Do lodges REALLY need to have their own building?

[pointwithinacircle2]

Let's see. Someone once told me that a Lodge was a specific number of Masons gathered together............................

This topic reminds me a lot of Global Warming. Geologists tell us that the Earth has been getting warmer for at least 10,000 years. And now suddenly people feel the need to panic because this truth contradicts their preconceived notion that nothing will, does, or ever should change. Which do you think is wrong: the truth or the preconceived notion?

 

[BullDozer Harrell]

"So, as wonderful as some of the Masonic Lodges of the 19th and early 20th Century were and are, the days when they represented realistic options is over. Freemasonry, even if it is able to stem the tide of a receding membership, must come to grips with a new condition. Freemasonry must, at least in this regard, prepare to return to an older practice, one of lodges without real estate. Lodges can rent space in buildings, and smaller ones may meet in homes. This is not simply a matter of losing real estate. It also means that in the future, lodges will need more portable and lighter weight furniture and props. Such a lodge cannot deal with pillars and altars that require several people and hand trucks to move."

Your thoughts?

Appears you've quoted from somewhere. Might i ask the source?

I ask because there's mention of a return to an older Masonic practice of lodges meeting in facilities not under ownership.

Certainly it's said to convey a meaning that this was a prevalent Masonic practice. I'd be interested to know where this data is to be found and explored?

 

[BullDozer Harrell]

Check your local zoning laws.

Where it may be convenient to meet in ones home, it may be against local zoning regulations regarding residential areas. I know that is an issue in my state as I work in the real estate area as a land surveyor.

Also, Dispensation is needed from Grand Lodge if you move from one location to another. That gets to be a pain if you're asking for a new place every two weeks.

Lastly, thoughts like this are 'last resort' and we don't know where the bottom of the curve is as far as members go. My last issue of NJ Freemason showed more members this year than last so we had a slight increase.

I'm curious about why it would be a pain to seek a Dispensation from the GL if the location of lodge meetings were to change often?

 

[Bill Lins]

Here in Louisville the Louisville-DeMolay Commandery owns its own building. It rents space to lodges for $80.00 a meeting.

Wow! That's a screaming deal! Does that amount even cover the utilities?

 

[Bill Lins]

Appears you've quoted from somewhere. Might i ask the source?

I ask because there's mention of a return to an older Masonic practice of lodges meeting in facilities not under ownership.

Certainly it's said to convey a meaning that this was a prevalent Masonic practice. I'd be interested to know where this data is to be found and explored?

Look @ UGLE Lodges in England- many of them meet above pubs.

 

[Bill Lins]

I'm curious about why it would be a pain to seek a Dispensation from the GL if the location of lodge meetings were to change often?

The GL regards it as a pain & visiting Brethren often would not get the latest memo as to where to find that Lodge on a particular meeting night. Back when we were meeting @ the restaurant's private facility, we held MM degrees @ a ranch outside of town. The GM who forced us out of there also issued an unwritten policy that he would only allow Lodges to have 1 outdoor degree per year.

 

[JJones]

So I replied to this thread about three years ago and I think I can give a more insightful reply now in regards to multiple lodges sharing the same building.

My current lodge owns a building in a rural community (about 2k population) that's also in a rural county. Several years ago, some brethren pushed to revive a long demised lodge which would then share a building with my current lodge. This was ten, maybe fifteen years ago.

Fast forward to present day and most brethren that are members of the revived lodge are dual members with other lodges in the district and the most active members are dual members with the original lodge here. It is spreading the brothers thin, both financially, emotionally, and time-wise, to keep both lodges healthy. It could be argued that keeping both lodges alive in such a small community is actually unhealthy for the original lodge and there are many which are beginning to question if keeping both is a wise idea.

In more metropolitan areas having multiple lodges in one building is probably feasible as there is a much larger pool of members to pull from. It's probably not the best idea for more rural lodges, however.

 

[Warrior1256]

Wow! That's a screaming deal! Does that amount even cover the utilities?

It's a GREAT deal when you consider having your own building and having upkeep, utilities, insurance, etc. Plus the four lodges sold their buildings and property and therefore are in pretty good shape financially.

In more metropolitan areas having multiple lodges in one building is probably feasible as there is a much larger pool of members to pull from. It's probably not the best idea for more rural lodges, however.

I would have to say that I agree with this. There are four lodges that meet in our Commandery building but we live in a city of over 750,000.

 

[acjohnson53]

This a good topic, as I drive around Sacramento I found several Masonic Temple that were well kept. Of course it would be nice to have your building, something to call your own. I say to myself when I hit the lottery that's the first thing I would do is build another King Solomon Temple. In homage to our fallen Grand Master.....Y'all know the rest of the story.....

 

[Ripcord22A]

So I replied to this thread about three years ago and I think I can give a more insightful reply now in regards to multiple lodges sharing the same building.

