Kenneth NC Mason
Registered User
Hello ,
I'm a 20 year old Master Mason in North Carolina. I had petitioned DeMolay when I was 12 in Norfolk VA , and was elected. I was never brought through the degrees, due to a supposed miscommunication about my date for the degrees.
Fast forward to now , and I'm in college near Raleigh. I was told two years ago at Grand Lodge by the then current Executive Officer that when I was in college , as long as I was close to one ( Raleigh is a 40 miles from my campus ) that I could join. He was aware of the situation that occurred when I was younger... now the plot got thicker
Based on what I was told two years ago I figured I'd give it a shot. I had to end up repaying the fee along with completing a new application because my records supposedly couldn't transfer from one jurisdiction to another . I've been corresponding with the chapter in Raleigh literally the WHOLE semester. Why? Because it's literally taken a whole semester to get a reply.
Back in June, I called their ( over the summer months) chapter dad . When I said I was already a Mason but wanted to go through something I missed as a kid his response was " Even though you've already been raised we'd love to have you a part of the chapter ". He was a very nice guy, and still is in my opinion.
I went to their installation in September , and they seemed nice ... and said they wanted me to join their group.
I then met the SMC ( and at that time the MC for Raleigh chapter ) at Grand Lodge and he said they had to do an investigation committee meeting . They had changed hands and had a new chapter dad.
Since I'm visually impaired and can't drive the only time I'm really in Raleigh is first Friday's for York Rite. I asked the chapter dad ( once again, a new one ) in October whether that would work, and he said " sure ".
I found out recently that they've since changed hands again and their current chapter dad is a Past EO. He's the guy I spoke with at grand lodge two years ago. When I called him last month to find out why I haven't heard anything he refused to comment. I asked him what days would work for them to do a meeting with me, he simply said " Uh, I don't know , but, uhm, hey, look I'll talk to you later ? Ok ? Bye bye " click.....
Not exactly a brotherly way to respond IMHO..
After a break, I thought they'd resolve issues in a month or so. I called him Friday and he said, " I don't know, but stop calling, you're getting on my nerves".This is the SECOND time I've spoke with him. It's not like I've been blowing up his phone or anything.
I feel rather slighted by what's been going on and am not sure how to respond to it or what to do. Is this how DeMolay chapter dads are supposed to act ? Is this how they are supposed to treat candidates ? Especially since these advisors are my brother masons, I feel like they're being dishonest with me. I made it clear to them from the get go if they didn't want me to join they could tell me upfront and I'd move on. They said in the beginning they didn't have a problem, now it seems they DO have a problem. I'm not a mind reader , and I have no time for drama, so I'm tempted to just say ( pardon my French) " Screw It". I've talked to some friends of mine that live out of state about what's going on and they think I should bring this up to the EO. But then again, their chapter dad was the EO before the current one AKA they know each other ..
The North Carolina DeMolay Association is supposedly doing a honorary DeMolay class for master masons next year so I may just do that , but I still want opinions as to what you guys might think might be going with the people in the chapter. Even though I've only been in the craft for two years, I've NEVER seen any blue lodge, York Rite body , or Eastern Star Chapter treat a candidate like this . I'm confused and conflicted..
Sorry for the long story but I figured I'd give some context so my situation hopefully makes sense.
Please feel free to PM me or reply to my thread with thoughts and suggestions ..especially if any of you are Chapter Dads or Senior DeMolay's
Fraternally
Seth Gray
Junior Deacon & Certified Lecturer- Cape Hatteras Lodge #698 Buxton, NC
Greensboro York Rite Bodies
Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry
I'm a 20 year old Master Mason in North Carolina. I had petitioned DeMolay when I was 12 in Norfolk VA , and was elected. I was never brought through the degrees, due to a supposed miscommunication about my date for the degrees.
Fast forward to now , and I'm in college near Raleigh. I was told two years ago at Grand Lodge by the then current Executive Officer that when I was in college , as long as I was close to one ( Raleigh is a 40 miles from my campus ) that I could join. He was aware of the situation that occurred when I was younger... now the plot got thicker
Based on what I was told two years ago I figured I'd give it a shot. I had to end up repaying the fee along with completing a new application because my records supposedly couldn't transfer from one jurisdiction to another . I've been corresponding with the chapter in Raleigh literally the WHOLE semester. Why? Because it's literally taken a whole semester to get a reply.
Back in June, I called their ( over the summer months) chapter dad . When I said I was already a Mason but wanted to go through something I missed as a kid his response was " Even though you've already been raised we'd love to have you a part of the chapter ". He was a very nice guy, and still is in my opinion.
I went to their installation in September , and they seemed nice ... and said they wanted me to join their group.
I then met the SMC ( and at that time the MC for Raleigh chapter ) at Grand Lodge and he said they had to do an investigation committee meeting . They had changed hands and had a new chapter dad.
Since I'm visually impaired and can't drive the only time I'm really in Raleigh is first Friday's for York Rite. I asked the chapter dad ( once again, a new one ) in October whether that would work, and he said " sure ".
I found out recently that they've since changed hands again and their current chapter dad is a Past EO. He's the guy I spoke with at grand lodge two years ago. When I called him last month to find out why I haven't heard anything he refused to comment. I asked him what days would work for them to do a meeting with me, he simply said " Uh, I don't know , but, uhm, hey, look I'll talk to you later ? Ok ? Bye bye " click.....
Not exactly a brotherly way to respond IMHO..
After a break, I thought they'd resolve issues in a month or so. I called him Friday and he said, " I don't know, but stop calling, you're getting on my nerves".This is the SECOND time I've spoke with him. It's not like I've been blowing up his phone or anything.
I feel rather slighted by what's been going on and am not sure how to respond to it or what to do. Is this how DeMolay chapter dads are supposed to act ? Is this how they are supposed to treat candidates ? Especially since these advisors are my brother masons, I feel like they're being dishonest with me. I made it clear to them from the get go if they didn't want me to join they could tell me upfront and I'd move on. They said in the beginning they didn't have a problem, now it seems they DO have a problem. I'm not a mind reader , and I have no time for drama, so I'm tempted to just say ( pardon my French) " Screw It". I've talked to some friends of mine that live out of state about what's going on and they think I should bring this up to the EO. But then again, their chapter dad was the EO before the current one AKA they know each other ..
The North Carolina DeMolay Association is supposedly doing a honorary DeMolay class for master masons next year so I may just do that , but I still want opinions as to what you guys might think might be going with the people in the chapter. Even though I've only been in the craft for two years, I've NEVER seen any blue lodge, York Rite body , or Eastern Star Chapter treat a candidate like this . I'm confused and conflicted..
Sorry for the long story but I figured I'd give some context so my situation hopefully makes sense.
Please feel free to PM me or reply to my thread with thoughts and suggestions ..especially if any of you are Chapter Dads or Senior DeMolay's
Fraternally
Seth Gray
Junior Deacon & Certified Lecturer- Cape Hatteras Lodge #698 Buxton, NC
Greensboro York Rite Bodies
Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry
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