Lodge Via Email

This is actually pretty similar to what the lodge computer looks like. 

The past week has been a bit of a blur with countless emails having passed by my eyes. We may not have our next meeting until September but the work most certainly has continued. It actually might be the most emails that I have received in a single week between the canceled fellowship last Tuesday to my inability to attend this evening. With not being able to make it there tonight, this means that, due to other commitments, I will not walk through the doors of the lodge for at least another two weeks.

No worries, everyone knows that I am accessible at all times. Sometimes there are periods when we can’t make it to the lodge especially those of us that neither live nor work in the area. Things will continue to move forward without my presence because the lodge, as many of you know, can’t be run by a single man. There are numerous brothers that make the lodge work and ensure that things move along smoothly. No one person needs to be there.

With that said, it is nice to be able to catch up and make sure that various projects are being taken care of. We all check with one another and make sure that the tasks that we set out to accomplish are completed. This is why I get so many emails from within the lodge, the district, and from other lodges across the commonwealth. We all check in on one another, offer assistance, and seek advice on various problems and projects. We work together as a single, unified, fraternity.

However, nights like this I do miss driving down to the lodge and meeting with the brethren. The fellowship is something that I continue to look forward to each and every time that I am able to participate. This has only been amplified over the last couple of years with the increased involvement of new and old brothers alike. It is a great time at the lodge and a great time to catch up on life.

But everyone knows, no matter how active you are in the lodge, you have to have a balanced life. I am still working to find that balance between family, work, and the lodge. Modern communication does help in this regard but it is still far from perfect. I don’t think this is going to be taken off of my list of things that I need to work on in the foreseeable future. But, I will continue to measure my days and do my best to balance my hours.

My Favorite Kind Of Email

A pile of petitions ready to be filled out!

During the course of my regular morning at the office I opened up my lodge mail just to make sure that there were no masonic fires that needed to be put out. Just the usual daily task that I have integrated into my routine at work. Usually there is nothing to read however there are occasions when I get emails that have to be addressed right away. Fortunately, this was not one of those instances. Actually, I received the best kind of email… an inquiry from a prospective candidate who wanted to learn more about the lodge, becoming a mason, and freemasonry in general.

As it turns out, our journey of inquiry was very similar. While I had known about my uncle and my grandfather (different sides) having been masons, it wasn’t until I really got into the genealogy and the legacy of the fraternity that I became interested in learning about freemasonry and subsequently interested in becoming a Mason. The email I received came with a similar story as he had been researching his own family and discovered that his great great grandfather was a Mason in New York. That was the catalyst that started his initial journey to the fraternity and lead him to contacting my lodge.

So, after a few emails back and forth we agreed to meet at the lodge last night. Hey, I’m already there on Tuesday nights so I might as well not waste time and show him around and meet him face to face. I got to the lodge a bit early and took care of a few meetings before the 7:30 appointment. Just the usual weekly items that need to be taken care of with the Treasurer. With about 10 minutes to go some of the other Brothers began walking up to the front door. Soon after, and 5 minutes early, the prospective candidate turned the corner and approached us asking if I was the one with whom he previously spoke.

We walked around the lodge, top to bottom, and talked for about 30 minutes. While I can’t say that I am the best at giving tours, I have gotten better since the last time I showed someone around. He asked a few questions here and there but, for the most part, he seemed to want more of the formal introduction to the lodge that this tour was accomplishing. At the end of the evening, I handed him a petition and invited him to dinner next Thursday so that he can meet many more brothers and talk with them about becoming a Mason.

It is this initial reaction and exposure that really makes me think back to the moment I walked through the doors of the Grand Lodge in Philadelphia and asked to speak to someone about becoming a mason. That first step can sometimes be the hardest but at soon as you take it the rest of the steps soon follow and before long you are walking along the Masonic path in a journey that lasts a lifetime… sometimes a journey that spans generations. Yes, this morning I got my favorite kind of email and I look forward to the next one to pop up in my inbox.

