# What does your Lodge do wrong?



## Blake Bowden (Dec 17, 2010)

What does your Lodge do wrong? Anonymous/multiple choice.


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Dec 17, 2010)

You need a selection for "None of the Above".


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## RichardRLJ (Dec 17, 2010)

I agree with Bro. Stewart.  We do have some Masonic education (not really a lack of masonic education).  We probably could do a better job of supporting new members, but it is certainly not zero!  Since continual improvement is our goal, maybe some of all of the above could apply.


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## Timothy Fleischer (Jan 23, 2011)

How about a discussion of what our lodge is doing right?


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## Dave in Waco (Jan 24, 2011)

Someone in our lodge keeps moving the SD & JD rods to the left-hand side of their chairs.  Bugs me to no end.


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## Frater Cliff Porter (Jan 25, 2011)

We have not exploded into immaterial Nirvana.


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## Brent Heilman (Jul 30, 2012)

I wouldn't say we are doing some of this stuff wrong. It is just we don't do it at all. There are a few of us who are working on the changes as we speak though. Slowly and in small steps we will get there.


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## cemab4y (Jun 6, 2013)

Freemasonry is a "work in progress". We live in a world in which the only constant is change. And Freemasonry must change and adapt, if the institution is going to survive. The Craft can make changes in administrative procedures, and still remain true to our ancient landmarks. I have started a thread (some time ago), about what you would like to see changed in Masonry. We got some excellent input. I would like to many changes in our organizational dynamic, and still remain true to our ancient landmarks and practices.

I would like to see the moderate use of alcohol return to our lodge. Brother George Washington ran the largest distillery in North America. From the establishment of the first lodges in North America, up until the disaster of prohibition, alcohol was served in our lodges. When the craft was called for refreshment, the jug was passed around. Brandy and cigars were served after the meal. 

I have been to "table lodges" in the USA, and the membership drinks toasts, with grape juice, like kids at a birthday party. 

I would like to see more use of the internet, and each Grand Lodge having a "Grand Webmaster", to supervise and oversee the internet activities and web pages for the Grand Lodge and all subordinate lodges. I would like to see every Grand Lodge in the USA have a mandatory requirement that all lodges in its jurisdiction have a web page, and that the webpage conforms to Grand Lodge policy. Every Grand Lodge webpage should have a downloadable petition form, and precise instructions on how petition Freemasonry. 

Grand Lodges should have a "Masonic Bill of Rights", to protect individual Freemasons from being arbitrarily abused by lodges and Grand Lodges. 

And on and on. There are many things that Masonry is doing right. By not adapting to the realities of the 21st century, masonry is going to be an "endangered species".


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## dfreybur (Jun 6, 2013)

cemab4y said:


> I would like to see the moderate use of alcohol return to our lodge. Brother George Washington ran the largest distillery in North America. From the establishment of the first lodges in North America, up until the disaster of prohibition, alcohol was served in our lodges. When the craft was called for refreshment, the jug was passed around. Brandy and cigars were served after the meal.



On the one hand I do prefer a wet lodge.  One of my lodges has a bucket of beers at refreshment after meetings and at social events.  Certain details need to be handled to adhere to the rules of that particular jurisdiction to do so - No charge, not owned by the lodge, etc.  Some brothers have one some don't.  Other jurisdictions have slightly different details in their rules that make this not work.  In Illinois brothers have gone to pubs after some meetings or brought beers to the building evenings there was no meeting.  I've joined the brothers at pubs after some of my visits in Texas as well.

On the other hand I don't want a lodge to get a liquor license.  I can join the Elks or Legion and get that.  Somewhere in between the two extremes of dry and licensed is what I want.  What's the world wide standard?  It seems to vary enough by country there might not be one.  Many UK lodges seem to have their own tap.  I know home brewers with their own tap so that might need a license in some locations but it's normally a licensed activity in anyplace out of the home everywhere I've been in the US.



> I have been to "table lodges" in the USA, and the membership drinks toasts, with grape juice, like kids at a birthday party.



I've been to some table lodges where the bar isn't closed until just before the lodge is tiled.  It worked and followed the letter of the rules at the same time.  I've been to one table lodge that had gotten a dispensation so wine was served during the meeting - Specific detail of hoops to jump through to get that to happen in that jurisdiction.  The exact details can make getting it to happen anywhere from a formality through an impracticality through an impossibility with only slight differences in the wording of the rule.  Either way if this year's GM says no it's no.



> I would like to see more use of the internet, and each Grand Lodge having a "Grand Webmaster", to supervise and oversee the internet activities and web pages for the Grand Lodge and all subordinate lodges.



In place in some jurisdictions.



> I would like to see every Grand Lodge in the USA have a mandatory requirement that all lodges in its jurisdiction have a web page, and that the webpage conforms to Grand Lodge policy.



Not sure how enforceable this would be.



> Every Grand Lodge webpage should have a downloadable petition form, and precise instructions on how petition Freemasonry.



Agreed.



> Grand Lodges should have a "Masonic Bill of Rights", to protect individual Freemasons from being arbitrarily abused by lodges and Grand Lodges.



While I agree in principle I've seen guys try this, not go about it gracefully and end up opposed in everything they do.  I have nowhere near the grace to work this type of issue.  I'm way too brute force.


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