I'm currently learning a new HRA ritual. Spacing the meetings out gives me time to do so.
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Going Dark and Slacking
- Thread starter billyjfootball
- Start date
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
Keith C
Registered User
Going back to your original post I am somewhat in the same boat. I am currently Junior Deacon and the WM and Wardens were encouraging me to learn the EA Ritual and Business of the Lodge as our current Senior Deacon was not attending District Schools and there were concerned he would not have the necessary sign-offs on these two elements. Well, I got a call last week (while on Vacation) from the WM saying that the SD had called him and due to personal issues, would not be pursuing the JW chair. So I am now scrambling to learn the EA Degree, luckily I had been working on Business of the Lodge, so I have that down and am ready to get that signed off at our first District School in September.
Good luck! I have since had 4 PMs, the two Wardens and the WM offer to help me with the memorization. I would suggest you reach out to some folks in your lodge to help, since it is difficult to get the coded part of the ritual right on your own.
Good luck! I have since had 4 PMs, the two Wardens and the WM offer to help me with the memorization. I would suggest you reach out to some folks in your lodge to help, since it is difficult to get the coded part of the ritual right on your own.
CLewey44
Registered User
I'd almost say the opposite and ask why there is this need to have Freemasonry and lodge 52 weeks a year? For some people it is almost like it has become a fetish rather than part of their life. If we look at anything else we do besides our family and work, we have on and off seasons. Football, soccer, hunting, vacations, holidays etc.
In my opinion it is healthy to take break from things. It gives us a chance to miss them and appreciate them. By taking some time away in the classic busy times over Christmas and the summer holidays, we also get a breather for the lodge officers and a chance for then to recharge.
CLewey44
Registered User
Yeah, going weekly or even every other week can get pretty daunting. I know one lodge that did monthly meetings no matter what. Even if there was a degree night, it happened on the night of stated meetings. They may come in an hour early on days they had ritual but never more than one evening per month. EDIT: This leaves more time too for any concordant/appendant bodies you may be involved in.
acjohnson53
Registered User
Our Lodge as well as the other Lodges were dark for the month of July for Grand Session , so I took the time to reflect on my future in Masonry, so I spent a lot of time following grand kids in AAU basketball, of course I did my research on Freemasonry, and a lot of Fellowshipping in which I love. that one month let me know that I am here for the long haul. to me Masonry is my way of life..SMIB/G\
acjohnson53
Registered User
NEVER STOP GRINDING.....
Keith C
Registered User
I can see that but also think that this practice takes away from the experience of the candidates. One of the biggest impacts on me was the realization that everyone at the lodge the night of my degrees was there just for me. I think you miss that if degrees are just added on to the agenda of a Stated Meeting. The only time my lodge does a degree on the night of a Stated Meeting is the December meeting, where an EA degree is conferred by the in-coming Junior Warden.
LK600
Premium Member
I suppose it would greatly depend on one's expectations of Freemasonry. Freemasonry is (imo) not intended to be subjugated to a sliver of time 6- 10 times a year. I fully understand their are all kinds of Masons with their own expectations and views of how the organization should run, and what it should be. I know I do not view Freemasonry along the same lines as... work, football, soccer, hunting, vacations or holidays. It's like saying I like comparing salads to forks... you should be using one for the other
. (side note, I'm not suggesting your wrong... just different points of view)Carl_in_NH
Site Benefactor
Going dark in the summer months (July and August for my lodge) is mandatory without air conditioning. I've done degree work in the latter part of June in an 85 degree F lodge room with everyone wearing tuxedos. It ain't pretty.
That said, we keep our activities going during the summer months - weekly Saturday breakfasts for members, family, friends and fellowship, and a weekly evening informal meet where we work on ritual - or sometimes just sit and talk. This keeps us from completely slacking off on ritual work, although without the pressure of an impending meeting the pace might slow a little. Downstairs in the building is usually tolerable in the building even in the warmer weather.
