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ideas that work:
FROM THE FIELD
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From the Field... -
March 2009
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Youth Night
Hold a Masonic youth group dinner where the lodge
officers serve as cooks, waiters and bus the tables.
Membership
Include in your lodge newsletter a return postcard asking
each member to write the name of one person who should become a Mason and
drop it in the mail. It won't cost members anything to mail if you place a
stamp on the card. Then, vote on the submitted names using the form for
Recommendation of a Candidate, which can be found at
www.glne.org/pdf/RecPet.pdf.
Attendance of Younger Members
Increase the attendance of younger members by asking
Masonic youth groups to offer childcare during lodge meetings.
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From the Field... -
October 2008
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Tribute to Veterans
Hold a Veterans Recognition Banquet for Veterans Day on
Nov. 11. Consider getting theshortened version of The Vacant Chair Ceremony
from the Grand Lodge Office and invite your brothers and the public to
attend.
Masonic Jeopardy
Hold a Masonic Jeopardy game before or after your lodge
meeting. The Masonic Education Committee has developed several versions of
this popular TV game show. Or, make up your own categories and answers. It
would be a great way to learn more about our fraternity.
Newsletter
Newsletters are proven as an effective way to inform
members about upcoming activities. And, a newsletter doesn’t have to be hard
to produce. Send it by e-mail, which makes it easy to prepare and mail. See
the section on Communication in the Lodge Leadership Manual or the mention
on http://lodgeleaders09.com Web
site for easy ways to put a lodge newsletter together.
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From the Field... -
August 2008
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Table Lodge
Hold a Table Lodge for members and area lodges. Present a
short program, but mainly focus on camaraderie. Order the ceremony from the
Grand Lodge for $1.25. Go to:
http://www.glne.org/ReportSupplyForm.aspx
Fundraiser
Use your lodge parking lot or rent a lot to sell
fireworks for Independence Day. Also sell hot dogs and soda.
Open House
Invite your community to an open house in your lodge.
Provide food and soda. Extend a special invitation to targeted audiences,
such as law enforcement and firefighters. Give a tour of your lodge and
explain the basic tenets of our fraternity. Also describe any other
Masonic-related organizations that meet in your building.
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From the Field...
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June 2008
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Youth Night
Hold a
Masonic youth group dinner where the lodge officers serve as cooks, waiters
and bus the tables.
Membership
Include
in your lodge newsletter a return postcard asking each member to write the
name of one person who should become a Mason and drop it in the mail. It
won’t cost members anything to mail if you place a stamp on the card. Then,
vote on the submitted names using the form for Recommendation of a
Candidate, which can be found at:
http://www.glne.org/fileDownload.aspx and go to
Forms-Membership Petitions and Applications.
Attendance of Younger Members
Increase the attendance of younger members by asking Masonic youth groups to
offer child-care during lodge meetings.
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From the Field - New Format
for Education... -
June 2008
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By
W.B. Bill Coker
Worshipful Master, Beatrice No. 26
When I became Master in Beatrice this year, I made it my
goal to ensure the guys were thoroughly schooled in Masonic history or
education, to give them a MUCH deeper understanding and appreciation of our
fraternity, in the hopes to stem the attrition which has plagued every
Masonic lodge in recent years.
I assigned the task of Masonic education to a Past Master, who has a very
deep understanding of Masonic history.
At the beginning of each regular business meeting, he
plays the part of Grand Master Hiram Abif, enters the lodge and conducts a
newer member around the room while lecturing him about the reasons why
certain scriptures are read during circumambulation, and other topics, which
normally are never provided during the degrees or the lectures.
To my amazement, our lodge members greeted these history
lessons very positively, with rounds of applause after each lesson.
This new format sure beats the standard bills and
warrants format.
We found this a good way to spice
up regular business meetings as well as help the newer members.
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From the Field - Masonic
Youth Night... -
June 2008
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By
W.B. Keith Neisler
Worshipful Master,
Omaha
No. 1
On March 3rd, Nebraska Lodge No. 1 hosted
“Youth Night” for our monthly business meeting. The idea behind this was to
expose and educate the brethren and their spouses about the Masonic youth
groups that we are fortunate to have in Nebraska.
