State-wide open house in Maryland , April 2, 2011

[cemab4y]

(I am neither promoting nor endorsing this event. The Grand Lodge of Maryland is the sole promoter)

Here is an announcement from the Grand Secretary, Grand Lodge of Maryland, F&AM:

Every Lodge in Maryland will be open on April 2nd from 10am – 5pm.



You can visit our website: http://www.mdmasons.org to find the closest Lodge!




Jason M. Sentz
Office of the Grand Secretary
Grand Lodge of Maryland

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I am not a Maryland Mason, but I must say, that I am delighted with this development! This will be a terrific way for Maryland Masons, to get Masonry out into the public eye.

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, has two(2) state-wide open houses, annually.

Could this be possible in Texas? I mean every lodge from Texarkana to El Paso, open on a Saturday? Imagine the advance work, and the media.

So far, only Maryland and Mass. are hosting these events. Maybe other states will latch on to the idea.

 

[tomasball]

Texas did this about fifteen years ago, two or three times. I don't think the lodges were impressed with the results, so it wasn't continued. It's understood that any lodge that cared to could have an open house on it's own, but I have heard of no plans to do a coordinated state wide open house again.

 

[cemab4y]

I just learned that Maryland has a long-term project, "Project 2025", which has a goal of having 25,000 active Masons in Maryland. I am very interested in seeing how this works out.

 

[tomasball]

In Texas there is always a push-pull between the side that wants our priority to be more membership, and to reach that goal, more public relations work--radio spots, billboards, open houses--and the side that either doesn't believe the public outreach will actually produce results, or champions "not more men in masonry, but more masonry in men."

Our current Grand Master's message is, "Be careful. Take your time. Stop letting men of questionable character into the Fraternity."

 

[Zack]

I just learned that Maryland has a long-term project, "Project 2025", which has a goal of having 25,000 active Masons in Maryland. I am very interested in seeing how this works out.

I would like to see their definition of "active".

 

[Dave in Waco]

In Texas there is always a push-pull between the side that wants our priority to be more membership, and to reach that goal, more public relations work--radio spots, billboards, open houses--and the side that either doesn't believe the public outreach will actually produce results, or champions "not more men in masonry, but more masonry in men."

Our current Grand Master's message is, "Be careful. Take your time. Stop letting men of questionable character into the Fraternity."

I think there can be a happy mix. I think better public awareness is a must. We have 100's of years of bad press and people making money off of soiling our reputation and/or misrepresenting us for their own gain. So I would say we have a reasonability to make sure the truth is out there. Now in raising public awareness of what we really are about, comes with an added responsibility. It does not mean that we let the door stand open to anyone. It means that we have to double our resolve in performing our duty to Masonry by more carefully examining the internal qualities of a man.

 

[cemab4y]

I agree, that a balance can be worked out. The Grand Lodge of NJ has billboards, and TV spots. I have not observed any detriment in NJ Freemasonry. Of Course, we should always be on guard, and carefully monitor the West Gate. It is the responsibility of every Mason, to ensure that only good men of character, are permitted to pick up our working tools. Nevertheless, I feel that we can "multi-task", we CAN walk and chew gum at the same time. Masonry can get out into the public eye, and garner good publicity, and we can still work to ensure that the bar is held high.