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cemab4y
Quarryman Joined: October/31/2007 Location: Fairfax VA Status: Offline Points: 1267 |
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Posted: October/11/2015 at 9:20pm |
I was in a store today. I met a brother mason. He apologized to me for being "only"a master mason. I was astounded to hear this. I talked with him for few mins and I told him he has nothing to apologize for. The MM degree is the "black belt"of masonry.
I gave him a short intro to the Scottish rite. He did not know anything about the sr. should the sr be doing more to inform blue lodge masons about the rite. Edited by cemab4y - October/11/2015 at 9:50pm |
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Charles E. Martin
Alexandria, VA Bowling Green Lodge 73, Bowling Green KY (GL of KY, F&AM) Alexandria VA Scottish Rite Bodies (AASR, Southern Jurisdiction, USA) |
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TakRail
Moderator Joined: November/06/2007 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 1242 |
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In part yes; SR, as well as other bodies, have for to long relied on others to inform others of our presents without any help or interaction from the SR. I'm the Junior Warden of the Knights Rose Croix for my Valley and our officers are working now on setting up a representative in each of the blue lodges where a members that are also members of our Valley. This way they can keep the SR relevant to members and especially to new members joining the blue lodge.
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Initiated - April 27th 2007
Passed - June 13th 2007 Raised - August 8th 2007 AASR 32° - August 10th 2012 Skype: TakRail |
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BigBob
Quarryman Joined: May/10/2011 Location: Jacksonville Status: Offline Points: 930 |
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My Royal Arch district had to cancel our bi-annual festival due to a lack of petitions. I think the side bodies need to be more proactive in recruiting new members, but I think there is more to it than a lack of initiative. No need to go into specifics. Its the same things we've be hashing and re-hashing over and over again for years. At the end of the day, SR, YR and all other side bodies will continue to suffer until we fix the Blue Lodges.
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Ribualt Lodge 272 - SW
Jacksonville 12 R.A.M. - King Hallmark 2 R.S.M. I-09.21.10 P-11.18.10 R-02.15.11 |
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cemab4y
Quarryman Joined: October/31/2007 Location: Fairfax VA Status: Offline Points: 1267 |
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How do you propose a fix? Most masons do not wish make any changes
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Charles E. Martin
Alexandria, VA Bowling Green Lodge 73, Bowling Green KY (GL of KY, F&AM) Alexandria VA Scottish Rite Bodies (AASR, Southern Jurisdiction, USA) |
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BigBob
Quarryman Joined: May/10/2011 Location: Jacksonville Status: Offline Points: 930 |
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As I said brother, it's the same old song and dance. we have beaten this horse to death on this and other forums (most of which are now defunct). The brothers know what's wrong, even if they won't admit it. |
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Ribualt Lodge 272 - SW
Jacksonville 12 R.A.M. - King Hallmark 2 R.S.M. I-09.21.10 P-11.18.10 R-02.15.11 |
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TakRail
Moderator Joined: November/06/2007 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 1242 |
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Honestly, from what I can see, is that the older generation needs to step aside and let the kids (so to speak) step up and do their thing. This could be hard and I know some are going to say that there is very few younger generation members joining and not all of them want to do more and get that involved. Well, the problem did not happen over night and neither will the fix. No, the kids are not going to change things in a manner where the older generation is left behind, but they are going to change things to be relevant to the times. For far to long the older generation has done things a certain way and there is always suggestions from both the older and younger generation on things to change but rarely ever is there a significant change. Here is a great example... Take the "Remembrance and Renewal Ceremony" we are (or at least in my Valley) told we MUST do every year. No one cares really about this. By this I mean the ceremony that is currently put on. The ceremony is well done and nice but ask anyone what they remember as they walk out the door and they will most likely say the names of our departed brothers were read off or the candles were lit then put out. They cannot give any specifics about what went on; nor do they really care. Those that put on the skit put allot of work into remembering the lines and honestly it is for nothing; very few care about it. Then to top off the evening those that do attend are told they are not getting a dinner but can have some figure food snacks before they go home. Look at the attendance; this event is open to all, SR members, Masons in general, family and friends, and even a homeless guy down the road can come watch if he so wishes, and pretty much everyone that shows up brings at least 1 person, usually their wife, with them. However, the total attendance in numbers is much less than regular attendance at meetings and brothers that attend the ceremony have brought someone with them. So basically we get well less than half the brothers attending than if it was a regular stated meeting. This is the same year after year and we are getting less and less to attend. I think it would be much better to do a regular meeting, or no meeting at all like it is now, but instead of the skit ceremony and finger food afterward we should do a full dinner as usual and do the name reading and bell ringing during the dinner. I did wonderful dinners at our blue lodge for remembrance (We called it a Roll-Call Dinner) where is was just a short program with some words before the dinner about why we are there, the dinner, some words afterwards about the reason we were there, reading of the names, and concluding the evening. Many times our small lodge attendance would rival the attendance at the SR event and our membership is much smaller. There is little point in putting on events if we are pushing our brothers away when we can be reeling them in. Let me as you this, and I have asked this in my own officers meetings many times. I'm not sure if your Valley is like ours but we have what we call a picture room where there are many different pictures of general SR nature but also there is a picture of EVERY reunion class for the last 50+ years on the walls. Some of those pictures have a few hundred members in the class while other more recent have 23 (yes just 23). What I ask the officers in our meetings is to take a look at all those reunion class pictures and tell me what every one has in common... the answer... every year it takes less and less photo paper to make that picture. So history, our own history that is right in front of our faces for all to see, is proof that what we are doing is NOT working well and if a change, and I mean major changes, is not made the SR is going to be in serious trouble. |
