The other night, two Past Masters were talking. One has a Grand office (in one of the concordant bodies) which will be coming to an end soon. He’s had a busy year of visitation.
“I haven’t been getting out to Lodge much this year,” he remarked apologetically.
Came the response: “Well, I can see why if your Lodge is just doing general business and nothing else. What incentive is there to go?”
Well, let’s back up a minute. That’s an understandable attitude, I suppose. People don’t go to a Lodge meeting with the anticipation they’ll be bored.
But consider some reasons to go.
First of all, there’s the aspect of fellowship. Shouldn’t someone want to hang out with the guys in their Lodge once or twice a month? Why belong otherwise?
What about helping to liven up the meeting by volunteering to give a talk, initiate a discussion or organise a simple debate? On a Masonic subject naturally, as Masonry is the one thing our Lodges can offer that you can’t get in other organisations.
Isn’t there always a young Mason to mentor—as you sit next to him in Lodge?
Counterbalancing that is the kind of thing that can happen at Lodge meetings I’ve mentioned on this blog before—basically all caused by disorganisation or apathy.
So, what’s right—attending or not? Or is the answer not so cut and dried?
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3 comments:
In 2006 my Lodge sent notice to the membership about a critical and controversial issue with the Temple. A vote would take place at the next Stated Meeting. Twelve members attended and the issue passed 9 to 3. It proved to be a disaster for the Loge and the Temple. Nine Brothers decided for a membership of 135!
Alas, NS, members who don't attend fall into four categories: disinterested in meetings, working, out-of-town, too ill to attend. You can't do much about the last three and it's difficult to change the first.
I have yet to meet a Mason who joined to go to meetings. They're interested in the principles, or philosophy, or maybe even the history .. all of which you can find online if you really want to. Not one has said he's joining to go to meetings.
My Mother Lodge handed in the warrant in 1992. Our attendance on the night we voted to fold was the usual bunch. Here, all members are required to get a monthly notice with the meeting's agenda.
Interesting subject.
First of all I’m Master Mason in a Portuguese Lodge http://affonsodomingues.home.sapo.pt/ under the Grand Lodge Legal of Portugal www.gllp.pt
The attendance to lodge meetings, as per my experience, has to be analysed under a few factors.
- Friendship among brethren
- WM charisma
- Interest of the "order of the meeting - what will be delt with-
- Capacity of the Lodge to debate
- The diner afterwards.
- Our family
Of all of these the less important is the WM charisma. I believe that a well structured Lodge can work the same way with any WM. One year the Lodge will mitigate the charisma, the next will support firmly a less charismatic WM.
For all the other items, there's a small secret we follow in our lodge.
Past Masters have a enormous responsibility. They have to be the support of the WM, always knowing to stay in their places and trying to be WM in stead of the WM.
This way they can help.
They are the first to bring presentations to be discussed, normally masonic themes, but also non masonic themes such as History or Poetry.
All apprentices and fellow craftsman have to attend at least once a month an instruction session with the wardens. In these meetings (held before the lodge meeting) there's a theme and Q&A. Sometimes another Master is called to speak on a certain subject.
These meetings besides teaching masonic themes are used to build up team spirit among the newest members.
In what concerns the work of the day, the lodge, and the WM essentially, take a lot of care to have a diversified kind of meetings.
This way from the 22 meetings per year we have, 3 will be for initiation, 2 or 3 for Second degree, 1or 2 third degree, Financial matters and regulations will have 2 or 3 meetings, 1 meeting for Installing the new WM and 1 for elections, presentations and other business the remaining.
This way a non boring rhythm is kept.
We have the custom of either comment or debate after a presentation. This requires that all masters are well trained in speaking.
And this training is done since they enter masonry in the instruction meetings.
And finally a good diner afterwards.
Sometimes it's a formal diner, sometimes an informal. Both have a purpose.
The formal to teach.
The informal to reach. To reach our brethren. To make them feel comfortable and open themselves and become more family.
The last item - our families. My lodge has always 2 or 3 activities where our families join in.
All of this makes that at least two thirds of our lodge members attend at least one meeting per month.
This my view, and my lodge experience. It took us a few years to get to the actual situation, sometimes difficult times, but with perseverance and Masonic spirit we succeeded, at least until now
José Ruah
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