New lodge officers

[Benjamin Baxter]

How does your lodge handle new lodge officers in learning there work. We had an announcement at last stated. It was very obvious that we needed to practice. I have tried to make contact with my fellow officers and haven't had any bites for practice. Does the outgoing officer take On the responsibility of training the new officer? What is your lodges practice?

 

[mcaldwell]

We cross train in the chairs during practice.

 

[phulseapple]

We have done lodges of instruction where we practice the ritual as part of the lodge educational program on regular meeting nights. We are doing the same thing with degree rehearsals.

 

[Brother JC]

Depends on the chair... in most cases you are required to know the work before you fill it.

 

[Benjamin Baxter]

I should get a scheduled practice with the DI started up again. I just need to ask him. I did it last year and should really make the first move I guess.

 

[Warrior1256]

We cross train in the chairs during practice.

I have only been an MM for a little over a month but it seems to be the same in my lodge.

 

[Pscyclepath]

It will vary a bit with each lodge. In my case, the Director of Work was focusing strictly on two people, and when I tried to get started, there wasn't a lot of help. I went over to a neighboring lodge where several brothers were running sort of an informal school, and eventually came back from there about a year later with the equivalent of an A certificate. The old DoW is still at his stuff, but I usually work off-line with those brothers coming up behind me, and we're starting to get some progress going.

 

[chrmc]

We do cross training as well during weekly practice sessions. Mainly to get people solid in their current chairs, but in the latter part of the year to get ready for new ones moving up.

 

[Warrior1256]

It will vary a bit with each lodge. In my case, the Director of Work was focusing strictly on two people, and when I tried to get started, there wasn't a lot of help. I went over to a neighboring lodge where several brothers were running sort of an informal school, and eventually came back from there about a year later with the equivalent of an A certificate. The old DoW is still at his stuff, but I usually work off-line with those brothers coming up behind me, and we're starting to get some progress going.

Sounds like a good system.

 

[MaineMason]

We have regular "Lodge of Instruction" for officers. Our Blue Lodge is known for our tight ritual work and has been for years. You can miss a couple of sessions over the course of a year but if you're a line officer, you're expected to be there most times. Rehearsals are key, even if you've done the ritual for the degree being presented before. Senior officers are often asked to "Sit in the East" for degrees in preparation for their advancement. If you're a line officer, that means you're serious and should take advantage of all training you can take advantage of and if your Grand Lodge has a "Masonic College", it pays to be involved in that too.

 

[Bill Lins]

We cross train in the chairs during practice.

As do we- floorwork practice every Tuesday except for the 2nd Tuesday, which is our stated meeting.

 

[MaineMason]

As do we- floorwork practice every Tuesday except for the 2nd Tuesday, which is our stated meeting.

That's the way we learn.

 

[KSigMason]

How does your lodge handle new lodge officers in learning there work. We had an announcement at last stated. It was very obvious that we needed to practice. I have tried to make contact with my fellow officers and haven't had any bites for practice. Does the outgoing officer take On the responsibility of training the new officer? What is your lodges practice?

In my Lodge, I set up a mentorship. The WM ensures all officers have it down, but specifically mentors the SD, the SW the JD and Tyler (sometimes the Tyler is usually the Jr. PM so he's the mentor to the JD and also advises the WM), the JW mentors the Stewards, and the Chaplain with the Marshal. I also have a Mentoring Committee who advises me as WM with ensuring my senior officers are working on their proficiency certificates.

Many of my officers show up rather early for Lodge and we go over the ritual. I also will meet with each of my officers when they are studying their parts. On nights we have no plans I often have practices and summon all my officers to be present.

 

[Jraiford]

Our stated meeting is on 2nd Tuesdays. We practice on Thursdays. Depending on whats coming up decides what we practice. If you pay attention during the opening and closing, it seems to stick in my brain better, since for degrees we sometimes switch chairs. So while practicing for a degree, you can also practice opening and closing as well.