In New Hampshire, the winters can get mighty chilly; there are plenty of lodges up in the north country that go dark in the dead of winter. Drain the pipes and save on heating.
That said, we keep our activities going during the summer months - weekly Saturday breakfasts for members, family, friends and fellowship, and a weekly evening informal meet where we work on ritual - or sometimes just sit and talk. This keeps us from completely slacking off on ritual work, although without the pressure of an impending meeting the pace might slow a little. Downstairs in the building is usually tolerable in the building even in the warmer weather.
In New Hampshire, the winters can get mighty chilly; there are plenty of lodges up in the north country that go dark in the dead of winter. Drain the pipes and save on heating.
LK600
Premium Member
lol... I live in Florida, I have come to know much about hot Lodge buildings. But point taken (no A/C
)That makes a lot more sense.... maybe that's the norm in most places that go dark?
Carl_in_NH
Site Benefactor
I've seen lodges that remain active during darkness, and those where the doors remain locked the entire time - with the exception of one lone officer occasionally checking on the building.
In my first year of membership, things were completely shut down with the exception of the Senior Warden and myself showing up once a week to work on my EA lesson. When the SW became Master, things changed when he started a number of activities that kept us active during the summer months. The funny part I like to mention is that even the building enjoyed the change; in the first year, it was quite musty when the doors would open once a week from the slab foundation sitting on bedrock raising the humidity level inside. With all the activity we've had ever since, that problem no longer exists as the building is always active and aired out.
It really depends on the crew of active members, and the leadership of the lodge whether they are active or dormant during darkness.
I suppose it would greatly depend on one's expectations of Freemasonry. Freemasonry is (imo) not intended to be subjugated to a sliver of time 6- 10 times a year. I fully understand their are all kinds of Masons with their own expectations and views of how the organization should run, and what it should be. I know I do not view Freemasonry along the same lines as... work, football, soccer, hunting, vacations or holidays. It's like saying I like comparing salads to forks... you should be using one for the other
I see your point, but think the important distinction here is Freemasonry versus going to lodge. Because as you allude to, Freemasonry should happen all the time, but I'm not sure that going to lodge should. When we compare lodge activities to all the other things we do in life, I often feel that Freemasons forget the lesson from the 24-inch gauge.
Keith C
Registered User
One of the benefits I have seen to going dark over the summer is the ability to do work to the lodge building that does not interfere with meetings.
Last summer we painted and re-arranged our Ante-room, had a new roof put on the building, had half of the stone exterior re-pointed and did a bunch of cleaning and re-organizing. This summer we are having several leaking and frankly not useful windows removed and filled in with siding outside and drywall inside. (The building was originally a church but when it was remodeled to make it the lodge several huge windows either ended up in a closet, a hallway or in a location that in the spring and fall puts light right in peoples eyes just at the time lodge meets.) It would be a huge inconvenience to be doing this work and trying to get in our normal Stated Meeting and 1 to 2 extra meetings a month.
Last summer we painted and re-arranged our Ante-room, had a new roof put on the building, had half of the stone exterior re-pointed and did a bunch of cleaning and re-organizing. This summer we are having several leaking and frankly not useful windows removed and filled in with siding outside and drywall inside. (The building was originally a church but when it was remodeled to make it the lodge several huge windows either ended up in a closet, a hallway or in a location that in the spring and fall puts light right in peoples eyes just at the time lodge meets.) It would be a huge inconvenience to be doing this work and trying to get in our normal Stated Meeting and 1 to 2 extra meetings a month.
LK600
Premium Member
Valid points all.
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
Bloke
Premium Member
One thing which seems to differ in these posts and conversations about going dark ( esp for more than 1 month) is the difference in how some lodges completely put Freemasonry on pause, while others continue to informally meet and maintain the connection. Both seem to work for some, but staying connected seems to be the way of lodges which have more cohesion amongst members....