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Lodge Officer Duties - Junior Warden

CuAllaidh

Registered User
I was just installed as JW in my lodge... Really excited to fill the roll. Our lodge has traditionally had a Festive Board after our meetings, but we just voted to change it to before so we can have more of a dinner and have the possibility of having candidates or other guests as well as our families once and a while. It will be an interesting experiment. We just went dark for the summer, but come September I have to step up :D
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
I was just installed as JW in my lodge... Really excited to fill the roll. Our lodge has traditionally had a Festive Board after our meetings, but we just voted to change it to before so we can have more of a dinner and have the possibility of having candidates or other guests as well as our families once and a while. It will be an interesting experiment. We just went dark for the summer, but come September I have to step up :D
A Mason two years and already JW? Wow
 

CuAllaidh

Registered User
Yup, JW at two years... a brother who was raised the same night as me but is a member of a different lodge is now the WM of his lodge. small lodges
 

CuAllaidh

Registered User
I'm a member of small lodges as well. Our GL has proficiency requirements that would be difficult to master in two years to be master

I can understand that, not so sure I'd feel comfortable moving all the way to the east such as the brother who was raised the same night as I was, but I feel rather confident I can perform the duties of the JW well. I plan on remaining in the chair two years or stepping back down to SD if I don't feel, or one of the PM's who's opinion I trust, does not feel I am prepared to move on to SW. I am in no rush to sit in the East, the JW's chair is plenty comfortable enough for me ;)
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
If the Army hadn't moved me to NM I would have probably been the WM of my home lodge for this current Masonic Yr. The guy that was the Chaplain the YR I was SD went from CH->JW->WM. I was raised in 2013 and was SD in 2014 and was told I was going to be the JW in 2015 but I moved so theoretically I would have done what the CH did. I would have been master in 2 years. In my term as SD I did all 3 degrees as SD, I had the opening and closings down all I would have had to get down is the masters parts of the degrees. I think I could have had those down during my yr as JW. Now that I've been away from almost 2 yrs I think it will be harder for me if/when I go back as I know have NM ritual running threw my head and will have another state soon as well.
 

MBC

Twice Registered User
Premium Member
Just curious, how many years does a American mason normally get to the Chair?

In the English constitution, normally around 5-7 years depends on the progression line, although some lodges are 10-15 years...
After you are raised, the very next installation you normally got appointed to Steward or Inner Guard depends on the progression line, then once you got on IG, then normally JD > SD > JW > SW > WM, so the average in England and Wales is around 5-7 years
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Just curious, how many years does a American mason normally get to the Chair?

It seems to vary (as I observe here from Australia)



In the English constitution, normally around 5-7 years depends on the progression line, although some lodges are 10-15 years...
After you are raised, the very next installation you normally got appointed to Steward or Inner Guard depends on the progression line, then once you got on IG, then normally JD > SD > JW > SW > WM, so the average in England and Wales is around 5-7 years

In Victoria Australia

You must wait 52 weeks from your initiation to become a MM. It is rare we get to do a third on the brothers 52 week, it generally takes us 1-2 years to get a bro from EA to MM.

The qualifications to run for Master are a MM of not less than 5 years (which means a Freemason for 6) and held the office of warden.

So the typical fast track without skipping office is;

Year 1 EA-MM
Year 2 Inner Guard (Or add a year for steward if we have a large pool, which we often do), it is also rare it is a full year between MM and the next Installation.
Year 3 Junior Deacon
Year 4 Senior Deacon
Year 5 Junior Warden
Year 6 Senior Warden
Year 7 Worshipful Master
Year 8 Immediate Past Master (which is an office).
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
Just curious, how many years does a American mason normally get to the Chair?

In the English constitution, normally around 5-7 years depends on the progression line, although some lodges are 10-15 years...
After you are raised, the very next installation you normally got appointed to Steward or Inner Guard depends on the progression line, then once you got on IG, then normally JD > SD > JW > SW > WM, so the average in England and Wales is around 5-7 years
It truly depends on the Brother. In both of my Jurisdictions there is no time restraints on advancement from EA to MM, theoretically a man could be raised this month, turn in his proficiency next and be passed at the same meeting, then turn in his proficiency and be raised at the following months meeting. So initiation to MM in 2 months. In Oregon the MM proficiency is required of all MMs, in NM its not required at all, but my lodge requires it for the big 3(J/SW and WM). As for making it to the East it would depend on that brothers Zeal and where the lodge needed him, Usually I see the newest MM go to JD. When this happens if they become proficient at it the next year and so forth will be SD, JW, SW, WM
so.....
YR1 EA-MM
2-JD
3-SD
4-JW
5-SW
6-WM
This is MAYBE average for my jurisdictions, for brethren that want to go through the chairs. I know a couple masons that have been masons for 15+ yrs and have never gone higher then SD, they just don't want to, or their ideas for the craft don't mesh with the rest of the lodge so they don't get voted in. Myself I was initiated in Feb2013 and raised in Sept 2013 and installed as SD that December. I had to move due to the Army but I was talking with my buddy in my home lodge and he told me that Had I stayed I would be the master of this current yr(2015-2016). They don't have a lot of active members. I was the SD in 2013-2014, and was going to be JW(2014-2015) but had to move. The man that was the chaplain took JW 2014-2015, skipped SW and is now master 2015-2016. So I could have done it in 2 yrs and been master for my 3rd yr. In most lodges that is WAY TO FAST, but not in my lodge due to the small number of active brethren. Also not so much that but the number of brethren that want to take the big 7, finding a chap or a Steward or tyler is no big deal, but getting a JW to show up regularly that's the tricky part. My yr as SD the JW sat in maybe 2 meetings, had a lot of personal issues, but even when he didn't he just didn't want to be in the chair.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
I think there's too much variation for there to be a "normal". The "normal" might be taking the chairs of the progressive line one per year (5-8 years depending on lodge and jurisdiction) but I get the impression that happens well under half the time.

