When did "The Lodge" become "The Building"...

We sold our building & became a "trunk Lodge" out of necessity. It is the best thing we ever did.

 

Yeah, but they got over it! :wink:

 

Yup- 3rd year in a row. You don't need a building in order to qualify. There's only one activity involving a building that earns points & plenty of alternates you can substitute with instead. We have a number of functions outdoors, such as our BBQ cookoff scholarship fundraiser, which the city lets us hold at one of its parks without charge. The VFW in Bay City donates the use of their hall for our Christmas Toy Run. It's amazing what others will do for Masonry- all you have to do is ask.

 

It's a Grand Lodge program for those Lodges that wish to do more than just read minutes. Here are the requirements (which I'm told will be the same for 2010-11):

2009-2010 Vanguard Lodge Requirements (Lodges must complete activities in each of six (6) categories between 7/31/2009 and 8/01/2010)

I: Lodge Improvement
A. Required Activities:
1. Participate in the Additional Lodge Light (ALL) program with all newly raised Master Masons.
2. Participate in the Lodge Instruction for Effectiveness (LIFE) program for Lodge officers and all other Lodge members who desire to be included.
3. Conduct an open installation of officers and two (2) other open meetings.
B. Choose at Least Two Activities:
1. Host a Widow’s Program, Father/Son Program, Father/Daughter Program, Honor Your Sweetheart Program, Between Friends Program or similar activity.
2. Personally contact (in person or by telephone) all members in danger of being suspended. Discover the reason for nonpayment of dues. Produce and maintain
a log to be attached to the Vanguard Application form.
3. Contact 20% of inactive local members (those who have not attended Lodge during the prior Masonic year and living within 50 miles of lodge). Produce a r
report detailing why they are inactive. (The report is to accompany the Vanguard Application form).

II Community Involvement
A. Required Activities
1. Support Public Schools Week in a manner consistent with criteria set by Grand Lodge.
2. Support a Masonic youth group by doing one of the following:
(a) Provide at least $200.00 in financial support or
(b) Provide at least three (3) advisors or
(c) Conduct at least two common activities between either Masonic youth groups (such as DeMolay or Rainbows) or community youth group(s) and members
of the Lodge. (Community youth groups may include Boy or Girl Scouts, Little League, Youth Soccer, FFA, 4-H Clubs, etc).
B. Choose at Least Three Activities:
1. Present a Community Builder Award.
2. Participate in at least one special program of a previous Grand Master such as Together Against Drug Abuse, Gift of Life, or Take Time To Read.
3. Allow the Lodge facility to be used for a public function or activity provided under Art. 224.
4. Present a scholarship at an open meeting or at a public event.
5. Present a Lamar Medal at an open meeting or at a public event.
6. Host a Masonic information booth at a public event.
7. Participate in Adopt-A-Highway or similar public service activity.
8. Gather and distribute foods, clothing or other items for the needy.

III Member Service
A. Required Activity: Present all appropriate Grand Lodge Service Awards (i.e. 50 year member awards) in the current Masonic year.
B. Choose at Least Two Activities:
1. Create or maintain a functioning web site based upon criteria set by the Internet Committee OR publish a quarterly newsletter.
2. Present a Golden Trowel Award.
3. Recognize Masonic anniversary dates of Lodge members.
4. Present all appropriate 25 Year and 40 Year Membership Awards in the current Masonic year. (See Art. 346 and Art. 346a)

IV Masonic Education
A. Required Activities:
1. Cause the three principal officers to be certified in ritualistic opening and closing of all three Lodges. (Certification must be done by: a member of the
Committee on Work, or by a District Instructor or by a person designated by either of those groups to conduct the certification).
2. Present a special Masonic education or information program of at least five minutes in length at each of at least six (6) stated meetings. (Example: Masonic
Education Programs on the Grand Lodge website).
B. Choose at Least One Activity:
1. Have at least one officer complete the Wardens’ Retreat program.
2. Provide officer attendance at no less than four (4) Masters, Wardens and Secretaries Association meetings. (i.e., one MWSA voting member can attend
nine meetings or three voting members can attend three different meetings, etc.).
3. Participate in the formation or reactivation of a Masters, Wardens and Secretaries Association.
4. Present at least two (2) Masonic Education Programs for either EA’s, FC’s or newly raised MM’s.

V Fraternalism
A. Choose at Least Two Activities:
1. Host a joint function between a Lodge and any Appendant body.
2. Host a social function for Lodge members.
3. Host a social function for Lodge members and families.

2009 – 2010 Enhancements to Vanguard Program (Completion of any of the following activities will serve as a substitute for completing any of the required activities in Sections I, II, III, IV or V. Maximum of three (3) items may be substituted)

VI Mentorship
A. Choose up to three (3) activities:
1. Attempt to contact all E.A.’s, F.C.’s and M.M.’s who have not completed their work in the last two years. Produce a report detailing why they have not
advanced. This report should accompany the Vanguard Application form.
2. Three of the five principal officers must attend one of the Grand Masters Conferences throughout the state between January 10, 2010 and May 30, 2010.
3. Any combination of 9 officers or 15 members including E.A.’s and F.C.’s must attend a Grand Master’s Conference.
4. Conduct an EA education night. Personally invite all EA’s and FC’s who have not advanced in the last two (2) years to attend a meeting where the EA
obligation, EA lecture and protocol issues are discussed. A copy of the secretary’s notes detailing topics must accompany Vanguard Application form.
5. Conduct a MM’s education night. Personally invite all MM’s of your lodge to attend a meeting where the MM’s obligation, MM’s lecture and protocol issues
are discussed. A copy of the secretary’s notes detailing topics must accompany Vanguard Application form.


Understand that a Lodge may do more than the minimum number of required activities, i.e. you could do all of the activities in Section III (B) if you so chose- you need not limit yourselves to just 2 of them.

Gotta get to floorwork practice- see y'all later!