Final Month Of Preparations

It is always surprising how quickly the summer goes by and how short the respite is from many of the lodge duties that occupy the rest of the year. With less than a month to go before resuming our meetings, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done so that we can have a strong finish to the year. That being said, while the summer is usually a time for me to take a step back and relax for a few moments, I haven’t had the time to do so which makes this final month all that much more difficult.

This is the reality of the balance that we all must strive to achieve between our work, personal, and fraternal lives. While there is one part of me that wants to try and avoid some of the lodge duties for now while I try to catch up on personal and work matters, there is also a side of me that is looking forward to each and every activity, request, and email as they, for some odd reason, tend to balance out the chaos in other areas of life.

That is what we must remember and what many of us forget about the role that freemasonry plays in many of our lives. It is not just a means for fellowship and education, it is a way to bring structure, routine, and ritual to the hectic times in life. It is the regularity and measurements that it brings to our days that can sometimes be the most important role that our fraternity plays in our lives. And sometimes a part of that routine and regularity is the work that is required of officers.

With so much happening in my life right now there is an odd solace in the tasks that are asked of me as Secretary. I know what needs to be done and what projects, events, and meetings lie ahead. But I also know that there are going to be things that will come up now and again that I don’t expect. To believe otherwise would be a fallacy. I guess you could say that is what makes this routine unique and prevents monotony from setting in. So it is with this final month of the season that we prepare for the fall, enjoy the fellowship of our brothers, and return to the foundation of our work.

Climbing The Desktop Mountain

It seems like the last meeting was only yesterday and as the time has continued to fly by, the projects have continued to pile high. The last couple of months have been trying in more ways than one and as the district visitation and numerous other deadlines approach, I am continuing to struggle to get things done. But sometimes this is what we have to do as the Secretary of the lodge… we have to prioritize the various wants of the lodge, complete the needs, and slowly start working down the list.

Unfortunately, there are more projects that need to get done now than at any other point during the year and so the hours of communication, processing, sorting, and filling out forms has been a bit more arduous than usual. It hasn’t helped that I have also been absent from the lodge for many of the meetings and other gatherings as well but, again, that is part of the personal prioritization that we must all find for ourselves. But it has been tough trying to balance everything.

It has not just been the many new things that have come up since the beginning of the year. There have also been a number of items that have carried over from 2015 and, undoubtedly, many things from the previous year that have had a significant impact on our ability to check things off the list over the past few months. And for each of those items it has been a constant stream of emails, phone calls, and conversations at the lodge. Those are the moments when I would like to have an answer for the brothers asking the questions but I have nothing to offer or very little to report. Some things, whether I like it or not, are simply out of my hands.

However, there are a few things that seem to be coming together albeit a little later in the year than we had planned. I can see the peak of the pile and soon hope to be gliding down the slope into the summer. Of course, that will also be the time when all the projects that have been moved to the bottom of the list should be competed so that maybe, just maybe, we can head into the fall and the final four stated meetings of the year with a clean slate… at least of the myriad of things on my desk. But, right now, I just have to make it through the next few months.

Bills And Bank Statements

As many of you know, I am one of those people that checks all financial statements on almost a daily basis. I have had credit cards hijacked in the past and I know how much of an issue that can cause. I am also doing everything I can to pay off debt and keep our financials in a healthy position so the little bit of time each day is well worth the effort to ensure that all the numbers are where they should be. And this is just my personal accounts.

While not nearly as regular as my personal habits, I am also continuously cognizant of the financial situation of the lodge. This is just another one of the duties that I agreed to when I took office as Secretary. Just like my personal financial situation, we are not talking about big numbers so I make sure to know where every dollar is coming from and how much is going out. Lately, we have gotten a little behind as all of our summer schedules have hindered us from getting together. We were finally able to get everything squared away this evening… it really puts my mind at ease knowing where everything stands.

Of course, when some of the balances were brought to my attention I expected some inquiries to be made by some of the brothers at the lodge. After all, this is our budget and our accounts and this is why I keep a meticulous record of what has come in and what has gone out. It is required of me to do so and I would expect them to hold me personally responsible if I was unable to provide them with a receipt. And that is what we should all take away from this.

