Any Tickets For Sale?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Randy Sanders

A scene from the Led Zeppelin concert film: The Song Remains The Same highlights a young woman standing outside Madison Square Gardens asking loudly to passers-by: “Any tickets for sale? Do you have any tickets?” 

We see this in parallels in Freemasonry in the need for inclusion.  We’re on the outside, looking for a key or some means of entry.  The exact opposite is true.  The key is within us, and Freemasonry provides a set of tools to find that internal key. Freemasonry provides the means and understanding of stepping into that journey of self-discovery, but we have to put the work in by ourselves. 

“You get out of it what you put into it” 

I heard this from many older Brothers when I joined, and I found myself using those words a couple of times.  Stop using those words.  They no longer mean what you think they mean to the younger generations.  We live on the cusp of the Age of Information, where the initiatic experience can be looked up instantly, where knowledge is at your fingertips.  Why would a new Mason in the current society be interested in enigmatic phrases that, at their time made sense, but now simply ring hollow without demonstration?  That new and perfect Mason standing in the corner needs to hear what the charge actually means, both to you and to him.  He needs to understand what the lecture means to you so he can come to his own conclusions.  He’s still on the outside thinking there’s a ticket that needs to be purchased for admission when in reality he is his own ticket.  

How do we adapt to make sure the breadcrumbs line up, because right now those breadcrumbs not only don’t align, those breadcrumbs don’t look edible?  The new Masons coming into the craft already understand more symbolism than many of us because they learned to communicate with symbols via emojis, games, and anime’, so let’s align the breadcrumbs.  Make sure to include the new Masons in every lodge committee, function, or duty, and let him know he doesn’t have to do all of it.  Make sure to assign at least one good verbal communicator to every function, so the new Masons get learning opportunities. 

Mentoring is only a part of it.  It’s time to look beyond the mentoring to get deeper into symbolism right away.  That way the young Mason doesn’t have to go immediately into Appendant Bodies to get his best Blue Lodge experience.  His ticket is already in his hand.

~Bro. Randy

Bro. Randy and his wife Elyana live in O'Fallon, MO just outside of St. Louis. Randy earned a Bachelors in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in telecom IT. He volunteers his time as a professional and personal mentor, is an NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer, and enjoys competitive tactical pistol. He has a 30+ year background teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy's Masonic bio includes lodge education officer of two blue lodges, running the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, active in York Rite AMD, Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis co-librarian, Clerk of the Academy Of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, a trained facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. As a pre-COVID-19 pioneer in Masonic virtual education, Randy is an administrator of Refracted Light and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy enjoys facilitating and presenting Masonic esoteric education, and he hosts an open, weekly Masonic virtual Friday Happy Hour. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

Stop Reacting To The Problem, Respond To It

"Do we value anything as much as our time?"

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Michael Arce

The best conversations on Freemasonry always happen with Brothers from "good" Lodges. Those talks are noticeably different, for starters, they are positive. They begin with "what we are doing," ideas instead of problem-solving. These talks are what make a three-hour train ride home from Grand Lodge (the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York) seem shorter than the chat you had with another Brother over a drink. These moments were the best part of my visit to Grand Lodge in New York City this year.

Reaction vs. Response

Two weeks before I traveled to Grand Lodge, I was talking with a friend about the difference between a reaction and a response. I like the way Quora compares the two. "Reaction is quick. Response takes time. Reaction is emotion-filled. Response removes all emotion. Reaction is often aggressive. Response allows for assertiveness without aggression. Reaction snowballs into unnecessary and prolonged periods of discontent and disagreement. Response resolves conflict quickly." I thought of that conversation when our Grand Master, MW William M. Sardone, proudly announced during his address, that New York State is launching an awareness campaign to address sagging membership numbers. He played two commercial videos while he laid out the distribution details; we were going to reach new men interested in Freemasonry online and in-person. As he said, "New York is going to do something." You can image the sideline conversations that came after that announcement! Soon there will be Facebook ads, billboards in high traffic areas, and operators standing by to take the calls of prospective gentlemen interested in visiting a Lodge. This was not a reaction - this was a response!

The lunch break conversation at my table that afternoon was focused on the Grand Master's announcement. We concluded that MW Sardone was right; Freemasonry was not passed from the greatest generation (who never talked about Lodge), to baby boomers (who didn't know about Masonry), to millennials (who can't find a Lodge). The Brothers I shared lunch with that afternoon were from a Lodge that owns its building and is now struggling to afford the up-keep that has been passed to the incoming Masters for years. I asked the Master, "How would your Lodge be different if you had 300 members back on your rolls?" "We wouldn't have to worry about how we were going to pay for our roof repairs," he instantly replied. "But would your meetings be different," I probed. "I don't know," he said.

