# Stated Meeting?



## Mark Stockdale (Feb 21, 2019)

Ok, this has probably been asked before, but I noticed that a lot of the GL calendars show Stated Meeting for the different lodges. What exactly does that mean? Do I take it to be the same as what we in Scotland call a Regular Meeting, ie. a meeting where the lodge is opened in the EA Degree, business conducted then raised to FC if the degree work of that meeting calls for it or passed to MM if that is what we are working?

Just wondering, as both the lodges I am visiting whilst in DC show only Stated Meeting on the GLoDC calendar.


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## Illuminatio (Feb 21, 2019)

For us a "Stated Meeting" would imply a standard "business meeting" where we open on whatever degree is that of the newest Brother that's attending, and we handle all of the Lodge business (vote on petitions, pay the bills, minutes, etc). I have never seen any degrees conducted on the same evening. I don't know that it's officially not allowed, but in my going on 5 years in the Craft I have not heard of that being anything that's done in my area.


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## Mark Stockdale (Feb 21, 2019)

Thanks for the info. We do it all in the same night here in Scotland, but all business is conducted once opened in the EA, usually about the first 30 minutes of our meetings, then we would pass and raise before starting the evenings degree work, depending on what we are conferring.


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## Brother JC (Feb 21, 2019)

I believe it’s called this because it is “stated” in the by-laws when, where, etc. Others are “special” or “called” meetings. But yes, the same as a regular meeting or communication (depending on jurisdiction).

Or as my present WM calls it; the “we have to because grand lodge says so” meeting.


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## Keith C (Feb 22, 2019)

Brother JC said:


> I believe it’s called this because it is “stated” in the by-laws when, where, etc. Others are “special” or “called” meetings. But yes, the same as a regular meeting or communication (depending on jurisdiction).



That is the case here in PA.  The day of the month of our monthly Business meetings is "Stated" in the By-Lays of the Lodge, hence the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm is our "Stated Meeting."  We rarely have a Degree conferral at a Stated Meeting, as there are things we must do that take enough time to make Degrees impractical.  For Degree Conferral we hold "Extra" meetings, at  dates and times decided on by the WM but advised at the previous Stated Meeting at a minimum.  In the case of an emergency need to hold a meeting, or a meeting held for a single expressed purpose that is not a degree,  it would be defined as a "Special" meeting.


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## Mark Stockdale (Feb 22, 2019)

Thank you my Brothers, my next question is 'Would a visiting Brother be welcome at a Stated Communication, or is it primarily Lodge members only?' it sounds similar to our Business Meetings, which are usually just for our own brethren. Just not sure if this is the reason I haven't heard back from the secretaries of the lodges I have permission to visit.


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## Keith C (Feb 22, 2019)

Visitors are VERY welcome at our Stated and Extra Meetings.  They just are expected not to vote!

I have yet to have to attend a "Special" meeting but, depending on the subject, it could possibly be limited to Members.


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## Brother JC (Feb 22, 2019)

You would be more than welcome. My lodge here in California would recommend you attend our Lodge of Instruction instead, we tend to blow through business on our Stated and get gone.


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## Mark Stockdale (Feb 22, 2019)

Brother JC said:


> You would be more than welcome. My lodge here in California would recommend you attend our Lodge of Instruction instead, we tend to blow through business on our Stated and get gone.



Unfortunately, all of the meetings listed on the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia calendar whilst I'm there are Stated Communications so I don't have much of a choice.


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## Brother JC (Feb 22, 2019)

As I said, it’s just my one lodge. Other lodges may have educational talks, guests, all sorts of things.


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## Schuetz (Feb 22, 2019)

ShawnC said:


> For us a "Stated Meeting" would imply a standard "business meeting" where we open on whatever degree is that of the newest Brother that's attending, and we handle all of the Lodge business (vote on petitions, pay the bills, minutes, etc). I have never seen any degrees conducted on the same evening. I don't know that it's officially not allowed, but in my going on 5 years in the Craft I have not heard of that being anything that's done in my area.


Mine in southern Illinois are the same way. Very, VERY rarely will a stated meeting's business and a degree happen in the same night. It's usually an emergency and everyone just wants to go home (especially with a 3rd Degree!).

