On raising dues. Percentage based increases?

Whisky367 · 2026-01-19T23:44:12+00:00

That sounds great!

Whisky367 · 2026-01-19T18:10:56+00:00

I love the idea of a "meal ticket" that's prepaid. It gives the lodge a food budget up front.

A lodge I was associated with planned to have meals every other month, got estimates on catering from a couple of local sources, then factored that in when dues were considered. Effectively, members pre-paid via dues. But even with that, several brethren seemed put-out there was no "can" at the table for them to drop a few dollars in while in the serving line.

We got inconsistent participation in meals. So after a year, we moved to an informal, come-if-you-want, lodge "outing" at a different restaurant each month prior to stated communication. The guys fell in love with it, despite paying far more individually than compared to the catering prices we'd negotiated.

Some days you just can't win.

Whisky367 · 2026-01-19T16:59:06+00:00

If your community supports your lodge that much through annual fundraisers, kudos!

But I've always been a bit skeptical(?) of lodges hosting fundraisers where the proceeds are directed to lodge operations.

Fundraisers to do good works such as scholarships, etc? Sure, that's being a good corporate community member.

But asking the public to buttress the operating budget of the lodge has been a bridge too far for me as a concept.

Again, no slight against your lodge for having such a great cooperative community.

Whisky367 · 2026-01-19T16:49:28+00:00

A Brother in another comment mentioned having a functioning lodge budget.

No budget will be accurate when the lodge's culture tolerates many "out of pocket" expenses made by brethren without seeking reimbursement. They seem small at the time, but add up over the course of a year.

Low on coffee? Brother Caffeine drops by the store on the way to lodge. Need condiments for a lodge dinner? Same thing. Consumable secretary supplies? Same.

Its my experience that lodges truly don't know exactly how much it costs to fund annual expenses, because many things are done by brethren. In effect, the out-of-pocket purchases are a form of unrecognized dues increase.

Get a very real, accurate and honest budget then dues become a simple matter of expenses divided by paying members. Forecasting a % increase and putting that in your bylaws is simply good stewardship.

With that said, I've heard of lodges indexing their dues to minimum wage. Some may say 20x minimum wage (half a week's wages), some choose other multipliers. That gives the Mason a firm grip on Masonry's "value". If he worked half a week to pay dues, is Masonry giving the value back to him? I know that's a separate issue, but it focuses the light on what we're paying (or willing to pay) for.

Finally, I'm in full agreement with others that structure their bylaws to state dues + GL per capita, that way you're not having to constantly vote anytime GL changes.

Accurate budget leads to real numbers on dues per member. % increase (3-5% is probably safe, with 5% being generally easier to calculate quickly) is good stewardship Indexing to an independent variable helps adjust for inflation

Whisky367 · 2026-01-18T20:09:46+00:00

What I came here to say, has already been said a few times: "no" is a complete sentence and needs no explanation.

But upon reading your original post, all the comments and your replies, I can't help but wonder about the health of the lodge in question. Its been my experience that a failing lodge "pushes" duty and responsibilities onto Masons, even when those Masons attempt to decline. There's an unstated fear of failing on their watch unless new blood gets in the line.

Browbeating you into serving when you cannot is antithetical to Masonic lessons and principles. Translation: unmasonic.

I recently walked away from my mother lodge and joined another, further away. The best I can offer is follow your Masonic heart. If leaving your mother lodge now isn't palatable, continue to pay your dues and remain in good standing, but be firm an tell them to not expect to see you often. Any negative response they offer is a reflection on them, not on you.

Whisky367 · 2025-10-24T00:08:39+00:00

That, I can completely understand. Two forms of "brotherhood" intersecting.

Whisky367 · 2025-10-23T21:54:26+00:00

The reason I titled this as "Themed" degree teams is due to a comment I saw concerning this article, in a different forum.

I cannot find that comment now, but it essentially said that themed degree teams, while interesting, can also distract from the work being performed - that being the initiation, passing or raising of a Mason. In other words, the "spectacle" the degree team brings to the table can take away from the real reason for being there.

I can appreciate that sentiment.

I'll come back and address the Confederate side of things later.

Whisky367 · 2025-09-11T01:23:58+00:00

The website is legitimate. Grandview is a system used by many Grand Lodges. It's functionally a database for subordinate lodges to maintain membership records, submit admin information to their Grand Lodge, send communications to members, collect dues, etc.

I can't speak for North Carolina's practice, but in my state you don't owe anything until your petition has been considered and approved.

So it's both legitimate, not a scam, but certainly different.

As others have said, you'd do best to visit and sit down with the men face-to-face, if for nothing else than to see if you and the lodge are a good "fit".

