Membership Statistics

[Blake Bowden]

• State Membership?2007 Membership?2006 Gain/Loss
• ALABAMA 29,775 30,952 -1,177
• ALASKA??? 2,003 2,053 -50
• ARIZONA?? 9,642 9,900 -258
• ARKANSAS 16,524 17,082 -558
• CALIFORNIA?? 66,127 68,714 -2,587
• COLORADO 12,645 13,160 -515
• CONNECTICUT 14,185 14,543 -358
• DELAWARE?+ 5,111 5,075 36
• DISTRICT?OF?COLUMBIA 4,552 4,602 -50
• FLORIDA?? 49,964 50,829 -865
• GEORGIA 46,914 47,998 -1,084
• HAWAII??? 1,733 1,781 -48
• IDAHO???? 4,412 4,688 -276
• ILLINOIS 69,703 71,241 -1,538
• INDIANA 68,759 71,392 -2,633
• IOWA 23,960 24,826 -866
• KANSAS 26,171 27,674 -1,503
• KENTUCKY 48,955 50,260 -1,305
• LOUISIANA? 22,707 23,000 -293
• MAINE 21,659 22,281 -622
• MARYLAND 17,608 18,112 -504
• MASSACHUSETTS?+ 37,777 37,173 604
• MICHIGAN 42,737 44,131 -1,394
• MINNESOTA 16,262 16,785 -523
• MISSISSIPPI 21,248 21,717 -469
• MISSOURI 51,775 51,858 -83
• MONTANA 6,985 7,276 -291
• NEBRASKA 13,988 14,391 -403
• NEVADA?? 4,504 4,656 -152
• NEW HAMPSHIRE 7,279 7,456 -177
• NEW JERSEY?? 28,579 29,652 -1,073
• NEW MEXICO 5,579 5,703 -124
• NEW YORK????? 50,580 53,097 -2,517
• NORTH CAROLINA 47,137 47,722 -585
• NORTH DAKOTA?? 3,385 3,450 -65
• OHIO?? 114,661 116,761 -2,100
• OKLAHOMA??? 28,713 29,620 -907
• OREGON 10,736 11,197 -461
• PENNSYLVANIA?? 120,502 123,276 -2,774
• RHODE ISLAND 4,490 4,643 -153
• SOUTH CAROLINA 42,463 43,315 -852
• SOUTH DAKOTA 6,527 6,658 -131
• TENNESSEE 48,677 51,086 -2,409
• TEXAS?? 98,398 101,803 -3,405
• UTAH 1,944 1,947 -3
• VERMONT?? 7,019 7,217 -198
• VIRGINIA 40,052 40,546 -494
• WASHINGTON??? 16,372 18,693 -2,321
• WEST VIRGINIA 22,947 23,452 -505
• WISCONSIN 14,600 15,117 -517
• WYOMING???? 4,424 4,570 -146
• ? 1,483,449 1,525,131 -41,682

 

[Blake Bowden]

So from 2006 to 2007, we lost over 3400 Brothers!

 

[owls84]

This is great information. Where did you get this information?

 

[fairbanks1363pm]

We need to find out what these two states that numbers were up are doing. Im in the coaching profession. We visit high school and college staffs who are having success and try to steal ideas that can help make us better. Grand Lodges should be the same way in my book. If you keep doing what you are doing you keep getting what you are getting.

 

[Blake Bowden]

Here is the source:
http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/phpnews/show_news.php?uid=105

From what I've read, Massachusetts had Lodges throughout the state hold open houses and even advertised the event on television. Brilliant idea. Maybe Texmass could fill us in a little more

 

[Blake Bowden]

Here are more stats:

http://www.msana.com/msastats.asp

 

[Brother Secretary]

do we need members for the sake of membership?

 

[fairbanks1363pm]

If you can find a way to increase participation and numbers why would you not be interested in atleast looking into something different. These men were deemed good men by their investigation committees and voted on. I would love to see lodges flourish with good men.

 

[rhitland]

Lokks like a massive house cleaning is going on, like someone pressed the reset button and we will be starting from almost scratch. Sounds like fun to me. lol

Brother TexMass is a member in MA and has lots of wonderful input on there doings. I still cannot get over the fact they wear jewels made by Paul Revere that is to to cool.