Q. E. L. Schuetz, M.M.
Shekinah Lodge No. 241 • IL
Murphysboro Lodge No. 498 • IL


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## acjohnson53 (Feb 23, 2019)

Mark Stockdale said:


> Ok, this has probably been asked before, but I noticed that a lot of the GL calendars show Stated Meeting for the different lodges. What exactly does that mean? Do I take it to be the same as what we in Scotland call a Regular Meeting, ie. a meeting where the lodge is opened in the EA Degree, business conducted then raised to FC if the degree work of that meeting calls for it or passed to MM if that is what we are working?
> 
> Just wondering, as both the lodges I am visiting whilst in DC show only Stated Meeting on the GLoDC calendar.



The Stated Meeting is use for the Lodge to pay their bills, vote on any Masonic business that has to be taking of...


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## Keith C (Feb 24, 2019)

acjohnson53 said:


> The Stated Meeting is use for the Lodge to pay their bills, vote on any Masonic business that has to be taking of...
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using My Freemasonry mobile app



We do get the business done at our Stated Meetings but that is a small portion of the time spent. We are required to have a topic presented related to a Masonic topic, we celebrate Masonic Birthdays each month and we always have s program whether it is related to Masonic subjects or not.

Our stated meeting for March we are having a Bother do a presentation on Kabbalah and Freemasonry as an example.


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## Mark Stockdale (Feb 24, 2019)

I'm hoping the 2 secretaries get back to me, even if it's just to say they will welcome me to their meetings. I'll email them again in March if I haven't heard anything back.


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## Warrior1256 (Feb 26, 2019)

Brother JC said:


> I believe it’s called this because it is “stated” in the by-laws when, where, etc. Others are “special” or “called” meetings. But yes, the same as a regular meeting or communication (depending on jurisdiction).


Same here in Kentucky although all lodges open on the MM degree.


Mark Stockdale said:


> 'Would a visiting Brother be welcome at a Stated Communication, or is it primarily Lodge members only?


You would be very welcome in any lodge here in Kentucky.


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## Bill Lins (Feb 26, 2019)

acjohnson53 said:


> The Stated Meeting is use for the Lodge to pay their bills, vote on any Masonic business that has to be taking of...


Under GLoTX, the following applies:

*Art. 233. Stated and Called Meetings Defined.*
_A Stated Meeting of the Lodge is defined to mean a regular meeting of the Lodge as provided in its By-Laws.
A Called Meeting of the Lodge is defined to mean any meeting other than a stated meeting as fixed in the By-Laws of the Lodge._

*Art. 234. Stated Meetings: Business Required At.*
_The following matters shall be attended to *only* at Stated Meetings: Receiving and balloting upon petitions for degrees, advancement and affiliation; receiving and voting on applications for demits, certificates of good standing; removal of Lodge to another location; receiving charges and complaints of Masonic disciplinary violations; election of Officers, surrender of charters; presentation of proposed by-laws and all amendments thereof (except as authorized in Subdivision 4 of Art. 216); reinstatement of membership and restoration of Masonic rights; granting of life memberships; consolidation of Lodges; and approval of accounts and other fiscal transactions, unless dispensation to the contrary is granted; and all other matters required elsewhere in these Laws to be transacted at Stated Meetings. When, at a Stated Meeting, a Lodge has been closed, it cannot be reopened as a Stated Meeting, although no one may have left the room. (Revised 2007)._

*Art. 235. Called Meetings: Business Permitted.*
_Called Meetings may be ordered by the Master of the Lodge, or by the Senior Warden in his absence, or by the Junior Warden in the absence
of both, at any time not prohibited by law for any one or more of the following purposes: to receive the Grand Master or his Representative or other distinguished Mason; to confer degrees on candidates previously elected; to examine and vote on the proficiency of candidates; to install officers; to conduct funerals, to receive and vote on adoption of by-laws under Subdivision 4 of Art. 216; to adopt by-laws and amendments thereto when duly called for that purpose after reasonable notice given; to transact any other business not required by law to be acted on at a Stated Meeting. The Secretary may be ordered to issue summons for such meetings when the circumstances are deemed such as to warrant it; such summons must be in writing and under the seal of the Lodge._


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## acjohnson53 (Mar 12, 2019)

In other words “Pay the Bills “...


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## Brother JC (Mar 12, 2019)

That’s what we do at our stated. Anything interesting happens the next week at our Lodge of Instruction.


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## Warrior1256 (Mar 12, 2019)

Brother JC said:


> That’s what we do at our stated. Anything interesting happens the next week at our Lodge of Instruction.


Agreed.


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## Elexir (Mar 12, 2019)

Ive always found that funny that you have to hold meetings to pay the bills....


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## Schuetz (Mar 12, 2019)

Elexir said:


> Ive always found that funny that you have to hold meetings to pay the bills....


