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Anyone ever been an officer in two lodges in the same year?

Cootr68

Registered User
I have been appointed JD in my home lodge but had to miss the installation because of work. I attended installation last night in my plural lodge, I was chit chatting with the new WM and the PM of my home lodge (son and father) the installation Marshall starts naming names of newly installed officers. Low and behold I hear my name I figure since both lodges work closely together that I would be JD in plural lodge as well. Not the case, I was installed as SD. Now don't get me wrong I'm honored and will do both to the best of my ability but I have only been a MM 10 months. Wish me luck.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
I've done it before in NM. The only rule there is that you can't be Master or Warden of two lodges at the same time.
 

Cootr68

Registered User
The only rule there is that you can't be Master or Warden of two lodges at the same time.

I figured that to be the case. I guess since both lodges work closely together that they can fill both offices next year if need be just switch me. Lol
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Each of my jurisdictions have their own set of rules about which chairs a brother can or can't be installed into in parallel. Of course all 3 sets of rules are slightly different. ;^)
 

Bloke

Premium Member
....Low and behold I hear my name I figure since both lodges work closely together that I would be JD in plural lodge as well. Not the case, I was installed as SD. Now don't get me wrong I'm honored and will do both to the best of my ability but I have only been a MM 10 months. Wish me luck.

Yes, I have been in two offices in two lodges at the same time. It can be great learning experience because it reinforces your study in two rather than one venue. Especially acting as a JD when you are a SD,

However, I must admit the above upsets me. Firstly, "low and behold I hear my name"..... Mastership 101 - ask your potential officers if they are willing to act in those positions and get their commitment to attend rehearsals and meetings. Not doing that is a great way to have a team fall apart. Please remember that when you are master elect. For your Wardens, you should also be asking them about being master, but last time I was in the chair, every officer had their sights on going through all the officers to the East... makes folk take it seriously. The only officer I did not personally contact by phone or speak to in person about their office in my team was the Immediate Past Master....

Now, I don't know about Deacons in Illinois , but here Deacon is a big role. Yes, you can do it in two lodges, but if you've only been a MM for 10 months, and done neither, if I was at a PMs meeting discussing appointments and heard this proposed, I would be saying we taking a large risk and potentially setting you up to fail or burn you out...

I acted as JD when SD because I knew the work. I would not be taking on two big offices I did not know as a MM. To make you a SD when you are about to start learning JD seems ... "ambitious"... or it would be in our Constitution..

Just consider the above when you are in charge of these appointments, and when a PM says "I'll fix up the team" when you are WME, say "Thanks, but I want to ask them myself and will contact you when I need some more advice or if I get into trouble". You need your officers engaged with you and not some PM (even if the Marshal/Conductor/DC)...

I don't mean to be negative. As a 47 year old, I am sure you could have said no, even at Installation. I've seen men do it when surprised like you were...(good on them !) And I can think of about 3-4 MMs I *would* shove in the deep end as your lodges have done.. but generally I would not recommend it..... I AM upset they ambushed you like this....

Give it some time and see how it goes... but the other thing they just did, is if Deacon is a progressive office in those lodges, they just put you in the line for Master in another lodge before you hit that chair in your mother lodge... that is not a choice I would appreciate being made for me...

But then again I am a stubborn and occasionally unreasonable person... but that's why I was able to found a public company and achieve a few other things... but one thing I could rarely be accused of is not being consultative... or supportive... so yes I wish you luck as requested, but I also encourage you to learn from what just happened and if it proves too much, go to the lodge which ambushed you and tell them you are struggling.....

With all that said - congratulations and I wish you every success and I hope to see you come back in here and tell me you are acing it on the floor :)
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
I have been appointed JD in my home lodge but had to miss the installation because of work. I attended installation last night in my plural lodge, I was chit chatting with the new WM and the PM of my home lodge (son and father) the installation Marshall starts naming names of newly installed officers. Low and behold I hear my name I figure since both lodges work closely together that I would be JD in plural lodge as well. Not the case, I was installed as SD. Now don't get me wrong I'm honored and will do both to the best of my ability but I have only been a MM 10 months. Wish me luck.
wait, you did not know you were going to be SD?
 

