Delayed Notice

With all the preparations that I have had to work on the last couple of weeks for my business trip, the lodge notice kept getting pushed back further and further toward the time of departure. Of course, all of the car and insurance calls the past few weeks haven’t helped with my productivity either. However, while I was definitely cutting it close, the lodge notice will get done and sent out some time this week…. It may be really close to the time of my departure this weekend but they will be sent out.

So far, the main issue that I am having is the sheer volume of information that needs to be included on the two pages inside. Please note that adding pages is not something that can simply be done on a whim. There are new petitions, a transfer, two degrees, grand lodge communications, a busy calendar, and two deaths that need to me included on what is the equivalent of a single sheet of paper (one side). Add on top of this the attendance and membership tables as well as two messages from the Worshipful Master and myself, respectively, and there is an issue finding the space on the limited canvass.

As has been the case in previous months, it is a matter of finding the time to write, formatting, and making sure I have all the pieces of information necessary to complete the project. It has been a piecemeal effort thus far with a few minutes squirreled away here and there. Not the most efficient way to get it done but it is getting done nevertheless. Even with pouring so many hours into my annual business trip, I can see how this notice needs to be put together and sometimes that is the most difficult part of the process.

I know it is going to be long and there will be numerous complaints about the small font size but, in the end, I will gladly accept those small critiques knowing that the brethren are fully informed of all that is going on at the lodge. In the end, that is what really matters. There is always going to be something going on in life as you try to get projects done and the notice is no different. The important thing is that all of the information is in there, it is sent out in enough time, and it looks at least halfway decent. The situation in getting the notice done is rarely ideal but it will be done before my plane leaves this weekend!

Third Term

It was rather uneventful when the new Masonic year started on Sunday. The long weekend was coming to an end when I received a rather exuberant text message from the outgoing Worshipful Master. It was at that moment when it really became clear to me the nature of my office. When I took the oath and stepped in as Secretary in 2013 I did so not to simply serve a year and move on. I made the commitment to myself as well as other brothers in the lodge that I was going to serve the lodge for the foreseeable future with six years being my goal.

When I made that commitment I knew that I would see officers move through the chairs and Worshipful Masters come and go. I wanted to be the constant that the brothers could count on being at my desk in the east year after year. And while I didn’t fully understand what I was getting myself into when I agreed to take the office, I have come to appreciate both the rewarding and challenging aspects of the job.

And that is what this office really is… a job. I work month after month not just to keep things running as smoothly as possible but, at time, I am also serving as mediator among the brothers, adviser to the officers, and, on occasion, ambassador of our lodge. This is both a behind the scenes position and one that calls for me to be in the spotlight. I guess you could say that there is a certain amount of politics that one has to accept when they decide to sit at this desk.

It is with this at the forefront of my mind that I make the conscious decision each and every month to do the best job I possibly can to try and make a positive impact, no matter how small, on the lodge. Obviously, this has not gone unnoticed and I have been honored to have been reelected for a third term. And the confidence that the brethren have shone in me is certainly something that I appreciate and carry with me each and every day and why I am determined to really make an impact this coming year.

This year, as I mark my third year in office I will also be celebrating my third masonic birthday. It is certainly an oddity to have assumed this level of responsibility so quickly and it is something that I am proud of having accomplished. Three years ago I was still waiting to hear back from the lodge about when I would be receiving my degrees (I ended up participating in a one day class in April) and now I am on the other end of the conversation inviting potential candidates to join us for dinner before our meeting.

An Interesting Meeting

It was an interesting night at the lodge to say the least. While there was a great program to begin the evening (look for my Veterans Day post), there were also some other things that needed to be worked out. However, it was a great night for progress, planning, and discussion from the moment that I walked through the doors. In addition to the gracious assistance that was offered by a few brothers to help both with personal and lodge matters, there were a number of visitors that I had the pleasure of meeting. While I always enjoy catching up with the brethren that attend every month, it is nice to have a different mix every meeting.

In addition to terrific performances by members of the Sojourners and The Savoy Company respectively, we were also honored by the presence of our District Deputy Grand Master. After a wonderful Veterans Night program and devoting the appropriate time to take care of our monthly business, it was great to hear of all the charitable causes to which we are able to contribute. On one level, I am happy we are able to give as much as we do and, on another level, I wish that we were able to give more especially of our time.

This was followed by a discussion that was a long time coming. The remaining time that night was devoted not just to setting forth a plan for the coming year but also refocusing our efforts to ensure our success now as well as in the future. There have been times when our eyes, ears, and attention have strayed to meetings like this are essential to our continuing to build upon our successes and overcome what some may see as our mistakes. Frankly, I simply look at those moments as instances when vision and ambition has clouded our perception of the current reality.

By the time the meeting ended, there was a different energy in the room. While I could see that some were still processing what had been said, there were many of us grateful for the words spoken just moments prior. We have a clear direction, guidance, and a plan for current stability and future success. We also have a Worshipful Master heading to the east that is the perfect brother to oversee this adjustment in our operations and I am looking forward to supporting him as well as the other officers to ensure that this transition is as successful as possible. Can’t wait for the December meeting!

Everyone Contributes

Every month I record the donations made to the lodge. The amounts vary but there is a pretty consistent flow coming in through the mail of brothers looking to help boost either the general fund, various projects, or the Change for the Troops program. These are pieces of mail that I am happy to receive and checks that I gladly record in the ledger. And there is an even greater flow of donations going out at the same time. However, while the financial contributions of many are welcomed and greatly appreciated, it is the other donations that truly make a difference.

Over the past year we have received donations of various equipment for the lodge to use. The largest of these contributions was of an entire keyboard and speaker arrangement that we are now using to accompany both the stated and extra meetings. Recently we also received two laptop computers to replace the antiquated tower languishing in the basement office. Not only are they newer models but they are also, obviously, portable allowing us to conduct business throughout the building. We also came into procession last fall of an industrial copier/printer formerly used in a political campaign that has been a tremendous help turning out dozens of copies whenever we have needed them.

However, the greatest donations that we receive is of time and expertise. There have been countless instances during the course of the year when professional council has been received to address both issues that have arisen as well as to move projects along. These brothers have given of both their time and expertise to further the lodge (our kitchen renovation is a perfect example of this generosity). We have also had many brothers contribute their time to help man events, clean out sections of the lodge, hold offices, mentor other masons, and just get things done. Time is an all too precious commodity for many of us and the number of hours that have been donated to the lodge is truly staggering.  

I guess the most important thing that many of us need to remember is that financial contributions are appreciated but donations of time, energy, and expertise are what lodges really need to thrive. It is not only a means of getting things accomplished but it also brings us closer together as a masonic family when we work as one toward our goals. We may not all have the monetary means to support various efforts but we have time and skills that hold much greater value in our fraternity. After all, we all become richer people when we truly value ourselves, one another, and the fraternity.