Unable To Commute To Lodge

While I usually am at the lodge on the Tuesday before a stated meeting, this month it was impossible to maintain that routine as I was in Atlanta for the first half of the week. However, unlike those nights of preparation in the past, it is a great feeling knowing that there really isn’t much that I have to concern myself with for Thursday night. The notice is out, the notes are typed, and all the documents, communications, petitions, etc. are neatly organized in my folder. The only thing that is lacking is the usual stack of bills that need to be read… this is an ongoing issue with the post office to which we are working on a solution.

This year, for the first time in a while, I have been consistently looking forward to being at the lodge. Of course, there are minor things here and there that still have to be worked out and the work load seems to be growing exponentially as of late but it is a different feeling at the meetings and there is a different overall demeanor to those in attendance. With many things smoothed out and petitions once again coming in, there is an optimism present that was hard to find at times in the past.

With next month being our official visitation, I am looking forward to welcoming the brethren from around the district to our lodge. We have made progress since the last substantial gathering and I am proud of the work that we have done to improve the lodge and the building. It really is a testament to those men that I am fortunate enough to call brother as there have been countless hours devoted to improving our small part of the fraternity. This is all due to the brothers who have taken on additional responsibilities and made the effort to thrive in their new roles.

Of course, this would not have been possible without those masons who have at time held the lodge together and in other periods, such as we are experiencing now, encouraged the growth of the lodge and the initiatives of motivated brothers. All of these brothers have made this a worry free business trip for me and I am thankful for this sense of freedom between meetings. I just hope that we can continue this growth and involvement not only this year but for years to come and but the looks of things that will be a reality, our new reality.

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!

No, Really, This Is Something Completely Different…

Last year the notices that I put together for the lodge were pretty light. There wasn’t much information that needed to be relayed each month and there were even times when I had to find content to fill some of the empty space left after all updates were included. This month that was definitely not the case and given what is on the horizon, I don’t expect to have any ‘light’ notices this year.

In addition to two petitioners being listed (the first in quite some time), the passing of a brother, and the full calendar of events to begin the year there was also a portion of the notice dedicated to the raising of our dues. This is a democracy and everyone has a vote so everyone needs to be informed before the meeting. This was all before I put in the Worshipful Master’s brief message and I wrote my rather long letter to the brethren.

It took some work to make everything fit together but, in the end, the notice was completed and put in the mail last night along with a few dues cards for some brothers who sent in late checks. But while I write this and thing about all that has to be done and the event that have happened and that will be happening at the lodge, I am also reflecting on the day itself. Today is one of reflection for a couple of reasons for me.

Today is actually International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Honestly, it had slipped my mind until I looked at the calendar this morning. However, I think I knew that this was the day as I am finally returning to the work that I created years ago. It is something that I dread reading but also take pride in its completion. Similar feelings that simmer in me on this day. Today is one when we not only remember in sorrow the lives lost but we also should rejoice in the simple fact that we survived. And while the world is far from perfect, we are a part of it and we are thriving in today’s society as a people.

And that joy is only matched by the fact that I am able to look back in my own life and celebrate that singular moment of surprise when I proposed to my wife on this day in 2007. While the store may no longer be there, the images and memories that we have will always remain vivid and the evening, having picked up my grandmother from the house and taken her to dinner to celebrate, is a great moment that makes me smile every time… especially when I recall telling my grandmother that she wasn’t allowed to kick until after the wedding (which was two and a half years from that day). Her smile in response is just one of many smiles that I will always remember.

Questions Follow Answers

Over the last few weeks I have been able to provide a lot of answers regarding a few things that were still up in the air at the lodge. It was nice to be able to check a few things off the list and get back to what needed to be done to finish up the year. However, that transition, as many of you know, leads to more questions than answers. It is a dilemma that all lodges face as the second half of the year unfolds and one that we do our best to navigate in the final months of the year.

