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Interesting observation as a result of Masonic District Change

Keith C

Registered User
As of St John's Day last my Blue Lodge has changed Masonic Districts due to some shuffling of District assignments here in PA.

We have had some informal meetings between members of the Lodges in our new District over the past few months but Last night was the first "official" event as part of the new District. The event was a District School of Instruction, which happens Monthly.

The district we moved into is smaller in number of Lodges and significantly smaller in number of Members than the previous District. First impression was WOW, there are a LOT of guys here. Attendance was great with at least 4 Brothers form Each Lodge in attendance. The atmosphere was far more casual and everyone from the DDGM, to the Principal and Brothers of the other Lodges were quite welcoming and excited at having us there. Especially of note was the way the actual work of the School was conducted. Officers from the Lodge assigned to exemplify the work along with others from the district needed to fill in chairs, went through the Ritual being Instructed (In this case Business of The Lodge) and the Instructor were excellent at adding advice or corrections in a positive and informational way. Also of note was that no one from the sidelines interjected. Although it felt more "laid back" than my previous experiences at Schools of Instruction" The important aspects of the work were well emphasized and several "do-overs" as well as "after school" discussions showed the way the instruction was done actually stuck.

I think we are going to fit in well with the new District. NOT that there is anything wrong at all with how things are done in our previous District, the "feel" is just a bit different and seems to me to be more fitting with the "personality" of our Lodge.

Once again the aspects of Freemasonry that differ between parts of the overall fascinate me and in this case the differences are not "Because Pennsylvania!"
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Once again the aspects of Freemasonry that differ between parts of the overall fascinate me and in this case the differences are not "Because Pennsylvania!"
I agree.

And it is an interesting post.

I am involved in several districts and just saw one was looking for a lecture master - it's around the corner and I am tempted... but I know the culture between Districts will vary and I know that bigger is not necessarily better.

May main thought about your post is the difference between Exemplification (showing ritual performed to a high standard), Education (Understanding the Ritual) and Training (showing how a student does a job). I think Lodges of Instruction should mainly be about training but they are often about Exemplification. . and when training, and informal environment with many different things going on with lots of one on one training can be best..
 

Organist

Registered User
My home lodge is located in a town right on the county line, which is also the boundary of the next district. A few years before I joined, the lodge switched districts. I don't know all what was behind it, but I rather suspect it had more to do with geography than anything else. People in that area just seem to gravitate toward the neighboring county for shopping, employment, and socializing. It just kind of makes sense, I guess. I do a plural membership with another lodge in the original district (I'm their organist). I notice differences, but only in the way that individuals have those differences that make them unique.
 

Keith C

Registered User
A bit of a Follow up regarding our District Change.

We have had several interactions with our "new to us" District Deputy Grand Master, as well as many Officers and Brethren from the Lodges in our new District. We have enjoyed the Schools of Instruction and the ways things are done in the District.

One thing the DDGM wanted to further encourage was visitations by Brethren to other Lodges in the District to build friendships and connections. Within the District there is a "Traveling Gavel" where the various DDGMs who have been assigned to the District had used to try to increase visitation, with various schemes of how to "claim" it and bring it to another Lodge. It had been sitting in the East of one Lodge for 9 years! The DDGM came up with a criteria for claiming the gavel, which required "9 or more points" (as it is the 9th Masonic District) from the visitors, with Each Brother attending contributing 1 point and a sitting WM contributing 2 points. The gavel could be claimed at any Stated or Extra meeting of the Lodge who has possession of it, with the exception of District visitations. Once taken the Gavel remains at the Lodge who took it for at least a Masonic Month, meaning it can only be claimed at or after their second Stated Meeting after claiming the Gavel.

Well, our Stated Meeting and District Visitation is Tomorrow and as luck would have it, the Lodge who had possession of the Gavel held an Extra Meeting last evening. Or WM and Wardens put on a campaign to get enough Brothers to come out, attend their Extra Meeting and claim the Gavel. They also gave our DDGM a "heads up" as the Lodge that held the Gavel is his Home Lodge.

