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.
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