Maintaining The Brotherly Bonds

There is currently a vibrancy at the lodge that I haven’t seen for some time. I have been fielding emails and calls for weeks wanting more information about different programs, dates of when events are scheduled, offers to assist me with some of the initiatives underway, and some are just interested in meeting and learning more about the fraternity. Many of the brothers at the lodge are either active or looking for some way to increase their contributions. I can’t recall a time like this happening over the past few years but I am glad to be a part of it and fortunate enough to see the desire to contribute displayed by the brethren. And I have found that one of the best ways for those brothers to actively participate is to reach out to other brothers.

It is a given that this time of year will bring about names of those which we haven’t seen at lodge in months or years (NPD time) but that tally keeps getting smaller and smaller every time I check the mail and for every brother I find on that list, there are ten brothers willing to reach out to find out what is going on. And that is a big change from the last couple of years. Now we have brothers wanting to be active and wanting to share this masonic experience with other brothers that may have, for one reason or another, lost their connection with the fraternity.

This is a hugely important endeavor for any lodge as we should make sure that all of our brothers should experience the feeling of inclusion that many of us take away from our monthly and weekly gatherings. Furthermore, the effort should also be put forth in reconnecting with brothers that, for one reason or another, have been suspended in recent years. While there are explanations given at the time of suspension, we should never assume that we know the reasons behind our brother ceasing to be included in the membership rolls.

Lastly, and most importantly, we need to maintain constant contact will each and every member of the lodge. This is an undertaking too large for one brother to manage himself but, as a lodge, it can easy be accomplished. Whether a brother moved out of the jurisdiction or is simply of advanced age, they are still our brothers and members of the lodge, and they should be treated as such. The last thing that I ever want to see happen is a brother showing up to lodge and not know anyone. While I don’t expect them to have the same connection that many of the regular attendees enjoy, they are still our brother and they should be familiar as a member of our fraternal family.

No More Fees For You!

Over the years I have had accounts at a variety of banks. For one reason or another, I have also changed banks numerous times. Usually it was because of location or the simple fact that it was bought out by one of the larger financial institutions. In the past it was never much of an issue as I didn’t have many automatic payments and I didn’t write too many checks. However, things change and I am now in the process of shifting things over once again.

While the hours at TD Bank have always been very convenient and the sheer size of the company assures that there is always a location just around the corner, the benefits pretty much stop there. Over the past couple of years I have watched as the various fees have been scattered throughout my monthly statements. I always pay bills on time but ATM and ‘Balance Inquiry’ fees have been a source of annoyance. I sometimes wonder what the account balance would be if those $2 and $3 fees over the past several years where returned. Actually, I really don’t want to know.

In addition to this, the speed at which transactions are processed is about as fast as a constipated turtle. Having already transferred most of our funds to another bank, I can say with certainty that this is not the normal pace at which a bank should be operating. A perfect example is when, some time ago, I transferred my credit card balance to another bank and while I know this other bank sent the electronic payment and posted it to the other account, it still took TD Bank nearly two weeks before confirming the transaction and reflecting that on my statement.

I am done with this particular company. Heck, this bank wasn’t my choice anyway as I originally had an account with Commerce Bank. So now I am taking my funds, as limited as they may be, and moving them to a local bank. While there hours and locations may not be as convenient, the service and speed thus far is something that we haven’t experienced in the past. When we have a question there is always someone there to answer it, transactions are posted within a day, and the fees have magically disappeared replaced by an interest bearing checking account. It is a bank that choses to deal with their customers not solely the accounts associated with them. It is nice to be a person again… a welcomed change… only the latest of a year full of changes.