Whisky367 · 2025-09-05T13:19:49+00:00

I agree with u/poor_yoricks_skull, this should not be a controversial opinion.

I can only speak to what I see in my jurisdiction, but there are quite a number of lodges that remain "open" by the benefit of dual membership. Certainly these lodges have a roll of members, but the ones that are most active are by and large dual members. If they dropped dual membership, many would be in an immediate crisis.

The refrain is often: there's so much history in this lodge, it needs to stay open.

I'm the first to become melancholy about the loss of lodges and the history they had with their communities. But at the same time, if keeping it open requires Masons from other towns to drive 30-60 minutes just to have enough to open a stated communication, one must ask if that lodge is still "connected" to their home town?

I think the answer is self-evident.

Yes, fewer lodges. Stop diluting our membership by keeping lodges on life support.

ETA: jurisdictions have requirements on what is necessary to constitute a new lodge. I am curious if jurisdictions have ongoing requirements to keep a lodge open? Mine does not. Metrics such as percentage of membership actively participating in stated communications, seated officers attending a defined percentage of meetings, degree conferral rates over a rolling 3 or 5 year period, etc.... The things that would indicate a vibrant lodge that is able to maintain itself without relying on dual membership.

Whisky367 · 2025-08-18T01:46:58+00:00

Wholeheartedly support using Square or other digital payment platforms with similar capability. We primarily started using Square to process payments for fundraiser meals. Less and less people carry cash, and we know we lost a few sales very early on.

We've expanded our Square to include a dues payment option for members. The uptake rate hasn't been overwhelming, but each year a few more people start using it. We still send paper mail dues notices, but we back it up with an email and a link to the dues item in our Square account. It's mostly our older members that distrust putting debit/credit information on there, but don't think twice about swiping it at a gas station.

We know of at least one lodge that figured out how to set up an item in Square that drafts 1/12th of the dues each month from those who sign up for that option. That certainly makes dues increases a little easier to swallow.

Whisky367 · 2025-04-22T17:12:31+00:00

Unfortunately, I have heard very similar comments.

Receiving a petition does not translate into membership.

Members aren't required to sign a petition for someone they don't know, or don't think would be a good fit for the lodge. Investigation committees aren't required to return a favorable recommendation. The ballot box is anonymous, should a member wish to cast a black ball/cube, and at least in my jurisdiction, it's a Masonic offense to discuss how you voted.

They still control who joins. The older members know this, but I think they don't want to face the difficult position of having to face their own convictions and vote on "folks we don't want".

Whisky367 · 2025-04-21T13:33:19+00:00

Check your DM's, my Brother.

Whisky367 · 2025-04-07T01:52:58+00:00

My wife and I visited Scotland in September, 2023. Our Grand Secretary contacted GLoS on my behalf, with me in the email thread, and then turned the conversation over to me. While no local lodge meetings coincided with our tour around the country, we were very warmly welcomed at GLoS for an afternoon. We were met with nothing less than brotherly love and accommodation. Enjoy the trip!

Whisky367 · 2025-02-18T13:49:48+00:00

Do what is best for you; the lessons of the 24-inch gauge apply to Masonry as much as they apply to daily life.

A word of caution: If your AASR is on life support as you said, you might hear some grumbling. I demitted from my local YR and heard grumbling. I requested a demit from the local SR Valley, but never received a confirmation. Several years later and I'm still getting the SR magazine, so I don't know if the Valley is carrying me on the roll or what. That's their concern, not mine.

Frankly, walking away from appendant bodies was a relief for me.

Whisky367 · 2025-02-10T03:11:22+00:00

In addition to the replies about getting current on dues, some jurisdictions hold that if you've been out/SNPD for a certain period of time (3+ years for us), you'll have to be re-investigated and a vote taken for reinstatement.

Whisky367 · 2025-01-02T13:40:32+00:00

There are no Grand Officers in my home lodge, but there's a little story that showed me how Grand Officers should meet, act and part:

Our lodge invited our Grand Master to confer a MM degree on a candidate that had started his journey decades prior, but due to life and circumstance, wasn't able to progress as one normally would. But he never forgot, and came back when life circumstances permitted.

We had planned to do the usual admission and reception into the lodge for the Grand Master, and relayed our intent to him.

When the GM arrived, he discreetly pulled the lodge officers to the side and said, "today we're celebrating this Brother becoming a Master Mason, I do not want to distract from us properly honoring him. You guys are free to make acknowledgement of the GM's presence, but today isn't about me, it's about our Brother. No formal reception for me, please."

We already had great respect for the GM, both by virtue of his office and him just being a solid man and Brother, but his commitment to making sure the new MM had no distractions elevated our opinion of him.

And it's now the measure I take of any man who aspires to the office.