 

[nick1368]

do we need members for the sake of membership?

good point. gret information i hate to see the numbers down but we don't need numbers we need good men

 

[jonesvilletexas]

We are down from 920 to just over 240 and out of those less than 5% live in a reasonable driving distance, and out of the 240, 109 are endowed and no money this year! WOW

 

[Wingnut]

We dont need more men in masonry... We need more Masonry in Men (or More Masons not members).

Large numbers do not mean we are doing a good job or improving.

 

[owls84]

Can I use that quote Brother Wyndell? I like that, "We don't need more men in Masonry...We need more Masonry in men." Well put.

 

[FairbanksMM1363]

I will admit we do need more members and the money would not be a bad thing as well. I know that sounds bad that I am saying that but there are alot of lodges that are strugeling durring this time of inactivity. So I do agree with the increase in membership, but i also think we should try to get some of the current and existing brothers involved as well. We all have to stand side by side as men and brothers to help one another and also to help the lodge's.

 

[js4253]

We have alot of elderly brothers and they are entering heaven faster than we can initiate new members.

 

[Wingnut]

Which is why we (Masons) need to see if our lodge dues are covering our lodge costs. If not then raising dues (not counting endowment since well it might be a few years for those to come around) is one of the options... Another might be to join with another lodge in the area that is having issues.

Of course you can use that lol

 

[rhitland]

Fort Worth 148's membership at its peak topped 2000 and we are down to about 200+ almost half do not pay dues for one reason or another we hiked dues and are now about to lose 60 more. I think our decline in numbers is unfortunate but I also believe everything happens for a reason. Is it not a natural cycle for an overgrown forest to burn off dead and wasteful material so that new strong trees can grow.

 

[Blake Bowden]

bump

 

[JEbeling]

Well have been a mason for many years.. ! and have seen a lot of changes.. some it seemed were good orthers a desaster... ! have seen a lot of damage done by a few grand masters and their click.. ! The home and school desaster cost us more than money..? a lot of masons lost respect for the grand lodge and its ability to make the right dicision.. ! think some of the old past grand masters were hoodwinked and allowed a few to work their agenda.. ? cost us a lot of masons.. ? some just quit coming.. ? others were mad because they couldn't find out what was going on and everybody keeps saying its sealed by the court..? don't understand how when it our money..?

Think another is or was done by the committee on Change.. ! sometime I think they are a bunch of do gooders who want to leave their mark on Grand Lodge of Texas.. ? The cert. of the master of the lodges have angered a lot of old masons.. ! and I think the Committee has taken the attitude "to hell with them.. quit " is what one told me..? I think its sad we have to step on other masons to become sooooooo perfect..? and I don't see a reason for it other than a power trip by some want to force their views on others..?

 

[rhitland]

Well have been a mason for many years.. ! and have seen a lot of changes.. some it seemed were good orthers a desaster... ! have seen a lot of damage done by a few grand masters and their click.. ! The home and school desaster cost us more than money..? a lot of masons lost respect for the grand lodge and its ability to make the right dicision.. ! think some of the old past grand masters were hoodwinked and allowed a few to work their agenda.. ? cost us a lot of masons.. ? some just quit coming.. ? others were mad because they couldn't find out what was going on and everybody keeps saying its sealed by the court..? don't understand how when it our money..?

Think another is or was done by the committee on Change.. ! sometime I think they are a bunch of do gooders who want to leave their mark on Grand Lodge of Texas.. ? The cert. of the master of the lodges have angered a lot of old masons.. ! and I think the Committee has taken the attitude "to hell with them.. quit " is what one told me..? I think its sad we have to step on other masons to become sooooooo perfect..? and I don't see a reason for it other than a power trip by some want to force their views on others..?

I know the Home and School is a hot topic with alot of old timers but I never knew why as I am not in the political clique but that is intresting to see the same thing that goes on in Lodge goes on in GL. With old PM causing stinks in Lodge it is just old PGM causing them in GL and PM make stinks there too. LOL It is gonna take a group of individuals that know their stuff to come up with the antidote for the poision that is coursing in the viens of Masonry.

Well I am very knew to the com. on change have not been to many exams but I hear that name alot and they seem to hold true to it. lol This 101 cert has seemed to have got the big dogs bent out of shape and out "marking their terriotry". Funny to watch if you ask me, I know if I was behaving like them and they felt like me they would tell me I was being young and dumb wonder if we should tell them the same thing?