# Should I start recruiting?



## ROLLO (Jun 10, 2015)

Okay guys I've been raised since last September but I don't want to overstep my boundaries. My lodge is one of the oldest lodges in our GL but we don't have enough participating members. We have alot of PMs which is great cause I get to soak up a lot of knowledge, but I want us to get some younger guys so that we can keep our lodge going! 

Any suggestions are always appreciated!


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## Keith D. McKeever Jr. (Jun 10, 2015)

I really don't know how the recruitment process goes.  I heard that some states allow recruiting and some don't. It's funny you posted this thread because we have this saying, "2B1ASK1". In my case it was kind of a mutual exchange. I had a PM talking with my father and he kind of ask my father about me and he recommended me.  I don't know why the PM ask; he knew me since I was a younging.  I've been contemplating going thru for some years and it was just a blessing how our paths crossed each other.  Needless to say; it's has been one of the best decision in life I've ever made. Now I'm continuing a generation of Masons in my family!


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## Keith D. McKeever Jr. (Jun 10, 2015)

Sorry for going off the subject, but I think whatever your GL permits; then I don't see anything wrong with recruiting I guess.  I think I still like the fact of someone asking vs going out and recruiting.  I guess the most important thing is that we get more quality men instead of quantity


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## MRichard (Jun 11, 2015)

It is certainly nothing wrong with inviting men that you think would be good potential candidates to your lodge for dinner or some of your or other lodges events.


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## ROLLO (Jun 11, 2015)

MRichard said:


> It is certainly nothing wrong with inviting men that you think would be good potential candidates to your lodge for dinner or some of your or other lodges events.



That's what the idea that I had. I want us to have some type of open house. The AF & AM here in Maryland had an open house and I think it's working just fine.


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## MRichard (Jun 11, 2015)

ROLLO said:


> That's what the idea that I had. I want us to have some type of open house. The AF & AM here in Maryland had an open house and I think it's working just fine.



I belong to an AF & AM lodge although we never really refer to it as that or even mainstream. It is just a diverse lodge. A lot of lodges send us candidates for whatever reason. I won't speculate. There is one brother that has strong ties to a HBCU, he just graduated not that long ago. Not sure how he does it but he sends more candidates than anybody by a long shot.


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## dfreybur (Jun 11, 2015)

You want to be careful about the words you use, but yes go out and live a life that others want to follow your example.  Then have them at some of our open events where you tell them the rules of your jurisdiction about invitations.  Make it clear they would be welcomed.

Call it something like public relations not advertizing.  Call it something like bringing friends to social events not recruiting.


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## ROLLO (Jun 11, 2015)

Understood...Thank you @dfreybur


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## Derinique Kendrick (Jul 1, 2015)

ROLLO said:


> Okay guys I've been raised since last September but I don't want to overstep my boundaries. My lodge is one of the oldest lodges in our GL but we don't have enough participating members. We have alot of PMs which is great cause I get to soak up a lot of knowledge, but I want us to get some younger guys so that we can keep our lodge going!
> 
> Any suggestions are always appreciated!


How did you end up approaching your concerns if I may ask. I am still not a MM, yet, but my time of raising is swiftly approaching (in a little under 3 weeks to be exact). I have a feeling I am going to be faced with the same concerns in the near future. I am the first to come to the lodge in a good number of years and I'll be the youngest on the roster by a long shot. I would like figure out ways to bring some younger guys in as well. Like you mentioned, my lodge is filled with PMs (I count at least 7, that I know of) and of those 7, at least 5 of them fill in or maybe those chairs belong to them I'm not all the way sure yet. and from what I've seen from my initiation and passing, participation from members isn't as constant as it could be for whatever reason that may be.

I have ideas that I can maybe present to the lodge once I am raised, but I'd rather get accustomed to how things run before I go trying to bring about change. Last thing I want to do is be thought of as the young guy that doesn't know anything but try to bring changes to the lodge.


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## jdmadsen (Jul 4, 2015)

Derinique, talk with your coach, and anyone else u have made friends with ave bring up your concerns/ideas


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## AndreAshlar (Jul 6, 2015)

ROLLO said:


> Okay guys I've been raised since last September but I don't want to overstep my boundaries. My lodge is one of the oldest lodges in our GL but we don't have enough participating members. We have alot of PMs which is great cause I get to soak up a lot of knowledge, but I want us to get some younger guys so that we can keep our lodge going!
> 
> Any suggestions are always appreciated!


Sounds like my lodge


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## rpbrown (Jul 7, 2015)

Although we cannot ask someone to join, we can use a phrase like "I think you would be a good mason" and let that lead into them asking


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## dfreybur (Jul 7, 2015)

Derinique Kendrick said:


> I have ideas that I can maybe present to the lodge once I am raised, but I'd rather get accustomed to how things run before I go trying to bring about change. Last thing I want to do is be thought of as the young guy that doesn't know anything but try to bring changes to the lodge.



Bro Derinique,

Earlier you wrote that you do not want to overstep your boundaries.  Here you write that you want to make presentations to your lodge about bringing in members.

