Recruitment and Retention

Lay out any Complaints and suggestions so we can get to grips with them

Moderators: Peter Dowling, Peter Moir, MrBenn, Peter Taylor, JulesTheBit, middlepillar

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby David H » Tue May 12, 2015 8:46 pm

I can give a oe word answer - care!
Quo vadis, S & F

David
User avatar
David H
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
 
Posts: 460
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Out on a limb

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby Eckywan » Wed May 13, 2015 10:08 am

David i know youve had a hard time BUT we do care
Im learning to be lodge Almoner!! but prefer as PM jist being a moaner

Brethren David is right if we let our wee personal likes and dislikes rule then we will have problems.
We have to rise above the material enviroments and experiences ......
Eckywan
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
 
Posts: 487
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 12:35 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby David H » Wed Jun 17, 2015 12:48 am

Ecky please believe me when I say that when I said "care" I was being completely objective. I know from personal experience that you and many others on this forum and elsewhere DO care but I was really referring to the various Constitutions, who I believe could do more so I am going to rephrase my initial one word comment to "care more"

I am delighted to hear that you are learning to be lodge Almoner and I feel sure that you will work assiduously. There is a thread on the board regarding mentoring, formal and informal. Sadly I feel that in many cases and for a variety of reasons the incumbents are too often unwilling or unable to discharge the duties expected of them and informal arrangements may be a good way forward. On a positive note I see excellent initiatives such as the inclusive Holywell Club in Sussex and Provincial Patter the newsletter produced by and for members of The Province of Ross and Cromarty.

As you say (ideally) "We have to rise above the material environments and experiences ......" Sadly in what many may see as taking the cowards way out I have decided metaphorically to "hang up my apron" and confine myself to reading and thinking about the Craft. Over time I think it will prove to be the least painful way forward. I think it was Billy Connolly who said "You never stop being a Catholic, you just become a bad one" I wonder if the same applies to Freemasons?
Quo vadis, S & F

David
User avatar
David H
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
 
Posts: 460
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:43 pm
Location: Out on a limb

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby Mark Master » Wed Jun 17, 2015 8:22 am

During the course of this debate, I notice that there has been no reference to a trinitarian belief requirement for Brethren wishing to pursue a Masonic journey through the Appendant Degrees ,either in the Scottish or York rites. In this respect my own pathway ended with the Red Cross of Babylon degree. I was raised in a Protestant / Catholic environment and grew to become somewhat cynical about the structure and efficacy of all established religions. Notwithstanding, I sincerely believe in the existence and omnipresence of the GAOTU.

During visitations to SE Asian ( UGLE and GLOs) Lodges , I became aware that among my Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist ,Jewish etc. counterparts there prevailed an attitude that their potential to seek and obtain further enlightenment was impeded because of the aforementioned restrictions. Of course, there are those that are quite content to remain solely at Craft level throughout their Masonic life. That said, I do wonder whether this inability to ' progress' ( choose your own word!) has any negative impact on retention?

Whether this true or not, I'm not sure, however in Australia I seem to recall that there was some talk about rescinding the trinitarian belief stipulation from the Knights Templar Degree. I would be very interested to learn of what others might think.
S&F
Merv
From a rather damp and miserable Queensland!
Merv Sprague. MM
Lodge Thespian No 268h EC
Mark Master
LRUK Newbie
LRUK  Newbie
 
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 4:49 am
Location: Australia

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby MrBenn » Wed Jun 17, 2015 2:39 pm

The setup is somewhat different in England & Wales as we don't have the York & Scottish Rite setup
"The fear of death is the most unjustified of all fears, for there's no risk of accident for someone who's dead."

mail me : mrbenn@lodgeroomuk.com
User avatar
MrBenn
Site Admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 1298
Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:43 am

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby Eckywan » Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:13 am

So you gotta listen to your elders
York was ignored in the 1717 pub lunch!

och there I go again
frat as always
eckywan
Eckywan
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
 
Posts: 487
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 12:35 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby jackal » Thu Jun 18, 2015 10:26 am

Ecky

York wasn't ignored, it was too far north to be understood!

And it wasn't a pub lunch, it was a successful festive board!

Have a good summer.

J
Jackal
jackal
LRUK Fellow
LRUK  Fellow
 
Posts: 82
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:15 pm

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby Eckywan » Thu Jun 18, 2015 6:34 pm

Aye but its freezing!!
ive been doing some charity related stuff the last few weekends and got soaked and fffff frozen each time. Hoping for better tomorrow.

York is too far south to be understood here!