Yeah, The Grand Lodge is a little bigger than my lodge.

Tour Guide

In addition to the usual lodge work that was conducted last night, I also had the opportunity to do something that I had never done before… give a tour of the lodge. I had received an email just over a week ago from a man inquiring about the lodge and freemasonry in general. As soon as I was able to set aside a few minutes later in the day, I sent him a reply with an application as well as a very general overview of the process. Of course, I welcomed him to give me a call any time so that I may answer any questions that he might have in a more efficient and personable manner.

A week passed and I had not heard back. Sometimes men change their mind, sometimes they get busy and time gets away. Fortunately, in this instance it was the latter. Upon circling back a week after my first email, he responded saying that he would call over the weekend. While I do my best to avoid work calls on weekends, lodge calls are different. This past Sunday we spoke briefly over the phone. I answered a few questions that he had and invited him to stop by last night since I would be there for a little while in the evening to get some things done.

I left work a little earlier than I usually do, around quarter to six, and managed to get to the lodge just after 6:30, nearly the exact time that I said I would meet him. I opened up the door, turned on the lights, and began the ‘tour’ by introducing him to a couple of the brothers whom I would be working afterward. Beginning at the top we started with the lodge room. While there weren’t many questions asked, I tried to go over and anticipate some of the basics throughout.

We came back down the stairs, through the entryway, and into the main auditorium. While the details of the building need a bit of touching up, the space itself is impressive and his reaction reminded me of my first experience of being shown around the lodge in the deep heat of summer in 2012. However, while the first tour of the lodge is impressive, as many of you know, it’s usually the second time through the doors that is life changing.

Because the space in the basement is currently being used, we skipped that part of the building but sometimes I think about how men reacted to touring the building when all levels were utilized by the lodge and the pool tables and bowling alleys in the basement were used on a regular basis. Anyway, we finished up by chatting a bit near the front door and before long, the prospective brother was on his way out the door to meet his wife for dinner. Meanwhile, the rest of us resumed our usual Tuesday night routine and began pushing through what needed to be taken care of that night.

 



These are the bowling alleys in the basement of my lodge.

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.

Third Masonic Birthday!

While I usually write about what is currently going on and sometimes complain about some of the things that have come up during the previous week, this post is a little different. This is not a post about the lodge, this is a much more personal essay as today I celebrate my masonic birthday and look back at the drastic changes that have taken place in my life over those past three years. It is hard to believe that it has already been three years but, at the same time, it seems like I have been a part of the lodge for much longer and known the brethren for my entire life.

I can still remember the day in the summer of 2012 when I decided to take a chance and I walked through the doors of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania to inquire about becoming a mason. I had just finished my morning meetings and I decided to finally act on my desire to learn more. That meeting was the turning point for me as I was no longer simply thinking about becoming a mason but was actually doing something about it.

In the following weeks I sat down with my uncle both to ask a few questions and to have him sign my petition. This was soon followed by a meeting with one of the trustees of the lodge (coordinated by the Grand Lodge) who both took the time to get to know me and gave me a tour of the lodge itself. As the months passed things slowly fell into place as I sat down the committee of inquiry (along with my wife) and simply talked about life and why I had decided to become a mason.

My reasons were quite simple… Freemasonry is a part of my family history and it is something far greater than myself. The connections that we have as brothers is something that I have been seeking for some time and something that too few people truly appreciate. Additionally, it allows me to be myself, strengths and flaws, while still being supported by my brothers. But, at the same time, we are held accountable for our actions and guided by one another to ensure that we continue to follow the right path. We are equal but unique and all striving to be better men.

Unfortunately, due to the chaos that was my work schedule at the time, it wasn’t until the one day class on April 27, 2013 when I was finally able to receive my degrees. However, I did make it a habit to join the lodge for dinner every month leading up to my degree conferrals. I will never forget having my uncle sitting on one side and my mentor (with whom I had been speaking with for months prior) on the other. It was a feeling of having my family with me and a means of introducing me to an extended family… all over the course of a Saturday morning.

