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Dual Lodge Membership

Derinique Kendrick

Registered User
Technically, you are only supposed to visit a limited # of times before affiliating. @Bill_Lins77488 would know for sure. It is not just fellowship. You are looking for something different. Some guys visit alot of lodges each month all over the state. They are looking for fellowship. Especially if they retired.
But, can't you look for something different and get it from visits, without actually going through the joining process. Personally, my home lodge lacks a few things I am interested in. For what I am seeking more, I can just visit and fellowship with another lodge if it doesn't conflict with my normal meeting nights, right? Two birds in one stone in my eyes.
 

Derinique Kendrick

Registered User
By the way @hanzosbm & @MRichard, or any other brother who may be watching, for that matter. By no means am I trolling. Just trying to get a better viewpoint or see the need/purpose of doing so. Valid points for sure have been presented, but I feel as if all of that still can be done without having to actually join.
 

Derinique Kendrick

Registered User
Furthermore, after discussion with brothers who have gave their input thus far, I do see the benefits of doing so if said brother chooses to have plural membership. Wanted to make it clear that I do understand.
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
But, why not just hold membership in the one lodge you enjoy the most, and just VISIT or affiliate the others that you like?

Some lodges expect a petition to affiliate after a certain number of visits. Other lodges welcome unlimited visits. So it might be a clash of requirements.

Affiliation is full membership in all of my jurisdictions.

I took my degrees in my mother lodge. I paid for a life/endowed membership. I went through the line, experienced consolidations and I'm now a Past Master. Why would I ever demit? I'm at least as puzzled at the idea of single lodge membership as you are at multiple membership. As it is if I ever show up at California GL I get to vote. Since California GL is in San Francisco it's desirable for my wife as well as for me. Plenty of tourist stuff in SF.

At one point we moved the Seattle metro. I affiliated. We didn't live there long enough to go through the line or purchase a life/endowed membership. So when we moved out of state again I sent a demit. I do get that sometimes it makes sense to demit when moving out of town.

Then we moved to Chicago. I affiliated. I went through the line again, experienced a consolidation again, purchased a life/endowed membership again. Now I have a vote in Illinois GL if I go. Demitting would give that up.

Which leads me to why I ended up having two Illinois memberships. I got a job in a different part of the metro area. I started attending a lodge on the way home form that work location. I entered their degree team. I delivered Masonic education talks at all of their Stated meetings. After several years they voted me an Honorary membership. Why would I ever demit from such a gift?

Now in Texas I'm going through the line again, predictably. Once I'm PM and life/endowed member why should I ever demit.

Had I never left town I might never have been a member of more than one lodge. My feet are too itchy for that. Or they were. We'll see at some point.
 

Derinique Kendrick

Registered User
Some lodges expect a petition to affiliate after a certain number of visits. Other lodges welcome unlimited visits. So it might be a clash of requirements.

Affiliation is full membership in all of my jurisdictions.

I took my degrees in my mother lodge. I paid for a life/endowed membership. I went through the line, experienced consolidations and I'm now a Past Master. Why would I ever demit? I'm at least as puzzled at the idea of single lodge membership as you are at multiple membership. As it is if I ever show up at California GL I get to vote. Since California GL is in San Francisco it's desirable for my wife as well as for me. Plenty of tourist stuff in SF.

At one point we moved the Seattle metro. I affiliated. We didn't live there long enough to go through the line or purchase a life/endowed membership. So when we moved out of state again I sent a demit. I do get that sometimes it makes sense to demit when moving out of town.

Then we moved to Chicago. I affiliated. I went through the line again, experienced a consolidation again, purchased a life/endowed membership again. Now I have a vote in Illinois GL if I go. Demitting would give that up.

Which leads me to why I ended up having two Illinois memberships. I got a job in a different part of the metro area. I started attending a lodge on the way home form that work location. I entered their degree team. I delivered Masonic education talks at all of their Stated meetings. After several years they voted me an Honorary membership. Why would I ever demit from such a gift?

Now in Texas I'm going through the line again, predictably. Once I'm PM and life/endowed member why should I ever demit.

Had I never left town I might never have been a member of more than one lodge. My feet are too itchy for that. Or they were. We'll see at some point.
I got just one question for ya? Care to donate a life/endowed membership to a worthy brother? Do Ya? lol
 

Derinique Kendrick

Registered User
Some lodges expect a petition to affiliate after a certain number of visits. Other lodges welcome unlimited visits. So it might be a clash of requirements.

Affiliation is full membership in all of my jurisdictions.

I took my degrees in my mother lodge. I paid for a life/endowed membership. I went through the line, experienced consolidations and I'm now a Past Master. Why would I ever demit? I'm at least as puzzled at the idea of single lodge membership as you are at multiple membership. As it is if I ever show up at California GL I get to vote. Since California GL is in San Francisco it's desirable for my wife as well as for me. Plenty of tourist stuff in SF.

At one point we moved the Seattle metro. I affiliated. We didn't live there long enough to go through the line or purchase a life/endowed membership. So when we moved out of state again I sent a demit. I do get that sometimes it makes sense to demit when moving out of town.

Then we moved to Chicago. I affiliated. I went through the line again, experienced a consolidation again, purchased a life/endowed membership again. Now I have a vote in Illinois GL if I go. Demitting would give that up.

