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Ideas Needed

Brother Jason Eddy

Registered User
Brothers,

I am putting together (or refining) a plan for next year, as I will (potentially) be sitting in the East. I was wondering if Brothers here could share examples of some programs (educational or otherwise) done at actual Lodge meetings that they have enjoyed or would like to see. To be clear, I am not looking for ideas on educational topics, per se, but rather ways of enriching the Lodge experience for ALL of the Brethren. Even those who may have little to no interest in education. I have already worked with the LEO to develop a plan to have education be a part of every meeting. I would like to build on that to have a more holistic experience......Any help is appreciated!

In Brotherhood,

Jason
 
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Brent Heilman

Premium Member
I have started reading the "Old Tiler's Talks" by Carl Claudy. He wrote something like 250 of them. You can get them in a book or I have found them on the internet. They are stories presented as a new Brother talking to the Old Tiler and have some very good lessons in them. I have used some of the stuff that gets put up here also as subjects for study.
 

bofahs

Registered User
First and foremost, if you present a program, make sure that it will be competently done. No one wants to sit in Lodge and listen to someone bumbling and fumbling and stumbling to read a presentation, no matter how well-intended.

Personally, I don't like to be read to. I truly don't like to be read to by someone who is not good at reading aloud. If you're going to read it badly, don't bother, just make copies to hand out and I'll read it at home. I you have something interesting or educational to say, say it.

You might want to bring in one of the many groups who present the play, "The Traitor".

The Masonic Service Association has hundreds and hundreds of "Short Talk Bulletins", available at little cost, and each of these can be the basis of lively discussion.

To maintain interest, you should remember that a Power Point presentation, for example, can be a great way of communicating a Masonic topic. DO REMEMBER, however, that 7 minutes is about all one can stand of such a presentation, no matter how interesting. Likewise films - a film in the Lodge of more than 5-10 minutes becomes tedious, and will drive away as many as it will encourage to return.

If your Lodge is like every other I have visited, there are Degree Lectures that are rarely, if ever, communicated during the actual Degree. You might invite some accomplished lecturer to present one during a regular meeting.

To enrich the Lodge experience, as you say, I suggest that just after opening each meeting, your SD introduce every Past Master of your Lodge, in order of seniority, and that as he does so, the WM invites him to speak briefly. Likewise 50-year Masons present.

Privately, you might ask each or any of your Past Masters to present a brief program outlining the experiences of the Lodge during his tenure. Most will demur, but some will have interesting stories.

Put more energy and time into welcoming visitors than did your predecessors, and you will find the number of visitors ever-growing during your year.
 
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