Petition for Reinstatement

[Nate Riley]

Does anyone have an electronic copy of the Petition for Reinstatement? I have a friend/brother that has not paid dues in a couple of years and now wants to be reinstated. For some reason, the secretary was not able to get me one at the last meeting (I think he was out of them, or something) and the brother is anxious to start the process.

On a separate but related note, does the brother need to pay the dues before getting the petition? Or would he pay them when he submits the petition?

 

[JTM]

technicalities drive me nuts.

most people that i've seen submit the form along with their dues, though. he'll have to wait till the next stated meeting before it can get taken care of though.

i don't think it's available online unless someone can email you a copy.

 

[Nate Riley]

technicalities drive me nuts.

most people that i've seen submit the form along with their dues, though. he'll have to wait till the next stated meeting before it can get taken care of though.

i don't think it's available online unless someone can email you a copy.

That is exactly why I would like to get an electronic copy. He is working out of town, so I could get him to fill it out and mail it back. Then submit it with his dues before the next stated meeting. Then he can come back to town to take care of the investigation interviews.

I think he has met some brothers in the town where he is working and would like to attend lodge with them. After talking with him, its awesome that a brother who moves around for work, could have a place for a wholesome social experience whereever he is (if there is a lodge).

If someone has this electronically, my email is nathandriley@yahoo.com.

 

[JTM]

he can get a petition for reinstatement from that lodge, send it in with this year's dues, and he'd be fine, I believe.

i don't think it requires another investigation, but I may be wrong or that may be in a specific lodge's bylaws.

I sent our secretary an email for clarification on this one + a copy of that form.

 

[owls84]

You should not be able to receive a Reinstatement in digital form. This is something that needs to be filled out by the secretary because there are several questions that need to be asked. Things like, Why were you suspended? Amount of Dues owed? Can you pay dues in the Future? A bit of other information as well. I believe his best bet is contact the secretary of the lodge via phone. Answer the questions and send him a payment in the amount for the dues due. It will have to go to vote and as long as no one protests he should be good to go. It could be done in a week if everyone gets on it (Sect. mails it to him for signature and he mails it back) At that point the secretary will go into the database and put him for reinstatement. GL approves and prints his new dues card. Easy as that. Not that complicated.

FYI - Forms have been pulled from the general public so that they can keep updated copies in PDF form found on the Secretary's Database. Too many people we granting themselves Certificates of Good Standing and so forth.

 

[Nate Riley]

So he wont have to be reinvestigated?

 

[owls84]

If the suspended Brother was suspended for anything other then NPD (non-payment of dues) then not even a vote is required as long as he has not been suspended for more that 3 years. Then an investigation is required and a ballot taken.

See Chaper 18 in the GLoTX Law Book

Art. 327. (363). Expulsion Permitted After Three Years:
Reinstatement. When a member of a Lodge has been expelled for
the non-payment of his dues as provided in Art. 326, and desires
to be reinstated to membership, he shall present such a petition
to his Lodge, in writing, at a stated meeting thereof, and pay all
dues in arrears, up to the date of his suspension, unless same has
been reduced as authorized by Art. 314 of the Laws, in which case
the amount authorized shall be paid. The petition shall lay over
to a subsequent stated meeting and the Worshipful Master shall
appoint a committee for investigation and report. It shall require
a unanimous favorable ballot of the members of such Lodge present
to reinstate the petitioner to membership. If such petitioner is
rejected he may petition for reinstatement again after six months
have elapsed. If he is rejected a second time he shall not petition
again until one year has elapsed from the date of the last rejection.
Any subsequent petitions shall not be received except after the
elapse of an additional year. Any such petitioner for reinstatement,
who is rejected, shall, upon demand, be entitled to a refund of the
dues so paid.

 

[owls84]

This explains why we need to expell members for NPD after being suspended. The Law and Protocol Changes after 3 years of suspension for NPD.

 

[Bill Lins]

The main difference between suspension & expulsion for NPD is that reinstatement from suspension requires a 2/3rd's favorable vote while reinstatement from expulsion requires a unanimous favorable vote. Art. 324 & 327. It would be terrible if, because of a "private pique", one vote kept a Brother from being reinstated. For that reason I will not expel a Brother for NPD unless he just flat repudiates and renounces Masonry and/or I am specifically directed so by the members of my Lodge.

When a Brother becomes in arrears, we need to find out why- if he's having financial problems, we need to pick up his slack if at all possible. I've personally been paying another Brother's dues for the past 6 years. He's had all kinds of problems in his personal & business life and just can't afford his dues. He has done so much for me in my Masonic career that I absolutely will NOT allow him to go suspended and, since I'm doing it out of my own pocket, I don't think I need anyone else's permission to do it. As always, YMMV

 

[scottmh59]

I will not expell a Brother for NPD unless he just flat repudiates and renounces Masonry and/or I am specifically directed so by the members of my Lodge.

What is your feeling about a brother that is not per say having financial problems,but rather is just too lazy "or just doesn't care enough" to pay his dues. And said brother only shows signs of caring when you threaten to suspend him. To me if he cares so little about the lodge then why not relieve him of that burden.Will you suspend him even without the lodges full consent?

 

[Bill Lins]

I would suspend him in a heartbeat. What I stated earlier was that, absent extreme circumstances, I would not expel him. Remember the 4th of the 5 Points of Fellowship. Unless he proved to be incapable of redemption, I would not give up on him.