As soon as I was raised, I began getting more and more involved at lodge. I immediately starting pursuing my Master Builder Award, received my 32^nd degree through Scottish Rite, and was elected Secretary in December of that same year. It was already proving to be quite the journey and quite the change all within the first 8 months of becoming a mason. And while it has been difficult at times to get up to speed on certain things (especially since I was a participant in a one day class), the support I immediately received from my brothers constantly reassured me that I made one of the best decisions in my life when I decided to become a Mason.

Throughout the past three years, I have been proud of my association with Freemasonry and the work that we have done at the lodge. This fraternity has introduced me to experiences, people, places, and events that have proven to be invaluable moments in my life. It is also something that has given me a greater purpose both during those first few months when life was a bit up in the air but also in the years since as I have continued to look for ways to include my family and in my attempts to leave at least a small legacy for my son.

While there are certainly times that I have been guilty of complacency and there have been moments when I have had to make tough decisions, there is not much that I would change about my life. And while most of the moments in my life that I will continue to cherish involve family there are also many moments that meet that criteria that would have never been possible had I not taken the chance and decided to take action by walking into the Grand Lodge that day in the summer of 2012. Most Masons know that it is the first three that form the foundation to your masonic life. Well, I am now three years in with decades to go!

What We Have Done And Have Yet To Do…

There is a certain amount of frenetic stress that enters into the picture as a stated meeting approaches and this month that was magnified by the fact that this was going to be our official district visitation. There was a lot of work that went into the meeting which I previously wrote about. Thankfully, everything was taken care of and by the time I got to the lodge the long list of tasks was completely crossed out (due in large part to the assistance that I got from a variety of brothers from the lodge).

Official visitations are an interesting night. There are a lot of different ceremonies and presentations that take place as well as recognition given to those individuals who have earned the honor to be noted in front of all the lodges from the district for their accomplishment. While in an odd turn of events there weren’t any brothers in attendance to be recognized for their long masonic service (we have a number of 25, 50, 60, and 65 year members this year as well as a 70 year member), many of the newer brethren were present.

This group included two brothers who have met the requirements for the Master Builder Award. Having received this honor myself, I know the great sense of accomplishment that comes with this recognition. It continues to be a great mark of achievement for the lodge that we, as the smallest lodge in the district by membership, have nearly twice as many Master Builder Award recipients than the rest of the district combined. This is a distinction that we continue to pursue thanks to the dedication of our new brothers.

However, the greatest honor of the evening was not one presented to an individual. Toward the end of the meeting, the District Deputy Grand Master addressed the lodge with plaque in hand. The efforts of this lodge were being recognized with the Grand Master’s Award. We are the first lodge in the district to receive this award and, again, it is because of the efforts of the lodge as a whole that this was even a possibility. We may be small but we are active, we are growing, and we are motivated to better ourselves, our lodge, and our fraternity.

With all the honors bestowed throughout the night it would be easy to sit back and enjoy what has been accomplished. However, we are already half way through the year and there is still a lot that needs to be done. We have accomplished a lot but, speaking for myself, I know we can do a lot better and I personally can do a lot more. The foundation is here and now is the time when we have to build. 

Where Did That Come From?

Every week on the calendar slowly builds until you turn the page and see the stated meeting on the first Thursday of the month. That was definitely the case this month as we have been working since the beginning of the year on the program and outreach for First Responders Family Night at the lodge (an excellent program initiated by the Right Worshipful Grand Master). It has been months of calls, emails, meetings and overall coordination to bring this night to fruition. I am glad that the night is behind us but I am also proud of the work that we did to make it happen as everything went as it should (even with the extra 45 minutes added to my commute getting to the lodge) and all those present went on their way happy to have been a part of it.

