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Junior Steward

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Topic: Junior Steward
Posted By: NewToLight84
Subject: Junior Steward
Date Posted: November/12/2014 at 9:33pm
Received a very random phone call from our future WM and he told me he would like for me to be his Junior Steward...I'm excited to start actually being apart of more at my Lodge.

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"Be careful how you live. You may be the only Mason some people will ever meet." -unknown



Replies:
Posted By: BroScubaSteve
Date Posted: November/12/2014 at 9:41pm
congratz. I'm moving from Marshal to Senior steward in two months.

Myself and the other steward to be are already planning out the meals.


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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


Posted By: edwmax
Date Posted: November/13/2014 at 4:08am
Be sure to learn the real duties of the Stewards.   It's more than the definitions as stated in the ritual.     "Stewards are the keepers of the House"     ... Stewards are the same as the 'Head Butler' & maître d' who runs the Master's house.   The Junior Warden is your supervisor.

  • to see the Lodge is clean and in order
  • greet visitors at the door and introduce them to the SD so he tend to their examination
  • see to the needs of Brethren & especially visitors (at the Lodge)
  • see that the dining area is setup & in order for meals 
  • see the general kitchen and Lodge supplies (trash bags, paper towels, toilet paper, .. ect) are on hand
  • the kitchen staff should be a separate crew, ... but ???
This doesn't mean you have to do all the work, coordinate & supervise volunteers or paid help. The EAs are you ready pool of helpers ... Use them.  This will keep them involve while learning their catechisms.



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"He who would assume to govern others must first learn to govern himself."





Thomasville 369


Posted By: WBScott
Date Posted: November/13/2014 at 5:20am
Congratulations as you now begin your travels through the advancing line. 

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Wentzville (MO) Lodge #46 - PM
Pride of the West (MO) Lodge #179 - PM (twice)
Pauldingville (MO) Lodge #11 - Secretary
Warrenton (MO) Lodge #609 - Secretary
Past DDGM - 25th Masonic District


Posted By: jdeal
Date Posted: November/13/2014 at 5:55am
I myself received a call to advance from Tyler to JS congrats brother.

Aliot of duties to be handled. I recall being put to work as a EA in the kitchen we'll clean up that is.


Posted By: WBScott
Date Posted: November/13/2014 at 4:29pm
Originally posted by edwmax edwmax wrote:

Be sure to learn the real duties of the Stewards.

This is actually the most important statement of all. The duties of the Stewards vary from one jurisdiction to another, so before you take off on a tangent, make sure you know how to do your job according to your jurisdiction.

However...

I am sure that the Junior Warden and other members of your lodge would certainly not turn down any help you would like to offer in keeping the the lodge in order even if it is not a part of your "official" duties.


-------------
Wentzville (MO) Lodge #46 - PM
Pride of the West (MO) Lodge #179 - PM (twice)
Pauldingville (MO) Lodge #11 - Secretary
Warrenton (MO) Lodge #609 - Secretary
Past DDGM - 25th Masonic District


Posted By: edwmax
Date Posted: November/14/2014 at 5:25am
Originally posted by WBScott WBScott wrote:

Originally posted by edwmax edwmax wrote:

Be sure to learn the real duties of the Stewards.

This is actually the most important statement of all. The duties of the Stewards vary from one jurisdiction to another, so before you take off on a tangent, make sure you know how to do your job according to your jurisdiction.

However...

I am sure that the Junior Warden and other members of your lodge would certainly not turn down any help you would like to offer in keeping the the lodge in order even if it is not a part of your "official" duties.


The duties that I listed above are the inherent duties of any Steward.   It is the start for a Mason to learn how to manage the Lodge and its budget/expenses.   ... But, in many Lodges the Stewards just warms a chair and copes the Holy Altar during the opening and closing while other duties are handled by volunteers and committees.   This has become so in-grained with most Lodges that Stewards don't know these were his duties too.

I'm not suggesting a new Steward should start telling the Lodge they've been doing things wrong.   But, simply take a more active roll in the supervising/assisting the volunteers.    If nothing else, at least greet ALL visitors when they enter the Lodge (before Lodge) and introduce them to the SD & WM.     Then appreciate the fact the Lodge is taking care of your other duties while you warm a chair during the year.


-------------
"He who would assume to govern others must first learn to govern himself."





Thomasville 369


Posted By: BroScubaSteve
Date Posted: November/14/2014 at 7:20am
Originally posted by edwmax edwmax wrote:

Be sure to learn the real duties of the Stewards.   It's more than the definitions as stated in the ritual.     "Stewards are the keepers of the House"     ... Stewards are the same as the 'Head Butler' & maître d' who runs the Master's house.   The Junior Warden is your supervisor.

  • to see the Lodge is clean and in order
  • greet visitors at the door and introduce them to the SD so he tend to their examination
  • see to the needs of Brethren & especially visitors (at the Lodge)
  • see that the dining area is setup & in order for meals 
  • see the general kitchen and Lodge supplies (trash bags, paper towels, toilet paper, .. ect) are on hand
  • the kitchen staff should be a separate crew, ... but ???
This doesn't mean you have to do all the work, coordinate & supervise volunteers or paid help. The EAs are you ready pool of helpers ... Use them.  This will keep them involve while learning their catechisms.

We adhere to this list to a degree.

We are under the charge of the JW and we do his refreshment duties before the meetings.

We are trying to get a list of duties for every officer for next year to help out with keeping the place clean because it is too much for two people. Let alone one if a steward can't make a meeting. I am the Marshal this year and I find myself cleaning up after sloppy Brethren. If you can walk ten feet to put your dirty dessert paper plate on the serving table, you should be able to walk another two to find the garbage. You can tell who's wife does the legwork at home. I'm not their wife lol


-------------
Initiated 4-22-13
Passed 5-29-13
Raised 6-27-13

Junior Deacon
F&AM GLNJ
32°AASR NMJ, Southern Valley of NJ


Posted By: edwmax
Date Posted: November/14/2014 at 8:37am
Originally posted by BroScubaSteve BroScubaSteve wrote:

  ...

We are trying to get a list of duties for every officer for next year to help out with keeping the place clean because it is too much for two people. Let alone one if a steward can't make a meeting.  ...
 

This shouldn't be difficult.    The question is 'does your Lodge use volunteers or paid help?' and does the Lodge have a budget for this actives.    The JW or Stewards should ask for volunteers and coordinate them for the different tasks.    The JW,  'superintends the Craft at refreshment', so all Lodge maintenance actives are (or should be) under his supervision.    The Stewards reports to the JW.   The JW collects the bills, approves them as being within budget and turns them over to the Secretary to be paid.

One of my Lodges pays a member to vacuum clean the Lodge & mop the dinning area and another member to cut the grass each month.    On 3 or 4 workdays over the last 2 months the exterior of the Lodge was pressure washed and wood trim painted by volunteers.

... As far as your problem of dirty plates,  ... at the beginning of the meal, point out the trash cans; ask everyone to place their dirty empties in there; and NOT ON the table with the clean food.    ...


-------------
"He who would assume to govern others must first learn to govern himself."





Thomasville 369


Posted By: NewToLight84
Date Posted: November/15/2014 at 6:10pm
Thank you Brothers for all the replies! I am a member of a very humble Lodge and everytime I ever asked to help the Stewards they always replied with "thank you Brother but we've got it it our job" again thank you for all the replies.

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"Be careful how you live. You may be the only Mason some people will ever meet." -unknown



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