Re: Is Masonry too cheep? I think Masonry (at least at my lodge) is a bargain. My annual dues are $65 per year. This includes local lodge dues, grand Lodge assessment, and a subscription to the statewide masonic newspaper. My grandfather paid $25 per year in 1920. That was more than a weeks wages. I attended a lodge in Fredericksburg VA last week (as a visitor). This lodge voted to peg their dues increases to the federal consumer price index. That way, the lodge dues will increase (or decrease!) each year, without having to come back to the members and vote. The lodge has set aside a reserve fund to assist anyone who cannot pay dues because of unemployment, infirmity, etc. Masonic lodges dues vary widely all over the USA. Old lodges, with no mortgage to pay, have a lower expenditure, than new spiffy lodges with a fancy building. Urban lodges have higher overhead costs, insurance, etc. IMHO- Each lodge should charge a dues rate, adequate to meet their costs, and provide a reserve to cover the costs of replacing the roof, new water heater,etc. A reserve fund can be maintained to cover the dues costs for any distressed brother. Also- Fund raisers are a valuable way to raise operating costs. Fish fries, grapefruit sales, etc. can bring in the cash. They are also fun, for those who choose to participate. And there are non-cash benefits as well. Fund raisers get Masonry into the "public eye", and increase the public's awareness of our fraternity. They also peak interest in the Craft.
I know this may sound cruel, but if Masons cannot or will not adequately support their lodge, have a funeral because it is already dead.
A few years ago during the Fall District Communication, the Sr. Grand Warden did the math for every Lodge to show what dues and initiation fees were when each Lodge was founded, he shows what they are now, and what they would have been if they had followed inflation through the years. It's quite astounding how not much in terms of money we have changed. I personally feel we should raise, at least in my Lodge, our dues by at least another $100. I am also a member of a local Kappa Sigma Chapter and our dues alone are $600/year plus the pledging and initiation fees.
Over here it would cost you approximately $310 dollars to join a Lodge and the annual test fee is approx. $46.50. Royal Arch Chapter would set you back $232.50 and a annual test fee of $18. Fortunately ever order I've joined I've taken out life memership.(Life membership is 15 times your annual dues.)
I belong to two lodges. Bowling Green KY charges $80 per year. Macedonian lodge (Quincy Mass) charges $73.50. I also belong to Alexandria Scottish Rite, about $65 per year.
These are some very good ideas Bro. Blake but one that I believe that really needs to be addressed is the Grand lodges website as well! All I ever see (and please to the older wiser brethren don't take offense) is all the pics scream "old mans club!" We need to find a happy medium that freemasonry is not just for men 50+ but for every man of lawful age and we need to reflect that on the site! If we don't do something about this soon masonry will slowly fade away! As my current master of the lodge said to all of our younger brethren at our last stated meeting we are the future of masonry and when I looked around the room sadly there were less than a handful of us that we're sitting there!
Here are membership statistics for 2009/2010 U.S. Grand Lodges Membership STATE MEMBERSHIP 2010 MEMBERSHIP 2009 GAIN/LOSS ALABAMA * 28,684 28,386 298 ALASKA 1,935 1,935 0 ARIZONA 8,651 9,023 -372 ARKANSAS 14,429 15,027 -598 CALIFORNIA 57,267 58,889 -1,622 COLORADO 10,356 10,742 -386 CONNECTICUT 12,895 13,432 -537 DELAWARE 5,110 5,150 -40 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA * 4,341 4,312 29 FLORIDA 45,940 47,471 -1,531 GEORGIA 43,578 44,523 -945 HAWAII * 1,742 1,643 99 IDAHO 3,962 4,191 -229 ILLINOIS 65,564 68,308 -2,744 INDIANA 65,443 66,006 -563 IOWA 21,695 22,466 -771 KANSAS 23,074 24,091 -1,017 KENTUCKY ^ 46,362 47,747 -1,385 LOUISIANA ^ 21,004 20,070 934 MAINE ^ 20,294 19,968 326 MARYLAND 16,235 16,477 -242 MASSACHUSETTS 35,944 36,518 -574 MICHIGAN 37,709 39,189 -1,480 MINNESOTA 14,721 15,182 -461 MISSISSIPPI 19,341 19,774 -433 MISSOURI 50,500 51,000 -500 MONTANA ^ 5,990 6,342 -352 NEBRASKA 12,716 13,038 -322 NEVADA 4,225 4,316 -91 NEW HAMPSHIRE 6,898 6,928 -30 NEW JERSEY 24,775 26,073 -1,298 NEW MEXICO * 5,553 5,227 326 NEW YORK 45,801 48,051 -2,250 NORTH CAROLINA 45,096 45,685 -589 NORTH DAKOTA 3,055 3,151 -96 OHIO 106,870 108,332 -1,462 OKLAHOMA 25,739 26,572 -833 OREGON 9,541 9,970 -429 PENNSYLVANIA ^ 113,279 114,447 -1,168 RHODE ISLAND 4,213 4,326 -113 SOUTH CAROLINA 39,927 40,798 -871 SOUTH DAKOTA 6,094 6,262 -168 TENNESSEE 44,691 46,156 -1,465 TEXAS 91,632 92,656 -1,024 UTAH * 2,035 1,920 115 VERMONT 6,444 6,466 -22 VIRGINIA 38,498 39,238 -740 WASHINGTON 15,369 17,109 -1,740 WEST VIRGINIA 21,643 22,078 -435 WISCONSIN 12,694 13,328 -634 WYOMING 3,899 4,070 -171 1,373,453 1,404,059 -30,606
@TexMass I belong to a lodge on Cape Cod and am only there a few months out of the year plus being a member of a lodge here in Texas as well as the Shrine. I plan on demitting depending of dues go up or not in mass. Sent from my iPhone using Freemasonry
I used to pay $600 a year to belong to a motorcycle club (have since left it). I think paying $130 a year in lodge dues is WAY better, and for better quality fellowship, I might add. (I would gladly pay $150-$200 a year to be a member of my lodge.)