# Need advise, in changing Lodges.



## El Dud3rino (Sep 10, 2014)

Brothers,

Please lend me some time and advise.

I'm considering changing lodges, my Mother Lodge is good, but I question is it the right one for me. I did not do research into Lodges. One of my co-workers who is a Brother helped me get in. Now he is on the road and never at Lodge. The issues I'm sitting with are these.

1. Is it OK to change Lodges? I have heard mixed answers.

2. My current Lodge is old, 55+ for the most part, I don't have any one around my age. Huge gap of 20 something's and retired folks, and I'm in the middle. And they are not that active.

3. The other thing I struggle with is "should I be the change in my Lodge I want to see?" I feel this would take a few years to happen.....

Please, any helpful advise is appreciated.


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## Tx4ever (Sep 10, 2014)

Brother you can always visit other lodges in your area until you find one you like,  Plural membership is always and option ,sometimes can get expensive  . 1. Sure why not , Most just petition the lodge closest to where they live with no thought to the membership, Sometimes you see lodges full of Police , Plant workers, Etc. Men with like ideas and thinking tend to seek each other out and stick together like glue, because they agree on most issues. 2.Most lodges you find in Texas will be 55+, I'm 52 so kind of in the same boat as you, Masonry kind of skipped my generation .3. Change will most likely take time, I have seen things that I would think was a NO BRAINER , and someone would rise up against it , Go somewhere that you feel you can make a positive difference , have fun and don't waist your valuable time somewhere you don't want to be.


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## dfreybur (Sep 10, 2014)

It is okay to change lodges.  If your jurisdiction allows you to be a member of multiple lodges it's even better to fund a life/endowed membership in your previous lodge so you don't need to demit on the way out.  Over the years I've funded two and may well do so again.

Age 50ish is the gap generation that mostly ignored membership based organizations so likely they are older than that.   I'm 55 now and there are large numbers of brothers older and younger than I am.  We're starting to be more visible mostly because the large number of older brothers are now so old many of them are no longer mobile enough to get to lodge.  One of the lessons of Masonry is we unite men of all walks of life who would not have otherwise met - This includes across the age gap.

Ask yourself if you want to be part of the herd at an active lodge with a lot of young guys or stand out as a contributor in a small lodge that will eventually be filled with younger guys.  As to taking years, those years will happen either way you chose.

What's your view of the future of Masonry?  If you prefer fewer larger lodges, go with a big active one.  If you prefer more smaller lodges, work up an activity to do every year and get every new brother to do so as well.  Most events won't survive several years but enough will that the lodge will turn around and gradually become active.  Or start participating in the established events at a large lodge that has already rode that curve up.


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## Warrior1256 (Sep 10, 2014)

If I was not happy with my lodge and no changes seemed to be on the horizon I would leave for another lodge.


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## jjjjjggggg (Sep 10, 2014)

Stay, if for no other reason than you took obligations to your brothers. Like marriage, you'll go through times that challenge your commitment.  Your lodge experience starts with you. 

I know I sound patronizing, and it's easy to preach about what we should do, but have some intestinal fortitude. You are a master mason. Your brothers need you. And the new guy who shows up needs you.


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## Zack (Sep 10, 2014)

I can only tell you what I did.  I have changed lodges 3 times.  Once be cause of relocating and twice because of differences in what a Masonic experience should be.  Best moves I ever made Masonically speaking.  I harbor no ill feelings towards either lodge and have helped with degree work in both of them.

There is no conflict with my obligations.  My obligations to the Brothers remain as they were, I just don't pay dues to the lodges.

If you are truly unhappy, leave.  Just my honest opinion.


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## jjjjjggggg (Sep 10, 2014)

I know I sound harsh... I figured someone else would offer the "fluff" response. And I much prefer from a brother a good swift kick in the pants when I need it.

I'm not saying this brother is, but it seems like folk these days are too quick to give up and move on, whether it be their house of worship, marriage, etc. 

I get that sometimes we go through low periods where we wonder why we stay, but to me masonry is a way of life, not a club. So whether or not my brothers give me their best, they deserve mine. I take my commitments serious, and I like a challenge. It's easy to go where the party is, but if every brother were so quick to give up then eventually our lodges will all be empty. I told my investigating committee jokingly that they don't know what they did when they found me favorable... cause now it will be much harder to get rid of me, come hell or high water. 

It's called loyalty. That old saying... when the going gets tough... you know the rest. We all know that the grand master represents what we expect a developed mason should be. If all of us strived to live the principles of masonry especially at lodge, regardless how others act, one guy can really make a difference. 

I'm just saying, don't be so quick... is there anything you can do first?


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## JJones (Sep 10, 2014)

I'll be changing soon myself.

