It’s About Time! is the report of a task force of the Masonic Information Center to examine how the fraternity can achieve greater public awareness.

The task force observed that even at Masonry’s membership’s lowest point in 1941, Freemasonry still had 800,000 more members than today - its lowest level in at least 80 years. This is not a cyclical trend. Other factors are at work.

Among the statements in the report are:

• Masonry’s challenge is to focus on making Masonry relevant to our changing communities.

• Clearly, Masons are not satisfactorily addressing ways of keeping our members involved and enthusiastic about Masonry.

• We have failed to accept the fact that the world is a different place than it was in the 1940s and 1950s. Family time is squeezed into the evenings and very often the children have their own activities. The technology explosion has provided a source for entertainment/activity that competes with any organization requiring a time commitment. Freemasonry has done little to keep pace with change. Freemasons still grouse about any increase in dues or per capita. It is time to readjust our thinking and come to realize that both time and money are necessary factors in creating a quality organization.

• Membership loss is not the major problem; it’s a symptom of a larger problem: loss of Masonic identity as an observable part of life and lack of energy invested in Masonry. Masons must take ownership of an identity that distinguishes Masonry from other men’s organizations. Masonry is a process of lifelong learning and discovery that delivers a way of living a principled life, observable in the simplest behaviors, whether at lodge, at home, or in the workplace.

• Masonry is no longer identified as an elite organization. Within eye and ear range of the public, Masons have failed to perform what they profess; consequently, they have lost their significance within the context of community.

• Current Masons do not understand the true meaning of our fraternity.

• Public awareness of Masonry begins at a grassroots level. Masons must be visible in the community to demonstrate Masonic values in many aspects of their lives.

• Freemasonry must be lodge-centered, giving members opportunities to express themselves through activities that improve the experience of the lodge and benefit the life of the community.

• We need ways of recognizing success, encouraging creativity, and rewarding accomplishments. Small actions, kind words, and expressions of concern for others are just a few examples. Our work on Masonry’s public image begins with work on ourselves.

• Beginning at the lodge level, plan meaningful activities that put Masonic values into action. Consider how you and your lodge can make each and every activity uniquely Masonic.

• Think carefully about how you invest your time, and we ask that you use your time on programs and actions that are uniquely Masonic. As we work together, we must ask each other how a program, a meeting, or an event improves and demonstrates our experience of being a Mason.

To read the full report, go to: http://www.msana.com/twainaward/abouttime.pdf.