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Sponsoring Local Sports Teams

Should a Masonic Lodge be able to sponsor a local sports team?

  • Yes

    Votes: 14 73.7%
  • No

    Votes: 5 26.3%

  • Total voters
    19

MGM357

Registered User
What does the GLoT have to say about sponsoring local youth sports teams ( Little League etc)?
 

Papatom

Premium Member
Premium Member
That is a VERY good question. I am waiting on the answer to this one. I can not find it the law book.
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
I have tackled this before with GL and and all I received was a good ole fashion run around. We actually found conflicting statements in the law book vs other GL Documents. The best you are going to get is an interpritation of what someone "believes it says". I would use the Vanguard Requirments that state you should support a local community youth orginzation. This would allow you to support the Little League Team.
 
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david918

Premium Member
Not sure what the right answer is I seem to remember there was a GM's decision about it years back.I've read all the proceedings from the Grand Lodge of Texas since the 1890's and there are always numerous GM decisions about questions like this one.It seems to me like Grand Lodge should publish a book of the Grand Master's decisions over the years and if they were up held by the Grand Lodge.Sure could answer a lot of brothers questions.
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
When I asked the question to about 10 people I got about 11 answers. Each of which you could tell the person really wasn't sure. It reminded me of the time I asked "What is Masonic Communication?" There does not seem to be a universal stance.
 

Wingnut

Premium Member
here is what I have...

126c. Youth Activities. The Committee on Youth Activities
shall be charged with the duty of encouraging all Master Masons
in this Grand Jurisdiction to advance, promote, and support the
youth organizations approved for Masonic sponsorship under the
Laws of this Grand Lodge and for the amplification and coordination
of worthy activities of the Grand Lodge and its Constituent
Lodges in support of same.
In an effort to secure only those of the highest moral character
and reputation to serve as advisors to said Youth Organizations,
the following procedure applies to any Master Mason wishing to
serve as such.
1. The Master Mason wishing to serve as an advisor to an
approved Youth Organization shall submit Form No. 79.
2. The form shall authorize investigations into the applicant’s
reputation and character, including requets for credit checks, criminal
records and any charges of child abuse filed with the Texas
Department of Human Services.
3. The Lodge of a Master Mason so applying, must attest in
writing, to his good standing.
4. The completed form shall be submitted annually to the
Youth Organization and its Chief Executive Officer in Texas, the
Youth Organization’s sponsoring body and the Grand Secretary of
this Grand Lodge where they shall remain on file. (Revised 1990)

and

Art. 339. Lodge Shall Not Sponsor Other Organizations. No
lodge shall stand as sponsor for any other organization, even though
such organization be composed exclusively of Master Masons or of
the wives, sister, sons, or daughters of Master Masons. Provided that
this article shall not apply to the Chapters of the Order of DeMolay
for Boys, Assemblies of the Order of Rainbow for Girls, and Bethels
of the International Order of Job’s Daughters. (Revised 1989)
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
2009 - 2010 Vanguard Requirements

Section II Para A No. 2

Support a Masonic youth group by doing one of the following:
(a) Provide at least $200.00 in financial support or
(b) Provide at least three (3) advisors or
(c) Conduct at least two common activities between either Masonic youth
groups (such as DeMolay or Rainbows) or community youth
group(s) and members of the Lodge. (Community youth groups may
include Boy or Girl Scouts, Little League, Youth Soccer, FFA, 4-H Clubs,
etc).


This tells me that the Lodge should support a community youth group. These are the contradictions I speak of. You have a law that states no sponsorship other than with a "MAsonic Youth Group" then you have Grand Lodge Vaguard Requirments actually call out "Boy or Girl Scouts, Little Leauge, Youth Soccer, FFA, 4-H Clubs, etc."
 

MGM357

Registered User
Would three advisors be a committee? All I would like to see is our Lodge on the back of baseball jerseys. This would help the league and keep our name alive in the community.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
.It seems to me like Grand Lodge should publish a book of the Grand Master's decisions over the years and if they were up held by the Grand Lodge.

They already do. It's shown as "Grand Masters Decisions & Annotations" on the front page of the Lodge Order Blank. It is available in book form or CD for $20.00 & is well worth having.
 
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Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Grand Master's Decision-1996-NO.1 holds that, while a Lodge may not sponsor an athletic team, it "may support a team by donating money, equipment, or uniforms." (italics mine)

Hope this helps.
 
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Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
Grand Master's Decision-1996-NO.1 holds that, while a Lodge may not sponsor an athletic team, it "may support a team by donating money, equipment, or uniforms." (italics mine)

What's the difference between "sponsor" and "support"? Who cares if a Masonic Lodge wants to SPONSOR a team? In my neck of the woods, the Lions, Rotary and Odd Fellows all have their own little league teams. Why can't we?
 
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MGM357

Registered User
What's the difference between "sponsor" and "support"? Who cares if a Masonic Lodge wants to SPONSOR a team? In my neck of the woods, the Lions, Rotary and Odd Fellows all have their own little league teams. Why can't we?

May support is donating without being recognized. I disagree with not recognizing the support. How are we suposed to grow within our communities without being recognized?
 

Papatom

Premium Member
Premium Member
here is what I have...

