Pointing out the Elephant...

I think that we all agree that some lodges must raise dues, where other have no need to. I also think that we all agree that regardless of the dues we pay, we as an organization must get out in the public eye more, we must find a way to retain our membership, we must find a way to get new membership (without recruiting), and we must budget the money that we do have.

A wise mason once told me that, "You'll get out of Masonry what you put into it." And whether it is money or time that our lodges are lacking, that is up to each lodge to determine, but we as individuals must be prepared to supply either of these when called upon by our lodge. If my lodge needs more money, then I have no problem in paying my share. In fact, if I see that a dues increase is a must for my lodge, then I will bring it to the attention of the lodge in a form of a motion. But to throw a blanket on all the lodges in the state of Texas is not fair to the lodges that have managed their money properly. I know where my lodge is lacking and we will continue to work to strengthen ourselves where we are weak. And if I don't see our weaknesses, someone else in my lodge will, because I am fortunate to share my lodge with men much wiser than I.

Just as I feel that it is the responsibility of individual lodges to find solutions to their financial problems, it is also the responsibility of our Grand Lodge to do the same. If our Grand Lodge must raise our per capita, then so be it, but first make sure all other avenues have been studied prior to an increase.

That's all I have to say about that.

Sidewinder said:

Just as I feel that it is the responsibility of individual lodges to find solutions to their financial problems, it is also the responsibility of our Grand Lodge to do the same. If our Grand Lodge must raise our per capita, then so be it, but first make sure all other avenues have been studied prior to an increase.

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True, but as Master Masons and members of a Texas Lodge, we are members of Grand Lodge. So we are responsibile for what happens to and within the Grand Lodge as much as our own Lodges.

Dave in Waco said:

True, but as Master Masons and members of a Texas Lodge, we are members of Grand Lodge. So we are responsibile for what happens to and within the Grand Lodge as much as our own Lodges.

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The only objection to this I have is that yes are all "members" of Grand Lodge only Past Masters and Lodge Proxys are voting "Members". This requires us to do something we should have been doing all along.

Every year at this time guys from all over the state will be coming around to meet with MWSAs, MSBs, and Grand Lodge functions to earn your Grand South vote. We need to go to these and ask tough hard to answer questions. Ask questions about the conditions of our current Grand Lodge and what are thier ideas for retention and local Lodge aid. We have tried in the past to get these guys in the past on MoTx for questions and answers but none have. This year we will try the same. I know one is on board and the others have yet to be notified. But we as Master Masons need to be more responsible because the guy that is elected this year has a direct effect on our future. It is time as I said to step up and raise the bar.

Then I would say it's time we started organizing our bloc for the Grand Communication this year.

owls84 said:

But we as Master Masons need to be more responsible because the guy that is elected this year has a direct effect on our future. It is time as I said to step up and raise the bar.

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In what ways do you think the standard should be raised? And for whom? Just candidates for office or should we have accountability from our lodges also?

I personally think this is a top down problem. I would like to see the standard raised on knowledge and leadership. When you crack open a book on Masonry from 1920 the education that is taught in the book is unimaginable. The depth of the symbolism is not taught anymore. Let me rephrase that into Claudy's words. The symbols taught are but the allegories are not. We teach the first layer or the obvious meaning but it is the other layers, or allegories, that are keeping people hooked.

It has already been said that we need to get back to basics. Our Grand Lodge budget is broke and so are our Lodges. How can we correct this? Eliminate programs that cost money and have no effect. From the top down everything we do should be analyzed. Why not turn our process into a Quality Management System that requires the whole system to be broken down and looked at each year. At minimum goals and requirements should be set for each and every committee. If a committee is under performing then it should be cut. For too long we have seen Grand Master after Grand Master after Grand Master start a program jut for it to suffer the next year. We keep it going because Grand Master So and So started it but it is not being properly funded or just doesn't work it should be cut.

Bottom line is we need to hold people accountable from the top down. If a Lodge is not functioning, educating, spreading light, or is falling down to the point it is not safe we need to hold the members accountable. Many people say "Id help my Lodge if they asked" but when the time comes they send their money in and don't lift a finger. The average number of members that show up to stated meetings is around 20% and the number that show up regularly on other meeting nights is 10%. That is poor. I recently visited a Lodge that looked like it should have been condemned. Problem is all it needs is a little time. They had funding but no people. This is where a DDGM should step in and organize a Lodge assistance day and ask Brothers from the district to join forces and help slap paint on the walls. We have to do better at selling our Lodges. It goes back to taking pride in what we do.

