# Looking for ideas on trying to get brothers to come back to lodge regularly



## coinopboy (Oct 7, 2016)

I'm a newly raised MM (June of this year), when I was initiated as an EA, when my eyes opened, I was surprised and saddened that there were 3 brothers seated in the lodge. Last night at our regular communication, we had 18 brothers in attendance. Most of them were the officers. Coming up in a. Couple of weeks a new class of EAs will be initiated. I'd really like to try and get more brothers there. This is a special day for the EAs. It was for me!

But, in general, I'd love to try and get some of our 200 members to try and come on a more regular basis. I searched 28 pages of this subreddit to try and find the last post on this subject, but couldn't find anything.

How can I help to get more "asses in the seats", for lack of a better term. Each week that I arrive for lodge, many of the officers seem surprised that I'm there, and seem to thank me profusely. We have a dinner each night before communication. But it's embarrassing to have more visitors each month than actual members of the lodge present.

Help!?



3° MM Redwood Lodge #35 East Providence, RI


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## cemab4y (Oct 7, 2016)

You should seriously consider holding a "Rusty Nail Degree"

See:  http://grandlodgeofiowa.org/docs/Ceremonies/RustyNails.pdf

and

http://www.masonicworld.com/education/files/apr02/include/rusty_nail_degree.htm

Here is how it works:

Invite all inactive masons to attend the degree. Offer carpooling for those who cannot drive at night.

Hold the degree.

Give each mason who attends a "rusty nail lapel pin" (Google rusty nail pin for this one)

When you send the invitations out, include a separate survey, asking each man why he cannot attend lodge regularly, and seek his input.

Utilize the feedback that you receive from your inactive members, to improve your lodge.


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## Ripcord22A (Oct 7, 2016)

Good luck Brother this is THE QUESTION for almost every lodge!


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## pointwithinacircle2 (Oct 7, 2016)

Entertain them. 

I felt the same way when I was raised.  I thought it was odd that the newest Mason would respect the craft the most.  I researched Masonic topics, wrote short, easy to do presentations, and presented them in Lodge.  Do you know about the Masonic Lodge on the moon?  It makes a nice presentation, just cut and paste it, print it, read it in Lodge.  That's what I did.  http://tl2k.org/history/


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## Blake Bowden (Oct 7, 2016)

Good ideas

https://www.myfreemasonry.com/threads/increasing-lodge-attendance.24662/


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## CLewey44 (Oct 7, 2016)

coinopboy said:


> I'm a newly raised MM (June of this year), when I was initiated as an EA, when my eyes opened, I was surprised and saddened that there were 3 brothers seated in the lodge. Last night at our regular communication, we had 18 brothers in attendance. Most of them were the officers. Coming up in a. Couple of weeks a new class of EAs will be initiated. I'd really like to try and get more brothers there. This is a special day for the EAs. It was for me!
> 
> But, in general, I'd love to try and get some of our 200 members to try and come on a more regular basis. I searched 28 pages of this subreddit to try and find the last post on this subject, but couldn't find anything.
> 
> ...




I haven't read through the responses but some ideas are to cater to your new folks. They were drawn to the historical, classical Masonry we see in books and literature.  Try seeing about moving towards the more T.O. lodge approach. Chamber of Reflection, incense, music, low lights is one option. That adds to the allure. Have someone present some sort of esoteric message on Kabbalah, alchemy or any number of other Masonic topics. Have your chaplain present a prayer from another religion outside of Christianity or whatever your primary religion is in your lodge.  Make each degree special and each stated a good experience too.

Have a good meal before lodge. Tell your folks to let the JD know a few days before your stated meeting if they plan on eating or not and serve some nice meals not on paper plates or from a cardboard bucket. A little more trouble but is a nice gesture. Have your stewards and deacons help serve everyone and make it an event every other week. Put some nice updates into your lodge room if you have the money. Take down that old wood paneling and take that carpet up. Put down a checkered floor.  Bring in some antique sort of furniture maybe for the environment to feel right.

