I can't write a big response... I'm on my phone at camp with 1bar of connection...

I think the one day class is a perfectly acceptable option and I have observed a similar participation rate as to those that came traditional.

Our current SW and soon to be Master came through the one day about 8 years ago. Very smart man,who wasn't excluded. At the time, he didn't think he had the time..
Now look at his schedule!!!

On November 10 I will become the second Master Mason raised by my lodge this year.

I'd love to have that level of growth.

What are you guys doing?

This to me, would ruin the experience here in TX of being raised......

We had a Day of Light in which those of us who were interested in joining but unable to take the step by step process (for me it was due to work and my son's disabilities) were able to go through most of the process in a single day. The obvious downside is you can't really take it all in, in a single day but without it, I would have never joined the brotherhood. I still had to complete my MM at the lodge.

So while I would have preferred completing all my degree work the traditional way this was the only way I could join and I have a lifetime to learn everything.

This is exactly why we do it.

Not every man  works 5-Eight hour day shifts a week.  We have alot of mining, steel mills, and gas well  jobs around here.  It might be months or years before a mans shift aligns itself perfectly with a degree night.

I'm glad you are a Brother, Brother.

When the Day of Light concept came out, I wasn't a fan.  But then I was Senior Warden on the EA Degree Team for the day in Green Bay.  My mind was changed.  Each Candidate has a Mentor that spends the day with them and they go through the lessons between the Degrees.  As @ProjectCamaro stated, the MM Degree is complicated in their home Lodge.

From what I've seen, the level of participation of these new Brothers is as good, if not better, than the traditional route.

I'm seeing it as even... But it doesn't matter. A Brother is a Brother and if they participate its even better.

I gave a two hour presentation on Masonic Charities, growth and retention at the North Central York Rite Department Conference in Sioux Falls, SD on Saturday.  These are five of the slides on retention of men today.  I think they really sum up what needs to be done.

Attached File

In South Carolina we do not have the one day class.

My Lodge will raise 10 this year.  We had one month with no degree work.

I'm the cook and janitor.  I will cook 60 meals including breakfasts this year.  We average 20 for breakfast and 35-45 for dinners including wives and kids.

I'm tired.

What lodge?  I'm looking at a move to SC in a year or so.

Dead on.

I've been a MM for about a year now.  I've done York, Scottish and Shrine.  This week is my busy week of meetings.  There are 3 evenings this week with a meeting.  All 3 of them will be a business meeting and then go home.  There really is no point to go to all 3, or any of them, other than I gave an obligation.  While I love the initiation and the work, I don't really see anything other than a business meeting.  My Blue Lodge is fairly active in bringing new people in, but outside of that there really isn't anything other than the business meeting either.  The sense of community and family is pretty well non-existent.

It's sad, I've wanted to be a Mason for 20+ years and now that I am I'm thinking, why did I really bother?

Be the instrument for change brother.

I found that a lot of new brothers came to the craft with the same hopes that I did. I wanted my lodge to be, the lodge that I had always heard of. The lodge that was active and involved with both the community and its members.

Sometimes we have to be the one who starts the ball rolling. Every man sitting in lodge wants the good ole days. Most of them have been waiting because they put in their time and have grown tired.

Like in all things, there comes a time when the new takes over for the old. I believe the senior members are eager to hand over the reins. They are waiting for you, me, or anyone to prove themself ready.

Three weeks ago I'm sitting in Lodge, minding my own business, when the Master said, "Brother John, would you like to give us a little Masonic education?"

"Worshipful Master, how long do I have?"

"How long do you want?'

"Be careful what you ask for, Worshipful Master."

There's a portion of the Past Master Degree that I believe goes to the heart of Freemasonry.  So, I did that part and gave what I believe to be the explanation of it.  Even though that Degree is one of the Chapter Degrees, it's content and context is wholly pertaining to Symbolic Masonry.  I figure what am I going to do:  suspend myself?

I mention, "...and gave what I believe to be the explanation of it.", for a reason.  We are supposedly Speculative Masons.  Unfortunately, the only things we speculate on is what's for dinner and if we can pay the bills.  Freemasonry is full of many more questions than answers.  Just from the opening and closing of a Lodge I can think of at least twenty things that are said and are never, ever explained.  Pick a couple, do some research, think about it and form YOUR OWN speculation as to what it means.  Then present it and have a discussion.  Please don't regurgitate what someone else a hundred years ago thought about it.  That's THEIR speculation.  Hell, if you use Albert Pike you'll spend more time trying to figure out what he said than what he meant.

I firmly believe every Mason should be able to do a few of things.

1)  Replace yourself.
b)  Participate
iii)  Give a 5 to 10 minute presentation, anytime and anywhere, on Masonic Charities.  Not just the organizations you belong to, but all of them.  I'm not a member, but did you know that the money donated by Amaranth is what funded the invention of the insulin pump?
D)  Think about, and speculate on, what is said in the ritual.

If we do these simple things, Freemasonry will thrive.