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Conferring Degrees

Does your Lodge Confer Degrees?

  • No, we have a district degree team

    Votes: 1 1.1%
  • Yes, we confer degrees in house

    Votes: 90 98.9%

  • Total voters
    91

JTM

"Just in case"
Premium Member
i've thrown around the idea of putting a degree team together.

have dues and such for just the team to buy our wardrobe with, travel expenses, etc.
 

rhitland

Founding Member
Premium Member
we go solid black from head to toe with our degree team looks super sharp
 
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Sirius

Registered User
I'm very proud of the work done at 188. Those guys practice once a week and put some heart and pride in it.

And oh yeah 148's OK too. ;)
 

Ben Rodriguez

Registered User
We try to meet up for practice every Thursday night. It's not always the same brethren conferring the degrees though, I have served as Jr. warden and Jr. deacon, and last night I did master of ceremonies for an EA. It was exciting!
 

JBD

Premium Member
I belong to Panther City and Cooke-Peavy Lodges.
Panther City has been known to confer just a few degrees :cool:

I have personally done 2 EAs in the last 3 weeks. We do a lot of degree work in PC

Cooke-Peavy confers every degree we have to work, been a tad slow over the past few years, we have 3 EAs in the process now, we are waiting on their FC degrees - gotta get the proficiencies out of the way you know.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
We do our own & help with other Lodges in the district when asked. It's a lot of fun working with those other Brethren!
 

JTM

"Just in case"
Premium Member
We try to meet up for practice every Thursday night. It's not always the same brethren conferring the degrees though, I have served as Jr. warden and Jr. deacon, and last night I did master of ceremonies for an EA. It was exciting!

some nights we'll do three EAs or multiple of the same degree. we usually have enough to have 3 seperate degree teams.

we have a guy named this years "degree master" and he puts people into parts they can do. nobody has their traditional "spots" that they stick to... usually everyone does everything.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
we have a guy named this years "degree master" and he puts people into parts they can do. nobody has their traditional "spots" that they stick to... usually everyone does everything.

That's great! Not only does that help those Brethren to prepare for a "B" certificate but it also makes them much more useful when helping other Lodges confer degrees.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
The problem I've seen with "District degree teams" is that Lodges come to depend on them & lose the ability to confer their own degrees. Even if your Lodge has to ask for help, I find that preferable to not being involved at all in the degrees. After all, the candidate joined a Lodge, not a district.
 

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
The problem I've seen with "District degree teams" is that Lodges come to depend on them & lose the ability to confer their own degrees. Even if your Lodge has to ask for help, I find that preferable to not being involved at all in the degrees. After all, the candidate joined a Lodge, not a district.

I couldn't agree more. That's exactly what happened at my Lodge. Ever since a "District Degree" team was formed, they've been our ONLY source for putting on Degrees. Unfortunately, if your schedule doesn't meet their practice times (30 miles roundrip btw) your asked to sit out for the Degree. Including current Lodge officers.
 
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Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
I couldn't agree more. That's exactly what happened at my Lodge. Ever since a "District Degree" team was formed, they've been our ONLY source for putting on Degrees. Unfortunately, if your schedule doesn't meet their practice times (30 miles roundrip btw) your asked to sit out for the Degree. Including current Lodge officers.

Now that I REALLY have a problem with! It's y'all's Lodge and your WM calls the shots, no matter what.

I've seen technically perfect degrees put on with absolutely no "heart" behind them. Does anybody think the candidate can't tell?

I'd much rather the Brethren did the best they can, as long as their efforts are recognizable as Texas work (more or less) and put their hearts & souls into it. I guarantee you the candidate can feel the difference.
 

JBD

Premium Member
I agree with Bill. The purpose of degrees are to present Masonry in allegory, symbolism and word to the candidate - those words, actions and concepts need to be presented not recited.

I will volunteer to go to Gonzales and help y'all relearn the work. Get you WM to set up a Friday night/Saturday type thing - I would bet we can get enough people just from here to turn your situation around pretty quickly.

I also agree your WM is in charge of your lodge and the degrees provided.
 

TCShelton

Founding Member
Premium Member
I will volunteer to go to Gonzales and help y'all relearn the work. Get you WM to set up a Friday night/Saturday type thing - I would bet we can get enough people just from here to turn your situation around pretty quickly.

+1.
 

rhitland

Founding Member
Premium Member
Unfortunately, if your schedule doesn't meet their practice times (30 miles roundrip btw) your asked to sit out for the Degree. Including current Lodge officers.

I thought I drove to far to lodge 55 miles RT, I am quiting, you here that Tom and Scott, I am gong to Deer Creek!! lol
 

JTM

"Just in case"
Premium Member
the certifications are to prove that you know the work... you've sat in front of a committee on work member in a forum and gone through the work to their satisfaction...

C = q&a for all three degrees, tilers oath, and opening/closing all 4 lodges.

B = C + all parts of conferring all 3 degrees

A = B + the esoteric portion of all 3 lectures.
 
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