New Faces And Awards

Something all new masons should strive to achieve! I wonder what the new awards will look like. 

Shortly after arriving at the lodge on Thursday night I was greeted by a few familiar faces as well as some men that I had only met just recently. This is quite the change from the past year as those new faces were those of petitioners and prospective candidates with whom I had primarily spoken with via email. In addition to this mix of men conversing just outside the front door, there were also numerous visitors to our lodge this week. Overall, the makeup of people at the dinner and during the meeting clearly demonstrates the growth of our lodge not just in numbers but in the quality of masons actively participating on a monthly basis.

Leading up to our monthly gathering it has been quite the task juggling the emails and phone calls that have occupied many of my days but it is the great kind of busy that really doesn’t feel like work. While it does take time to reach out and connect, the conversations that I have had over the past month have been very interesting and felt much like catching up with a long lost friend rather than a simple inquiry. While we already have many great masons in the lodge, that number is certain to grow given the interaction that I have had with many of those interested in joining the fraternity.

This convergence of good men striving to be better is what this is all about and I am excited to see how the remainder of the year will progress. We will, of course, be encouraging our new brothers to earn their Master Builder Awards and now we will also have many members of the lodge pursuing other awards that were recently launched… similar to that which is earned by first year masons but with a few differentiators. It will be great to see new brothers and their mentors striving to achieve these recognitions as they learn from their experiences and form a stronger bond as they simultaneously meet each of the requirements for their respective recognition.

At the same time, other lodge projects are moving forward. Some are through my office and others are completely separate from my duties (and I am absolutely okay with that). The whole situation really has me curious to see what we will be able to accomplish this year and the strong position that we will find ourselves in heading into 2017. But, I am definitely getting ahead of myself. The key takeaway so far is that it is going to be a busy year and, more importantly, an active year at the lodge and I am proud to be a part of this masonic experience.

Scout Night

Growing up I was not a Boy Scout and I can’t recall ever having the desire to be one. I remember a few of my friends coming to school in their uniforms but never gave it a second thought. However, while I may not have participated in my youth that doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate the dedication and commitment that is displayed by those who don the uniform… including those who have been involved for 60+ years.

On Thursday we had an open program to recognize a few of the scout troops in the area as well as those brothers that continue to be involved in scouting. It was a program a little different from others that we have had in the past, at least those that I have been present for, and it was nice to see the bonds that these boys had with one another through an organization. Sounds a little familiar, doesn’t it?

For those of us who only have the faint memories of childhood to color our perspective on the Boy Scouts, it was a welcomed introduction to what motivates those boys who choose to be members. For those who have and maintain those ties to their respective troop, it was a means to share a little bit about themselves with the brethren. Additionally, it was great to see the two dozen or so scouts be recognized for the values that they hold in front of their families.

For the lodge, it was a means to share the similarities of Freemasonry with the youth so familiar with the character and commitment that we have in common. While we don’t expect them to become masons when they come of age it was a means to show them that there are other organizations out there that hold their members to the same high standards. They all recognized the shared morals and attributes that Masons and Scouts have and it was a way to demonstrate that there are other places where they can turn to find people with the same make up beyond scouting.

The night was a great introduction for all of us… Masons to scouting and Scouts to Freemasonry. And it was a perfect night to recognize those brothers who continue to embrace both with the same zeal that they possessed upon their first introduction to each. Hopefully this turns out to be only the first of many evenings when we can share our common bonds, goals, and those things that make each and every one of us a little bit better. The scouts turn boys into good men and freemasonry takes good men and makes them better.

Reaching Our Goals One Shoe At A Time

As some of you may recall, last year I attending a visitation at Fritz Lodge in Conshohocken when the “Traveling Shoe” was awarded to the lodge with the most brothers visiting that particular night. Well, last night I attended the same visitation and, just like that evening early in my Masonic adolescence, there was a huge turnout. This time around, however, the visitation didn’t simply involve showing up, there was a lot of preparation done beforehand to make things a bit more competitive. 

Less than two months after becoming a mason, I was one of four or five brothers from my lodge who attended the meeting, all of us new masons. It was a litmus test for me as I was, due to no officers being present, the one who spoke for my lodge. It was an interesting night and a lot to take in… I was not going to have our lodge represented in such a way for a second year in a row. With that goal in mind, I worked closely with the Worshipful Master (who had the same thought) to ensure that we had a chance this year especially with the next visitation being at our lodge in the fall.

Of course we put the visitation in the notice and highlighted the importance of the night at our stated meetings. However, that is the usual means of communicating an event. This time we took it a step further. Over the past week there have been a series of emails, texts, phone calls, and speaking with brothers at other Masonic events simply to bring us all together to work toward one goal.

Who goes to Conshy for a shoe? We do.

That’s right. Thanks to a combined effort by all the officers, long standing brothers, and new Masons we were able to secure the old shoe. While we were fairly certain of this outcome as we saw one another arrive before the meeting, having the final tally and the presentation made is what made all the preparation worth it. While a minor achievement in the larger view, it was an exemplification of what we can do when we come together not as individual brothers but as a lodge.

I am proud of what we all accomplished together as a lodge and the diverse group of brothers, ranging from a few months to 65 years, who took the time to ensure that we achieved this goal. As the lodge goes dark for the summer, it is something that we can all enjoy and use as motivation for when we enter the final months of the Masonic year upon our return. I am looking forward to all that we can accomplish together as a lodge.

Making Masonic Memories

 

Tonight, for the first time, I felt comfortable at the Secretary’s desk during our stated meeting. So much so that I feel as though it is my desk at this point. Are there still rough patches during the meeting? Of course there are but I have gotten a lot better at quickly smoothing them out and moving on to the next item. And all of this couldn’t have happened at a better time as the District Deputy Grand Master was in attendance. This was an unofficial official visit that was rescheduled from last month.

In addition to the usual reading and approving of the minutes and the bills, we also had a lot of petition work to be done as we, thankfully, had three petitions that needed to be voted on. Getting though everything efficiently and in the proper way was a gratifying experience especially when I caught the approving glances from some of the long standing Brothers in attendance. Knowing that, in their eyes, I am doing at least a good job keeping things running smoothly really means a lot when you consider the fact that they have seen Masons come and go over the past 40+ years. After all, I am only just the most recent person to be elected into this office and with it comes the responsibility to uphold the values of masonry and the legacy of the lodge (along many other things to which I swore when I took the oath of office).

One of the responsibilities bestowed upon all officers in any lodge is to provide a positive example to all members of the lodge especially those newly made masons. The one time during the evening when I was caught off guard was when the District Deputy Grand Master asked myself and another brother to stand at the front of the lodge and face the brethren. It was at that time when I received my Master Builder Award from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

This award is earned by newly made masons when they meet certain educational requirements and demonstrate their continued involvement in their lodge, their district, and freemasonry in general. There is a two page check list which must be completed and approved in order to earn the honor. It was a great experience to receive the award and one that I will never forget, especially when I could see many heads nodding in agreement when I gave my very brief acceptance speech.

This award should be the goal of every new mason. If you have given the proper thought and consideration in your decision to become a mason and you are committed to embracing freemasonry, the requirements set forth should even be a challenge. It is the standard to which we should hold ourselves as we start our masonic journey and the example we should set for others who have decided to join our fraternity.

So tonight was an excellent experience and another moment that I will never forget. I am looking forward to the next moment and I am looking forward to guiding new brothers through the process in order to obtain this honor and know the sense of pride that it brings to your masonic life. For now, I am going to enjoy the moment and appreciate all that I have experienced in Masonry throughout my first year.