As I have mentioned on here before... after my first year in Freemasonry I was elected (by acclamation as nobody else wanted to do it) Secretary AND Treasurer of my Lodge in Canada (I now live in Mexico). I had a couple of great mentors (1 a long time Secretary in another Lodge and the Grand Secretary) and I set to work. I had a General Purpose meeting and none of the young guys there... it was for MM's and above. The Grand Master came and was encouraging all to come to the GL Communication... after Lodge at the Festive Board I asked him why they should come when they can't vote... long and short I opened the BoGP to all members of the Lodge and although it took me a few years, I got a motion through GL that ALL MM's could vote... attendance at Communication went way up!... not to mention new found turnouts for BoGP's.
Now in Mexico (a York Rite Lodge) EA's and FC's cannot come in Lodge because ALL BUSINESS MEETINGS MUST BE DONE IN THE THIRD DEGREE!... not even MM's can vote at GL nor can anyone less than a PM occupy ANY office... even appointed ones. Grand Honors is very different and shows the signs from all 3 Degrees... none but MM's can see the Grand Master on his visit (haven't seen one in a couple of years anyway).
And to quote something in the Constitution: "Nominations and campaigning are a Masonic offence"... Lodge elections are a thing to behold! There is more!
This year the Lodge elections were held in January (what ever happened to installations on either of the Holy St. Johns' Days in June and December? All present (there were 12) were handed a blank piece of paper and told to write down their choice for WM (must have served as a Warden as normal)... a guy who was on a cruise got 11 out of 12 votes (he had a friend let people know he would serve AGAIN if elected... perhaps campaigning? lol).
I had finally had it and demitted... I still belong to my Mother Lodge and another in Canada).
Retention is an important thing but I swear some don't even know what the work means.
As I have mentioned on here before... after my first year in Freemasonry I was elected (by acclamation as nobody else wanted to do it) Secretary AND Treasurer of my Lodge in Canada (I now live in Mexico). I had a couple of great mentors (1 a long time Secretary in another Lodge and the Grand Secretary) and I set to work. I had a General Purpose meeting and none of the young guys there... it was for MM's and above. The Grand Master came and was encouraging all to come to the GL Communication... after Lodge at the Festive Board I asked him why they should come when they can't vote... long and short I opened the BoGP to all members of the Lodge and although it took me a few years, I got a motion through GL that ALL MM's could vote... attendance at Communication went way up!... not to mention new found turnouts for BoGP's.
Now in Mexico (a York Rite Lodge) EA's and FC's cannot come in Lodge because ALL BUSINESS MEETINGS MUST BE DONE IN THE THIRD DEGREE!... not even MM's can vote at GL nor can anyone less than a PM occupy ANY office... even appointed ones. Grand Honors is very different and shows the signs from all 3 Degrees... none but MM's can see the Grand Master on his visit (haven't seen one in a couple of years anyway).
And to quote something in the Constitution: "Nominations and campaigning are a Masonic offence"... Lodge elections are a thing to behold! There is more!
This year the Lodge elections were held in January (what ever happened to installations on either of the Holy St. Johns' Days in June and December? All present (there were 12) were handed a blank piece of paper and told to write down their choice for WM (must have served as a Warden as normal)... a guy who was on a cruise got 11 out of 12 votes (he had a friend let people know he would serve AGAIN if elected... perhaps campaigning? lol).
I had finally had it and demitted... I still belong to my Mother Lodge and another in Canada).
Retention is an important thing but I swear some don't even know what the work means.