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What would you change?

cemab4y

Premium Member
If your mother lodge is 500 miles away why do you maintain the affiliation? What value do you get fro that?

I choose to keep membership in the lodge I was raised in. (I have held memberships in other lodges, over the past 35 years). I participate as a visitor in many other lodges, depending on my situation. ( I am a telecom engineer, and my career has taken me from Maine to California, and over 18 years in foreign lands). My mother lodge is hurting, we had over 600 members, when I was raised in 1982, now we have less than 200. My mother lodge will probably have to close soon, and I want to contribute while they are still open. Also, if I am a member for 50 years, I will get free dues, there after.

The wages of a Master Mason, are symbolic, and are received, whether the brother lives across the street, or in Afghanistan or Mozambique.

I receive an excellent value from my lodge membership. After all, I joined the craft to "travel in foreign lands".
 

David612

Registered User
I choose to keep membership in the lodge I was raised in. (I have held memberships in other lodges, over the past 35 years). I participate as a visitor in many other lodges, depending on my situation. ( I am a telecom engineer, and my career has taken me from Maine to California, and over 18 years in foreign lands). My mother lodge is hurting, we had over 600 members, when I was raised in 1982, now we have less than 200. My mother lodge will probably have to close soon, and I want to contribute while they are still open. Also, if I am a member for 50 years, I will get free dues, there after.

The wages of a Master Mason, are symbolic, and are received, whether the brother lives across the street, or in Afghanistan or Mozambique.

I receive an excellent value from my lodge membership. After all, I joined the craft to "travel in foreign lands".
How much are your mother lodges dues? My lodge is about $450 per year
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
True and for a few dollars every year it’s no big propblem, only issue I see is being a constant visitor no one expects anything of you, you never need to learn work an in some temples you won’t even pay for a meal.
Of cause this is all moot if you have affiliated with another lodge in your new town?
As a visitor I always feel a bit of an outsider and so I should, I don’t belong in the way the brethren of that lodge do, but it’s great to meet people and see the level other lodges are working at.

Not exactly. I am always delighted to assist my nearby lodges, I serve on degree teams, from time to time. I always pay for my meals, unless specifically directed otherwise (usually first-time visitors may not pay, even if they want to). I have assisted on painting the nearby lodge hall, even though I am not a member. My obligations require me to assist Masonry, as long as it is within the length of my cable-tow. I am always glad to fill in an officer's position, if the officer cannot attend. (I have become quite adept at the Virginia ritual, even though I have not belonged to a Virginia lodge, since 1987).

I never feel like an outsider, in any lodge of brothers. Even if I am attending a lodge in Moscow, Russia, and the degree work is in Russian. (I speak Russian). This is the same great fraternity, whether I am in a lodge in rural Kentucky, wearing overalls and muddy boots, or in a German-speaking lodge in Paris, France, wearing a tuxedo (I speak German, too).
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
How much are your mother lodges dues? My lodge is about $450 per year

2017 dues were $100 (this includes Grand Lodge assessment). I do not know what 2018 dues are going to be. Since our lodge (membership) is collapsing, there will probably be an increase.
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
I can sort of understand this. Perhaps it's where his father or grandfather were members at or he just wants to support the brothers that raised him.

You win the kewpie doll! My grandfather was raised in Corinth KY lodge in 1921, that lodge is now consolidated. My father was raised in Bowling Green KY lodge in 1982, and six months after him, my father raised me in the Bowling Green Lodge.

I will continue to support my mother lodge, as long as it is within the reach of my cable-tow. The lodge will probably disappear in less than 10 years :-(
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
Our Worshipful Master has said that you can drag a person into Masonry, and they might become a dues paying member and stick around but unless someone truly seeks us out, they will never be an active participating member. I can see that in my son and me. We sought out Masonry and we are active and taking advantage of all the craft has to offer. We have been on numerous lodge visits, we have two scheduled for next month in addition to our own stated meeting, we have participated in two Masonic funerals, and attended a Research Lodge. Each of these experiences has been enriching and rewarding and in their own way have strengthened my resolve to subdue my passions and improve myself.

We all have friends that could be Masons. We have the unique opportunity to show how Masonry has helped us grow and improve ourselves, we can gently create interest until they ask what they have to do to become a Mason, and then you invite them to a dinner and introduce them to your brothers.

