When the same guys who always show up – stop showing up – you find out real quick what needs to change in your organization. Keeping Brothers active in Freemasonry is no different a concern. Humans need encouragement, they need to be pushed a bit and they need more examples. They came in asking for responsibility and offering their support.

We do get those highly motivated self-starters who flourish exponentially. Those ones are easy to spot and call out to. So, I make an effort to say thank you because they’re part of those guys that “show up”.

But then, we have those who didn’t tell you in their interview that they’re lazy and their words are super inexpensive. So, their sluggish walk and dollar store vocabulary is what you ended up with. It’s up to the lodge to take that small investment and flip it immediately. If not, you’ll end up scrambling for a Tiler at every meeting – not to mention hoping you get some sideliners. As a mason, the notion that men need freemasonry is correct, but to think freemasonry needs you is where this conundrum begins. What a challenge.

Demand participation, remind them of what they came “looking” for, and always be the example first. I’m not one to expose the Brothers who didn’t show up, I’d rather thank the ones who did, but maaaaan sometimes it’s necessary to check a brother. Masters, call your Brothers out in love. Contact them. Invite them personally. Remind them that they’re travelling inside knowledge as well as in their district. Their presence is most definitely a gift to every other Brother they meet. I wouldn’t be a bit mad if you did that. I would support you.

One way to instill a supportive theme in the craft is offering any education it has to offer such as the MDC, TRTTE, reading courses, educational and recreational FC clubs, chair duties etc… Responsibility breeds accountability. There are various ways to sew in responsibility to the fabric of their masonic walk. If anyone needs help with your newly raised Brothers or Brothers in general please contact me. We can build up enthusiasm, attendance and better men for the betterment of your lodge and the craft.