All told, we had seven departments represented during the open meeting totaling over 235 years of service to the community (keep in mind that one brother served an astounding 70 years). What made the night even more special was the fact that of those men honored, two were members of the lodge, one became a member that night by way of transfer, and one approached me beforehand looking to transfer in. That is a pretty special honor and a tremendous compliment to the lodge that we are being sought out by these men.

Personally, I noticed a change in myself during the meeting as was later confirmed by one of the more senior brothers in the lodge when he stated that something must have changed because he could hear everything that was said throughout the evening. For the first time since I took office back in December, my voice was absent of any hesitance and I was presenting in such a way that commanded attention. I found my Masonic confidence. It wasn’t a conscious decision on my part it was just something that seemed to come out. Hopefully it came out in the right way although it seemed to have as the reviews were positive beyond the aforementioned volume aspect.

So it seems that last night was a turning point both for me but the same seemed to hold true for the lodge as well. We have been seeing a gradual increase in interest over the past few months, maybe even the past year, and now things seem to be accelerating into summer. And while we usually have a two month respite during the depth of the heat laden months, I hope that we remain busy, continue to pique people’s interest, and head into the fall with a group of brothers and candidates eager to get involved and contribute to the great work being done in and by the lodge, our lodge, my lodge.

The Shoe Is Back

You can have your travel shoes... we'll take the traveling shoe. 

As I mentioned last week, it is that time of year again when many of us from Ardmore descended upon another lodge in the district. For me, I have attended this particular visitation in Conshohocken every year since becoming a mason. It has been an interesting trifecta of meetings with something different at each and every one.

The first year that I attended I was one of only a handful from my lodge sitting in the room. In fact, all of us in attendance from my lodge had only been masons for a couple of months at the time. We all wanted to be there and we were all striving to meet the requirements early on for the Master Builder Award. Someone had to stand up and represent the lodge so I found myself standing and speaking for the first time at a lodge meeting.

Last year was completely different. By then I was serving as secretary and had spent the previous few weeks making calls and trying to get as many brothers to attend as possible. For the second year in a row there was a reward at stake but this time it was far more important… this time we were all coming together to support and represent our lodge. By the time we left we had the traveling shoe in hand and the points in the books for the Grand Master’s Award.

This year we are doing all that we can to repeat our previous performance. Unfortunately, I don’t have the same amount of time that I did previously to be on the phone for a couple hours each day but we were all still able to come together. And it was a truly representative mix of brothers from the lodge as there were masons who had only been raised a few months ago and another who was celebrating 66 years of masonic service this month. Officers and non-officers alike were in attendance, working together, and walking out with the shoe as a lodge and with the much need points to possibly repeat in receiving the Grand Master’s Award this year.

It was also interesting this year compared to others in that there was more of a celebratory atmosphere in the lodge room last night. These official visitations can sometimes be a little rigid but this time around all the officers were very familiar with one another and have come to exemplify brotherhood. This allowed for a more relaxed but also more personal experience that brought in all the brothers in attendance as an inclusive peek into the close comradery that exists among worshipful masters in the district.

It was a perfect example of the fact that no two meetings are exactly the same and while lodges may be close in geography it can be a completely different experience in both. This is what really keeps me coming back and looking forward to attending meetings at different lodges. We all have our differences as individuals and as lodges but we are all part of one fraternity, a unified brotherhood. Some of us now just have an extra shoe.

While In Pittsburgh…

Photo taken after riding up the Duquesne Incline. 

As the black clouds overtook the blue and gray in the sky yesterday, I knew there was a good chance that fellowship was going to be cancelled for this week. The power outages and tornado warnings were already circulating as I got in the car after work. After a few minutes on the road, the texts and calls began vibrating my phone out of the holster. Just as I had thought, the weather was not going to permit us to meet for the night.