You can usually count on participation being rather high as the calendar turns to a new year which drives attendance and involvement across the board. This inevitably begins to waiver at the weather warms and comes to a near standstill as we call off from labor for the summer. Just like returning to work after a long vacation, it is difficult to get back into the routine and, in this situation, hard to get the brothers back to participating at the lodge.

In addition to attendance of the brethren, we also wonder about the current candidates and the possibility of new petitions. We haven’t seen as many this year but the hope remains that we will be seeing some fresh forms this fall. Thankfully, we have a decent process in place for our new candidates and brethren but I can’t help but think about the ongoing need for petitions that will surely occupy my mind for the remainder of the year. Hopefully, any new petition and subsequent brother will be as dedicated and involved as those who have recently been raised.

The final months are also a time of transition as we will have new officers in the chairs for the coming year (this is true even in Grand Lodge for the coming year). While we are well aware of the brother who will be stepping up, there are always questions that we have regarding style of leadership (I actually have no concerns with the incoming Worshipful Master), schedule of programs for the year, and the officers that will be supporting him. Some of us will be staying on but there is never a guarantee and a lot can change over the next several months… we have all certainly seen that happen a time or two.

I am both concerned and excited by these questions and eager to see how the remaining seasons unfold at the lodge. We are always striving to improve the lodge (with regard to both membership and the building itself) and I am looking forward to seeing many of our projects and endeavors come to fruition. There are great things in store both this year and in the coming years and I am going to do my best to both support those initiatives and stay the heck out of the way. It just goes to show that change can be a very good thing.

Summer Masonic Schedule

The dark months are upon us but the lodge remains active. I think I have received more emails over the past few days (at least ones that aren’t junk) than I have over the past month prior. Attendance for fellowship seems to remain steady as the reports back have been positive from both those instructing and new brothers trying to pick things up. While the petitions may be down this year, the new brothers that we have raised over the past year and a half continue to impress us all.

These ‘dark months’ really show all the minor issues that a lodge may have. Our lodge is by no means perfect, but there are fewer and fewer imperfections that can be seen during the summer. With that said, even if they cannot be seen does not mean that they are not there. The difference is the light which is cast by each brother which overpowers those minor faults and allows them to be addressed. That is what we are now witnessing.

The first half of the year is now behind us and while there have been great moments and not so great instances the lodge remains strong and on track to return to the position of prominence in the district and local community that we once held. We have accomplished a lot in these first sixth months following a spectacular year and the second half of this year looks to be an appropriate encore to the success we experienced in 2014. Maybe not the same kind of success, letter for letter, but a different kind with the common trait of helping us to grow, to strengthen, and to flourish.

As I wrote before, we are already planning for next year but, at the same time, making sure that this current year is full of fellowship and fraternity. There are a roster of events that we are all looking forward to which begin next week when a growing group of us will be attending meetings at other lodges both within the district (shoe time) and on the other side of the Commonwealth. We are going to these meetings as a lodge, not as individuals.

With that said, it is nice to have a little flexibility in my schedule now allowing me to catch up and plan for the fall. Many of these summer events also give me the opportunity to bring my family and not have to choose where I spend my time. It is the best way to spend the summer and something I have been looking forward to all year.

Returning To Normal

The last couple of month have been a little odd at the lodge with a rather testy meeting taking place in February and a postponement of the stated meeting in March. Thursday was a welcomed return to normalcy even if I was still running a little behind schedule in my duties… most notably in getting the monthly notice in the mail which I would much rather have sent off a week prior rather than a few days before.

Of course, I wasn’t sure if this would be the case as I was rather pointed in my message this month in the notice. It wasn’t about calling anyone out, it was simply a means to try and get everyone back on the same page so that we work together as a lodge rather each person pulling the rope in a different direction. Sometimes things need to be said and thankfully, as it turns out, it was received in the way that it was intended.

The meeting itself ran smoothly with the agenda run through quickly and the discussions limited to updates and information. There weren’t any of the unpleasant tones that existed in previous meetings. Progress is being made on most fronts and the projects that at one point looked like they might be stymied, are once again moving forward.