"What Night Do You Guys Meet?"

Back to those "good" talks. At Penn Station, our growing party of 12 Brothers heading home from Grand Lodge took in three more traveling men. These three were fresh from Midtown still in their black suits and ties. They didn't have luggage. They didn't stay in a hotel. No, these Brothers took the morning train down from Albany to attend the second-day session, hopped back on the train to make it home for their Lodge meeting that night. The same meeting, come to find out, that was also their election night. I was the fourth in our seating group that included their Master, Senior Warden, and Secretary. We had the best conversation on "culture" that I have shared in a long time. This was the kind of talk that made a two-hour ride home seem like 20 minutes.

How much do you value your time? The first thing I hear when I ask a friend how are things? "I'm busy." Too busy to return calls, answer emails, even come over for dinner with the guys. I get it; we're all busy, that is part of the problem. The other half is we see our time; I'm talking about the "not at work, few hours you get with your family and loved ones on Saturday" time - as that sacred space that would take an act of God to upset. We value OUR time more than anything else. There's a reason why you can order the same thing on your phone and get it to your house tomorrow. Time has value.

What is worth your time to see LIVE? Better yet, what must be done in person? That is where the real value is: the experience. We'll watch the game at home but go to see a three-hour movie in a packed theater because seeing it --- feeling it with everyone else --- makes it better. Does anyone else say, "Monday night is my Lodge night." Followed by, "Well, every 1st and 3rd Monday of the week from September to May." Brothers who value their Lodge time do. And when you meet them, you ask, "what nights do you guys meet again?"

Our conversation eventually evolved into Masonry, as these three couldn't wait to tell me what works in their Lodge. They shared how they onboard new members, how the guys all share in the pre and post-meeting roles (setup and tear down) to close their meetings by 9 PM, and that when a candidate takes his 1st Degree, he feels like he's already a member of that Lodge. That last one was my favorite point. What they were saying wasn't anything new --- it wasn't a directive from Grand Lodge --- they had a culture that was leading from the ground up. The Brothers held each other accountable if you brought a guy in to petition a Lodge, you were expected to be at his degrees and help him with the degree work. Brick by brick. They were raising this Lodge together, building it from individual stones into one common mass. You join a conversation like this, and you can't help but soak up the positive energy.

I asked the Master, how would things be different if instead of three or four candidates a year, they had 15, say from the new Grand Lodge awareness campaign. The Secretary said, "We'd be a little overwhelmed at first..." his voice trailed but before he could finish, "but we'd be able to change our system to adapt," the Master finished. "Yeah, nothing would change why we do it because all of the guys in our Lodge get it, this is what they want," the Senior Warden said. Perhaps that is the larger question we should be asking. If three interested gentlemen showed up at our next meeting, walked in right off the street, would we be ready to greet them? Better yet, would we be a good fit for them? We talked about culture, that shared attitude which drives everything and separates winning teams from the rest of the pack. Good or bad, your Lodge has a culture right now. Here's a quick test you can do to assess your culture. If your Lodge was a store, based on your level of customer service, which one would you be? It's also fair to ask, would you choose to shop there?

Ironically, MW Sardone revealed his updated "Building the Future" Grand Master's pin, on the final day of Grand Lodge, with the additional line "Share the Experience." As we neared the train station in Albany, I needed confirmation from my travel companions as we gathered our luggage to disembark. "You guys meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, right?" I cannot wait to visit their Lodge in September.

~MA

Brother Michael Arce is the Junior Warden of St. George’s #6, Schenectady and a member of Mt. Zion #311, Troy New York. When not in Lodge, Bro. Arce is the Marketing Manager for Capital Cardiology Associates in Albany, New York. He enjoys meeting new Brothers and hearing how the Craft has enriched their lives. He can be reached at: michael.arce@me.com

As The Sun is in the South

By Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bill Hosler, PM

“As the sun is in the south is at meridian height it is the glory and beauty of the day.” I know most of you have heard a phrase like this while you have attended lodge (your actual ritual may very). The sun is at its highest point in the sky and the rays of light cast down on us, illuminating the great works of the Supreme Architect of the Universe. During this point of the day most of us follow the lead of the Junior Warden and take time to rest and refresh ourselves before returning to our labors.

Since the majority of us labor at our vocations during the daylight, we never stop and consider that some men work at various times around the clock. Much like the twenty four inch gauge, the workday is divided into three equal parts: day shift, or as most us us refer to it as first shift, the evening shift or second shift, and the night shift, which is commonly known as third shift (Or by its nickname “the graveyard shift”). Some jobs are scheduled differently than above but, as a hard and fast rule, most workers generally fall into one of these eight hour shifts.

