I've been asked to join the Freemasons

I've been asked to join the Freemasons

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sprint355

1,331 posts

226 months

Sunday 18th March 2012
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I so enjoyed my time in the offices and through the chair, being a madman and having a record means I cannot now contribute, enjoy all the times brothers.

Pappa Lurve

3,827 posts

281 months

Tuesday 20th March 2012
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andyjo1982 said:
Great news about your lodge. Our lodge has been very close to going under too. We're back up to about 22 members I think at the moment, with 2 more initiates ready to come in this year, 18 months ago we were down to about 16 regular members. The problem we have, is that our more senior members tend to be a little too pushy to get new members on the floor and rushing them through the offices. We have a couple of members who've been through the chair 4 times because people just drop out when they get to JD/SD. Whilst I respect traditions and accept there are ways to do things, sometimes I feel that a few of the more senior members need to move with the times a little. It can be all too easy to criticise new and younger members who are not always completely confident in the work they do...

We used to meet in Clerkenwell until October when we got into GT Queen st. So much better, no ripped carpets, no holes in the curtains and we dine at the Prince of Wales where the food is a million times better. Do you know what your lodge is planning for the future? We moved as I think they'd sold Clerkenwell and were planning a new building or somoething? It all sounded a little sus from what I could make of it...
Really pleased to hear your Lodge is doing well. We now kind of have the same issue with senior members. Just been on the phone today calming down a similar situation but to be fair, our senior members contribute a vast amount to the Lodge but sometimes don't sympathise with the realities of life for younger members. A quiet word from our newly appointed Lodge Daddy (Father of the Lodge / Mentor / all round utterly brilliant chap who everyone in our Lodge adores!) seems to have solved that one :-)

I do think Masonary in general knows that it needs to move with the times a little and I know our Grand Officer is working really hard to influence decisions to make it generally more adaptive to new members and potential candidates.

I know what you mean about Clerkenwell, but the bar is not bad and they keep hiring cute girls which has lead to a couple of very fun evenings out for me, so can't complain! As I understand it, we move to the new building late this year. Basically, the Sessions House was swapped for a new place which is being fitted out to make it truly fit for purpose. No cost to Masons for getting it as the developer gets the OSH which needs at least £1.5m spent to bring it up to standard which is complicated as it is also a listed building. I'll be sad to see the place go but as I understand it, it is the best thing financially and it should be a superb facility very much fit for purpose. Our Lodge 250th should be there or at GH so I hope its nice! 6 years away but you all welcome!

Sorry for the essay there!

andyjo1982

4,957 posts

209 months

Tuesday 27th March 2012
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1st meeting of our new year tomorrow in our new offices. I'm JD, and we've got a 1st to do, so plenty of cramming for me tonight, but looking forward to a nice day out in London...

sleep envy

62,260 posts

248 months

Tuesday 27th March 2012
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Just get your knocks right and hold the knocker when the IG knocks, the doors rattle at GQS and you'll end up with 6 knocks otherwise.

andyjo1982

4,957 posts

209 months

Thursday 29th March 2012
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Well, yesterday went pretty well. I made a couple of tiny mistakes, but for my first real time on the floor (other than 1 set of tools), that went as well as I could hope for.

Was a cracking day yesterday, a few beers a dinnertime in the sunshine and an excellent festive board too... thumbup

Pappa Lurve

3,827 posts

281 months

Friday 30th March 2012
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andyjo1982 said:
Well, yesterday went pretty well. I made a couple of tiny mistakes, but for my first real time on the floor (other than 1 set of tools), that went as well as I could hope for.

Was a cracking day yesterday, a few beers a dinnertime in the sunshine and an excellent festive board too... thumbup
Delighted it went well. Do not stress about errors as firstly, everyone makes them, and secondly, it is far more important to do it and to get the spirit right than get every word and step right and loose the meaning and fun, which can happen IHO.

JD is probably the most fun office so relish it Bro :-)

Turbodiesel1690

1,957 posts

169 months

Thursday 5th April 2012
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3rd degree tonight, really looking forward to it

heppers75

3,135 posts

216 months

Thursday 5th April 2012
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We had a lecture on the first degree tracing board last night, first time I have heard it and I have to say it was very good.

I can highly recommend it if anyone has not.

steve2

1,771 posts

217 months

Friday 13th April 2012
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we had a double first tonight and it went very well,

rednotdead

1,214 posts

225 months

Saturday 14th April 2012
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heppers75 said:
We had a lecture on the first degree tracing board last night, first time I have heard it and I have to say it was very good.

I can highly recommend it if anyone has not.
Yep - 'tis a good piece. We do it at every 1st, it's the party piece of one of the older members.

heppers75

3,135 posts

216 months

Saturday 14th April 2012
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rednotdead said:
heppers75 said:
We had a lecture on the first degree tracing board last night, first time I have heard it and I have to say it was very good.

I can highly recommend it if anyone has not.
Yep - 'tis a good piece. We do it at every 1st, it's the party piece of one of the older members.
It is something the current IPM and I discussed to perhaps propose at committee we introduce..

I am currently head in the blue book learning The Traditional History for next month!