We got quite a reaction as we trickled in for dinner before the meeting, though no one actually figured out what was up, until the DDGM arrived. One of the members of the Lodge asked him why he was out and if he knew why there were so many visitors. He just said, "Those guys are here to steal the Gavel" and a light bulb went off. Their WM was very excited as were most of the members. They were already plotting on when and how to steal it back, as were a couple Brothers from another Lodge in the District in attendance! As we were eating a nice dinner I was initially a bit surprised as our Right Worshipful Senior Grand Warden, Bro Robert Brink came into the room. It had slipped my mind that he is a Member and Past Master of the Lodge we were visiting.

We experienced wonderful hospitality for the Brothers of Saucon Lodge No. 469 and witnessed great EA and MM Degrees. Neither RWSGM Brink, nor our DDGM wore their "Purple" and Bro Brink was the Guide for the Candidate for the MM Degree. It was nice for them to be able to be out without having to maintain the trappings of their respective Offices.

After the Degrees the WM of Saucon Lodge, Bro Dan Ponzel, Presented our WM Bro Chris Currie with the Gavel, which took a few of us to carry out to his vehicle. We will proudly display it in the East as we welcome all the Lodges of Masonic District 9 to our Stated Meeting and District Visitation Tomorrow!

District 9 gavel (2).jpg
 

Bloke

Premium Member
A bit of a Follow up regarding our District Change.

We have had several interactions with our "new to us" District Deputy Grand Master, as well as many Officers and Brethren from the Lodges in our new District. We have enjoyed the Schools of Instruction and the ways things are done in the District.

One thing the DDGM wanted to further encourage was visitations by Brethren to other Lodges in the District to build friendships and connections. Within the District there is a "Traveling Gavel" where the various DDGMs who have been assigned to the District had used to try to increase visitation, with various schemes of how to "claim" it and bring it to another Lodge. It had been sitting in the East of one Lodge for 9 years! The DDGM came up with a criteria for claiming the gavel, which required "9 or more points" (as it is the 9th Masonic District) from the visitors, with Each Brother attending contributing 1 point and a sitting WM contributing 2 points. The gavel could be claimed at any Stated or Extra meeting of the Lodge who has possession of it, with the exception of District visitations. Once taken the Gavel remains at the Lodge who took it for at least a Masonic Month, meaning it can only be claimed at or after their second Stated Meeting after claiming the Gavel.

Well, our Stated Meeting and District Visitation is Tomorrow and as luck would have it, the Lodge who had possession of the Gavel held an Extra Meeting last evening. Or WM and Wardens put on a campaign to get enough Brothers to come out, attend their Extra Meeting and claim the Gavel. They also gave our DDGM a "heads up" as the Lodge that held the Gavel is his Home Lodge.

We got quite a reaction as we trickled in for dinner before the meeting, though no one actually figured out what was up, until the DDGM arrived. One of the members of the Lodge asked him why he was out and if he knew why there were so many visitors. He just said, "Those guys are here to steal the Gavel" and a light bulb went off. Their WM was very excited as were most of the members. They were already plotting on when and how to steal it back, as were a couple Brothers from another Lodge in the District in attendance! As we were eating a nice dinner I was initially a bit surprised as our Right Worshipful Senior Grand Warden, Bro Robert Brink came into the room. It had slipped my mind that he is a Member and Past Master of the Lodge we were visiting.

We experienced wonderful hospitality for the Brothers of Saucon Lodge No. 469 and witnessed great EA and MM Degrees. Neither RWSGM Brink, nor our DDGM wore their "Purple" and Bro Brink was the Guide for the Candidate for the MM Degree. It was nice for them to be able to be out without having to maintain the trappings of their respective Offices.

After the Degrees the WM of Saucon Lodge, Bro Dan Ponzel, Presented our WM Bro Chris Currie with the Gavel, which took a few of us to carry out to his vehicle. We will proudly display it in the East as we welcome all the Lodges of Masonic District 9 to our Stated Meeting and District Visitation Tomorrow!

View attachment 7049
It's been a tough couple of weeks for me - and this story really made me smile.
It might make a good thread in itself on encouraging visiting...
And wow - that's one massive gavel !!!
 

MarkR

Premium Member
When I was Grand LEO, I started a traveling Masonic Education trophy. Two or more brothers from a lodge travel to the lodge that holds it, one or more of them put on a Masonic education presentation of 15 minutes or longer, take the trophy home. Since it's been five years since I was Grand LEO, I have no idea whether it's still actively being moved around.


GLEO trophy.jpg
 
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