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Initiation fees

MGM357

Registered User
Companions,

What are the initiation fees for your C&C's? I'm trying to see if we are too low, too high or just right.
 

nick1368

Registered User
Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe at Grand Chapter this year, they up fees to $100 for Chapter and then there was some discussion on whether the Council was be $100 as well even though it wasn't voted on in Grand Council.
 

Nathan131

Registered User
The Yorkrite in my area is just $180 period, and you don't pay that fee until after you get the last degree in the Commandary.
 

JBD

Premium Member
Chapter fees were increased at Grand Chapter - the Grand Council had no such resolution. Accordingly the fees (minimums) were changed only for Chapters. Our fees are separate for Chapter Council and Commandery.
 

Ashton Lawson

Premium Member
I have my letter to be at the Temple in Ft Worth tonight for all of the York Rite degrees, but unfortunately I am moving today and tomorrow and I simply can't attend because of time restraints. Don't know if I've been more bummed about anything in a long time as I am this... :sad:
 

JBD

Premium Member
I have my letter to be at the Temple in Ft Worth tonight for all of the York Rite degrees, but unfortunately I am moving today and tomorrow and I simply can't attend because of time restraints. Don't know if I've been more bummed about anything in a long time as I am this... :sad:

Not to worry we can work this out as well
 

Douglas Collins

Registered User
The initiation fee for the Chapter is a minimum of $100.00.

I have put in a resolution to Grand Council to double the minimum Council fee from $25.00 to $50.00
.
Douglas Collins VEPGHP
 
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Douglas Collins

Registered User
Then you are not collecting the minimum fees due by law.
The minimuns are as follows: Chapter $100.00, Council $25.00 PLUS $10.00 to York Rite Development fund, Commandery $75.00. That totals to a minimum of $210.00
 

JBD

Premium Member
The initiation fee for the Chapter is a minimum of $100.00.

I have put in a resolution to Grand Council to double the minimum Council fee from $25.00 to $50.00
.
Douglas Collins VEPGHP

V:.E:. Sir,
Thank you for submitting the resolution. I would support a fee higher than that. In our Council (TX 321) we just raised our degree fee to $75.00 plus the YRDF for a total of $85.00. Our Chapter is at the minimum $100.

In addition we have changed the format for the fees to include all the costs and all of the materials we are/have been/going to supply the new York Rite Mason - ritual, monitor, first year dues, per captia(s) - etc.

The resulting fee for the Chapter and Council are now:

Chapter - 160.00
Council - 125.00

It is my opinion and now the opinion of our Chapter and Council that we must provide value for the monies received (which no one who has gone through the YR degrees and attends regularly can rationally argue we do not). AND we must be good stewards of that we have been endowed with by those Masons who came before. Accordingly we have adjusted our fees to reflect our costs and move closer to the value of the work.

I am still not satisfied with our fees. Just quick comparison in Ft Worth

Blue Lodge degrees - (all three - from 4 Lodges) 450;435;435;400 that is reasonable
York Rite (C&C) - 160 and 125 (285) for 6 degrees -
This assumes all other things being equal - i.e.; including dues, per capita, aprons, monitors, etc are all given to each.

In Fort Worth, at the temple, the York Rite degrees are still the best value in Masonry. We must realize it is our responsibility to ensure the financial viability of Masonry and that sometimes that means moving fees -

As a side note - the volume of petitions has increased over the last year. Men who are considering the York Rite are not looking for cheap - they are looking for more Masonry - these are the same people who have cable, cell phones, iPods, laptops and eat more than 3/4 of their meals out of the house. They know things cost money and they pay more for a data plan to get email on their cell phone than they for all their Masonic dues each month.....(assuming <$10.00/mo for BL; CnC < $10 and Commandery < $10).
 

Douglas Collins

Registered User
My heartiest congratulations to your Chapter/Council for taking the initiative to not only understand that we are way too cheap as a Fraternity in comparison to what those who have gone this way before us paid, but, your C/C also understands the need to assure your solvency and financial well-being in the future.

This is what I believe every Masonic body should do.
 
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