At the time when you are about to cease your labors and go home, many men are rising and on their way to their jobs in the evening, and still others are about to go home when you arrive in the morning at your workplace. Today's world requires people to be working at various hours around the clock.

Rarely are these men thought of when we think about Freemasonry. I know that many men, at one point myself included, have had to reluctantly quit attending their lodges regularly stated meetings and degree work because their regular vocation forced them to work in the evenings. It's sad because they have to miss the fellowship which being a Mason brings. They have to abandon their Masonic career to pursue their vocational career.

Many times I have seen a young men who wish to join our fraternity be rushed through degrees in a one day class or on a Saturday morning. Once he is raised, you don't see him again, not because he is disgruntled with the Fraternity but because he works a different shift. He becomes just a card carrying member through no fault of his own, just because he has to provide for his family. In a way, it could be said that everyone benefits in this situation. The lodge gets his yearly dues and the Brother gets to claim the title of Freemason.

This arrangement has worked for decades. While we are told our families and our usual vocations aren’t to take a backseat to our gentle craft, a Brother who doesn't have the opportunity to attend lodge regularly does miss out on the fellowship of his Brother Masons and, at times, good and wholesome instruction which could possibly make him into the better man he professed he wished to become.

We as a Fraternity are also missing many opportunities not only to increase our membership, but to better use the resources we already possess. I believe we as a Fraternity should encourage the creation of more daylight lodges within our jurisdictions!

Daylight lodges are simply lodges that meet during the daytime instead of the evening. Everything else is exactly the same except the time of day!

Almost every Masonic temple in North America (or around the world for that matter) sits idle for twenty hours a day, six days a week, unless there are multiple bodies meeting within the building during the month, but even then the edifice is empty and idle for the majority of the time. The building is still being heated and cooled, but no one is using the building. To me that seems like a waste of resources. Especially when we have so many current and potential Brethren who could be using the building.

If a daylight lodge is chartered within the temple not only will it put this space to better use, but there is potential that Masonry in your area may receive new members it wouldn't receive in only lodges that meet at traditional time, such as younger men with different work schedules, men with young children who wish to stay home with their family at night or even retirees who can no longer attend lodge at night because their eyesight has gotten to the point they can no longer drive at night. Many of these retirees could also benefit these new lodges; most of these men are long time members, even possibly Past Masters would can help direct the newer members in building their lodge. It also gives retirees a reason to get out of the house and socialize.

A lodge could be opened at ten or eleven and once business or degree work has ceased and lodge closes they could serve a lunch at noon, just in time for members on second shift to make their way to their jobs!

Another benefit could be Brethren of other lodges who work during the day could take their lunch breaks at the temple and “spread cement”before going back to work! Nothing could be better for Freemasonry than for Brethren gathering together for a few moments between their individual labors.

I have heard concerns from some Brothers that a lodge which is open only during the day may only become a place where men gather for networking and socializing instead of for the lodges intended purpose. I believe it could happen; I have known lodges that meet in the evening that become the same thing.

Each individual lodge is like an individual person. They have their own personality and are conducted by the will of its members. I believe if the numbers allow it that several daylight lodges could be chartered and a potential member should visit several lodges before he asks for a petition much like a conventional nighttime lodge to find find the right fit for him. If several exists he has a better chance in which suits his needs.

If one or more chartered daylight lodges are successful in your community other appendant and concordant bodies may also form new bodies like a daytime York Rite body, Shrine club or even a Scottish Rite club. How wonderful would it be to have many healthy, active Masonic bodies meeting in your building. Not only will it make Masonry stronger but think of the extra revenue more dues will bring in!

Brethren, Freemasonry can be just as active while the sun is in the south just as much as it is as when it's in the west at the close of the day. Let us think outside the box and put our members, potential members and resources to better uses. 

~BH

WB Bill Hosler was made a Master Mason in 2002 in Three Rivers Lodge #733 in Indiana. He served as Worshipful Master in 2007 and became a member of the internet committee for Indiana's Grand Lodge. Bill is currently a member of Roff Lodge No. 169 in Roff Oklahoma and Lebanon Lodge No. 837 in Frisco,Texas. Bill is also a member of the Valley of Fort Wayne Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in Indiana. A typical active Freemason, Bill also served as the High Priest of Fort Wayne's Chapter of the York Rite No. 19 and was commander of of the Fort Wayne Commandery No. 4 of the Knight Templar. During all this he also served as the webmaster and magazine editor for the Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne Indiana.