So to finally answer your question, it is from the top down. As Grand Master you need to hold your committees and DDGMs accountable by giving measurable goals for each and be evaluating at all times. Committee appointments should not have terms but as needed. Don't get me started on the CoW boys because I feel all their little special "Perks" should go away. We are all on the level so what makes their committee more important than the rest? That needs to be evaluated as well. DDGMs should be well versed brethren and if they do a good enough jobs they should be reappointed. Does anyone else think it is a good idea to continue to put people in a DDGM spot so they learn the jobs then they are out? Why not have them serve more than one year if they are willing? They would get to know the Lodges more and how each works.

As Lodges we should be asking our membership why? Why did you join? Why do you come to Lodge? Why do you not come to Lodge? Why did you get your EA or FC and not come back? Address these issues. What makes your members enjoy it? If it is fundraising then do that. If it is degree school then do that. If it is fellowship then do that. If it is all of the above the do it all. We have to do better of giving people options and allowing them to experience all of what Masonry has to offer.

As members we need to demand the above. Brother Rhit did a great paper about demanding what you enjoy in Masonry. We as Masons take a different journey in life and we enjoy a diverse meaning of what Masonry is. If we each take our definition and put it together we can offer a HUGE thing to people. People want to join Masonry by the hundreds but we need to do better at granting them the ability to take their own path and do away with the term "This is how we have always done it" and pick up "Well no one has done it that way. Feel free to make it your own." because it is our own.

When I say raise the bar I mean it. Days are numbered for many of our members and you will see a huge shift. Younger members are asking more and more admin questions and we are getting frustrated because it can offer so much more if we would let it. That is what I mean by move forward or move out of the way. Either way you have to move the direction is your choice.

As the 80 year old Sec for my Lodge has been telling all the younger Masons in my Lodge for the last year, "This is your time to decisions for the Lodge, because you're the ones that will have to live with them."

owls84 said:

I would like to see the standard raised on knowledge and leadership.

When I say raise the bar I mean it.

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How would you accomplish this? Legislatively? Or do you feel that we ,as the Grand West, should just 'hold more men accountable'? Should the Grand Lodge mandate such things?

You've got a lot of nice thoughts, but how do they become reality?

Sirius said:

How would you accomplish this? Legislatively? Or do you feel that we ,as the Grand West, should just 'hold more men accountable'? Should the Grand Lodge mandate such things?

You've got a lot of nice thoughts, but how do they become reality?

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I think it's going to have to start at the Lodge level first. One of my great pleasures is visiting Lodges. As I do so, I pick up on things I feel some Lodges are doing well and try to get them implimented in my Lodge. Right now in my Lodge we have the men who are in line to lead the Lodge this year as well as the next 4 putting in place a 5 year plan to raise the bar by getting a Vanguard Award this year as well as getting off "cruise control." We as the current and future leaders in the Lodge are putting in place our own higher standards for ourselves so those following behind us will have higher expectations of them when it comes their time.

Our plans include providing entertaining and informative educational programs in the Lodge. Inviting inactive and visiting brothers to come see the things we are doing and getting them involved in the things we are doing. We have practice for our degree team and those wanting to be part of the team, and we don't always take the same part as we challenge each other to learn bigger roles. Already we have the other Lodges we share our Lodge room with scheduling their degrees on our work night, because they know we will be there and can fill in parts where needed. We have activities planned that will put us out in the community, and we are making sure that it get publicity in the local papers and if possible the news. But these activities are designed not just to help the community, but to increase the profile of Masonry in the community. By getting Brothers visiting our Lodge as we do these things, some of them will hopefully filter into other Lodges. When that happens it not only adds strength to your own Lodge but to the other Lodges as well. And when we start having strong Lodges pushing themselves and each other, it won't take long for those Lodges to demand more of and push Grand Lodge to raise its own bar.

We have a nucleus of people here on this board, and this is where the change in the Lodges can start from.

Dave in Waco said:

We have a nucleus of people here on this board, and this is where the change in the Lodges can start from.

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Very true indeed. Good work at your lodge. It takes courage and hard work to make things like that happen. Keep it up.