We began the evening with a dinner and dessert box
auction served by Westside Assembly No. 22, International Order of Rainbow
for Girls, which meets in our building. The brothers bid on the dessert and
then had dinner with the young lady. It allowed the lodge to get to know the
girls of the Assembly. The proceeds of the auction totaled over $700 and
went to offset the cost of the girls to go to Supreme Assembly in
Chicago
in July.
Following dinner, we had a short business meeting, and I
must emphasize short. Although the meeting was brief, much was
accomplished in 30 to 40 minutes, including a Masonic education moment,
which was presented by M.W. Phil Lorenzen.
After the meeting, the spouses and other guests joined
our lodge for a special presentation by the youth groups. Betty Garwood,
Supreme Deputy of Rainbow; Mike Stuhr, Executive Officer of Nebraska DeMolay
and Kim Reid, Guardian of Job’s Bethel No. 1 gave a presentation of each
group. However, the best part of the program was to see each of the bodies
present a portion of their ritual. The ladies of Job’s Bethel No. 1
presented the Living Cross, DeMolay State Senior Councilor Ryan Grazier gave
the Ceremony of Light lecture and Past Worthy Advisor of Westside Assembly
No. 22 Caryn Stuhr (currently the Grand Worthy Advisor of Rainbow) presented
the Rose Lecture. Those in attendance enjoyed a great evening and came away
with the assurance that the next generation of the Masonic family is in good
hands.
I know some will ask how many people would come to a
program like this on a lodge business meeting night? The answer is 65. I
know this included spouses and people from other lodges, but the idea that
so many people came to celebrate the youth in the Masonic family is very
encouraging for each of the youth organizations, but also shows that strong
connection between Masons and the youth is essential for the continued
relevance of the fraternity in this state. Additionally, each person came
away with a better understanding of the Masonic youth organizations.
Since this has taken place, several lodges around the
state have contacted our lodge so that they may do a similar event in their
area.
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From the Field... -
May 2008
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Open Up Your Lodge
Open the lodge after community celebrations and serve
free refreshments. It’s a great way to introduce the fraternity to your
community.
Visit
Other Lodges
Form a traveling team and go on monthly visitations
to other lodges. The experience builds camaraderie in your lodge and
friendships in other towns.
Area Degree Teams
Get three area lodges to agree to each form a degree
team and perform ritual work in each other’s lodge.
School Activities
Check the interests of your members, make contact
with local high school and get members involved in working with school
clubs (FBLA, FFA, National Honor Society, etc.).
Recruit Help with Ritual
Each month recognize the anniversary of
members raised that month. Invite them back to lodge and introduce them.
Ask them to comment on their raising, update on the latest happenings in
their life, etc.
Parades
Build a lodge float for local parades, such as the
July 4th and County Fair parades. It’s a great way to introduce
Freemasonry to your community.
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Ideas from Lodges... -
April 2008
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Scholarships
for Piano Lessons
Pomegranate Lodge No. 110 in
Ashland
has teamed up with Matthews Eastern Star Chapter No. 242 to offer local
children $100 scholarships to take piano lessons. Applicants complete
forms to provide information to help the scholarship committee choose
which students get the awards. Payment is mailed directly to the child's
piano teacher. One of the questions on the form is the name of a
relative or friend who is a member of either Masonic body. Each
recipient receives an award certificate and brochures about Masonry and
Eastern Star. Plans are to present the scholarships at recitals. If the
student doesn’t practice it’s a “deal killer,” the information states.
Information is attached.
Solomon’s
Building Permit
Geneva Lodge members were treated to a humorous play
written by Master Jeff Andrews and his father, Alfred. The two portrayed
King Solomon and Hiram Abiff in a discussion of the legal requirements
that must be met before they can begin construction of the
Temple. You could present the play before, during
or after a meeting. A copy of the play is attached.
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From the Field... -
April 2008
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Card Tournaments
Hold community bridge, cribbage, pitch or other card tournaments to
raise funds, such as scholarships. Publicize it to get the community
involved. Post winning teams in the community paper every month for free
publicity. Play monthly rounds from September thru April.
Fundraiser
Talk to local school officials so members can sell concessions at home
high school ball games.
Masonic Education
Hold a One Book, One Lodge activity. Select a book for all members to
read and then discuss it at or after meetings.