My current lodge owns a building in a rural community (about 2k population) that's also in a rural county. Several years ago, some brethren pushed to revive a long demised lodge which would then share a building with my current lodge. This was ten, maybe fifteen years ago.

Fast forward to present day and most brethren that are members of the revived lodge are dual members with other lodges in the district and the most active members are dual members with the original lodge here. It is spreading the brothers thin, both financially, emotionally, and time-wise, to keep both lodges healthy. It could be argued that keeping both lodges alive in such a small community is actually unhealthy for the original lodge and there are many which are beginning to question if keeping both is a wise idea.

In more metropolitan areas having multiple lodges in one building is probably feasible as there is a much larger pool of members to pull from. It's probably not the best idea for more rural lodges, however.

I see the point you are trying to make, but..... You speak of starting a new lodge in a rural area where i think the essence of the post is speaking on where there are already more then one lodge and they all move in to one building. In my mother lodge we are a tennant of the AASR building and there is another lodge a couple blocks away but now all 3 are struggling. My lodge in NM is a tennant of another lodges building that shares a parking lot with the AASR "castle" here in IA all 3 lodges, OES and until a few months ago a local PHA lodge are under 1 roof. If u are in a rual area dont start an new lodge, but if it already exists then it only makes sense to colocate.

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[Warrior1256]

In my mother lodge we are a tennant of the AASR building and there is another lodge a couple blocks away but now all 3 are struggling.

Our AASR Temple houses lodges also.

 

[JJones]

I see the point you are trying to make, but..... You speak of starting a new lodge in a rural area where i think the essence of the post is speaking on where there are already more then one lodge and they all move in to one building. In my mother lodge we are a tennant of the AASR building and there is another lodge a couple blocks away but now all 3 are struggling. My lodge in NM is a tennant of another lodges building that shares a parking lot with the AASR "castle" here in IA all 3 lodges, OES and until a few months ago a local PHA lodge are under 1 roof. If u are in a rual area dont start an new lodge, but if it already exists then it only makes sense to colocate.

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I agree, the situation I described is different than an existing lodge moving in but I feel the end result would be the same, which is a handful of brothers supporting two lodges instead of just one.

Granted, each lodge and district are unique. I'm just sharing my observations.

 

[Ripcord22A]

I agree, the situation I described is different than an existing lodge moving in but I feel the end result would be the same, which is a handful of brothers supporting two lodges instead of just one.

Granted, each lodge and district are unique. I'm just sharing my observations.

The lodges in NM i spoke of may share a building but only a handful of brothers are plural members....and by handful i mean 5 @ the most. The culture of the 2 is just so differentnnn1 is a TO the other is as bro JC put it a Cowboy lodge. There is a bit of visitation but not alot.

I even suggested that both lodges vacate the building and move in to the AASR Castle...boy did that get tue "old guard" riled up

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[Warrior1256]

boy did that get tue "old guard" riled up

Some of the guys that have been around forever get upset whenever you talk about changing ANYTHING! Next year, if all goes well, I'll be sitting in the east and am planning on making a few minor changes. I'm sure that there will be some ruffled feathers.

 

[JJones]

Yep, anytime someone tries anything different at my lodge we get to hear about "how we've always done it" and "that's not how we do it at my lodge."

Sad thing is, change has to happen. The old guard wants to run things the way they always have even though it's just not working anymore. I'm taking somewhat of a hiatus now because of all of it.

Anyhow, I digress.

 

[MarkR]

Yep, anytime someone tries anything different at my lodge we get to hear about "how we've always done it" and "that's not how we do it at my lodge."

Sad thing is, change has to happen. The old guard wants to run things the way they always have even though it's just not working anymore. I'm taking somewhat of a hiatus now because of all of it.

Anyhow, I digress.

I was always so proud of our two oldest regular attendees, both of whom laid down their working tools within two weeks of each other this summer. They both repeatedly said "we had our time. This is your lodge now, do it the way you think it needs to be done. If we can help, we will. If you have questions about why we did it the way we did, just ask." Even when things didn't work, they just quietly helped make it right.

 

[Ripcord22A]

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MWGM of Oregons monthly message

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[BullDozer Harrell]

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MWGM of Oregons monthly message

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Interesting words from the Grand Master. It's kind of sad when he has to speak on something like this subject.

 

[acjohnson53]

I meant what I said, here in Sacramento there are three Prince Hall Lodges, we are the 3rd oldest in the state. we are the 1 of the three that constituted the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California, est 1853, so why not open your own Lodge. we share a building with the Shriners, Scottish Rite, Royal Arch, Knights Templar, and two other Blue House Lodges, oh and Eastern Stars and their Aux.... Very busy place...

 

[Ripcord22A]

OES Aux?

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