Monday, May 16, 2016

Past Masters disappointed that new members have too many ideas


Santo Alberto, CA -- After a number of initiatives to attract younger, new members, the lodges around Central California are beginning to see some results. Men in their 30s are beginning to join the lodges in small, but increasing numbers. This has led, however, to some unforeseen issues in many lodges.


Members of Temperance Lodge No. 9744 don't understand
how to handle newer members with ideas. 
“These new kids are driving us nuts,” complained WB Ron McArnold of Temperance Lodge No. 9744.  “All they do is talk about stuff. They talk about Freemasonry. They talk about fellowship. They talk about all sorts of ideas. We can’t keep up, anymore.”


Indeed, that has been among the biggest complaints coming back up the hierarchy to the Grand Lodge officers: the new members are obsessed with Freemasonry, and their constant stream of ideas are getting on the nerves of the older, more established members.


“They’re constantly asking if they can try some new thing. One week it’s emailing the newsletters. Another week it’s having guest speakers in lodge. Another week it’s getting a blood drive at the lodge,” agreed WB Juan Flavian. “It’s crazy. I don’t understand why they can’t just sit there and just do things like we’ve always done them. What was the Grand Lodge thinking when they started trying to get all these new guys in here, anyway?”


The Grand Lodge of California has not responded to inquiries about these issues.


-- Conte Calvino Gliostro


10 comments:

  1. In other words, the old brethren object to Freemasonry.

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  2. “All they do is talk about stuff. They talk about Freemasonry. They talk about fellowship. They talk about all sorts of ideas. We can’t keep up, anymore


    We can't keep up because we fail to understand the three basics stages of human life "Youth, Manhood and age" .... and we don't understand when stage to which we're included;
    All i'm really saying is that sometime one should know when it's time to sit back and look over a well spent life .....
    ... and let the youth take charge.... but guide them the way you were guided; (the fraternity haven't changed.... It still create guys like us and that's what we should be doing too... Creating more of us by Precept and Example...

    We're a team

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  3. If you continue to think like you always thought, you will continue to get what you always got! Is it enough? The time has come to revamp our thinking and the input of these young members is exactly what is needed. Without them, we are destined to become non-existent

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  4. Excellent ! :-) Fraternally from France.

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    Replies
    1. I am planning a trip to Paris to see my Daughter. I have gotten feedback it's impossible to visit a Lodge even with Traveling Papers.

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  5. Are they prepared to also do something
    beyond talking ???

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  6. Why not delegate some tasks and see what takes shape?

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  7. Good laugh at this one, especially the comments.

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  8. I must say... Will Yancy is right! and where I am from we are in a transition of leadership. The old are handing the torches to the young. In the past year I've seen many young new leaders learn new positions & in the next 2 years our leadership will be 100% completely under 40 years old for the first time (26-38 years old average). Its good to have a handful or more of active young members that know the works to preserve it, after that, the older members may start taking positions again as long as a steady number of younger members can keep our craft moving towards the future.

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