Cootr68

Registered User
wait, you did not know you were going to be SD?
No, I had no heads up on the SD. The JD at my home lodge yes, that is what I have been practicing. But I have been paying very close attention to the details of the SD in practice with the premise of being the SD next year. Our secretary at plural is our district deputy he is not too happy about it as well. I know the duties and floor work for both to open and close. But that's it. I am learning the degree part for the JD first and will learn the SD only after I am proficient at the JD. Both lodges have very small participation and they needed to fill the position. But when they put the two most recent PM's in the SW and JD chairs it was politics. Again I can and will do both but concentrate on just one for the time being.
 

chrmc

Registered User
No, I had no heads up on the SD. The JD at my home lodge yes, that is what I have been practicing. But I have been paying very close attention to the details of the SD in practice with the premise of being the SD next year. Our secretary at plural is our district deputy he is not too happy about it as well. I know the duties and floor work for both to open and close. But that's it. I am learning the degree part for the JD first and will learn the SD only after I am proficient at the JD. Both lodges have very small participation and they needed to fill the position. But when they put the two most recent PM's in the SW and JD chairs it was politics. Again I can and will do both but concentrate on just one for the time being.

As another brother said, not asking you before putting you in such an important role is just bad form. I applaud you for doing it, but just make sure you pay attention to the compasses and the 24-inch gauge and spend your time wisely. We unfortunately have a tendency to lack people in the lodges that as soon as we see a good man we throw him straight into a chair.

And as a good friend of mine likes to say. Remember that the lost word in Masonry is "No!" - Use it often and you'll be a happier mason ;)
But best of luck in any case.
 

Cootr68

Registered User
Hopefully this can serve as a learning experience for others as to inform someone who you would like in an office. And for someone being put in this situation. Maybe I should have waited to officially join my plural. I still could have went to meetings and helped with other work they are doing.
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
No, I had no heads up on the SD. The JD at my home lodge yes, that is what I have been practicing. But I have been paying very close attention to the details of the SD in practice with the premise of being the SD next year. Our secretary at plural is our district deputy he is not too happy about it as well. I know the duties and floor work for both to open and close. But that's it. I am learning the degree part for the JD first and will learn the SD only after I am proficient at the JD. Both lodges have very small participation and they needed to fill the position. But when they put the two most recent PM's in the SW and JD chairs it was politics. Again I can and will do both but concentrate on just one for the time being.
I don't know about your jurisdiction but the Junior Deacon's chair doesn't do anything but form the arch and answer the alarm for the MoC when he goes to check to see if there are any candidates in waiting//for advancement. (Do you have a master of ceremonies?) You will be pretty much observing the SD during the degrees so you will have that going for you.

Unless your state is vastly different than mine!
 
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MBC

Twice Registered User
Premium Member
Now, I need a lot of lucks I'm sure, I'm now Senior Warden in a London lodge and Junior Deacon in my local lodge, also an active member of another lodge which I declined the offer of Inner Guard, otherwise I will be in three Craft offices in the same year also I'm officer in other orders as well but luckily those offices I don't need to put a lot of effort. I'm worrying my next year, Worshipful Master in London and Warden in here (do not know Senior or Junior yet). And remember these two lodges are using different rituals(workings), Emulation in London and Oxford in here.

P.S. 21 years old at the moment, trying to squeeze all the rituals into my brain.
 

Cootr68

Registered User
I don't know about your jurisdiction but the Junior Deacon's chair doesn't do anything but form the arch and answer the alarm for the MoC when he goes to check to see if there are any candidates in waiting//for advancement. (Do you have a master of ceremonies?) You will be pretty much observing the SD during the degrees so you will have that going for you.

Unless your state is vastly different than mine!
No MoC. Just SD and JD. JD has the candidate at the prep room. SD leads candidate through the ritual.
 

Cootr68

Registered User
Now, I need a lot of lucks I'm sure, I'm now Senior Warden in a London lodge and Junior Deacon in my local lodge, also an active member of another lodge which I declined the offer of Inner Guard, otherwise I will be in three Craft offices in the same year also I'm officer in other orders as well but luckily those offices I don't need to put a lot of effort. I'm worrying my next year, Worshipful Master in London and Warden in here (do not know Senior or Junior yet). And remember these two lodges are using different rituals(workings), Emulation in London and Oxford in here.

P.S. 21 years old at the moment, trying to squeeze all the rituals into my brain.
That's giving my brain a meltdown just thinking of all that. Good luck.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
And remember these two lodges are using different rituals(workings), Emulation in London and Oxford in here..

Oxford ? Never heard of that... is it close to Emulation ? Based on Scottish workings ?
 

MBC

Twice Registered User
Premium Member
Oxford ? Never heard of that... is it close to Emulation ? Based on Scottish workings ?
Thanks Brethren.
I would say Oxford workings is more like Scottish Craft workings rather than Emulations, as I have three books and compare these three before. The opening and closing are similar to Emulation, but the ceremonies are like Scottish.
 
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