126c. Youth Activities. The Committee on Youth Activities
shall be charged with the duty of encouraging all Master Masons
in this Grand Jurisdiction to advance, promote, and support the
youth organizations approved for Masonic sponsorship under the
Laws of this Grand Lodge and for the amplification and coordination
of worthy activities of the Grand Lodge and its Constituent
Lodges in support of same.
In an effort to secure only those of the highest moral character
and reputation to serve as advisors to said Youth Organizations,
the following procedure applies to any Master Mason wishing to
serve as such.
1. The Master Mason wishing to serve as an advisor to an
approved Youth Organization shall submit Form No. 79.( What Organizations )??
2. The form shall authorize investigations into the applicant’s
reputation and character, including requets for credit checks, criminal
records and any charges of child abuse filed with the Texas
Department of Human Services.
3. The Lodge of a Master Mason so applying, must attest in
writing, to his good standing.
4. The completed form shall be submitted annually to the
Youth Organization and its Chief Executive Officer in Texas, the
Youth Organization’s sponsoring body and the Grand Secretary of
this Grand Lodge where they shall remain on file. (Revised 1990)

and

Art. 339. Lodge Shall Not Sponsor Other Organizations. No
lodge shall stand as sponsor for any other organization, even though
such organization be composed exclusively of Master Masons or of
the wives, sister, sons, or daughters of Master Masons. Provided that
this article shall not apply to the Chapters of the Order of DeMolay
for Boys, Assemblies of the Order of Rainbow for Girls, and Bethels
of the International Order of Job’s Daughters. (Revised 1989)

In regards to article 126c. What oraganizations is reffered to here?
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
The explanation I got was the same on why we won't associate ourselves with the Boy Scouts. "It is a liability to Grand Lodge and the Grand Master." We don't have control on how the leaders of the organizations are chosen so to protect ourselves from lawsuit we do not "sponsor" the organization but "support" it. From an advertisement stance the difference between support and sponsor is simply level of recognition. When you hear "Visa is a Proud Supporter of the Olympic games" they have donated a ton of money but the games also accept MasterCard. When you hear "Coca Cola is a Proud Sponsor of the Olympic games." They have gave a ton of money but only Coke products are sold there.

My personal opinion, which is worth $0.10 in Maine, is that we should be allowed to slap our name all over the city like we used to if the Lodge wants to. You have Lodges going away every year because people don't know they exist. I believe that certain committees should be examining the Law to see if it still pertains or if a recommendation should be made to change it. There are several throughout the book that contradict each other or just don't explain what the "intent" of the Law was with out going back to the proceedings of the year it was adopted or changed.

@Papatom - You can't have Art. 126 without having Art. 339. 126 states "youth organizations approved for Masonic sponsorship" while 339 list those organizations. As I stated earlier in post #7 the vanguard tells you to "support" 4-H, FFA, and others that are not "approved" Masonic Programs. To me this is a major contradiction.
 

Dave in Waco

Premium Member
So seeing that we can not officially sponser a team but can donate equipment, uniforms, etc., what about donating uniforms with our name on them?
 

Dave in Waco

Premium Member
Sponsoring a team could open a nasty can of worms.

Picture this: Umpire makes a bad call, resulting in a bleacher-clearing donnybrook. Video is broadcast on local TV (and posted on YouTube.) Zoom to cursing child throwing a sucker punch. His uniform reads: "Billy Goat Lodge #1776. Making Good Men Better."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/31/national/main527602.shtml

Just a thought,

Bob Umphress PM
Dallas Lodge #760
Dallas, Texas

Good point Brother.
 

Wingnut

Premium Member
Usualy sponsoring implies you are taking a leadership role in an organization or activitiy if you sponsor it. Which also implies a taking on of the responsibility of that organization or activity. For FMRC members, it would equate to sponsoring a Charity Ride, Poker RUn etc. you would be taking on the responsibility of that event. Someone gets killed you, your lodge, your Grand Lodge etc etc etc becomes liable.

Supporting implies you help or assist without taking on the leadership, liability or responsiblity of it. Buying the Girl Scouts cookies is supporting the girl scouts...

Vanguard Requirements call for a lodge to support and give several options on how to sponsor:

(a) Provide at least $200.00 in financial support or
(b) Provide at least three (3) advisors or
(c) Conduct at least two common activities between either Masonic youth groups (such as DeMolay or Rainbows) or community youth group(s) and members of the Lodge. (Community youth groups may include Boy or Girl Scouts, Little League, Youth Soccer, FFA, 4-H Clubs, etc).

There isnt a contradiction at all. (c) says to "conduct a common activity" not to sponsor on of the mentioned group. Some examples Ive seen have been Boy Scouts helping with our Blood Drives, handing out flyers, making calls, having a bbq after...

Yes it is symantics, but isnt most of what we do a matter of symantics? In the legal world those symantics can be the difference between getting a dismissal before it even goes to court or trying to find a place to have you next lodge meeting...
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
So by definition Wingnut you are suggesting by paying a team to put our names on the back of a jersey still falls under "supporting" not "sponsoring"? Interesting. I can buy into that. We don't pay for the fields or give them a meeting place we merely aid them financially.

And I do agree that the semantics is what gives the Local Lodges the power and what a great power it is if used properly.
 
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