Masonic Moments, Lectures or Presentations

[Blake Bowden]

Honestly, I find the average Lodge meeting a snoozefest. I enjoy Lodge and visiting with the Brothers, but not much else. When it becomes all about paying bills and getting out as fast as possible, it stinks. From what I've noticed (and I'm still wet behind the ears) is that some of our older Brethren have lost interest in the symbolism and beauty of Freemasonry. They squirm in their seats if a poem or lecture is read. Many do not understand that a majority of new members are fascinated with the history, symbolism, education etc.

 

[owls84]

Again this is just my $0.02 but at Fort Worth 148 we have a presentation at EVERY meeting. The normal "comittee" work is done on Thursdays during our work shop days. This eliminates the lengthy discussion of minor events or topics. It allows us to get through our meetings easily and we usually close with the presentation or educational papers. It allows us to leave feeling like we accomplished something. I have noticed that more and more brothers are becoming active and we are getting a lot more visitors. Not to mention the requests to perform our presentations at other Lodges in the area. We are starting to have our EAs do presentations as well. I know we have an EA doing a paper on how many cultures (Aztec, Myan, Egyptian, etc.) all have Masonic sybolisms somewhere in their culture. He will be presenting this in April.

Note: After he discussed it with me I got to looking but I found this on the web.

These are both images of Spartan Shields. Does this look like a square or what? Just makes you wonder. Needless to say I am excited to hear his paper.

 

[Bro. Stewart P.M.]

Actually in my lodge the Masonic History Moment is looked forward to by the majority or our members. I dont exactly look forward to it, but I enjoy the research that I put into it. The secret to the teaching is to find a subject matter that intrests the majority of the audience, Texas Masonic history for example. Not every brother wants to hear about how the other Brothers do it in other jurisdictions.

Just food for thought.

 

[fairbanks1363pm]

after the first stated of the month we have started doing things outside the lodge together. the young guys like myself want more than ritual and meetings. ive learned more about my brothers in the few times we have done this than the past ten years setting in meetings together. this has been good for us.

 

[rhitland]

Brother Stew, with all do respect the trick is find something you love and pass that love to your Brothers, teach them to open their minds. Teachem' sumtem' new! I promise you do get a few squirms but I think that is more their hemoriods (LOL) than their disintrest. I think we all forget when you get old you look mad most of the time b/c your face sags when really they are happy as a pig in the mud to be there. Don't let the few unruly vocal old guys ruin your love for the craft. Masonry is about improvement of the self and if you are writting papers and doing research on topics you find little intrest in, it toughens the processe of growth sometime stagnating and disintrest follows real quick. Keep up the hard work Brother Stew, peace and harmony is most improtant so ask around about the feeling about you presenting a new topic.