Make it tough to get in. Raise your initiation fees.  Set a dress code so that everyone is wearing a suit or tux, at least on degree nights. Go out afterwards and have a few drinks or make a cigar area for lodges that allow that.  I think people get bored when all they do is look around and see casually dressed fellows in t-shirts and flip-flops voting whether or not to pay the electric bill. Bring in that spirituality that every member can bring. No matter what your religious or spiritual background is, somebody has something to offer.


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## CLewey44 (Oct 7, 2016)

I think so. I think that Masonry, like most anything else, will have to evolve or at least adjust. Look at the Catholic church, it's steadfast the same but has evolved on some issues. As you said, a lot of people are moving away from religion but are getting into a lot of the 'alternatives' to religion but still believe in the One True and Living God (which as far as I'm concerned, is from one person to the next and not just the big 3 religions)


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## Bloke (Oct 7, 2016)

The questions are few; how do you make your lodge a place men want to be and bring their friends...how do you get them back for a meeting so they discover you've made the lodge a place they want to be and a group they want to belong too beyond simply being a Freemason. All the answers are normally framed around answering those questions..


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## Bloke (Oct 8, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> Cheap beer and good friends.



It helps ! But you need to be doing something more than running a glorified pub.


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## Brother JC (Oct 8, 2016)

CLewey44 said:


> Have a good meal before lodge.


Save the meal for after and you'll have more alert and attentive Brethren.


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## Ripcord22A (Oct 8, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> Cheap beer and good friends.


We can lock this thread now..James wins the internet!  Seriously this is the best post not only from you @JamestheJust but that ive ever read on here!


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## coachn (Oct 8, 2016)

coinopboy said:


> ...How can I help to get more "asses in the seats", for lack of a better term. ...



http://buildinghiram.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-brother-asks-more-occupied-seats.html


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## Bloke (Oct 8, 2016)

Take the time to listen to this...


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 10, 2016)

Ripcord22A said:


> Good luck Brother this is THE QUESTION for almost every lodge!


It certainly is in mine!


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## CLewey44 (Oct 10, 2016)

Brother JC said:


> Save the meal for after and you'll have more alert and attentive Brethren.


Or some really hungry brethren during the meeting.


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## CLewey44 (Oct 11, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> This seems rather like Herzberg's hygiene factor.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-factor_theory
> 
> But I rather doubt that cleaning up the lodge processes are sufficient.  If there is no magnetic center, the new brethren will find another hobby.



This I like...just the title, 'hygiene' made me think of a lodge I visited once that had a nice long,  open hall way towards the outer door. Really cool looking  but had crap laying around like a water hose on the ground, a box of long light bulbs in a corner , old mop or something and a lamp on the ground...right where you walk in the front of the building. Blew my mind...


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## acjohnson53 (Oct 16, 2016)

Like they said "Feed Em".....LOL


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## Brother_Steve (Oct 18, 2016)

Some Brethren see the officer line they were familiar with fade away as time marches on and it's just not the same for them.

They stay away because Lodge is different.

I will say for me as I progress through the line, it is weird not seeing those officers I was familiar with. Soon I to may sit in the East and look at those behind me as those who have gone before me are no more. (in the officer line that is!)


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## grayflannelsuit (Oct 19, 2016)

Bloke said:


> Take the time to listen to this...



An excellent video. I know I'm still just an EA but some of these points already resonate with me.


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## Bloke (Oct 19, 2016)

grayflannelsuit said:


> An excellent video. I know I'm still just an EA but some of these points already resonate with me.



Thanks, the only thing it misses is education, but Greg gives a great presentation. He will soon be interviewed on the Brought to Light Podcast which I'm looking forward to hearing..


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## Brother_Steve (Oct 26, 2016)

why do people stop going to restaurants? Sometimes you need a change in menus.

Masonry is no different. Eventually it gets stale and you need a change of pace.


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## Bloke (Oct 26, 2016)

Brother_Steve said:


> why do people stop going to restaurants? Sometimes you need a change in menus.
> 
> Masonry is no different. Eventually it gets stale and you need a change of pace.



