....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