To me it starts at the Lodge. The Lodges need to raise the bar locally in ways I have been saying but some need to be "Tradition" changes. We need to get out of the habit of doing things because that is how it was always done. We need to demand answers and continue to ask why? Let’s turn into the spoiled 2 yr old. We should all be asking the question; Why? Why? Why?

However, some of this is going to require legislation. Things like CoW benefits, repealing laws that now are used to hinder our public image, and others that need to be added to improve our way of thinking and show our modern values while stressing our traditional ones. We have several coming up this year and the Annual Communications this year will be one for the ages. We are going to see where Texas Masonry really stands and I for one look forward to it.

It all boils down to giving responsibility to those that need it and holding people accountable when they under perform. Most of the ideas are changing the way we do business but some are going to be needed as legislative changes. Little by little you are seeing these introduced.

you know, i keep hearing this "masonry is too cheap" thing.

total malarchy.

part of the reason we have all these debt problems is that we have the attitude "if we throw money at problems, they disappear." this is true, they do disappear, but because someone else put forth the work to make them go away... it's horribly cost inefficient.

Personally I think that if you compare what we pay to what we get right now it is overpriced but if you look at other Grand Lodge Programs across the US and England for that matter, we are under priced. If they came to me and said we want to focus on education and we cut all the crap out of our budget and we will be putting a website together that is top notch instead of a geocitys website that is hard to read and maneuver along with well funded database system with a candidate education program to go with it I would raise dues by $50 tohelp fund these programs. That being said we need measurable goals and checks and balances.

JTM said:

you know, i keep hearing this "masonry is too cheap" thing.

total malarchy.

part of the reason we have all these debt problems is that we have the attitude "if we throw money at problems, they disappear." this is true, they do disappear, but because someone else put forth the work to make them go away... it's horribly cost inefficient.

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It seems to me that you're making the mistake of assuming that the phrase "Masonry is too cheap" is only referring to money.

well, yea. i'll agree with the other ways it's meant.

Masonry is to cheap! I spend more for lunch in one business week than I spend in dues at 1 lodge for a year. I spend more in 1 month for lunch than I do for dues at 3 lodges for a year. Many members I know put in the aprox 75 hours of study to turn in their proficiency and have spent maybe 10 hours over the next year doing anything Masonry related. If it takes more energy and effort to cook a brisket than it does to become a Mason there is little if any incentive to put anything back into it. Back around 1860 men would spend more than a months income for annual dues! THAT, my brothers is a commitment and one that you wouldnt easily or lightly walk away from. You were invested and vested in the fraternity and cared what became of it.

Where does the problem lie and where do we start making changes? At the same place we first became a mason. If people want to point fingers, all you have to do is walk into any lodge building in any city in any state. Look to that wall of photos. Its those Past Masters that vote(d) and established the way things are. THEY are our Brothers and Im willing to bet my last dollar that not a single one of them woke up one day and said "How can I screw up Masonry today?" I have 100% faith that every one of them and every decision they made and practice they put in place was, at the time, what they considered was what is best for Masonry. Further, not a single one of them made the changes on their own. Change MUST start in the lodge. Voting someone into the next chair because they "have been in the lodge forever and show up every now and then and he wants to be in the chairs and he is s nice guy" must stop. There is a huge list of what we need to change, but I can trim it down pretty fast and to a pretty small list, and Ill unashamedly steal the idea from a late friend and Brother: (quick someone name this CA brother!) Masonry isnt about ME changing THEM, its about ME changing ME. Start there and all lodges will move along pretty darn well.

These discussions always remind of US politics: everyone hates the way the government is run. Yet almost every poll shows its "THEM" thats screwing things up, not MY congress critter! Ill vote for him again! How else can you explain Charlie Rangle, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, Harry Reid?

That would be WBrother Theron Dunn.

I tihnk you make a good point Bro. Wyndell. We have to fix the ME before the WE. The changes start at the individual Lodges first. That's the exact reason our Lodge is been looking at ourselves and making plans for the next 5 years to raise our common standards to an unusual height. If we can get enough Lodges doing this, then we can start pushing these standards up to the Grand Lodge level.

Zack said:

That would be WBrother Theron Dunn.

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Excellent Bro Zack!

This has become a great thread and as you can see we are all on the right track, using are Tools.