With that said, there was still a lot that happened this past week. As I previously mentioned, my wife and I made the trip across the Commonwealth this past weekend so that I would be able to attend the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. It was a perfect excuse for a short family trip and it was a great way to spend Father’s Day weekend.

While I have attended many quarterly communications in the past (I believe I have been to all of them since being raised in April of 2013), this one had the most brothers from my lodge in attendance and for good reason. Erie was an interesting (and long) adventure last summer but this meeting was a little different and one that I wanted to be sure to attend. This meeting was an opportunity for me to watch a couple of my fellow brothers and my lodge to be honored by the Right Worshipful Grand Master.

We may be a small lodge but we have certainly accomplished a lot over the past year and the meeting in Pittsburgh was a perfect way to acknowledge the work that we all had done the previous year. Not just the leadership and officers of the lodge but each and every member regardless of how long they have been in the fraternity. After all, the success of the lodge is dependent upon not just those in leadership roles but also those who have decades of knowledge and experience as well as new brothers determined to get involved (as those who received their Master Builder Award this weekend have). While the Worshipful Master may have been the one accepting the Grand Master’s Award, it was an honor bestowed upon the lodge not any brother in particular.

Grand Master presenting the Master Builder Award to new brothers...
not a great photo but this was the best I could do from my seat. 

While I am proud to be a mason always and especially at these meetings, I sat a little taller on Saturday as I heard the name of my lodge repeated several times throughout the morning. We have several brothers who have been presented with the Master Builder Award, the lodge has received the Grand Master’s Award, and we all came together to take back the shoe earlier this month. We have been busy so far and we still have a long way to go. Thankfully, we are all pulling in the same direction.

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.  

Quarterly Debriefing

This past weekend a few of the brothers from the lodge made their way across the commonwealth to attend the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. While I have attended this meeting the past two years and I was considering making a day trip to Pittsburgh, I simply did not have the time to attend. These meeting are always an interesting gathering of brothers from around the commonwealth and I enjoy reconnecting with many of them whom I have gotten to know a little during previous meetings. However, the real motivation which made the decision of whether to attend rather difficult was that, for the second year in a row, our lodge was being recognized with the Grand Master’s Award.

There have undoubtedly been a few obstacles over the past few years and moments when quite a few of us have questioned whether we could continue but we have always pulled together and pushed through those barriers. And that is the real reason why we have been able to achieve such recognition recently. Not only have we been surrounded with brothers of great tenacity but, more importantly, we have brothers in the lodge that can clearly see what the end goal is and what we need to do, or fix, to reach that goal. Thankfully, this seems to be a common thread among many of the brothers that have joined our lodge over the past few years as well… a few of which have already become tremendous leaders in our small part of the fraternity.   

Having now been recognized with two award there is no doubt that the lodge has undergone a drastic change over the past few years and now we have set a new precedent for ourselves to continue the progress that we have made during this rather short period of time. The truly exciting aspect of this is that we have the leadership and new members that not just make that a possibility but a probability. I am not going to predict another Grand Master’s Award for this year but there will definitely be at least one more presentation made in the near future. After all, we have already accomplished a great deal and seeing the brothers continuing to invest in the lodge and in one another makes this almost a sure thing.

But, as was the case in the past, awards are not our point of focus. Education, fellowship, participation, and leadership are what will bring about the change that we all hope to achieve. If we can focus on these four foundation principles while maintaining our motivation there is nothing that will stop us from making our lodge the jewel of the district and one of the leaders in our jurisdiction. Do this and the rewards will be a natural result of our transformation.  

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.

A More Complicated Petition

Well, it should be no surprise to anyone who read my post yesterday that I didn’t make it to the lode last night as I was recovering from my second serious car accident in the past ten days. However, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been working on a few things for the lodge. In fact, I have been working on a rather interesting petition as of late that has been an ongoing project since the last stated meeting. While most petitions are pretty straightforward, this one in particular has had a number of details that have made it a great learning process both for the petitioner and also for me.

