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Few Questions Regarding visiting other lodges in another state and dual or plural membership.

NY Masonry

Registered User
Greetings Brethren,

EA here from New York City. Lord willing, I should be a MM some time in March of this year.

In the next few months, my family and I will be moving in with my Mother-In-Law in North Carolina anywhere from 6 months to a year so we can save for a down payment on a home in Georgia. I plan to visit nearby lodges locally in our town in NC during my stay there.

My question is, can I visit a particular lodge at every one of their meetings for the entire time I am living in NC? I ask because I plan to keep my membership with my "mother lodge" here in New York until I move to Georgia which does not allow to have dual/plural membership. I know that NC and NY both have no restrictions on dual and plural memberships but since I will be only living in NC for 6 months to a year, not sure if I should become a full member of that lodge since I will be leaving. I would also love to participate in degree work if I am allowed.

I know I am getting too ahead of myself but I also thought about joining the Scottish Right while living in NC also, but again I will be moving so not sure if I should wait until I am in Georgia, or join the Right while living in NC for 6 months to a year.

I am not concerned with have voting rights at the NC Blude lodges as I will not be a member, just want to know if I can visit them as long as I am living there until I move to Georgia. Any help will be appreciated brethren.

Thank you all...
 

CLewey44

Registered User
Greetings Brethren,

EA here from New York City. Lord willing, I should be a MM some time in March of this year.

In the next few months, my family and I will be moving in with my Mother-In-Law in North Carolina anywhere from 6 months to a year so we can save for a down payment on a home in Georgia. I plan to visit nearby lodges locally in our town in NC during my stay there.

My question is, can I visit a particular lodge at every one of their meetings for the entire time I am living in NC? I ask because I plan to keep my membership with my "mother lodge" here in New York until I move to Georgia which does not allow to have dual/plural membership. I know that NC and NY both have no restrictions on dual and plural memberships but since I will be only living in NC for 6 months to a year, not sure if I should become a full member of that lodge since I will be leaving. I would also love to participate in degree work if I am allowed.

I know I am getting too ahead of myself but I also thought about joining the Scottish Right while living in NC also, but again I will be moving so not sure if I should wait until I am in Georgia, or join the Right while living in NC for 6 months to a year.

I am not concerned with have voting rights at the NC Blude lodges as I will not be a member, just want to know if I can visit them as long as I am living there until I move to Georgia. Any help will be appreciated brethren.

Thank you all...

Hello Brother! Assuming you are a MM by the time you move in March, I would say visit as much as you can to as many lodges as possible while in NC. If you find one you like, just stick with it while you are in an extended visiting status for NC. Plural membership, demitting, affiliating and all of that takes a lot of time and can take well over a year, even two years in some cases. I would highly suggest you just visit while temporarily in NC. Also, I wouldn't do the Scottish Rite while there either because if you move to GA, you may want to be a member of the Scottish Rite there where you can actually participate more.

While visiting NC, you will likely have plenty of opportunities to help with degrees or ritual as a "sit-in". If you find a lodge you enjoy, just be up front "I'm only here temporarily but I'd really appreciate any chance to help you guys out with rituals. I would like to sit in different stations." Just keep in mind, learning NY, then NC and then GA will be a challenge because every GL (state) has different verbiage. Apart of Masonry is practicing Prudence and making wise decisions. Being patient etc. You'll see more of that as you go along. I hear you on planning ahead but for now, knock that EA categorical lecture and FC lecture out once you've received the 2nd degree. Then, once you get to NC as a newly minted MM, visit, visit, visit but don't worry about affiliating there just yet or joining appendant bodies. All this being said, assuming you'll move to GA within a year anyways. If you find out you're going to stay in NC, then by all means, dive right in.
 

NY Masonry

Registered User
Hello Brother! Assuming you are a MM by the time you move in March, I would say visit as much as you can to as many lodges as possible while in NC. If you find one you like, just stick with it while you are in an extended visiting status for NC. Plural membership, demitting, affiliating and all of that takes a lot of time and can take well over a year, even two years in some cases. I would highly suggest you just visit while temporarily in NC. Also, I wouldn't do the Scottish Rite while there either because if you move to GA, you may want to be a member of the Scottish Rite there where you can actually participate more.

While visiting NC, you will likely have plenty of opportunities to help with degrees or ritual as a "sit-in". If you find a lodge you enjoy, just be up front "I'm only here temporarily but I'd really appreciate any chance to help you guys out with rituals. I would like to sit in different stations." Just keep in mind, learning NY, then NC and then GA will be a challenge because every GL (state) has different verbiage. Apart of Masonry is practicing Prudence and making wise decisions. Being patient etc. You'll see more of that as you go along. I hear you on planning ahead but for now, knock that EA categorical lecture and FC lecture out once you've received the 2nd degree. Then, once you get to NC as a newly minted MM, visit, visit, visit but don't worry about affiliating there just yet or joining appendant bodies. All this being said, assuming you'll move to GA within a year anyways. If you find out you're going to stay in NC, then by all means, dive right in.

Hello Brother Lewey and thank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate your input and I will visit as many lodges as I can and continue to visit the one lodge I enjoy attending. while in NC. Being under the jurisdiction of New York, I also plan on visiting Prince Hall lodges as New York recognizes both NC and GA PHA. I look forward to seeing the many different lodges and learning from them. I will also wait until we move to GA to join the Scottish Rite.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Hello Brother Lewey and thank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate your input and I will visit as many lodges as I can and continue to visit the one lodge I enjoy attending. while in NC. Being under the jurisdiction of New York, I also plan on visiting Prince Hall lodges as New York recognizes both NC and GA PHA. I look forward to seeing the many different lodges and learning from them. I will also wait until we move to GA to join the Scottish Rite.
You’ll want to double check that GLNY recognizes PHA GA.
 

CLewey44

Registered User
Hello Brother Lewey and thank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate your input and I will visit as many lodges as I can and continue to visit the one lodge I enjoy attending. while in NC. Being under the jurisdiction of New York, I also plan on visiting Prince Hall lodges as New York recognizes both NC and GA PHA. I look forward to seeing the many different lodges and learning from them. I will also wait until we move to GA to join the Scottish Rite.

My pleasure, Brother and congrats on being entered as well as your new opportunity down in GA.
 
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