However, there is one area where we seemed to have stalled. With no petitions having been received so far this year, we will not be having an extra meeting until September at the earliest. This is the complete opposite of last year when the petitions were plentiful and the extra meetings frequently consisted of multiple candidates. Not a good time to hit a lull but it happens.

Thankfully, the new brothers that have made up the most recent wave are continuing to remain active and we are continuing to move forward with award applications for those first year masons. While I may not have been able to make it to the lodge every week, each one of them has been present and has learned both from one another and from the more experienced masons that join them for the evening. While the petitions may not be flowing in like they once were, the quality of the new brothers that have joined us is outstanding and their continued involvement is exactly what every lodge wants to see.

Now that we have returned to the quick and uneventful, it is time to prepare for next month as I refuse to fall behind once again. We expect a packed lodge due to it being both our official visitation as well as first responders night. It is a lot of work but, as was proven last year, it is well worth the effort and a meeting that I have been looking forward to for months. I guess I could say the same thing about most meetings.

Encore

While my second term may have officially started late last month, the second year of my service as Secretary of the lodge didn’t really start until the stated meeting this past week. When I look back I am proud of all that we have accomplished as a lodge over the last twelve months and I am glad that I was able to play a small role in ensuring our growth and overall success. Of course, that is all in the past now and we are already moving quickly to get this new year off to a fast start. And during the first stated meeting of the year that is exactly what took place.

We didn’t get the petitions that I had hoped to receive during the meeting but everything else went as planned and the calendar was outline for all the brethren in attendance. There are a lot of items on our list of events, more than last year, and additional support is now in place for new brothers. I guess you could say that it is a natural progression from last year but that is never a guarantee and it was good to see that we are all doing our parts to keep the significant momentum going. Hopefully we don’t have the same kinds of bumps (and drastic detours) along the way that we experienced after this past summer.

It has been a year of mostly highs with a few chaotic moments thrown in to make us appreciate the fellowship and support that we offer one another as brothers. It has also been a tremendous time of learning as there were many times over the course of the past year that I had to step back, take a look at what needed to be done, and educate myself as to the process, limitations, and/or actions that could be taken. In the end, we all came together, grabbed the wheel, and made sure that we turned the corner.

This year there are things that will certainly be easier as I have now done them at least once before but there are also much higher expectations that I am setting for myself as well as my fellow brothers. We need to continue our growth, increase involvement, and make sure that all the processes and programs are set up in such a way that they can be sustained for years to come. Thankfully, given what I have seen from both established and new brothers alike, this new mentality and light that has been found is something that will definitely continue and our lodge will remain a proud example of what Masons can do when they truly consider one another brothers.

The Quiet Time Never Lasts…

I got to the lodge a little earlier than expected last night anticipating an early evening. When I opened up the doors I had the entire building to myself and I looked forward to knocking out a variety of small projects that have been lingering since the state meeting earlier in the month. This is how the night started but after toiling away in the office for about an hour I knew that my night would not end in the same way.

With so much interest in the lodge from those wanting to join as well as a full slate of activities coming up later I the fall, it is a busy time of year for me. Add to that the fact that there are a few bugs making their way around and it has already struck down a couple of officers. I guess I am going to have to step up and get those items done as well.

While I entered the lodge alone, I locked the door behind me having three other brothers joining me as I exited. During the course of the two hours behind those doors I jumped from task to task doing my best to juggle the various requests that were being thrown in my direction (including via email). Of course, with the drastic shift in the evening, I still had a few items left unfinished but, fortunately, they were the ones that could hold off another night.

Walking out the door, while in conversation with the brothers around me, my mind was still running through the various things that need to be accomplished over the next few days as well as the next couple of weeks. From dues and petitions to awards and event coordination/planning, things seem to all be converging in the last few days of summer and the first few moments of the fall. Maybe this is why we are cutting back on a few items because things would most certainly be lost in the shuffle had the calendar not been paired down.