The situation is rather simple in that the candidate already petitioned another lodge which presented said petition at their last stated meeting. Following dinner last month at my lodge, he expressed a desire to join our lodge which is more convenient for a multitude of reasons. Following that meeting and after confirming his intentions, I circled back with the original lodge in possession of his petition. This is when things really got interesting as having not found myself in this position previously, I made sure to copy both District Deputy Grand Masters. After all, I always want to make sure that decisions such as this are by the book and as transparent as possible.  

Fast forward and I now find myself in a friendly back and forth trying to confirm many of the details of the process and double checking the conclusions with both my District Deputy Grand Master and the petitioner. It has been a process to say the least but it has also been a great learning experience and we will have a solution to the situation in short order now that the broad strokes have been taken care of. However, the most important thing that I have made sure not to lose sight of is the simple fact that a good man has shown a desire to become a mason.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter where he receives his degrees (although I have my preferences), the important things is that the fraternity is gaining a solid member. Too often lodges lose sight of this fact and focus on what is best for their lodge. While the betterment of your home lodge is hugely important, we can all agree on that fact, the growth of our fraternity, of Freemasonry as a whole, needs to take precedence. We have to keep in mind what is best for the brotherhood and for the man who desires to become a brother. If we do right by these two, things have a way of coming back to us both as a lodge and as a mason. We must do what is right.

Productive Day At The Lodge

For the first time in a few weeks, I got up early this morning for a Saturday full of activity. While I had plans to run a few errands as well, by the time I left the lodge in the early onset of evening I had already gotten plenty of things done. While only a few of us showed up to the lodge cleaning event (this was largely due to my forgetting to send a slew of emails prior) the few of us there took care of the essential tasks that have been put off for months.

In addition to the work that needed to be done, it was also a time of exploring the lodge, planning for the next few months, and just enjoying the company and fellowship. Even though we see one another most months, it is a different experience spending some time with one another without having to prepare for a meeting. It was also an interesting time looking into the corners of the building that we seldom see and discovering a few long lost documents and artifacts from the history of the lodge including old lodge bylaws (my salary hasn’t gone up much in the last 90 years) and a collection of thirty year old glasses from throughout the district.

However, the most productive part of the day was in the conversations I had with handful of brothers that helped us achieve at least some of our weekend goal. I was able, in preparation for the anticipated changes coming early next year, talk with my mentee about becoming my assistant. I am incredibly proud of the progress that he has made in such a short period of time and I know that he will be able to step in at a meeting if I need him too.

The other conversation of note was with a brother who happens to also be a realtor. While during meeting nights business isn’t really discussed beyond how things are going in a general conversation, I try my best to take note of a brother’s occupation just in case. He happened to show up at the lodge today to help with the cleaning so I thought it was the perfect time to discuss some real estate questions and I am so glad that I did as it looks like our dreams might actually be within reach for the spring. There could be one more big change on the horizon.

While we all gathered to do our part to improve our lodge we all seemed to get much more out of the day than we were expecting. We found a new officer for next year, new business, and a future that seems to be a little bit brighter and cleaner than when I got out of bed this morning. While it would have been nice to have more brothers join us, I can’t really complain about the great day that has now come to an end.

One Keurig At A Time

Lately there have been a lot of things that we have looked to move around at the lodge. Some are simply plans that we hope to follow through on in the future while other projects are well underway and will hopefully be completed by the end of the year. Of course, one space where a lot of moving around needs to be done is in the office… this is something that falls under both the former and, time permitting, will soon be a part of the latter. Frankly, I am not concerned with the space itself, although there have been talks regarding the moving of the office itself, it is more of a matter of all the stuff that has accumulated in that half of the basement.