When a Brother memorizes easily plus his lodge is having line problems it can be as short as 3 years.

My first time through the line was JS half year, SS, JD, SD, JW, SW, MW them relocate out of state about a year after leaving the east. Seven and a half years from raising, eight and half years from initiation.

My second time through the line was JD, JW, WM (you might think that's 3 years but the list does not end there), then WM again, TL, SD, SW for 7 years in chairs. I have no idea if that counts as once in the line, twice in the line or just a bizarre path of place holding assignments since I'd already been through the line before so I didn't need to do the entire sequence again. In the end I filled most of the chairs in that sequence.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
The Chapter I attend in Cheshire is actually taking steps to ensure the new companions don't ascend to Z too quickly. Just learning the installation ritual is a task.
 

MBC

Twice Registered User
Premium Member
It seems to vary (as I observe here from Australia)
In Victoria Australia
You must wait 52 weeks from your initiation to become a MM. It is rare we get to do a third on the brothers 52 week, it generally takes us 1-2 years to get a bro from EA to MM.
The qualifications to run for Master are a MM of not less than 5 years (which means a Freemason for 6) and held the office of warden.
So initiation to MM in 2 months. In Oregon the MM proficiency is required of all MMs, in NM its not required at all, but my lodge requires it for the big 3(J/SW and WM). As for making it to the East it would depend on that brothers Zeal and where the lodge needed him, Usually I see the newest MM go to JD.

In the UGLE jurisdiction you need to have at least 4 weeks before the next degree (FC, MM, HRA)
And the qualification for Master is 1 year Warden.

So I could have done it in 2 yrs and been master for my 3rd yr. In most lodges that is WAY TO FAST, but not in my lodge due to the small number of active brethren. Also not so much that but the number of brethren that want to take the big 7, finding a chap or a Steward or tyler is no big deal, but getting a JW to show up regularly that's the tricky part. My yr as SD the JW sat in maybe 2 meetings, had a lot of personal issues, but even when he didn't he just didn't want to be in the chair.
Same situation here in my London lodge as we have too few brethren (around 20-30) and most of them are Provincial Officers, we now only have 1 PM, 3 Non-PM(including me), the rest are Grand and Provincial Grand Officers. Luckily we have one joining member and one candidate coming up.
I would like to progress faster and the brethren in the Lodge think that I am capable in the Chair, so I am now SW.
But one of the biggest problem that I need to face is the Officers list for the next year...
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
If a brother is a Grand or Provincial Grand officer can he hold a chair at the local level? Obviously he wouldnt want to be one of the big 3 but the otheres dont require time other than meeting nights

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MBC

Twice Registered User
Premium Member
If a brother is a Grand or Provincial Grand officer can he hold a chair at the local level? Obviously he wouldnt want to be one of the big 3 but the otheres dont require time other than meeting nights

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Originally this year we have our ex-JW who is a Provincial Officer supposed to be our Master but he cannot do it at very last due to moving home, so our ex-Treasurer who is a Grand Officer takes the role this year as Master.
Provincial and Grand Officers are allowed to be in any offices but they normally let the younger and more junior brothers to take the offices on the progression line.
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
Here in NM they just passed a resolution at our Grand Session that all gramd officers are not allowed to hold anyother position within the state. So no blue lodge, SR, YR, Shrine, ES....nothing. I dont believe it addressed natl positions though

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dfreybur

Premium Member
Here in NM they just passed a resolution at our Grand Session that all gramd officers are not allowed to hold anyother position within the state. So no blue lodge, SR, YR, Shrine, ES....nothing.

Does this include DDGM/Inspector and do your jurisdictions count certified ritual instructors as GL officers? I know a lot of DDGM/Inspectors who have held Sec or Tres office in their lodge for a long time. I know a lot of certified instructors who get installed into chairs to plug holes in their lodges' lines.

I know at least one certified ritual instructor who was appointed to the Committee on Ritual so the same question might be asked about members of GL committees. Less likely to matter in that case.

The traveling GL officers I see the benefit of such a rule but I've never heard of one of the traveling officers take a chair. A year traveling the state as Grand Sword Bearer or other appointed position generally keeps a retired Brother very busy. In addition to it being part of the vetting process to see who can handle positions in the progressive grand line.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
......Same situation here in my London lodge as we have too few brethren (around 20-30) and most of them are Provincial Officers, we now only have 1 PM, 3 Non-PM(including me), the rest are Grand and Provincial Grand Officers. Luckily we have one joining member and one candidate coming up.
I would like to progress faster and the brethren in the Lodge think that I am capable in the Chair, so I am now SW.
But one of the biggest problem that I need to face is the Officers list for the next year...

That was us 10 years ago. Now our problem is not enough offices for our many MM's - great problem.... but that's the story of Freemasonry, swapping one problem for another - but I know which one I would rather have ! :)
 
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SimonM

Registered User
Here in NM they just passed a resolution at our Grand Session that all gramd officers are not allowed to hold anyother position within the state. So no blue lodge, SR, YR, Shrine, ES....nothing. I dont believe it addressed natl positions though

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In Sweden the bylaws state that a grand officer (XI degree) can hold office in an ordinary lodge but can not be subordinate to anyone who isn't grand officer. In practice that makes WM the only available office (we don't have progression lines and you can hold a chair for longer time).


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