Which leads me to why I ended up having two Illinois memberships. I got a job in a different part of the metro area. I started attending a lodge on the way home form that work location. I entered their degree team. I delivered Masonic education talks at all of their Stated meetings. After several years they voted me an Honorary membership. Why would I ever demit from such a gift?

Now in Texas I'm going through the line again, predictably. Once I'm PM and life/endowed member why should I ever demit.

Had I never left town I might never have been a member of more than one lodge. My feet are too itchy for that. Or they were. We'll see at some point.
Wow! Most definitely in your case it has greatly benefited you to be able to have such luxury!
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
Care to donate a life/endowed membership to a worthy brother?

The years I've been Junior Warden I worked out with the Sec that I could save up the grocery receipts across the year and instead of getting reimbursed the money would go to the endowment. A couple of hundred per month during the year as JW was a significant stretch but it was a savings plan that worked for me.
 

MRichard

Mark A. Ri'chard
Premium Member
By the way @hanzosbm & @MRichard, or any other brother who may be watching, for that matter. By no means am I trolling. Just trying to get a better viewpoint or see the need/purpose of doing so. Valid points for sure have been presented, but I feel as if all of that still can be done without having to actually join.

I went to visit a relative so I know you are not trolling. You are not the first PHA brother to ask these questions and I am sure you won't be the last. I wish I could join a PHA lodge while still keeping my membership in my current grand lodge. One day, it might be possible. In some jurisdictions, it is.
 

MRichard

Mark A. Ri'chard
Premium Member
But, can't you look for something different and get it from visits, without actually going through the joining process. Personally, my home lodge lacks a few things I am interested in. For what I am seeking more, I can just visit and fellowship with another lodge if it doesn't conflict with my normal meeting nights, right? Two birds in one stone in my eyes.

It's different in your jurisdiction. Of course, you can visit other lodges and fellowship with the brothers. Unfortunately, if you find a lodge you really like, you would have to demit and join the other lodge. Is that right? Things vary by jurisdictions so it gets confusing.
 

MRichard

Mark A. Ri'chard
Premium Member
For clarification, If affiliating means actually joining that lodge pardon me as I didn't exactly know the usage of the term in that sense. But if its the same as visiting, you can't limit an amount a time someone else visits another lodge, can you?

Affiliating in my jurisdiction means joining a lodge. They have to vote on whether to accept you but if denied, you are still a master mason and you can try again unlike petitioning where you have to wait a certain length of time depending on how many black cubes you got.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Technically, you are only supposed to visit a limited # of times before affiliating.
That only applies to an unaffiliated Mason, i.e. one who does not belong to any Lodge. That's to prevent a Brother from visiting Lodges forever without paying dues anywhere. As to why have plural memberships- I've joined other Lodges because, in one instance, the new Lodge was very active in conferring degree work and I enjoy working in degrees. Another Lodge needed help and I was friends with many of the members there. I joined a third Lodge because of its unique history and because it is located in an area where I spent my teenage years. There are many more reasons a Brother might join multiple Lodges and, as long as he can afford to financially support his Lodges, I have no problem with it.
 

Derinique Kendrick

Registered User
The years I've been Junior Warden I worked out with the Sec that I could save up the grocery receipts across the year and instead of getting reimbursed the money would go to the endowment. A couple of hundred per month during the year as JW was a significant stretch but it was a savings plan that worked for me.
That's actually a really great plan. Glad it worked out for you! I'm sure you are too!
 

Derinique Kendrick

Registered User
As to why have plural memberships- I've joined other Lodges because, in one instance, the new Lodge was very active in conferring degree work and I enjoy working in degrees. Another Lodge needed help and I was friends with many of the members there. I joined a third Lodge because of its unique history and because it is located in an area where I spent my teenage years. There are many more reasons a Brother might join multiple Lodges and, as long as he can afford to financially support his Lodges, I have no problem with it.
All great reasons! Thanks for your input, brother!
 

Ripcord22A

Site Benefactor
I was a member of both 1 and 19. I found more of what I sought in 19, but 1 was my Mother and I wasn't ready to separate myself.
Montezuma was the first lidge i went to here, it was a long drawn out business meeting. I picked a terrible night to vist- finance comittee report, lodge elections, and a report on the roof contractor that bamboozled the lodge...the next week i went to Cerrillos(on Scott Js invatation)-great meal, presentation no bills and what not loved the small group feel. Affiliated the next month. Still go to Montezuma from time to time and under the direction of WM DeGiovanni its getting better but this last meeting the first 30min was the reading of 3 sets of minutes. At cerrillos the minutes are emailed out to all the members a few days prior for our review, then if need be are discussed and accepted as emailed or ammended...also our bylaws allow for the secretary to just pay bills. The meetings are always worthwhile.

Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Montezuma was the first lidge i went to here, it was a long drawn out business meeting. I picked a terrible night to vist- finance comittee report, lodge elections, and a report on the roof contractor that bamboozled the lodge...the next week i went to Cerrillos(on Scott Js invatation)-great meal, presentation no bills and what not loved the small group feel. Affiliated the next month. Still go to Montezuma from time to time and under the direction of WM DeGiovanni its getting better but this last meeting the first 30min was the reading of 3 sets of minutes. At cerrillos the minutes are emailed out to all the members a few days prior for our review, then if need be are discussed and accepted as emailed or ammended...also our bylaws allow for the secretary to just pay bills. The meetings are always worthwhile.

Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry Pro mobile app
Reading the minutes???????? I can't remember the last time I heard them read.
 
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