodge leadership retreat. Not one. I paid my own way. Most of the lodges in our neighboring district didn’t send anyone either. Frankly, I think that’s pathetic.
An observation: Getting positive change in our lodges is comparable to trying to turn around a super-tanker in Bremerton Harbor. It will take a while, but it *will* get done. Eventually. Part of the solution to our current problem is to get more young men in our lodges. They know what they want, and are willing to work to get it. They are full of ideas and not the least shy about voicing them. All too often though, an older, more "senior" Mason will advise the younger man to "...be patient, sit down, be quiet, and learn." Learn what? How to format the minutes? How to debate over balloting on a measure? <<SHEESH>> I'm getting old and tired. Let's get some youth and their energy in our lodges. Just my thoughts...
My oft repeated axiom when speaking with brethren…”we have to stop using a 19th and 20th century model of Freemasonry in the 21st century if we want to be relative in the 21st century”.
Good morning Grand Master,
First, it's long shot for me to be in attendance at your May 7 Roast, but whether I'm there or not I'm not the least bit worried about your pre-printed stack of suspension letters. You've had plenty of opportunities to yank my ticket and thus far you've exercised remarkable restraint, for which you have my sincere admiration.
Yes, radical thinking is what it will take ... thinking so radical that we'll actually have to do what we say we do. We say we make good men better. Now put a stop watch on all the things we spend time on and let's see how much of our time is actually spent on making good men better. We all know the answer: not enough. The only way to get out of this rut is to start and the top. We good men gather and spend an inordinate amount of time checking ourselves against the WMC. And of course to be able to do that we have to study the WMC so we can have spirited disputes about what the code really says. I'm not disparaging the good men who do this; they made an obligation to obey and that's what they're doing. I'll probably not live long enough for the WMC to be right-sized. In the meantime there might at least be an opportunity to avoid future code mutations.
When our daughter was little my wife came up with some very simple guidelines for her behavior. She had to let us know where she was, she had to finish her homework, and she could pick any activity she wanted as long as she had one routine physical activity that was adult supervised and she couldn't do anything to harm her health or property or that of others. With that baseline she had free rein. Thirty one years in we have an intelligent, healthy, compassionate, empowered, and accomplished daughter. And it looks like she's just getting started.
Without re-writing the code what if a similar framework was advocated by a string of Grand Masters, who in turn implored their Deputies to promote the same. And what if ... and this is big ... the Grand Master simply rejected any proposed resolution to the WMC that didn't advance that framework, the point being that the last thing we need is better rules. We need a better and simpler guiding framework.
Grand Master, once again you've caused me to stand up and cheer early in the morning. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind thoughts VW! I appreciate it!
Ultimately, it’s not that hard to get participation. People will not go to your meetings if they are boring. Or rather, if you provide value at a meeting, people who want that value will likely attend.
There should be a ten commandments of planning a meeting.
#1 Define value of attending first
#2 Don’t guilt into attendance
#3 Have vacant positions covered in advance
#4 No casserole dinners
#5 Scope meeting to who you’d like to see show up
Some fundamental list of truths.
#6 “Fellowship” is not value, it is a benefit of coming together to seek value.
#7 Consider interests of officers first, then members, then visitors, then EA/FCs.
#8 Do no harm. If your lodge isn’t active, come together to support an active lodge in your area.
Grand Master, once again, I'm inspired by your vivacious thought stream early in the morning. Thank you.
It will take a few more years I think to turn things around. I am going to be callous, but the resistance to change older crowd needs to die off or fade away before real change will happen. My personal observations are that there are too many old members influencing the rest against change. They don’t see where the problems are and cover their ears and eyes to the truth. They would prefer the lodge continue down the path of least resistance, ignorant of the damage they are doing. Not all, it’s been refreshing to run into a handful of older members that know things must change. But not enough, and certainly not all in the same lodge.
For example, of the four lodges within my district, not one sent anyone to the lodge leadership retreat. Not one. I paid my own way. Most of the lodges in our neighboring district didn’t send anyone either. Frankly, I think that’s pathetic.
I totally agree with your observations Brother Glenn.
An observation: Getting positive change in our lodges is comparable to trying to turn around a super-tanker in Bremerton Harbor. It will take a while, but it *will* get done. Eventually. Part of the solution to our current problem is to get more young men in our lodges. They know what they want, and are willing to work to get it. They are full of ideas and not the least shy about voicing them. All too often though, an older, more "senior" Mason will advise the younger man to "...be patient, sit down, be quiet, and learn." Learn what? How to format the minutes? How to debate over balloting on a measure? <<SHEESH>> I'm getting old and tired. Let's get some youth and their energy in our lodges. Just my thoughts...