Public Relations
Invite several groups from the area (church, Boy Scouts, Masonic youth,
Knights of Columbus, etc.) to an activity (such as a boat ride on the
river). Hold a light dinner (sandwiches, chips, beverages) afterwards.
The lodge pays for everything, but donations are also accepted. It’s a
good way to raise awareness in the community and to get newspaper
coverage.
Recruit Help with Ritual
Seek the help from
area lodges when members from your own lodge can’t attend degree work.
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From the Field...
- March 2008 |
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Youth Sports
Tournaments
Osceola Lodge
No. 65 hosts a softball tournament for girls ages 12 & younger, and a
basketball tournament for kids. The events each raise about $3,000, which is
used to fund community projects. Osceola Lodge has purchased and built a
backstop, and they’ve purchased uniforms and made donations to several local
projects. In addition, the money raised pays for scholastic and Masonic
All-Star Marching Band scholarships. Best of all, the two tournaments
involve members in activities outside the lodge. Older members take the
tickets and operate the concession stands, while younger members take care
of the field or umpire, which increases their commitment and involvement in
lodge.
Fellowship Over Coffee
To promote fellowship among your members, serve coffee
and donuts at your lodge on Saturday mornings, or meet where donuts are
served.
Fellowship After
Meetings
Tabula Rasa Lodge No. 332 in Lincoln
follows the English tradition of holding a Festive Board, or fine dinner,
after meetings. Pick a location for your lodge to go out together and have a
good meal after a meeting. Eat in a separate room, if possible, and keep the
discussion on Masonic topics. Consider holding Festive Boards once a year,
once a quarter or after every meeting.
Expediting
Meetings
A number of lodges around the state print their lodge’s
minutes, bills and treasurer’s report and make them available for members to
pick up as they enter the lodge room. This gives members time to review the
information before the meeting starts, thus saving time by eliminating the
need to have them read during the meeting. Your members will appreciate the
time saved in the meeting.
Recruiting
Members
North Bend Lodge No. 119 holds a
steak fry and invites members of the Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, Chamber,
etc. These organizations are a good source for new members. Make it a fun
gathering without pitching membership. Get to know them and later invite
them to join.
Bikes for Books
Cotner Lodge No. 297 worked with an elementary school to encourage students
to read more. Teachers selected books for students to read at each grade
level. Every week, students and their parents filled out slips of paper with
the amount of time they read at home. At the end of the reading program,
four names were drawn to receive a gift certificate for a bicycle provided
by Cotner Lodge. The school saw a 26 percent increase in reading
improvement.
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From the Field... -
February 2008
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Rusty Nail Degree
Many members
will never show up at your lodge out of fear of becoming embarrassed
because they don’t remember what they must do to enter a meeting. The
Rusty Nail Degree educates them about the steps, due guards, signs,
grips, and words of the degrees. This “degree” requires only a few men
to perform it and can be completed in about 35 minutes. An informal
version could be combined with a Saturday morning coffee. Individually
contact non-active members to attend, and offer to pick them up. If held
before a meeting, serve a dinner, perform the degree and urge them to
attend your meeting. The degree is available from the Grand Lodge at:
toll free – 800-558-8029;
Lincoln
– 475-4640; or
 .
BBQ Fundraiser
Papillion Lodge No. 39 holds an annual BBQ which is
the lodge’s main money maker. Every member receives two tickets in the
mail with a request for payment, and a number of out-of-town brethren
pay for tickets as an opportunity to support the lodge. Awards are also
presented at the BBQ, including band scholarships and service awards to
non-Masons active in Papillion. For more information on the Masonic
Achievement Award and Masonic Community Service Award, go to:
http://glne.org/fileDownload.aspx.
Bottle
Auction Supports Charities
A highly-visible event for the Masonic family in Tekamah is a potluck
dinner and bottle auction held by the Lodge and Eastern Star Chapter.
Attendees wrap a bottle and it is offered for the auction without the
bidders knowing what’s inside the package. It makes for a fun evening.
Proceeds from the auction are given to local food pantries. The event is
open to the public and attendance has increased each year. Its first
year, the auction raised $300, $900 in the second year, and last year
the amount was $1,300.
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