Time is precious.  If your current lodge isn't offering what you need then it makes sense to find another one.  On the other hand, you can always try to create change in your current lodge...ah, who am I kidding.


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## coachn (Sep 11, 2014)

I go where I can Best Work and Receive Master's Wages.  Those were the reasons for me becoming a Traveling Man.  I visit Lodges all over the place and Work at Lodges of which I am not a formal member.  I've moved only once and was moving toward something, not away.  I recommend moving to anyone who would receive a richer and more supportive environment whenever possible.  But I caution you that what you experience this year will not be the same as next and so on since the officers change and so do the participating members.  I recommend moving to a lodge that best suits your needs but TRAVEL as much as you can and continually seek out enriching encounters all over the area whenever possible.  You can Travel even though you hang you membership shingle at one location.


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## Glen Cook (Sep 11, 2014)

You don't indicate  any problems per se with your lodge.  

I am unclear why you don't find value in a relationship with a Mason older than you.  As others indicated, I am in the missing generation.  Yet, my closest friends in the world are Masons who are not my age.  

One resolution would be for you to bring in younger men.  

Go visiting.  Start with your district.  Also go to district meetings.  Get to know people in the appendant bodies.  

You have no obligation to remain with a particular lodge.  However, it is my suspicion that you might not find whatever it is you are looking for elsewhere.


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## MaineMason (Sep 11, 2014)

My late grandfather was raised in about 1939 in New Jersey. His father was raised in 1920 in Everett, MA. Grandad moved back to Massachusetts in '46 and never demited from his lodge though visited others and paid his dues faithfully. He could have taken a demit, and moved to another lodge, but did not. My father's Blue Lodge is an hour and a half from where he now lives and often visits mine, an hour and a half from where he lives. 

I would not demit from the lodge in which I was raised unless I moved permanently across country. 

As for age: We've got brothers in our lodge who are past retirement age, we've got brothers from 40-55 like me, and we've got brothers in their 20's. I find that healthy. I learn from the older brethren, and have a chance to help the younger ones. Now, our lodge is growing, but the last two WM's were just about my age. 

To me, the Lodge is like a family: there will be those older, those your age, and those younger. For me, I find fellowship all around and am grateful to have good men who are Masons of all ages and all together in our journey. Perhaps because I am entering middle age, I find the generation gap nil when it comes to Freemasonry. You should see the good work we do and the good fellowship one enjoys when the Craft is shared between generations. Take good stock of it.


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## El Dud3rino (Sep 11, 2014)

Thank you Brothers!

I will try to hit on the points brought up with out copying all the text and reposting them.

1. I am entertaining dual membership.

2. It's not that I do not find value in my Lodge. I find it and see it, I am looking for more. Things I'm looking for:
      A group that is active, doing more then 2-3 events a year. Fellowship dinners and events that are not just stated meetings. 
      A Lodge that is active in Masonic education. Now we don't have a regular group that meets and talks about the Craft or anything of that nature. 
     Would like to find at least 2-3 Brothers close to my age. Yes I am part of the generation that left these organizations. But I know I can't be the only one here in Tucson.

3. Yes I have begun traveling and looking at other Lodges, and I was amazed at how different each one was. 

4. I do not turn on heel and run when something does not work. I watched my parents act like that and saw what they got in return. I believe in working through issues, and being the change you want to see. It is hard right now with the age gap that I have in my Lodge. 20 something's with no family and time to burn or retired with time to burn as well. I have little time to try and reinvent something and getting the old charge on board with changes has been like herding cats. 

5. I enjoy mentorship from older people. They see things different then I do. I am not so concerned about older people that are active.

Bottom line, I want more. And am now traveling and looking for it. I will not ever turn my back on my Mother Lodge, I love and respect my Brothers there. But I want more and will bring that back to them as well, 

Thank you Brothers for all your in put!


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## MaineMason (Sep 11, 2014)

I am 45. I am a fifth generation Master Mason, and a second generation Scottish Rite Mason. You either are or you are not. You can always travel.


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## Warrior1256 (Sep 12, 2014)

Zack said:


> I can only tell you what I did.  I have changed lodges 3 times.  Once be cause of relocating and twice because of differences in what a Masonic experience should be.  Best moves I ever made Masonically speaking.  I harbor no ill feelings towards either lodge and have helped with degree work in both of them.
> 
> There is no conflict with my obligations.  My obligations to the Brothers remain as they were, I just don't pay dues to the lodges.
> 
> If you are truly unhappy, leave.  Just my honest opinion.


I agree. I'm not saying that the minute something happens to upset me that I'll leave. What I'm saying is if I have been unhappy at my lodge for some time and it seems that there is no change in sight I would leave and join another lodge and I do not see anything wrong in this.


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