A few of our bills are automated and thus don't require a vote.

Q. E. L. Schuetz, M.M.
Shekinah Lodge No. 241 • IL
Murphysboro Lodge No. 498 • IL


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## Winter (Mar 13, 2019)

Elexir said:


> Ive always found that funny that you have to hold meetings to pay the bills....



My Lodges it is just a simple motion to pay the bills. There is never any actual discussion.  But it is required to be on the record that the Brothers assented to the expenditure.


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## Mark Stockdale (Mar 13, 2019)

Winter said:


> My Lodges it is just a simple motion to pay the bills. There is never any actual discussion.  But it is required to be on the record that the Brothers assented to the expenditure.



We have a separate monthly committee meeting that discusses the bills and and then passes them, the minutes of the meeting being read out in open lodge for the information of the Brethren.


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## Warrior1256 (Mar 13, 2019)

Elexir said:


> Ive always found that funny that you have to hold meetings to pay the bills....


True, but it has to be done in open lodge so that the Brothers are aware of where the lodge's money is going.


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## Winter (Mar 13, 2019)

Warrior1256 said:


> True, but it has to be done in open lodge so that the Brothers are aware of where the lodge's money is going.


Maybe the Brothers shouldn't be so nosey about where I spend their money! 

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## Elexir (Mar 13, 2019)

Winter said:


> My Lodges it is just a simple motion to pay the bills. There is never any actual discussion.  But it is required to be on the record that the Brothers assented to the expenditure.



Maybe its just diffrent cultures but heres its not needed.



Warrior1256 said:


> True, but it has to be done in open lodge so that the Brothers are aware of where the lodge's money is going.



Yearly audit of of the lodges money presented in open lodge for all intressted should be enough.

Honestly Im not intressted in how much every single thing cost or how much we pay in rent.


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## Keith C (Mar 13, 2019)

Winter said:


> My Lodges it is just a simple motion to pay the bills. There is never any actual discussion.  But it is required to be on the record that the Brothers assented to the expenditure.



Pretty much the same here.  Treasurer reads the bills, Secretary moves to pay them, SD seconds, voice vote (wherein the same 3 guys every month think it is hilarious to vote "No") and done.  Checks are normally already written and signed by the SEC & TREAS and get signed by the WM immediately  after the meeting.  Whole thing takes 2 minutes.

For us the majority of time in our stated meeting is a program almost always Masonic related, lasting about 20 min.  Our meeting typically last 2 hours From the Pursuivant closing the outer door to the Pursuivant informing the Tyler the Lodge is closed.


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## Keith C (Mar 13, 2019)

Elexir said:


> Maybe its just diffrent cultures but heres its not needed.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



For us it is because THE LODGE is paying the bills, not the Officers, therefor THE LODGE as a whole must approve the expenditures.  Too much potential for abuse by letting it be done by 3 people in isolation.


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## Warrior1256 (Mar 13, 2019)

Winter said:


> Maybe the Brothers shouldn't be so nosey about where I spend their money!


Lol!


Winter said:


> My Lodges it is just a simple motion to pay the bills.


Same with us,


Elexir said:


> Honestly Im not intressted in how much every single thing cost or how much we pay in rent.


I like the transparency of everything being done out in the open.


Keith C said:


> Whole thing takes 2 minutes.


Same here.


Keith C said:


> For us it is because THE LODGE is paying the bills, not the Officers, therefor THE LODGE as a whole must approve the expenditures. Too much potential for abuse by letting it be done by 3 people in isolation.


Exactly!


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## Ian Hughes (Mar 13, 2019)

In my lodge in Colorado, we open on the EA and conduct all normal lodge business during this time. If we have any proficiencies to come before the lodge, we simply make sure that only that degree or above are present in the room and we will open on that degree.

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## Warrior1256 (Mar 13, 2019)

Ian Hughes said:


> In my lodge in Colorado, we open on the EA and conduct all normal lodge business during this time. If we have any proficiencies to come before the lodge, we simply make sure that only that degree or above are present in the room and we will open on that degree.


Sounds good and simply.


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## jermy Bell (Mar 15, 2019)

We pay the bills, and usually a little old and new business. But it's fun. Or at least at my lodge.  We're usually out inside of an hour.


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## Warrior1256 (Mar 16, 2019)

jermy Bell said:


> We pay the bills, and usually a little old and new business. But it's fun. Or at least at my lodge. We're usually out inside of an hour.


Same here.


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