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Your Lodge probably blames the wrong things for why young men aren’t joining. “Young people today aren’t interested in fraternity.” “They’re too busy with work and family.” “Social media has replaced real connection.” “They don’t value tradition anymore.” I’m 32. I joined Freemasonry at 28. And I can tell you exactly why most of my … Read more
I remember opening the Masonic Lodge Secretary app for the first time. Expected some complicated dashboard with fifty buttons I didn’t understand. Instead, I got a clean overview showing exactly what I needed to see. Member count. Upcoming meetings. Dues collection progress. Lodge health score. Everything important, nothing overwhelming. Within an hour, I’d added our … Read more
My first month as Secretary, I got a call at 9 PM on a Tuesday. The Worshipful Master needed to know who attended the last three meetings. I had no idea. The attendance sheets were somewhere. Maybe in the folder I brought home. Maybe still at the lodge. Maybe in my car. I told him … Read more
We lost three candidates last year. Not to scheduling conflicts or family obligations. We just lost track of them. One got initiated in March. His mentor moved out of state in April. Nobody assigned a new one. By June, he’d stopped showing up. Nobody noticed until September. By then, he was gone. That’s a $600 … Read more
We had 28 members at our January stated meeting. By June, we were down to 19. The Worshipful Master asked what happened. Nobody had a good answer. “Guys are busy.” “Summer’s always slow.” “That’s just how it is.” But we didn’t actually know. We were guessing. We had no data, just impressions and excuses. Then … Read more
Our Treasurer stood up at the October stated meeting and announced we had $8,400 in the bank. Everyone nodded. Sounded good. Meeting moved on. Two months later, we couldn’t pay Grand Lodge fees. Turned out we had $12,000 in annual expenses and only collected $7,500 in dues. The $8,400 balance looked healthy. The trajectory was … Read more
I spent two years managing our lodge with Excel spreadsheets. One for members. One for dues. One for officers. One for meeting attendance. Every time someone asked a question, I had to open three files, cross-reference data, and hope my formulas still worked. When I stepped down as Secretary, I handed my successor a folder … Read more
My Lodge didn’t have an Education Officer for the first three years I was a member. Education happened sporadically when someone felt inspired to give a talk, which meant it happened maybe three times a year. The talks were usually historical trivia that Brothers politely endured before moving on to dinner. Then we appointed our … Read more
I spent two years thinking my Lodge was dying. We’d lost members. Attendance was down. Our building needed repairs we couldn’t afford. I watched other Lodges posting photos of packed meetings and fancy events, and I felt like we were failing. Then I visited one of those “successful” Lodges. Beautiful building. Fifty guys at the … Read more
We spend a lot of time talking about ritual proficiency. Can you do the opening? Do you know your catechism? Are you ready to confer a degree? All important stuff. But here’s what nobody mentions: knowing the ritual doesn’t make you a good Mason any more than knowing the Pledge of Allegiance makes you a … Read more
Leadership within Freemasonry carries a weight unlike leadership in other organizations. From the moment we first enter the Lodge as Entered Apprentices, we are introduced to principles that call us to our highest character. Those who step forward to lead within our ancient Craft aren’t merely managing Lodge affairs; they embody the fundamental virtues of … Read more
Freemasonry stands at a crossroads. Despite its rich heritage and the timeless values it upholds, many Lodges struggle to attract and retain members in our rapidly changing world. Younger generations, who often have more choices for personal development and community involvement, now expect effective, inspiring leadership wherever they devote their time. This expectation places a … Read more
Freemasonry, with its rich history and enduring appeal, has drawn members from all walks of life for centuries. But at what stage in life do most people decide to join this ancient fraternity? To answer this, we posed a simple question to the online Masonic community: “How old were you when you became a Freemason?“ … Read more
Nothing is more frustrating than seeing a member, once enthusiastic about joining the fraternity, lose interest and face suspension for non-payment of dues. Sadly, this issue is increasingly common in our Lodges, and as leaders, it is crucial to understand the underlying causes and address them effectively. This guide provides practical steps and strategies for … Read more