# Membership Statistics



## Blake Bowden (Feb 17, 2009)

State	Membership?2007	Membership?2006	Gain/Loss
ALABAMA	29,775	30,952	-1,177
ALASKA???	2,003	2,053	-50
ARIZONA??	9,642	9,900	-258
ARKANSAS	16,524	17,082	-558
CALIFORNIA??	66,127	68,714	-2,587
COLORADO	12,645	13,160	-515
CONNECTICUT	14,185	14,543	-358
DELAWARE?+	5,111	5,075	36
DISTRICT?OF?COLUMBIA	4,552	4,602	-50
FLORIDA??	49,964	50,829	-865
GEORGIA	46,914	47,998	-1,084
HAWAII???	1,733	1,781	-48
IDAHO????	4,412	4,688	-276
ILLINOIS	69,703	71,241	-1,538
INDIANA	68,759	71,392	-2,633
IOWA	23,960	24,826	-866
KANSAS	26,171	27,674	-1,503
KENTUCKY	48,955	50,260	-1,305
LOUISIANA?	22,707	23,000	-293
MAINE	21,659	22,281	-622
MARYLAND	17,608	18,112	-504
MASSACHUSETTS?+	37,777	37,173	604
MICHIGAN	42,737	44,131	-1,394
MINNESOTA	16,262	16,785	-523
MISSISSIPPI	21,248	21,717	-469
MISSOURI	51,775	51,858	-83
MONTANA	6,985	7,276	-291
NEBRASKA	13,988	14,391	-403
NEVADA??	4,504	4,656	-152
NEW HAMPSHIRE	7,279	7,456	-177
NEW JERSEY??	28,579	29,652	-1,073
NEW MEXICO	5,579	5,703	-124
NEW YORK?????	50,580	53,097	-2,517
NORTH CAROLINA	47,137	47,722	-585
NORTH DAKOTA??	3,385	3,450	-65
OHIO??	114,661	116,761	-2,100
OKLAHOMA???	28,713	29,620	-907
OREGON	10,736	11,197	-461
PENNSYLVANIA??	120,502	123,276	-2,774
RHODE ISLAND	4,490	4,643	-153
SOUTH CAROLINA	42,463	43,315	-852
SOUTH DAKOTA	6,527	6,658	-131
TENNESSEE	48,677	51,086	-2,409
TEXAS??	98,398	101,803	-3,405
UTAH	1,944	1,947	-3
VERMONT??	7,019	7,217	-198
VIRGINIA	40,052	40,546	-494
WASHINGTON???	16,372	18,693	-2,321
WEST VIRGINIA	22,947	23,452	-505
WISCONSIN	14,600	15,117	-517
WYOMING????	4,424	4,570	-146
?	1,483,449	1,525,131	-41,682


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## Blake Bowden (Feb 17, 2009)

So from 2006 to 2007, we lost over 3400 Brothers!


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## owls84 (Feb 17, 2009)

This is great information. Where did you get this information?


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## fairbanks1363pm (Feb 17, 2009)

We need to find out what these two states that numbers were up are doing.  Im in the coaching profession.  We visit high school and college staffs who are having success and try to steal ideas that can help make us better.  Grand Lodges should be the same way in my book.  If you keep doing what you are doing you keep getting what you are getting.


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## Blake Bowden (Feb 17, 2009)

Here is the source:
http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/phpnews/show_news.php?uid=105

From what I've read, Massachusetts had Lodges throughout the state hold open houses and even advertised the event on television. Brilliant idea. Maybe Texmass could fill us in a little more


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## Blake Bowden (Feb 17, 2009)

Here are more stats:

http://www.msana.com/msastats.asp


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## Brother Secretary (Feb 18, 2009)

do we need members for the sake of membership?


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## fairbanks1363pm (Feb 18, 2009)

If you can find a way to increase participation and numbers why would you not be interested in atleast looking into something different.  These men were deemed good men by their investigation committees and voted on.  I would love to see lodges flourish with good men.


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## rhitland (Feb 18, 2009)

Lokks like a massive house cleaning is going on, like someone pressed the reset button and we will be starting from almost scratch. Sounds like fun to me. lol 

Brother TexMass is a member in MA and has lots of wonderful input on there doings. I still cannot get over the fact they wear jewels made by Paul Revere that is to to cool.


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## nick1368 (Feb 18, 2009)

Brother Secretary said:


> do we need members for the sake of membership?



good point.  gret information i hate to see the numbers down but we don't need numbers we need good men


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## jonesvilletexas (Feb 18, 2009)

We are down from 920 to just over 240 and out of those less than 5% live in a reasonable driving distance, and out of the 240, 109 are endowed and no money this year! WOW


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## Wingnut (Feb 19, 2009)

We dont need more men in masonry... We need more Masonry in Men (or More Masons not members).

Large numbers do not mean we are doing a good job or improving.


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## owls84 (Feb 19, 2009)

Can I use that quote Brother Wyndell? I like that, "We don't need more men in Masonry...We need more Masonry in men." Well put.


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## FairbanksMM1363 (Feb 20, 2009)

I will admit we do need more members and the money would not be a bad thing as well. I know that sounds bad that I am saying that but there are alot of lodges that are strugeling durring this time of inactivity. So I do agree with the increase in membership, but i also think we should try to get some of the current and existing brothers involved as well. We all have to stand side by side as men and brothers to help one another and also to help the lodge's.


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## js4253 (Feb 20, 2009)

We have alot of elderly brothers and they are entering heaven faster than we can initiate new members.


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## Wingnut (Feb 22, 2009)

Which is why we (Masons) need to see if our lodge dues are covering our lodge costs.  If not then raising dues (not counting endowment since well it might be a few years for those to come around) is one of the options... Another might be to join with another lodge in the area that is having issues.