Finally back at the apartment, the emails continued to stream in as if I had never left my computer. Thankfully, the name badges were waiting for me in the mail box so I have one less thing to think about. And this morning we are continuing to push forward trying to drive attendance for this weekend and tying up the loose ends for next month’s official visitation. And, of course, there are a pile of other things that are being worked on simultaneously. But, in the end, this is the job I chose (at least one of them) and I enjoy every (well… most) chaotic moment.

Putting The Pieces Together

Welcome back from the dark months!

Not long after I arrived at the lodge last night, the windows began rattling and the clouds opened up pounding the pavement just beyond the basement wall with a late summer thunder storm. As the rhythm of the weather played loudly in the background, I sat at my makeshift desk and planned out several overdue tasks. Before long I was joined at the lodge by other brothers trying to get that last bit of work done before the meeting.

In just a couple of days, we will be sitting in the sweltering lodge room resuming our usual meeting schedule after a couple of dark months. Still being new to Freemasonry, I keep trying to think of the different things that I will have to do during the course of the meeting. Tonight was the final preparation before diving back in to the usual program.

The last week or so I have been scrambling to finish up a number of summer tasks and placing overdue orders that will, hopefully, last until this time next year. Actually, since much of the material I am ordering is for new masons, I hope that I have to receive another shipment sooner rather than later. Either way, this crop of invoices should be arriving in the mailbox soon.

Of course, that was only a small group of things that needed to get done. There are other items on my list that kept getting pushed further and further back until late last month and this past holiday weekend. Thankfully, part of the time that I took off from work I was able to dedicate to checking off those items including sending the notice and getting the minutes done from our previous meetings month ago… I really have to get a better routine together for knocking those out as I can’t keep pulling them together last minute.

Even with all the work that had to get done and a hint of uncertainty for this quickly approaching meeting, I am looking forward to seeing all the brothers coming together once again for a meeting. While there is a certain amount of stress leading up to each evening at the lodge, I still find the time within those walls to be a tremendous respite from the everyday grind. Maybe with a better schedule, I will be able to enjoy those nights even more.

So, the dark months have once again come and gone. A whole new set of tasks awaits us in the coming months as we push forward in an attempt to meet the goals we set forth at the beginning of the year. Hopefully, the momentum from late spring was not lost and new petitions will be waiting for me on my desk. It really is an exciting time of year and one that I am looking forward to (even if the lodge room feels like an oven).

Back To My Usual Position

Having been put on stage on Saturday sitting behind the Secretary’s desk at Grand Lodge, it was nice to get back to my home lodge and sit behind my humble desk for another degree conferral. This one was particularly special as I was the first line signer on this particular petition. While I can’t give any specifics as to who he is or his profession, I can say that he is a man, now a brother, with an impressive and honorable background. I am proud to have been one of the brothers to support/endorse his petition and I am looking forward to assisting him in any way possible during his Masonic journey. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to share some common interests as we, and many of the other brothers in the lodge, share the same hobby.

However, there was also something else at work with regard to my enjoyment of the evening beyond the relief and pride that the night held. It was also a meeting when everything, I believe for the first time, was running smoothly for me. Everything was prepared in advance, all forms and the dispensation was ready for after the meeting, and I was, for the most part, up to date on correspondences and other items that have to get done every month. I even had time, unlike the stated meeting earlier this month, to enjoy a pleasant meal with my brothers before we opened the lodge.

This may have been the best combination of a day that I have experienced in a long time. I took the day off from work to reflect upon the Passover holiday (that is my way of celebrating) and also kept myself occupied with something to do. You know I can’t just have a day when I don’t do anything. So having some relaxation time combined with an objective was a great balance and what may have accentuated my ability to breathe while away from my desk during the week.

It was nice, for one day, for one night, to enjoy and observe everything going on. I don’t expect it to continue beyond a single day as the emails keep piling up and the petitions continue to thankfully trickle in, but I still had that one night of relaxation, relief, and pride. These really are the moments that keep many of us coming back week after week, month after month, and year after year. What a great way to conclude my first Masonic year.

Celebrating My First Masonic Birthday

My Masonic birthday gift from the Worshipful Master (it is a small cooler).