Frat
ecky
Eckywan
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
 
Posts: 487
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 12:35 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby PorkPie » Wed Oct 21, 2015 10:47 pm

As a Fellowcraft I undertook the training to be an Ambassador for our Freemasonry in the Community initiative. We attend local fetes and events and have a range of stands to suit the occasion. I don't see it as recruiting Masons in the sense of, ''come and join us, we're great' I see it more as 'here we are, ask us questions and hopefully you will be interested enough to want to look into it. For me, this is the very start of the future, there was a day when Freemasons paraded the streets and we're proud to tell of their Fraternity. Historical events and paranoia have conspired against us and what we need to do now is get people interested in Freemasonry, those who want to will take that first step, the others we are not concerned with particularly.
Recruitment is not about bums on seats, it's about information, openness and honesty. Our Fraternity is wonderful, it sells itself if you only open it up to the public.
My thoughts,
PorkPie
PorkPie
LRUK Newbie
LRUK  Newbie
 
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2015 4:35 pm

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby admin » Wed Oct 21, 2015 10:56 pm

PorkPie wrote:As a Fellowcraft I undertook the training to be an Ambassador for our Freemasonry in the Community initiative. We attend local fetes and events and have a range of stands to suit the occasion. I don't see it as recruiting Masons in the sense of, ''come and join us, we're great' I see it more as 'here we are, ask us questions and hopefully you will be interested enough to want to look into it. For me, this is the very start of the future, there was a day when Freemasons paraded the streets and we're proud to tell of their Fraternity. Historical events and paranoia have conspired against us and what we need to do now is get people interested in Freemasonry, those who want to will take that first step, the others we are not concerned with particularly.
Recruitment is not about bums on seats, it's about information, openness and honesty. Our Fraternity is wonderful, it sells itself if you only open it up to the public.
My thoughts,
PorkPie


Just about right. Look at the top of the forum and you will see a quote there from my old Pal Theron, who left this Earth far too early.
"Freemasonry: Its not about me changing them, it's about me changing me!" Theron Dunn

In other words when you look in the mirror are you satisfied with what you see. Because that is what the rest of the world will see. The quiet confidence of being content with your own conduct spills out and you do not have to say a word.
Bill McElligott [PPGJW - PPGASoj]
admin@lodgeroomstore.com -
The Masonic Brotherhood of The Blue Forget-Me-Not

http://lodgeroomstore.co.uk/LRstore/
http://sell-buy.net/info/
User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 7095
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 12:36 pm
Location: Essex, England

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby taylor339 » Fri Jun 10, 2016 11:09 pm

Over the last 6 months, some of us (ages 20-60) have organised impromtu events mostly via Facebook. This started off with curry night with which 10 masons attended. Turned out we were all light blue, but a mix of past Masters through to a new EA and a smattering of Lodge officers. Over a few beers, a madras and in an informal setting some of the newer members got chatting. In particular, a FC was puzzled about certain goings on's in the Lodge, and we actually caught a wrong impression about something festering into something more serious (retention). Ultimately, the evening seemed to build some connections outside of the Lodge and After Proceedings. On the back of this and other successes, last week, we went on a members canal boat trip. This was equally successful.

For our lodge, with a website, Twitter and Facebook, I have found Facebook is by far the best medium for enabling inter communication between Lodge members. My conclusion from all this is if we start removing the hierarchical element of Freemasonry now and again, it allows brethren to relax and know each other in much more relaxed setting. The key is also to have some members (e.g a younger PM) who are able to "bridge the gap" between older and younger brethren.
taylor339
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 12:10 am

Re: Recruitment and Retention

Postby eckywan2 » Sun Jun 19, 2016 10:09 am

Irrelevant to thread
but I thought I share this
above I moaned about the weather
Yesterday I was helping as a marshall at a charity event up in Kenmore
The Rob Roy Challenge ( Rob Roy was real , and probably the model for the myths about Robin Hood
anyway I had too much sun , but being Scots, dinnae turn brown
just a very red face with white circles around my eyes
I was lucky to be out and about on the day the sun shone this year!
Anyway
one of the locals passed by and wished us luck in running the event ( 900 runners and cyclists ie they do both run half marathon then cycle 70 miles)
and I noticed his masonic ring , dropped a wee hint and before you knew it Id half the village up with cold drinks ice cream, suncream, and frat greetings!

Happy fathers day everyone !
eckywan2
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
LRUK Grand Supreme Master
 
Posts: 1668
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 4:59 pm
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Previous

Return to What can be done to Improve Freemasonry

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests

cron