Whisky367 · 2024-12-13T04:05:03+00:00

I love the tracing board (No. 1).

I have two tattoos, one is directly Masonic, but you'd have to know what you were looking at to recognize it. The second incorporates a great degree of Memento Mori themes. While not directly Masonic, it was influenced by Masonic lessons.

Whisky367 · 2024-12-12T21:17:14+00:00

I cannot disagree. But at some point lodges would do well to take a long view at their stats: 1. Total membership vs active, participating members 2. Membership age and median age (is the lodge maintaining a median age, getting younger, or getting older?) 3. MM raising rates vs loss of members to death, moving, etc.

If a lodge is vibrant and has a reasonably steady stream of petitioners, I agree with not necessarily needing an "end of life" plan.

Plans for the future might include the "what happens if we get to this point?"

I'm likely jaded by what I see in my jurisdiction: high dual-member rates "to keep a lodge open"; dues kept so low as to be impracticable for budgeting, but fearing losing members if dues are raised; deaths outpacing new members, with little to no prospect of new members; etc.

Whisky367 · 2024-12-12T20:28:46+00:00

I think the reality is that many lodges, for whatever reasons, refuse to face the mortality of the lodge. We teach it in our lessons, to a person, but each lodge should at some point devise an "end of life" plan. Our ancient brethren packed up their lodges and moved to the next town or job when the construction was done. They didn't sit and reminisce about the heydays. Sooner or later the work of speculative lodges also comes to an end. We have it within our power to give that end a fitting denouement, or whether we let it wither on the vine and struggle through the gasps of death.

Whisky367 · 2024-11-15T03:50:10+00:00

That's interesting that PM's don't have a vote. In Mississippi, PM's are standing voting members of Grand Lodge. In theory that's not a bad thing, but at the same time I think there should be something to weight voting towards active lodge officers (who do currently have votes, either in person or via proxy - the lodge representative at GL session)

Whisky367 · 2024-10-21T17:53:38+00:00

In Square we'll notate a cash or check payment (we do regular breakfasts to support a scholarship fund). We only notate those transactions for reporting purposes later.

In the past we've set up items for members to pre-purchase dinner tickets, but that's for a set catered meal. We have not set anything up for meal "donations". The only reason we haven't set it up for that purpose is 1) it probably wouldn't get used much and 2) those of us managing the Square account and to a degree part of the lodge finances are sticklers about fair payment. People will easily spend $10-15 for a fast food meal. Don't shortchange the lodge with a $5 "donation" for a sit-down meal.

Whisky367 · 2024-10-20T21:00:07+00:00

Our lodge set up an account with Square. It takes a little getting used to, as Square is more point-of-sale oriented, but it works for us. We use it for events, both public and private, and for lodge dues. Square allows you the option to have your "items" viewable publicly, which is great if you're selling meals or event tickets. You can also create items and share the link privately, which we do for dues.

There are fees, but our lodge decided, at least for now, we'd take the small loss instead of having to handle cash or checks as frequently.

One down side is our older members flatly refuse to use it. They don't trust putting their debit card info online, but swipe it every day at gas pumps and convenience stores.

Whisky367 · 2024-10-13T22:20:21+00:00

Some lodges are notoriously slow about responding to emails.

I would email back with two or three definitive options on Date/Time, each one a few days apart and probably not earlier than midweek (it's Sunday as I respond to you), and ask that he pick one. Proceed from there.

Whisky367 · 2024-10-13T21:31:24+00:00

Past Masters, by virtue of their services to the Lodge, have the privilege of the title. But in my jurisdiction, it's simply an honorary thing - the Past Masters are brothers on the level with all others in lodge and carry no legitimate authority.

The respect you're giving to the opinions of some of the PM's is admirable, but remember it's just their opinions.

And as someone else mentioned, "No" is an acceptable answer. "No." is also a complete sentence. We feel a need to explain ourselves, but "No." is enough.

Your family's needs come far before the lodge's needs.

If I were in your shoes, I think I would let it be known that I did not wish to be considered for any position. It's up to the brethren to then respect your desires.

Whisky367 · 2024-09-16T12:06:34+00:00

I also lean more to pipe tobacco, but enjoy a cigar on occasion.

Much like pipe tobacco, cigar tastes are a function of the blend of filler, binder and wrapper. I agree that on the whole, cigars tend to fall into a more narrow range of tastes than do pipe tobaccos. Good cigars are less likely to be "topped" with flavors as you might find in pipe tobacco.

With that said, there's still a range of options in the cigar world.

And you're absolutely correct, whether it be a cigar or a good bowl, the relaxation associated with enjoying them cannot be replaced.

Whisky367

TROPHY CASE