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Initiated - April 27th 2007
Passed - June 13th 2007 Raised - August 8th 2007 AASR 32° - August 10th 2012 Skype: TakRail |
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cemab4y
Quarryman Joined: October/31/2007 Location: Fairfax VA Status: Offline Points: 1267 |
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Most gls prohibit recruiting. Happily the sr and yr, permit recruiting. I would love for the rites to be more pro active,a nd. Invite all mms to participate.
When I was made a mm in 1982, I received a letter (by postal mail). From the yr. orfice in my state. That was it.No one fro the local yr ever spoke to me. If I had been visited, I might have considered joining the yr. |
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Charles E. Martin
Alexandria, VA Bowling Green Lodge 73, Bowling Green KY (GL of KY, F&AM) Alexandria VA Scottish Rite Bodies (AASR, Southern Jurisdiction, USA) |
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windrider
Quarryman Joined: May/02/2011 Location: NChelmsford, MA Status: Offline Points: 363 |
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I am a member of Scottish Rite and the presiding Master of my lodge. When I was Raised, I was advised by several people I respect to wait at least a year before joining any appendent body. Then I became Senior Steward and had a talk with my mentor. I had assumed that I could be an officer in the lodge and step down whenever I liked. I had seen others do that. I was told that this would not be an option for me and that the line is a training ground that would lead to me becoming Master. I took one look at the over three hundred thousand words of Ritual I would need to memorize and decided I would not join anything else until the day I stepped down from the East. I told my mentor this and he supported the decision despite being the head of our Valley.
In a few months, the Junior Deacon stepped down so I moved up. Next was a year as Senior Deacon with my time being spent one the Middle Chamber Lecture. I was glad to not have anything else on my plate. On through Junior Warden to Senior Warden. On December 20th of last year, while still Senior Warden, I was distributing Christmas presents to some of my brothers. I called the last one on my list for the day and was surprised to hear he was at the local Motel 6. My first thought was family problems but it turned out to be much worse. I arrived at the room with his gift in hand. He opened the door and I saw behind him his wife and eight children in a room with two beds. It seems he had tried to move into a larger apartment and found one. He terminated his lease on his old place which was promptly rented to another family. On moving day, the new landlord called and told him he couldn't move in as he failed the credit check. He and his family were suddenly homeless. As soon as I left the room, I called the presiding Master. He asked me to write an email telling the story and he circulated it. On the 23rd, the brother was presented with checks totaling over $12,000. $9,000 of which came from Scottish Rite. I joined Scottish Rite at the next meeting. If this is what they do for a brother, I wanted to be part of that exemplification of Masonry's highest principals. My 32nd degree is scheduled for November 7th. Just like joining Masonry, my biggest disappointment was waiting so long to join Scottish Rite. |
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Master, Webmaster, Lodge Ambassador
Ancient York Lodge AF&AM Lowell, MA God never sends us anything we can't handle. Sometimes I wish He didn't trust me so much. - Mother Teresa |
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BroScubaSteve
Quarryman Joined: February/25/2013 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 375 |
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I was watching a youtube video on masonic education the other day and something hit home with me. Regardless of what they said about Masonry, there was a common theme. How they met, where they met, the way they used chalk on the floor which evolved into elaborate carpets, etc. There was one common denominator missing all the way up and through the 1950's... Creature comforts at home did not exist in the way and manner that they exist today. Television and now computers//internet. The appendant bodies (and masonry itself) needs to look at the external factors//distractions that keep men from wanting to be a part of their organization and compete directly with them. I would never expect to have tyled meetings on line but maybe we need to consider these bodies providing solid and attractive platforms for people to utilize while they are sitting on the couch recuperating from a hard day's work. I read plenty of masonic forums. It would be nice if my state had a dedicated message board for NJ Masons to communicate with each other on a page designed by my Grand Lodge. An example of an existing lodge in action: There is an internet lodge in the UK operating under the UGLE. It has 3 meetings a year and a private board (meetings do not take place on line though.) Men from the US petition this lodge. Why? I'd like to hear from these men and see what their experience is like. Is it practical? Is it something they regret? do they use the forums and are the forums used by others constantly? If so, how can that aspect of masonry be put in place locally? |
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Initiated 4-22-13
Passed 5-29-13 Raised 6-27-13 Junior Deacon F&AM GLNJ 32°AASR NMJ, Southern Valley of NJ |
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Adept?