Know in the middle of my own packing and sifting at home, I am really not looking forward to the monumental undertaking that will be required at the lodge. It really isn’t about how much stuff that needs to be moved as the room isn’t all that big. It all comes down to the fact that we have to go through each and every item, ever sheet of paper, and basically get approval to dispose of all the items that are unnecessary. At least at home I can, for the most part, take care of this pretty quickly as I know almost immediately what stays and what goes… the lodge is another story altogether.

I guess a bonus for my own move is the fact that there are a number of things that we have either replaced, plan to replace, or simply don’t need any more at the new house. While many of these things have been donated over the last couple of months (primarily shoes and clothes) there are a few other items that I am happy to donate to the lodge and some of the brethren. I always enjoy this part because it is a means for me to bring a little comfort to the lodge for all of us that use the space. While computers are completely practical and do a lot to accomplish this, having a Keurig in the new kitchen should be that little extra for some of us that makes it that much more comfortable.

I am sure that there are other things that would be beneficial to the lodge (there are definitely more important and pressing needs) but sometimes it is nice to satisfy that need for creature comforts. After all, we want the brethren to feel comfortable in the space. We want our families to feel comfortable in the space. And we want all of our guests to feel welcomed in our space. The lodge consists of the men who are members of the community with a common meeting place, the building is not just a home for those brethren but also a part of the community as a whole. By providing a welcoming lodge, we support a welcoming community.

Masonic Groundhog Day?

Many of the brothers with whom I speak on a regular basis see that there is a repetition at the lodge every month. When I look at my monthly duties I sometimes find myself using that poor choice of words. This usually happens when I am putting together the initial outlines for the notices or minutes and sometimes when I am filling in the ledger or stuffing envelopes. However, that misguided feeling is fleeting.

While I can see why those words are chosen, I tend to disagree with that Groundhog Day assertion and look at the same month over month consistency as the rhythm of the lodge. There are enough things that happen in our lives that come seemingly out of the blue, the same can be said of the lodge as well, that it is rather relaxing to have this annual pattern in place. Each month offers something a little different. Sometimes those differences are obvious while other times you really have to slow down and look at the details.

And that is sometimes what we have to do and what we should do every month… we need to slow down, look at the details, and enjoy the moments that we have together as brothers. Things are constantly changing around us and the slow progress can easily go unnoticed if we keep running through things as fast as we can and assume that every day, month, year is simply just another appearance by Phil. But, even if things stayed the same, it doesn’t mean that we should settle and go through the motions.

There are boundless opportunities for all brothers to enjoy different events, appendant bodies, or simply other lodges. When is the last time you visited another lodge in your district? Jurisdiction? Another state? Another country? And I don’t know about those reading this post but there are a hundred thousand masons in Pennsylvania alone and I certainly haven’t met all of them. I have met a lot of brothers since being raised but certainly not that many.

However, the main thing is that there are some brothers who get into a routine of simply showing up or not showing up. Don’t get me wrong, if you just want to be at the lodge and enjoy the fellowship that is fine but there are many such brothers that see the lodge as unmoving and sometimes stuck in a rut. Honestly, that thought crosses all of our minds at one point or another and I felt the same way at times before I decided to make a personal change and get involved.

That is what it takes. We should have a passion for our fraternity and enjoy our times of fellowship. No mason should feel unwelcomed and no one should be afraid to speak their mind or introduce something new to their fellow brothers. We learn from one another and this is the constant that I seek every month at the lodge. Know your brother as thy self; know your lodge as thy home. This is how we combat that sense of repetitiveness.

Perfect Weather For An Open House

Yes, I know, this is an old stock photo. I keep forgetting to take a picture.

Friday night, just like I did on Thursday evening, I headed over to the lodge as soon as my work day came to an end. It was a much more relaxed drive as I didn’t feel as though I had to rush to make before any given time. Despite our big clean out having yet to happen, it was Open House time when we swung the doors open, put and Alex’s Lemonade Stand on the corner, and chatted with every person with whom we crossed paths. This is the first time that I have done this with the lodge and it was a great experience socializing with the brethren and those from the community, greeting new petitioners, and generally getting to know each person a little bit better.