D1ngd0ng

1,014 posts

164 months

Tuesday 17th April 2012
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3rd boxed off last night, nearly word perfect too biggrin

What a ceremony! Daren't think of all the revision the WM, IPM and Chaplain put in to get it right.

Extra 300 Driver

5,281 posts

245 months

Tuesday 17th April 2012
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A quite odd and embarrassing question, but I will ask anyway.

My father in Law is a member of Sawbridgeworth and Herford, I think., but he hasn’t been for a while although he still pays his subs. Speaking to him over Easter he approached the subject of me joining and that he thought I would make a good member, and that lots of lodges are looking for younger members, although I am 35, to join. I love tradition and ceremony, having served in the RAF I really enjoy keeping traditions alive.

There are two minor issues. I live in Chelmsford, and the lodge is about 8 minutes away, whereas his lodge is about 40 minutes and he has not been for ages and ages, so it would be embarrassing for him to return just to propose me.

He says that I must know people in the Chelmsford lodge already, through my hobby (A Special Constable in Essex Police), but I don’t know, and other than saying to everyone, ‘Hello. Are you a Mason?’ I have no way to know!

So the question is, how do you get introduced, is it purely through direct contact?

D1ngd0ng

1,014 posts

164 months

Tuesday 17th April 2012
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Extra 300 Driver said:
A quite odd and embarrassing question, but I will ask anyway.

My father in Law is a member of Sawbridgeworth and Herford, I think., but he hasn’t been for a while although he still pays his subs. Speaking to him over Easter he approached the subject of me joining and that he thought I would make a good member, and that lots of lodges are looking for younger members, although I am 35, to join. I love tradition and ceremony, having served in the RAF I really enjoy keeping traditions alive.

There are two minor issues. I live in Chelmsford, and the lodge is about 8 minutes away, whereas his lodge is about 40 minutes and he has not been for ages and ages, so it would be embarrassing for him to return just to propose me.

He says that I must know people in the Chelmsford lodge already, through my hobby (A Special Constable in Essex Police), but I don’t know, and other than saying to everyone, ‘Hello. Are you a Mason?’ I have no way to know!

So the question is, how do you get introduced, is it purely through direct contact?
Think he has a bit of an outdated pov if he thinks that all the police are masons after the witch hunt of the last decade. My proposer intimated to one of the provincial officers at the Cheshire show (they had a stall) a few years back that he wished to join. They passed his details on to a suitable lodge's secretary who got in touch and sorted the details out.

toastybase

2,220 posts

207 months

Tuesday 17th April 2012
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Just made level 80 as a Paladin.

Extra 300 Driver

5,281 posts

245 months

Tuesday 17th April 2012
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D1ngd0ng said:
Think he has a bit of an outdated pov if he thinks that all the police are masons after the witch hunt of the last decade. My proposer intimated to one of the provincial officers at the Cheshire show (they had a stall) a few years back that he wished to join. They passed his details on to a suitable lodge's secretary who got in touch and sorted the details out.
Thanks for that. I am sure he didn't mean all Police are in, but I am sure there are a few more than in my day job.

andyjo1982

4,957 posts

209 months

Tuesday 17th April 2012
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Extra 300 Driver said:
D1ngd0ng said:
Think he has a bit of an outdated pov if he thinks that all the police are masons after the witch hunt of the last decade. My proposer intimated to one of the provincial officers at the Cheshire show (they had a stall) a few years back that he wished to join. They passed his details on to a suitable lodge's secretary who got in touch and sorted the details out.
Thanks for that. I am sure he didn't mean all Police are in, but I am sure there are a few more than in my day job.
Theres a sign behind the bar in a lodge i've visited. 2B1, ask 1. Thats the first step, asking. I guess it would depend how well your relative gets on with his lodge. Just because he doesn't go very often, or hasn't been for a long time, it doesn't mean he wouldn't be welcome back in. Do you know any other members at all? Just to add, i've been a Mason for about 4 years now, my father proposed me after i'd been asking him about it. It is a good craic, and its only as much work as you want to make it.

chris.mapey

4,778 posts

266 months

Tuesday 17th April 2012
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heppers75 said:
We had a lecture on the first degree tracing board last night, first time I have heard it and I have to say it was very good.

I can highly recommend it if anyone has not.
I seem to recall at a meeting a few months ago there was a communication from Grand Lodge read out along the lines of if the tracing board is not carried out, your initiation is invalid in the eyes of UGLE...

rednotdead

1,214 posts

225 months

Tuesday 17th April 2012
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chris.mapey said:
I seem to recall at a meeting a few months ago there was a communication from Grand Lodge read out along the lines of if the tracing board is not carried out, your initiation is invalid in the eyes of UGLE...
Think that was the 3rd degree TB, not the 1st. I remember a big discussion on some of the forums as no-one could remember seeing a 3rd without the TB being included.

Saddle bum

4,211 posts

218 months

Tuesday 17th April 2012
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rednotdead said:
chris.mapey said:
I seem to recall at a meeting a few months ago there was a communication from Grand Lodge read out along the lines of if the tracing board is not carried out, your initiation is invalid in the eyes of UGLE...
Think that was the 3rd degree TB, not the 1st. I remember a big discussion on some of the forums as no-one could remember seeing a 3rd without the TB being included.
It referred to the Third and it was the Trad History.