Senior Member Joined: August/30/2013 Location: Maine Status: Offline Points: 746 |
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I think this would be a wonderful idea for all states! I'm going to bring this idea to my DDGM.
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"It is humanity that creates god, and men think that god has made them in his image, because they make him in theirs."
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cemab4y
Quarryman Joined: October/31/2007 Location: Fairfax VA Status: Offline Points: 1267 |
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There is a way to set up a discussion board for free. See:
This site will give you a discussion board for free, no obligation.
Many (not all) states have facebook pages.
If your state grand lodge has no objections, I suggest that you set up a board immediately.
(I would rather ask forgiveness than permission).
Your DDGM might even want to set one up for your district.
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Charles E. Martin
Alexandria, VA Bowling Green Lodge 73, Bowling Green KY (GL of KY, F&AM) Alexandria VA Scottish Rite Bodies (AASR, Southern Jurisdiction, USA) |
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cemab4y
Quarryman Joined: October/31/2007 Location: Fairfax VA Status: Offline Points: 1267 |
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Have you contacted your GL, about setting up a facebook page? The Grand Lodge of Virginia has an excellent FB page. The GL of VA also has a twitter account, but it has not yet been used by the GL. (I suspect the GL is holding it in reserve, to ensure that no other GL got the URL, but that is only a guess).
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Charles E. Martin
Alexandria, VA Bowling Green Lodge 73, Bowling Green KY (GL of KY, F&AM) Alexandria VA Scottish Rite Bodies (AASR, Southern Jurisdiction, USA) |
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cemab4y
Quarryman Joined: October/31/2007 Location: Fairfax VA Status: Offline Points: 1267 |
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It is hard to believe, but in this internet age, there are still lodges that do not have an internet presence of any kind! The GL of Ohio had to pass a regulation to FORCE its constituent lodges to set up internet pages.
I am a telecommunications/computer systems engineer, and I feel very strongly about this subject.
The undeniable fact, is that Freemasonry fits the internet like a "hand in glove", and vice versa.
The technology to have tyled meetings on line, already exists. It is only a matter of time before tyled meetings on SKYPE or other such video service, are commonplace.
Here is an excellent article, some of it is a bit dated, but the overall thrust is excellent:
"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans" - Phyllis Diller, comedienne/philosopher
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Charles E. Martin
Alexandria, VA Bowling Green Lodge 73, Bowling Green KY (GL of KY, F&AM) Alexandria VA Scottish Rite Bodies (AASR, Southern Jurisdiction, USA) |
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BroScubaSteve
Quarryman Joined: February/25/2013 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 375 |
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Initiated 4-22-13
Passed 5-29-13 Raised 6-27-13 Junior Deacon F&AM GLNJ 32°AASR NMJ, Southern Valley of NJ |
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Warrior1256
Groupie Joined: September/04/2014 Location: Louisville, Ky Status: Offline Points: 97 |
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Here in Kentucky both AASR and YR are well represented in most lodges. I will be taking my Orders in the YR starting next month. I will also be initiated into the AASR next month. Very much looking forward to both.
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St. Matthews Lodge 906
Suburban Lodge 740 Shively-Lewis-Parkland 951 AASR, Orient of Kentucky, Valley of Louisville King Solomon Chapter 5 Louisville Council 4 North Central York Rite College 116 |
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