It shouldn’t matter if you are involved in the financials of a business, lodge, charitable organization, or your own personal accounts. Everything has to be accounted for. I know that if I want to be reimbursed for a purchase at work or for the lodge I have to have a receipt. No receipt means no check. While we have provisions in place to ensure transparency, I have heard of too many instances of fraud and downright theft both within lodges and outside of lodges. I am well aware of these instances and I made it known that the books are open to members and that I am happy to answer any questions.

Even when looking at my own debts I can account for all the credit that has been used… this is particularly important regardless of the type of account because you don’t want to wake up one day to the reality of owing 10 or 20 thousand dollars to a bank or credit card company. I know where all of my money is going (especially on the tight budget that we have had in recent years and the process of paying down debt that we are currently undertaking). I shouldn’t expect any less from the lodge and the lodge shouldn’t expect any less from me.

Filling The Chairs

No, we did not have to turn to our plastic brethren.

When I left work yesterday, I did so with some trepidation. While I had a few brothers reach out to me letting me know that they would be at the meeting, I still had not heard from enough to fill the chairs. With everything that has been going on lately, I was concerned that the meeting got lost in the deluge of communications. However, I also held out hope and took solace in the fact that every time that I have asked the brethren for their assistance they have come through.

Pulling into the parking lot there were a few cars that I recognized and I could see that the windows were open and already circulating the autumnal air throughout the building. These were both welcomed sights which allowed me to take a deep breath, grab my bag and tux, and make my way to the front door. Walking into the foyer, I could see a small collection of brothers. A modest group that was sure to grow as the minutes passed and the meeting time approached.

Per my usual routine, I immediately turned around the corner and made my way to my office in the back of the basement. With everything else that had to be done leaving up to the evening, there were a few last minute items that needed to be taken care of before the meeting. So, while waiting for the computer to boot and, later, the web pages to load I filled out dues cards, inscribed the Bibles, and changed into my tux. It may seem hectic but it was actually pretty close to a normal night.

With the former secretary lending a hand with a couple of items, I was able to heading up the stairs and into the hall where I found enough brothers to ensure a successful evening. Knowing that the evening was to begin momentarily, I did my best to ensure that everyone was on the same page and that each brother knew what chair they would be sitting in, what role they would play that night. It was a long night with a few rough spots but we were successful.  

What has been a bit of a trying time for us has not stopped us from being successful in our endeavors. I have had my doubts at times and there were moments when I questioned whether things were going to happen but those concerns were proven to be unfounded. Once again, we pulled together as a lodge and by the end of the night we were rewarded by having the privilege to welcome two new Master Masons.

Running Around: Work, PACT, And Lodge

The view from my seat at the PACT luncheon.

Normally the first Thursday of every month is pretty hectic for me as I am scrambling to take care of all the last minute items and preparing for the stated meeting immediately after work. Last week was crazier than usual as my usual work day consisted of a fair amount of running around to different places as well as jumping from one project to another… I was still trying to play catch up from the previous month. However, the week didn’t start off this way. In fact, it looked like it was going to be a pretty calm stretch with plenty of time to get everything done for the lodge well in advance of the meeting.

Well, that didn’t happen and I really should have anticipated the onslaught. The week began with the usual barrage of things that I needed to add to my list. By Thursday morning my schedule was completely turned on its head. I woke up on Thursday with my back deciding to have an uncooperative day which in itself had me moving a little bit slower in the morning hours. My commute, while a little late getting started was normal but my time in the office was cut short as 45 minutes after getting situated at my desk I was back out the door, in the car, and heading off to a PACT luncheon in Philadelphia.

Even though it took me about 30 minutes to find a parking space at the Hyatt, the luncheon was nice event as I always enjoy spending time with my colleagues and friends outside of the office but it could have been better as I was not at the top of my networking game and I was having to send numerous emails from my iPhone for the majority of the event. As many of you know, just because I am away from my desk doesn’t mean I stop working. So, once the event ended, it was time to head back to the office for a couple of hours of serious multitasking of answering the emails that could wait, getting a few more things checked off my list, and pulling together the final items needed for the stated meeting.

At this point it was time to change, collect my stuff, get in the car, and head off to the lodge. While I got there in plenty of time (the first time I ran on schedule all day), I was a little surprised to see both the number of brothers in attendance as well as the District Deputy Grand Master there to attend our meeting. While I didn’t have a chance to partake in the excellent meal beforehand, I got everything prepared and made my way to the lodge room for the meeting. The meeting was a little longer than usual, especially with the lengthy notes that I had to read, but we were still able to finish up in a reasonable amount of time and officially go dark for the sweltering summer months (essential when you don’t have air conditioning).

