What should we do with newly made Master Masons?

[Mosaic]

Thi1s is a great discussion and topic, by the way.

 

[cemab4y]

These are the things I long for as a new MM brothers. Keep on being a blessing to those you strive to help succeed as Masons.

Since newly made MMs are the subject of this discussion, I am very interested in your input. What are your plans for your first year in Freemasonry?

-Do you plan to seek an officer position, right away?
-Do you plan to volunteer to serve the lodge in some capacity?
-Do you plan to petition any of the appendant bodies right away? Or do you plan to focus on Craft Masonry for 6-12 months?
-If you are married, do plan to inform your wife of the Eastern Star, (or some other women's group), and encourage her to join?
-Just what do you plan to do in Masonry for the first year?

"If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans"- Phyllis Diller, Actress, Comedienne, Philosopher

 

[Companion Joe]

To me, there is a fine line you have to consider with newly made MMs, and the line is different on a case by case basis.

You want to give your newly made MMs an office or something to do to keep them interested, but you don't want to burn them out. I also hesitate putting new MMs right into line because if people bounce around, you could potentially have someone serving as WM who has only been a Mason 4-5 years. I personally don't think that is enough time to warrant the position. If you hit every chair, it's only 7 years, and I'm not sure if that is even enough. Everyone is different in terms of their ability to handle the job, and that's not my issue. My problem is, serving as WM should be an honor and responsibility earned over time. I have seen it more than once where someone was raised, thrown into line, served as WM after a minimal amount of time, and you don't ever see them again. We have two men who were young and took that path back in the '90s, and they are not even Masons anymore. That's sad.

 

[JJones]

I know I've already left my opinion on this thread but I feel this blog post is relevant to the topic:

https://stonesnbones.wordpress.com/...es-a-lodge-decline-to-the-point-of-no-return/

 

[Ripcord22A]

Soon after i was raised i was asked to.be the SD. I loved it! I served almost the whole year till the Army decided I needed to move. I learned so much!

In Oregon the main building door is locked prior to opening the lodge. After lodge is.opened the Tiler is invited in and sits to the right of the JD on the otherside of the.door

 

[CloseYetFar]

Since newly made MMs are the subject of this discussion, I am very interested in your input. What are your plans for your first year in Freemasonry?

-Do you plan to seek an officer position, right away?
-Do you plan to volunteer to serve the lodge in some capacity?
-Do you plan to petition any of the appendant bodies right away? Or do you plan to focus on Craft Masonry for 6-12 months?
-If you are married, do plan to inform your wife of the Eastern Star, (or some other women's group), and encourage her to join?
-Just what do you plan to do in Masonry for the first year?

"If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans"- Phyllis Diller, Actress, Comedienne, Philosopher

I don't plan to seek an officer position right away. If I am asked to do it though, I will.

I plan on attending and helping out at any function the lodge has. From EA to this point, I was at everything I was able to go to. I volunteered to post all our degrees on the GL website to help get the word out to other lodges. I am hoping this will get more people to these occasions even though we generally have a good turn out without having the information posted.

I told myself I will not join any appendant bodies for a year. This will allow me to involve myself in lodge without too much to worry about. I feel a solid foundation is necessary.

Not married so this doesn't apply to me yet. However, when I get married, I will tell her about it and let her make her own choice on if she wants to join and be involved in OES.

My first year will be spent traveling where I can and learning as much as possible. I attend all practice nights and am trying to learn whatever I can so if there is a need for me to fill in somewhere I can. I will also spend the year trying to decide which appendant body/bodies I join first. Within 10 miles from me are the York Rite, Scottish Rite, and Shrine.

 

[Dennis Hurts]

He should be stared to office right away this will keep them active and interested in the lodge

 

[ebojones]

I would be honored to be an officer in my lodge.
I am already volenteering, and building all the lodge furniture as a gift.
I have started my journey in the Royal Arch
My wife just petitioned the Eastern Stars and will be initiated on the 31st of this month.
I plan to start visiting other lodges to learn what I am not getting in my home lodge. (Believe me when I say what I am not getting in my own lodge is an understatement)

 

[jwhoff]

I don't plan to seek an officer position right away. If I am asked to do it though, I will.

I plan on attending and helping out at any function the lodge has. From EA to this point, I was at everything I was able to go to. I volunteered to post all our degrees on the GL website to help get the word out to other lodges. I am hoping this will get more people to these occasions even though we generally have a good turn out without having the information posted.

I told myself I will not join any appendant bodies for a year. This will allow me to involve myself in lodge without too much to worry about. I feel a solid foundation is necessary.

Not married so this doesn't apply to me yet. However, when I get married, I will tell her about it and let her make her own choice on if she wants to join and be involved in OES.

My first year will be spent traveling where I can and learning as much as possible. I attend all practice nights and am trying to learn whatever I can so if there is a need for me to fill in somewhere I can. I will also spend the year trying to decide which appendant body/bodies I join first. Within 10 miles from me are the York Rite, Scottish Rite, and Shrine.

Very good start Brother. You show wisdom, possibly beyond your years.

Take your time and smell the roses. Learn as much as you can about those degrees and continue to build upon your knowledge.

Remember, once you take an office you should be committed! Once you reach the SD chair the doors of the lodge should not open without your presence. At that point, you must be committed to travel in lock-step through the East. I, personally, feel you should continue to make each meeting for a year or so after stepping down from the East. Make sure the brethren of the lodge know that you are supporting the new WM. Be there for him when he needs you.

Above all, keep stepping into the light. The path will never forsake you.

 

[Dennis Hurts]

Yes Sir, Thank You young brother I going to take your advice and not join appendent body for the remainder of the year so that I can get a foothold in my new office ,And in masonry. I was raised last year myself, but my position has grounded me in the lodge, when you put on that regalia you can't help but feel something!