Of course you can use that lol


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## rhitland (Feb 23, 2009)

Fort Worth 148's membership at its peak topped 2000 and we are down to about 200+ almost half do not pay dues for one reason or another we hiked dues and are now about to lose 60 more. I think our decline in numbers is unfortunate but I also believe everything happens for a reason. Is it not a natural cycle for an overgrown forest to burn off dead and wasteful material so that new strong trees can grow.


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## Blake Bowden (Jul 19, 2009)

bump


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## JEbeling (Jul 19, 2009)

Well have been a mason for many years.. ! and have seen a lot of changes.. some it seemed were good orthers a desaster... ! have seen a lot of damage done by a few grand masters and their click.. ! The home and school desaster cost us more than money..? a lot of masons lost respect for the grand lodge and its ability to make the right dicision.. ! think some of the old past grand masters were hoodwinked and allowed a few to work their agenda.. ? cost us a lot of masons.. ? some just quit coming.. ? others were mad because they couldn't find out what was going on and everybody keeps saying its sealed by the court..? don't understand how when it our money..? 

Think another is or was done by the committee on Change.. ! sometime I think they are a bunch of do gooders who want to leave their mark on Grand Lodge of Texas.. ? The cert. of the master of the lodges have angered a lot of old masons.. ! and I think the Committee has taken the attitude "to hell with them.. quit " is what one told me..? I think its sad we have to step on other masons to become sooooooo perfect..? and I don't see a reason for it other than a power trip by some want to force their views on others..?


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## rhitland (Jul 19, 2009)

JEbeling said:


> Well have been a mason for many years.. ! and have seen a lot of changes.. some it seemed were good orthers a desaster... ! have seen a lot of damage done by a few grand masters and their click.. ! The home and school desaster cost us more than money..? a lot of masons lost respect for the grand lodge and its ability to make the right dicision.. ! think some of the old past grand masters were hoodwinked and allowed a few to work their agenda.. ? cost us a lot of masons.. ? some just quit coming.. ? others were mad because they couldn't find out what was going on and everybody keeps saying its sealed by the court..? don't understand how when it our money..?
> 
> Think another is or was done by the committee on Change.. ! sometime I think they are a bunch of do gooders who want to leave their mark on Grand Lodge of Texas.. ? The cert. of the master of the lodges have angered a lot of old masons.. ! and I think the Committee has taken the attitude "to hell with them.. quit " is what one told me..? I think its sad we have to step on other masons to become sooooooo perfect..? and I don't see a reason for it other than a power trip by some want to force their views on others..?



I know the Home and School is a hot topic with alot of old timers but I never knew why as I am not in the political clique but that is intresting to see the same thing that goes on in Lodge goes on in GL. With old PM causing stinks in Lodge it is just old PGM causing them in GL and PM make stinks there too. LOL It is gonna take a group of individuals that know their stuff to come up with the antidote for the poision that is coursing in the viens of Masonry. 

Well I am very knew to the com. on change have not been to many exams but I hear that name alot and they seem to hold true to it. lol  This 101 cert has seemed to have got the big dogs bent out of shape and out "marking their terriotry". Funny to watch if you ask me, I know if I was behaving like them and they felt like me they would tell me I was being young and dumb wonder if we should tell them the same thing?


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## Sirius (Jul 21, 2009)

This drop off is going to continue for awhile. As the WWII gen passes on the average age of the Masonry will continue to drop. Is this a problem or an opportunity? It appears that the previous generation has created the situation where the body of Masonry is in disrepair. This is the opportunity for the upcoming younger generation to let Freemasonry be Freemasonry. In so doing, we'll attract the well qualified men whom we will be proud to call brother.


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## cemab4y (Jul 22, 2009)

The "glory days" of Masonry, are behind us. In the 21st century, we can look forward to a "leaner and tighter" Freemasonry.  There are always opportunities for a rebound.  I am glad to see how Masonry is embracing the internet.  More and more often, the first knock at the west gate, is an electronic knock.

Masonry can make some administrative and procedural changes, that will enable us to reach and hold the new generation.  We can adapt and make our Masonry more relevant to younger men, and thus move forward into a great new century.

We can operate in the 21st century, and still keep true to our "roots". 

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Nobel Prize winner) had many management methods, that we can adopt. One rule of their order was that the word "problem" was taboo. Whenever a difficulty or obstacle appeared, the sisters were required to say "gift" instead of "problem".

The decline in our numbers is a "gift". Let's accept this "gift", and make the changes we need to, and move forward.


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## cemab4y (Jul 22, 2009)

Here is an interesting article our membership numbers:

There?s a hole in our bucket | freemasoninformation.com


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## TCShelton (Jul 22, 2009)

Good article.


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## rhitland (Jul 22, 2009)

cemab4y said:


> Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Nobel Prize winner) had many management methods, that we can adopt. One rule of their order was that the word "problem" was taboo. Whenever a difficulty or obstacle appeared, the sisters were required to say "gift" instead of "problem".
> 
> The decline in our numbers is a "gift". Let's accept this "gift", and make the changes we need to, and move forward.



Well said Brother. Mother Teresa was no dought tapped into Divine wisdom and it would do all Masons good to get to know her and her tools. 

I have heard anorther quote not sure from who though "Things turn out best for people, who make the best of the way things turn out."


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## scottmh59 (Jul 24, 2009)

great post..will be interesting to see how masonry will replace a generation of members


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## Blake Bowden (Sep 7, 2009)

might be easier to read now.


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## Wingnut (Sep 8, 2009)

scottmh59 said:


> great post..will be interesting to see how masonry will replace a generation of members




I hope its with less members and more Masons...


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