Once all the checks were signed, the register updated, and bills paid it was finally time to head home. And while we may not be having stated meetings for the next couple of months, there are still plenty of things that I will be doing over the summer. Whether in PR or serving as Secretary, the work never stops even when you are away from your desk. But, at least for the day, the work was done and it was time to go home and recover.

Double Duty

Last night I experienced a case of masonic split personality as we struggled to fill all the positions to get the degree work done. Oddly, it wasn’t that we were short on men present at the lodge as we saw plenty on hand during the sandwich bar before the meeting but we had a number of brothers that had to accompany candidates, serve as guides, and a couple that needed to sit on the sidelines and observe. So during a night when my role is relatively limited as Secretary, I was also called into service to sit in the chair of the Senior Deacon. For many of you this all seems like a foreign language but my fellow brothers know that by moving over a chair, I was now right in the middle of the degree work.

However, there were a few things that I still had to do as Secretary throughout the night as there were still communication from the Grand Lodge, a few notes that had to be taken, attendance that had to be checked, and the ledger had to be prepared for the new brothers to sign. Basically, the times when the Senior Deacon would normally be resting, I was shifting back to my desk to take care of all these things to ensure that they were not forgotten. The last thing I want to do is forget any of my primary duties. After all, that is the job I am expected to do.

There were still a few things that had to get done after the conferrals came to an end around 10:30 so it was back down to the basement office to take care of the book keeping, correspondences, and updating of Masonic records. Many of these things I usually start while at my desk during the meeting but on a double duty night they were obviously pushed back making the night a little bit longer. Fortunately for me, my assistant was there to give me a hand and the Treasurer has always been a great brother to work with as we both do our best to be efficient with our time when work needs to be done.

So, after a full day at the car dealer and office and pulling double duty at the lodge it was finally time for me to head back home and get some rest. Usually I am up for some time but when I made it home it didn’t take long to get from the apartment door to the bed. Thankfully, today was a relatively light day. Well, at least as uneventful as I could have hoped for which just means that it was really busy but without any major surprises. Most importantly, no double duty beyond my split time between my regular occupation and my lodge duties.

Long Awaited Extra Meeting

Every month we have an extra meeting for the conferral of degrees. Obviously, the degrees vary but the schedule remains pretty consistent. Our stated meetings are on the first Thursday of every month with the degree conferrals occurring the following Tuesday. Not a complicated schedule and one that seems to have worked for some time now.

However, in an attempt to make things a little easier for us all during the week, the decision was made to hold the extra meeting on a Saturday morning. With three separate degree conferrals scheduled for the same meeting, this would prevent us from being at lodge until 11:00 PM or later on a Tuesday night. That was the plan. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t agree with our attempt for convenience and after cancelling two Saturdays in a row, it was back to Tuesday night.

As it turned out, we only conferred two degrees on Tuesday evening as one of the new brothers has a growing family that needs his attention. A completely understandable reason to postpone until the following month. So, we began trickling in on Tuesday night as we all looked around and began counting to make sure we had enough to fill in all of the officers positions (elected and appointed). As 7:30 quickly ticked to the present, we had just enough to get things done.

It was a bit of a shuffle, as some brothers were able to physically do more than others so I found myself being shifted around from one place to another, east to west and back east, until I finally took my seat as Senior Deacon. Working in our favor is the fact that degree work has a pretty standard set of minutes that need to be taken so, between degrees, I was able to quickly step over and jot a few details down on the notepad at my desk. The rest of the time was trying to remember what to hand the Worshipful Master and following the directions of others during the meeting.

It was a different experience and one that I believe, to my memory, was the fifth position that I had viewed conferrals from (including my usual spot behind the secretary’s desk). While I prefer to sit in the position to which I have been elected by my fellow brothers, I enjoyed the change of pace for the evening and learning the duties of that officer. As I have said many times before, just being a part of the ritual and ceremony is something that every brother needs to experience, especially when it is during the raising of Master Mason.

Even with the postponement of one of the degrees, I still didn’t get home until about 11 at night (after a little bit of work in the office). This is why we tried to get this moved to Saturday. Hopefully the weather will cooperate the next time we try to make things a little bit easier for everyone during the middle of the work week. Only time will tell but the important thing is that we got everything done and advanced our brothers in their Masonic journeys.