To be honest, I was dreading getting up this morning as I knew that there was a stated meeting tonight and I had a lot of work that still needed to be done before the lodge opened. That seems to have been the pattern of the past month, if you couldn’t tell already. It has been one thing after another which has been a mad scramble. I woke up this morning with the minutes from the previous meeting pressing down on my neck. Somehow, in the minutes and moments between emails ad projects at the office, I was able to piece together all that I needed for the evening.

With the work day behind me, I walked through the lodge doors ready to pull a few things together (basically organizing everything I needed for the meeting) before changing and resurfacing upstairs for some dinner. That was the plan. In reality, it only took a few seconds before I had brothers following me down the stairs and into the office. More so than in previous months, it was a constant fraternal ebb and flow for about an hour and a half before I rushed up the stairs, back down (because I forgot to take care of something in the chaos), and back up to the top floor to take my seat at my desk.

Having heeded the advice of the Grand Lodge, my duties have been streamlined during the meeting. Don’t worry, there are still plenty of other things to keep me busy. In fact, the number of petitions, involvement, and initiative that have already crossed my desk this year is a great sign of things to come and I hope that things continue to progress in the months and years to come.

The meeting progressed at usual with petitions read, and excellent presentation on “The Golden Fleece”, and some encouraging words from the District Deputy Grand Master during another unofficial visit. Toward the end of the meeting, as is done every month, those celebrating their Masonic birthday this month were asked to stand in the middle of the lodge to be recognized. For the first time, I was one of those brothers standing in the middle of the lodge celebrating my first Masonic birthday.

Immediately following the recognition of Masonic birthdays one of the Past Masters of the lodge took a moment to stand and commend me for already taking on the ‘hardest job’ in the lodge and within my first year as a Mason. It was with these comments that the entire lodge gave me a round of applause. While I am fine with the casual recognition that comes with a Masonic birthday or like recognition that every brother experience there are some moments that I really don’t feel I have deserved. I appreciate the kind words and undeserved praise, there are many others who do much more for their fellow brothers who should be applauded.

After the meeting it was time for a little more work in the office and, finally, after that a few moments to breath. But, the relaxation doesn’t last long as the month starts over again and preparations are made for the next meeting. This time, I need to make sure I have everything prepped early so I don’t fall behind again. In other words, time to get back to work.  

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.

Breaking Even

 

One of the things that I complete every month when I pull together the lodge notice is our membership numbers since the turning of the Masonic calendar to the new year. While I would like to report that our numbers keep going up, so far this year we are breaking even. Being Secretary, putting these numbers in is both a great moment and one that I dread heading into every new month. This month has been a prime example of this particular dichotomy.

While we had someone petition the lodge, saw many degrees conferred, and even had someone’s transfer come through, we also lost two Brothers. In each of these situations I was the primary contact. I don’t mind filling out the forms and answering questions but, needless to say, it is easier to discuss the first steps or even next steps in a Masonic journey rather than discussing the final masonic request of a brother called off from labor.

Last week I found myself in a, what was for me, a unique position. I was contacted by a family that was arranging for the funeral of their grandfather. While he had been living in Florida for the past several years, he was originally from the Philadelphia area and so the family reached out to the lodge that they thought was the one this departed Brother belonged. Not having the complete member list memorized, I quickly checked our records but could not find this brother in our records.

I immediately got back to the family and let them know that I couldn’t find his record but that I would do everything I could to help them find the right lodge. This email was soon followed by a request sent to all lodges to check their records and get in touch with the family if they found this brother. About three hours later I got word that their grandfather’s lodge had been located and that arrangements were being made for a Masonic service.

It just goes to show that it is only though our collective efforts as a unified fraternity that we can accomplish many of the most important tasks. That is the real power behind tracking the lodge membership month after month. We all look after one another and we need to know the names of our brothers, young and old, whether they have been a mason for 5 days or 50 years. We are all a unified fraternity, we are brothers, this is what makes it so difficult to record the passing of a brother and also so rewarding to note the addition of a new member to our lodge.