Most Worshipful Grand Master, Past Grand Masters, Worshipful Masters, and brethren, good afternoon. It is my pleasure to address you today. The title of my oration this afternoon is “Lodge – More than a Meeting.

I joined Masonry eleven years ago, and for the entire eleven years I’ve been a Mason, there has been talk about overall declining membership, less activity in some Lodges, boring meetings, and the list goes on and on. There has also been during this same time, several ideas that have come forward through email posts, or workshops put on by the Grand Lodge, or out by the water cooler on how we can fix things.

This afternoon, I would like to offer, yet another idea. This is an opinion from one Mason, it’s not meant to be a directive, or even a solution, but rather an idea formed from participating in several Lodges, making observations, and of course coming up with some personal conclusions.

Today, for many Masonic Lodges, both within and without the jurisdiction, the definition of Lodge has become the meeting once per month when a few guys get together to pay bills, read minutes, eat a couple of donuts and then go home.

The on line Merriam-Webster Dictionary & Thesaurus, gives as it’s third example of a lodge as: the meeting place of an organization. And uses the following sentence to illustrate it. The Masons meet at the lodge every Thursday evening.

How do we define our Lodges? Is the the building we meet in? Is it the actual group of men? Is it our Friends and Brothers that we enjoy to spend time with? Is it where ever we as friends and brothers meet? Is it only when we get together at the stated Lodge meeting? Or is it a part of us and everything we do? For many of us, the definition is a little bit of each of these. So the question begs itself, what do we want our Lodges to be?

We want our Lodges to be vibrant, we want our membership to be engaged and active, we want to be relevant, and a place our membership wants to be. In today’s world of television, Internet, video games and the sort, there is a lot competing with what we have to offer. So we need to be able to offer a reason for members to not only join, but to stay involved. We need to ensure that Masonry, and the Lodge is more than just a meeting once a month.

So how do we do this? How do we compete with the outside world, and still promote what Masonry is all about? I think back to the adage, if you can’t beat them, join them. Now I am not suggesting that we set aside our ritual, our customs, or anything that would diminish what Masonry or the Lodge is about. The thought is that we give our members another reason to be involved, another reason to come out.

Imagine if you will a Sunday morning, a football game is getting ready to start, or the Nascar race is getting started. Instead of sitting down in the easy chair to watch TV, you come down to the Masonic Lodge and watch the game or race with three, five, or ten of your brothers. You get the best of both worlds, you get to watch the game, and you also get to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood.

Now carry that a bit further, imagine all the other things that can be done as a Lodge outside of the meeting. Sunday barbeque’s at the temple, a Masonic softball league, a Lodge bowling league, Playstation night at the temple, going to a Movie premier as a Lodge. The list can go on and on. The key to all of this is that it is done as a Lodge and more importantly, that it be consistent, and that all members be welcome to join the activities.

One of the Lodges that I am affiliated with operates under a fairly simple phylosophy, and that is, Masonry is what happens out side of the Lodge. Now this statement may not be completely accurate, as much of what we do, much of what we learn is taught within the walls of our Lodge; however, it is that time spent together outside of Lodge that really builds the bonds between the brothers. Prior to the Lodge meeting, many of the brothers go to dinner together, and after Lodge, and the refreshments, many retire to a local coffee shop, pub, or resurant, and enjoy each others company into the wee hours of the morning.

I’m not suggesting that all Lodges stay out until two in the morning, but this example illustrates that Masonry for this Lodge really is more than a meeting. A side note to this is that the regular meetings are very well attended.

In closing, I would like to leave you with this thought and this question. What do you enjoy most about Masonry? What do you enjoy most about Lodge? What do you enjoy to do outside of Lodge? Chances are that the things you enjoy the most are probably enjoyed by many others, so if some of these outside activities can be done as a group of masons, then by default, Masonry becomes more than a meeting.

Thank you very much for your attention, please enjoy the rest of your day.