 

[CloseYetFar]

Very good start Brother. You show wisdom, possibly beyond your years.

Take your time and smell the roses. Learn as much as you can about those degrees and continue to build upon your knowledge.

Remember, once you take an office you should be committed! Once you reach the SD chair the doors of the lodge should not open without your presence. At that point, you must be committed to travel in lock-step through the East. I, personally, feel you should continue to make each meeting for a year or so after stepping down from the East. Make sure the brethren of the lodge know that you are supporting the new WM. Be there for him when he needs you.

Above all, keep stepping into the light. The path will never forsake you.

Thank you for the great response! It helps solidify my thoughts on the subject. I have been asked several times when I am joining another body by various people that are in the other bodies so far, and I have still stuck by my word. Even the WM of our lodge who is the Potentate as well asked me, but when I told him my plans he was glad I made that choice and told me I would be free to be at any Shrine function as long as its not a dues paying members function only.

I do thoroughly agree with your sentiment of once you take an office you should be committed to that office and the offices ahead of you in the line. It is a huge responsibility to yourself and the lodge when you go through installment. I feel if you cannot make that commitment in the length of your cable tow you should not be in that chair.

 

[ebojones]

After much thinking I am in agreement with CloseYetFar, and decided I will concentrate on my mother lodge, and try to help get it on track. I have started my journey in the Royal Arch, but don't think I will complete the second half of my journey right now. If I can't finish at a later time then I will just forfeit my initiation fee.

 

[CloseYetFar]

After much thinking I am in agreement with CloseYetFar, and decided I will concentrate on my mother lodge, and try to help get it on track. I have started my journey in the Royal Arch, but don't think I will complete the second half of my journey right now. If I can't finish at a later time then I will just forfeit my initiation fee.

I would by all means finish going through the process. You can always focus on your mother lodge as well. I just would make sure you are not neglecting your mother lodge as that is the place that started the journey for you. Here, the process of going through the Royal Arch is very easy and has no memory work like blue lodge does. It may be different in your jurisdiction though.

I chose this path for me. It does not mean it is what everyone should do, as each person is different and receives a different experience with how they do things. It is by no means the dead set way everyone should do it.

 

[Glen Cook]

I don't wish to nit pick on a worthwhile topic, but may I note my concern with the concept that one would "seek" an officer position? Surely one waits for the worshipful master to exercise his right to select such officers as he in his discretion believes appropriate.

 

[CloseYetFar]

I don't wish to nit pick on a worthwhile topic, but may I note my concern with the concept that one would "seek" an officer position? Surely one waits for the worshipful master to exercise his right to select such officers as he in his discretion believes appropriate.

First let me clarify that I am a newly made Master Mason, and the following is what I have heard/read in my understanding of the present subject.

There are elected and appointed positions as far as I know. Appointed positions are where the WM puts you in the position and the elected ones are a ballot. The ballot is made by the lodge for the officers chairs (JW, SW, and WM from what I have read/heard). So you would have to seek that position, or at least let it be known that you would like to be in that chair.

You could always wait to be appointed to a chair, but that may never come. You should, in my opinion, express your interest in getting into the line if you want to. If you don't express your interest it may never come. Each year there is a new WM in most, if not all, lodges. Each one may not look at each person as the best fit for each chair. That doesn't mean one person is always better fit for the chair they are appointed/elected to.

Like I said, what I am saying doesn't make it true for each lodge. I am just stating what I have heard/read, and I could be completely off base here for your lodge/jurisdiction.

Obviously, you would want to talk to your secretary or Grand Lodge for any clarifications on the subject.

 

[Glen Cook]

Usually this would not be a GL matter. If your individual lodge culture promotes putting oneself forward, it is not my place to gain say that. I would urge caution and modesty, though, until you do know the culture.

 

[CloseYetFar]

Usually this would not be a GL matter. If your individual lodge culture promotes putting oneself forward, it is not my place to gain say that. I would urge caution and modesty, though, until you do know the culture.

I wasn't saying you promote yourself. Just let the idea be known that you have interest in getting in the line. There is a difference.

 

[dfreybur]

I don't wish to nit pick on a worthwhile topic, but may I note my concern with the concept that one would "seek" an officer position? Surely one waits for the worshipful master to exercise his right to select such officers as he in his discretion believes appropriate.

A number of active lodges have full lines and a waiting list. If you don't inform the WM you don't get put on the waiting list. A number of less active lodges have troubles filling their line. One of the duties of the SW in such a lodge is to work with the other pedestal officers approaching frequent attending brothers recruiting to fill next year's line. Between those two extremes there is plenty of room for a brother to "seek" to some extent subject to local traditions of how to go about it.

 

[cemab4y]

I don't wish to nit pick on a worthwhile topic, but may I note my concern with the concept that one would "seek" an officer position? Surely one waits for the worshipful master to exercise his right to select such officers as he in his discretion believes appropriate.

The procedure varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In my home state of KY, most of the officers (SW,JW,SD,JD,etc) are elected. It is perfectly acceptable to seek an officer's position. Most lodges are glad to have a man "go through the chairs", if this is his desire. Other officers (Organist, Marshal, Chaplain,etc) are appointed by the WM. Sadly, in many small lodges, the officers have to be "recycled", because there are not enough men who wish to serve the craft, or the lodge is too small.

 

[David N.]

Make them feel welcome, and get them involved. Invite them to practice, it's a great time for people to get to know each other, as well as the work. Take them travelling with you. Introduce them around. Maybe get them involved by learning the working tools so they can take part in a degree. The main thing is to make them feel like a part of the lodge, and keep in touch outside of lodge.