Bowling Green Lodge has two(2) open dinners per year, where you may bring male visitors. We usually get about a dozen petitions per year, as a result of these dinners.
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
I am always willing to adopt an idea, that I picked up elsewhere. In New Hampshire, most (not all) lodges are closed for the summer. Many (not all) Masons in NH, join a "square and compass" club, and have picnics, barbecues and other activities in the summer months. (The summers in the Granite State, are spectacular). S&C club meetings are OPEN to anyone, they are not tiled. Many masons, bring their friends and relatives to the activities. When men see the types of activities, that some Masons enjoy, often the visitors ask "How can I get in, on this?". The result, is that when the lodges re-open in September, that there are often, a slew of petitions, that accumulated over the summer.

What a great concept!!
 

David612

Registered User
I’m in the process of starting a social group similar to the above described for young masons and brothers new to the craft, that said anyone is welcome, it’s not a Masonic activity per se but there are masons involved
 

David612

Registered User
I will say these discussions bring me to think of an old Banksy
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Keep your coins, I WANT CHANGE
 

Bro Book

Registered User
Our Worshipful Master has said that you can drag a person into Masonry, and they might become a dues paying member and stick around but unless someone truly seeks us out, they will never be an active participating member. I can see that in my son and me. We sought out Masonry and we are active and taking advantage of all the craft has to offer. We have been on numerous lodge visits, we have two scheduled for next month in addition to our own stated meeting, we have participated in two Masonic funerals, and attended a Research Lodge. Each of these experiences has been enriching and rewarding and in their own way have strengthened my resolve to subdue my passions and improve myself.

We all have friends that could be Masons. We have the unique opportunity to show how Masonry has helped us grow and improve ourselves, we can gently create interest until they ask what they have to do to become a Mason, and then you invite them to a dinner and introduce them to your brothers.
Good and wholesome instructions there my brother !!!


Sent from my RCT6973W43 using My Freemasonry mobile app
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
I was asked to join by a friend from church 30 years ago and timing wasn't right. I waited 30 years for someone to ask me again and it never happened. It took my son to say that some of his friends were masons and he was thinking about joining the lodge. I told him if he joined I wanted to join and the rest is history, abet a short history.

I've talked to some young guys and they never heard of Masonry or Freemasonry. So maybe we just have to get the word out, or better yet, maybe we just have to find a way to get the members who don't participate, more active.
People will ask why I am flying here or there. When I say for a Masonic meeting, Masonry or Freemasonry, the majority have no idea what I’m speaking of.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
If your mother lodge is 500 miles away why do you maintain the affiliation? What value do you get fro that?
I’m a perpetual/life member of two lodges. I’ve not attended my OK lodge in years.

I travel 5,000 to my English lodge and chapter.
 

David612

Registered User
I’m a perpetual/life member of two lodges. I’ve not attended my OK lodge in years.

I travel 5,000 to my English lodge and chapter.
Why, other then sentimentality I guess dues in the US are crazy low so why not.
That said as long as your in and contributing to a lodge and any subordinate bodies then no problem.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Why, other then sentimentality I guess dues in the US are crazy low so why not.
That said as long as your in and contributing to a lodge and any subordinate bodies then no problem.
The two in the States are life memberships. Paid for lifetime.
I’ve gone through the chairs in all my Lodges and a second time in my English chapter.
 

David612

Registered User
The two in the States are life memberships. Paid for lifetime.
I’ve gone through the chairs in all my Lodges and a second time in my English chapter.
Ahhh okay, we don’t do that sort of thing in my neck of the woods, in that situation it’s kinda moot really as the lodge can’t rely on income from you anyway.
Chapter is something I’m very much looking forward to.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Ahhh okay, we don’t do that sort of thing in my neck of the woods, in that situation it’s kinda moot really as the lodge can’t rely on income from you anyway.
Chapter is something I’m very much looking forward to.
Yes, as a UGLE Mason, we don’t do life memberships.
If properly invested, the funds from the purchase of a life membership provide income to a lodge.
 

David612

Registered User
Yes, as a UGLE Mason, we don’t do life memberships.
If properly invested, the funds from the purchase of a life membership provide income to a lodge.
True, honestly I think fees should just be raised to a point where lodges don’t need hundreds of members to survive, my lodge is maybe 30-40 guys and it’s a tight good group, everyone pitches in at it works
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
True, honestly I think fees should just be raised to a point where lodges don’t need hundreds of members to survive, my lodge is maybe 30-40 guys and it’s a tight good group, everyone pitches in at it works
Other than Grand steward Lodges, I’m unaware of many UGLE Lodges with hundreds.
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
I have heard of lodges, that have a "cap" on how many members it can have. Before WW2, when our country was more rural, most lodges had fewer than 100 members. Huge "mega-lodges" were unheard of.
 
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