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Filling in as Junior Deacon

Scoops

Registered User
My father in law said I shouldn't go to rehearsals. He said I'd be given jobs to do! So, after attending last week, I'll be filling in for the Junior Deacon at our meeting this week.

This is my first taste of an officers role. We're doing a third so I haven't had to learn any words, just floor work, but we've got a ballot as well, something I haven't even seen from the sidelines.

I'm looking forward to the challenge and I'm eager to prove myself.

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Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
My father in law said I shouldn't go to rehearsals. He said I'd be given jobs to do!
That attitude amazes me! NONE OF US would be Masons were it not for those Brethren who gave of their own time & substance to learn the work, go to practices, work in the Degrees, and teach candidates. The day Brethren stay home to avoid getting "jobs to do", our Fraternity will cease to exist.
 

Scoops

Registered User
That attitude amazes me! NONE OF US would be Masons were it not for those Brethren who gave of their own time & substance to learn the work, go to practices, work in the Degrees, and teach candidates. The day Brethren stay home to avoid getting "jobs to do", our Fraternity will cease to exist.
To be fair to him, it was said very much tongue-in-cheek. He was at the rehearsal alongside me and volunteered to fill in for our Chaplain this week and our IPM next month. Despite his dry and sarcastic sense of humour, he's a fine figure of a man and an outstanding Mason!

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CLewey44

Registered User
My father in law said I shouldn't go to rehearsals. He said I'd be given jobs to do! So, after attending last week, I'll be filling in for the Junior Deacon at our meeting this week.

This is my first taste of an officers role. We're doing a third so I haven't had to learn any words, just floor work, but we've got a ballot as well, something I haven't even seen from the sidelines.

I'm looking forward to the challenge and I'm eager to prove myself.

Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

I was JD last year at my lodge and I enjoyed it. In OK, it's very involved in the opn and clg of the lodge. Different in every area I guess.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
To be fair to him, it was said very much tongue-in-cheek.
One would hope so. Too many times I've seen the opposite. The same with Brethren who refuse to go through the line- I call them "Somebody oughtas". They're always quick to criticize the Lodge officers but wouldn't think of accepting responsibility themselves.
 

Go49ersuk

Registered User
Attend as many rehearsals as possible. It's a great way to get Masonic experience of the various roles within the lodge and at rehearsals everything is much more relaxed and more conducive to learning. Enjoy your masonry.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
The same with Brethren who refuse to go through the line- I call them "Somebody oughtas".
Don't understand this at all! I was chomping at the bit to go through the line as soon as I was raised. Since my mother lodge is a small lodge they need officers so my wish was soon granted.
Attend as many rehearsals as possible. It's a great way to get Masonic experience of the various roles within the lodge and at rehearsals everything is much more relaxed and more conducive to learning.
Absolutely.
 

Carl_in_NH

Site Benefactor
Since my mother lodge is a small lodge they need officers

Absolutely. My small, rural lodge is the same. We've been fortunate to have a sufficient amount of enthusiastic volunteers to draw upon to provide a new line of officers with 're-treads' only being called upon to fill some gaps, and not having to return to the East. Sometimes taking a chair happens almost right away when a Brother is raised, others take a little time. A Brother who was raised at the same time as myself just took the Senior Stewards chair for my first year in the East - the same chair I took a month after being raised. I couldn't be more pleased with the participation of officers and Brethren.

It's our way of giving something back to the Craft, which means a tremendous amount to us. Where would a small lodge be without this participation? It needs to be encouraged by the elders of the lodge - with an appropriate word of caution as to how much time and energy (and yes, some money out of pocket, too) is involved to do the jobs of the line. Above all, understand fully what you (and by extension, your family!) are committing to and how those demands change over the years as you advance, and then follow through.
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
My small, rural lodge is the same. We've been fortunate to have a sufficient amount of enthusiastic volunteers to draw upon to provide a new line of officers with 're-treads' only being called upon to fill some gaps,
Same at my lodge.
Sometimes taking a chair happens almost right away when a Brother is raised, others take a little time.
Yeah, I know the feeling. Four months after being raised I was elected Senior Deacon. Had to learn a lot in a hurry but that was O.K.
It's our way of giving something back to the Craft, which means a tremendous amount to us. Where would a small lodge be without this participation?
Absolutely!
 

Keith C

Registered User
Yeah, I know the feeling. Four months after being raised I was elected Senior Deacon. Had to learn a lot in a hurry but that was O.K.

I find jurisdictional differences fascinating. In PA Deacons, Masters of Ceremonies, Pursuivant, Chaplain and Tyler are all appointed by the Worshipful Master.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Just googled it and im still not sure what a pursuivant does?

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Wikipedia

"Some Masonic Grand Lodges have an office known as the Grand Pursuivant. It is the Grand Pursuivant's duty to announce all applicants for admission into the Grand Lodge by their names and Masonic titles; to take charge of the jewels and regalia of the Grand Lodge; to attend all meetings of the Grand Lodge, and to perform such other duties as may be required by the Grand Master or presiding officer. The office is also at the local Masonic lodge level in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. In that jurisdiction it is the Pursuivant's duty to guard the door of the lodge, and announce and escort applicants for admission into the lodge. The office is generally unknown at the local level in Masonic jurisdictions outside Pennsylvania, where the equivalent role is named the Inner Guard."

The IG is inside the lodge at its door, the Tyler is outside the lodge at its door. Here, the GL Pursuivant also acts as a sort of logistic officer, organising transport and making other arrangements is a quasi-secretarial role for a Grand Team...
 

Warrior1256

Site Benefactor
I find jurisdictional differences fascinating. In PA Deacons, Masters of Ceremonies, Pursuivant, Chaplain and Tyler are all appointed by the Worshipful Master.
Different lodges in Kentucky elects some officers, appoint some, or elects all. In my mother lodge all officers in the line are elected.
 

Keith C

Registered User
In PA the Pursuivent closes the outer door and later tyles the lodge during the opening. They also answer alarms at the outer door and bring visitor cards to the SW from the Tyler.

Senior Master of Ceremonies places the VSL, S&C in their proper places on the alter during the opening of the lodge and returns them at the closing. they also bring the attendance slips to the Secretary and answer alarms at the examining room door.

Junior Master of Ceremonies answers alarms at the preparing room door, and is in charge of the opening and closing of that door for the JW during degrees.

There are additional duties during the EA ceremony involving the display of their swords for both the JMC and SMC.

PA is different than anywhere else!
 
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