I suggest you don't *UNDER* step your boundaries.  Combine these to 1) Know the rules so you can do well by doing the right thing, and 2) it is easier to ask forgiveness than permissions, and 3) pretty much everyone reacts far better to hearing what someone else just did than they do to being asked to do something, and 4) being asked to join an activity that is already happening and is already lead by someone works.

My point is you should learn what the rules say, then take action by your own initiative, then present the results as a fait-accompli. Then when your events are attended ask others to come to join the fun that you started.

Okay, that's half of it.  The initiative part versus the inertia of "we have always done it that way".  The reason the old timers at lodge don't have a lot of new petitioners is what they are still doing worked in their generation but does not work in yours.

The other half is finding out if you're reinventing the wheel and if so trying something else.  Nothing fails like trying the exact thing over again because you forgot to find out that the exact same thing was tried before.  And more importantly why it failed.  You do not want to go out firing on all cylinders and end up stuck in the exact same mud pit the previous guys ended up in.

Ask what has been tried.  Ask what happened.  Ask why those attempts failed.  Instead of doing the same thing and failing yourself, try something different.  Correct for the known errors (only to discover new errors, we are talking work by humans here!) before you start.  Instead of volunteering others to do your events, do them yourself first then ask others to join you.

The newbies have more power than they think, because they have new ideas.  The key is to find out which of your ideas are new versus the ones that many others have had, and go for it on the actual new ones.


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## Dennis Hurts (Jul 7, 2015)

If your light shines bright my brother,it will do the recruiting for you! Young Men look at other (young) men and if they like what they see ,well they emulate. Since I have been Raised I have sighed and help raise 6 new members this year, and the shy is the limit. All because of the way I carry myself now that I have the light! Plus a lot of Masonic pins and Cloths help also!!


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## Derinique Kendrick (Jul 9, 2015)

dfreybur said:


> Bro Derinique,
> 
> Earlier you wrote that you do not want to overstep your boundaries.  Here you write that you want to make presentations to your lodge about bringing in members.
> 
> ...


Great advice brother @dfreybur! It is greatly appreciated. I will feel my way around once I get raised (which is two weeks away, by the way. Very anxious and excited!). Once I find my way I will begin finding ways to "earn my stripes" so to speak. I will humbly watch and learn the rules and how things are ran as you suggested and once I get that under my belt I plan to be a voice that is going to be called upon quite often. At least that's how it's running through my mind right now.


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## Derinique Kendrick (Jul 9, 2015)

Dennis Hurts said:


> If your light shines bright my brother,it will do the recruiting for you! Young Men look at other (young) men and if they like what they see ,well they emulate. Since I have been Raised I have sighed and help raise 6 new members this year, and the shy is the limit. All because of the way I carry myself now that I have the light! Plus a lot of Masonic pins and Cloths help also!!


That is surely the plan brother @Dennis Hurts! I want to be the one to show that "hey, you don't have to be old and retired to be a mason (no offense to the elders and retired masons, I just used that as an example because a lot of people, who are misinformed of course, think that the masons are some sort of social group for retired men. Sorry, got on a rant there. As I was saying pre rant I want to spark an initial interest in young men such as myself to give me a chance to teach what it is that we really stand for and what we do. I'm hoping my membership will bring about interested young men and hopefully I'll be able to bring in additions to the lodge after time of course if the men are prepared. I have been looking at a couple of pins to purchase one I'm raised. Thanks for your input brother!


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## Archangel Raised (Jul 19, 2015)

Brother @ROLLO. . . man, your thread struck a nerve!

From California to NY, we are all facing the same dilemma, top heavy PM old guys whom come to stated meetings to sleep, lackluster attendance for the old guys who do show up, and,  " . . . . that's how we have always dun it!"  

. . . .and,  ". . . . we don't do it THAT way",  admonishing.

We break the rules! We innovate, or die.

My line brothers and I have taken it upon ourselves to re-invigorate the lodge.  

1) We attend the progressive AF&AM social nights and witness how they successfully accomplish it.
2) We get out in the public and shine.  Encourage the ". . .what's that?"  when people ask about our rings or compass and square polo shirts.
3) Actively recruit professionals whose knowledge and experience can benefit the lodge.  I am a banker by trade.
4) Have plans to talk to black Greek fraternities and shame them into stepping up to the big dogs.
5) Make it known to my employees and colleagues that I am a Prince Hall Mason, and invite them to a DeMolay event. . . my lodge is so backwards, we don't yet have events planned.

There is more, though this is a good start.  

My line brothers and I are giving this a maad and very active push for the foreseeable future.  If this doesn't work, we are also looking at demitting or starting our own lodge.

It is definitely NOT the wait and see attitude that has gotten PHA into this mess, in the first place.

My 0.2. . . travel light, Brothers!


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## Glen Cook (Jul 19, 2015)

Your action plan is to shame someone???


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## Archangel Raised (Jul 19, 2015)

Glen Cook said:


> Your action plan is to shame someone???



  Restating, for the college fraternities. . . invite them to graduate from their beer goggled parties to a more contemplative fraternity.


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