I like this allegory which reminds me of the restaurant at the end of the universe called Hirams


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## Bloke (Oct 26, 2016)

Bloke said:


> I like this allegory which reminds me of the restaurant at the end of the universe



It's years since I've seen that. For me, it was more relevant as a MM and was the type of thing that inspired me help found a new lodge. But as a PM watching it today who loves lodge, I'm asking myself if I've become one of the smiling people who eats bad food.... i'm pretty sure the answer is no, but I've got almost 10 Fellow Crafts I can ask.....which probably tells me something as does our 66% retention rate over 8 years.... but I still need to keep checking for fresh perspective... that video was shared so widely when it came out.... i wonder if newer masons are aware of it?


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## Matt S (Oct 26, 2016)

Bloke,

That is the first time I have seen that video, I must say that is something.  Very interesting way of wording things very good metaphor.


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## Blake Bowden (Oct 27, 2016)

Spend a few minutes at each meeting talking about masonic education or history. You can find articles here..

https://www.myfreemasonry.com/forums/masonic-education-repository.424/


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## Bloke (Oct 27, 2016)

Matt S said:


> Bloke,
> 
> That is the first time I have seen that video, I must say that is something.  Very interesting way of wording things very good metaphor.


Glad to share - it was very popular when it first came out and was shared a lot !


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## Brother_Steve (Oct 27, 2016)

JamestheJust said:


> Just learning the Retrospect in the 3rd.  Our version explains how the second degree enables us to trace the development of the mental faculties through the paths of heavenly science to the throne of God.
> 
> If Masonry gets stale then it cannot be doing what it claims.
> 
> ...


Poor wording on my part. Lodge gets stale. Open, minutes, Grand Lodge comm. Lodge Comm. Petitions, reports of investigation, balloting (if any) New Business Old business, Committee reports, announcements, close.

There has to be something in there that makes it worth while once and a while


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## Ripcord22A (Oct 27, 2016)

Has any brother anything for the good of this lodge or freemasonry in general.....if ur ritual has something along this line and you are disenfranchised then its your fault.  Cause that line is your chance to stand up amd give a quick talk...maybe read a poem, or a masonic story...something

Sent from my LG-H811 using My Freemasonry mobile app


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 27, 2016)

Blake Bowden said:


> Spend a few minutes at each meeting talking about masonic education or history.


Yes!


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## acjohnson53 (Oct 29, 2016)

I highly agree with Brother Steve


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## Warrior1256 (Oct 30, 2016)

Brother_Steve said:


> Poor wording on my part. Lodge gets stale. Open, minutes, Grand Lodge comm. Lodge Comm. Petitions, reports of investigation, balloting (if any) New Business Old business, Committee reports, announcements, close.
> 
> There has to be something in there that makes it worth while once and a while


Exactly!


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## Michael Schiavello (Nov 17, 2016)

As Worshipful Master of my lodge this year, I implemented a weekly (we have lodge every week) eduction program. I write my own lectures mostly, also do Masonic trivia, special guest talks, interactive discussions, all in lodge. Our numbers are now AVERAGE 30 Brothers per week, peaking at 36 or 37. It is astounding. Used to be around 18 / 20. BROTHERS WANT TO LEARN and BE A PART of something, not just sit there are watch degrees nor watch open / close.


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## Bloke (Nov 17, 2016)

Michael Schiavello said:


> As Worshipful Master of my lodge this year, I implemented a weekly (we have lodge every week) eduction program. I write my own lectures mostly, also do Masonic trivia, special guest talks, interactive discussions, all in lodge. Our numbers are now AVERAGE 30 Brothers per week, peaking at 36 or 37. It is astounding. Used to be around 18 / 20. BROTHERS WANT TO LEARN and BE A PART of something, not just sit there are watch degrees nor watch open / close.


Excellent. Michael, have you checked out the Blue Lounge Social Club in Victoria ? They have a Facebook page...


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