Of course, during the slow moments during the night I was able to get a few things done and discuss a few potential projects with the Worshipful Master. Might as well, we had the time and it saved us from having to circle up over the weekend. Every now and again, a few new faces would round the corner with a few old faces sporadically walking up the front steps as well. We gave a few tours, accommodating everyone that asked to see the building, and made sure to promote the two businesses in the basement owned by brothers from the lodge.

Up on the corner where better foot traffic prevailed, a few other brothers (of various experience and degrees) ran an Alex’s Lemonade Stand. While the weather was beautiful with calm and cool temperatures and a bright blue sky slowly fading to star speckled black, there wasn’t much of a crowd out on the streets of Ardmore that night. Maybe we were too early, maybe we were too late, maybe the fact that it was the last day of school had something to do with it. Regardless of the crowd, or lack thereof, it was a great night for us all to get out, open the lodge up, and bond as brothers.   
Of course, the night would have been a little nicer had we raised more than $200 selling lemonade. However, we do have the opportunity to rewrite memory. Our generosity does not have to be confined to one evening selling lemonade along Lancaster Avenue as there are still a couple of ways that we can contribute to the cause. You can visit the lodge’s Alex’s Lemonade Stand event webpage and contribute by clicking the donate button near the top right of the page. The other option available for those who would like to contribute is to text “Lemonade E1113739” to 85944 (this will be recorded as a $10 charge and will be listed on your bill from your wireless carrier). Obviously, please feel free to share this information with any friends or family that would like to donate.

So, that was my exciting Friday night at the lodge. While it was slow this first time around I am sure that we will improve upon this experience in the fall when we will, once again, open up the lodge doors and welcome you all to the lodge. I hope to see you this fall!

Hold On A Masonic Minute

So this week I officially began taking over some of the duties of the Secretary position at my lodge. Many of the brothers think I am a little nutty for my willingness to take on such a responsibility but I couldn’t be happier with my decision. While many of the younger members of the lodge are focused on making their way through the chairs there was really only one chair that I have found myself motivated to pursue and now I am getting the opportunity.

Many have approached me, especially those visiting during our stated and extra meetings, that the secretary is the one that really runs the lodge. This is both an exciting and daunting proposition moving forward. However it was not and still isn’t what motivates me to take on such a task but it got me thinking this week (actually the past several weeks) about the reasons why I have been so eager to take this position and after much thought I came to a couple of conclusions.

The real reasons for my excitement for the position is that I am eager to get involved and help in any way that I can and I feel that by taking on such an esteemed position I can do so not only now but throughout my time in the brotherhood. I have always been a proponent of putting forth all the effort you possibly can rather than just showing up for meetings every month. Work makes me happy and this certainly will bring a lot of happiness.

While that mentality has served me well in many of my endeavors there is another aspect of this position that was undeniably appealing to me. As secretary, I am going to be a part of the history of the lodge and part of countless family histories of my fellow brothers. It is my hand which will sign dues cards, update membership rolls, keep the minutes, sign Masonic Bibles, and contact the Grand Lodge. Being a part of that history is what pushes me to do the best job that I can do to ensure the continuity of the lodge and bridge the generations.

Knowing that in the future someone may be doing the same kind of genealogical research on their family that I have done on mine and find records that I was responsible for is an amazing feeling. Sometimes the best way to be remembered is by ensuring nothing is forgotten. That is a feeling that has only become stronger over time and one that I am sure will continue to motivate me even during those nights that I have to sacrifice in order to get the job done.

Memory is the greatest gift we have and being the keeper of memories as well as the record keeper for my family’s Masonic lodge is an honor that is hard to truly comprehend so early on. But, to say the least, it is a humbling honor that I am proud to accept. This is the real motivation in taking this position and this is just one of the ways that Freemasonry has made this man a better man.