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VWB Bob Jensen Deputy of the Grand Master in District 4 of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington for 2001-2003 Mailto: bjjcmj@aol.com 23313 94th Place
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Goals and Plans For Your Lodge (June 2002)
Over the past year I have had a great opportunity to see the Lodges of District Four up close and to be involved in some of their activities and plans. Each of the Lodges is unique in its own way, and while we range widely both in number of members, activities, etc., we all have some interesting growth patterns and plans for the future. Not all Lodges really have a long range plan, but most have goals.
At the May Stated of Doric No 92, WM Greg Stewart said that when he was Junior Warden, he had asked the members attending to write down their goals for the Lodge. He gathered many slips of paper with a wide variety of ideas on what those members thought Doric Lodge should be doing in the future. At this meeting last May, he marked off a number of items that the Lodge had accomplished since that earlier listing. It was impressive and showed that we need to listen to our members, whether young or old. The days are past when very many say "We've never done it that way before." Most older and newer members seem willing to try something new. Sometimes the first time needs some fine tuning, but Masonry does change. Our basic work and goals do not, but the details have changed greatly in the forty-one years I have been a member.
Many of us fondly remember the "good ole days" when we had twice as many members, and there were men waiting in line to become officers. However, many men knew very little about Masonry and merely recited the lines of the office they held. Many did act outside the Lodge as they were taught in it, but today I think we are seeing even more of that in concern for our society, our community and our members and families. The "good ole days" we will talk about forty years from now are today.
What is happening in the Lodges today is exciting. Occidental - designing and building their own float for the May 17th Norwegian Parade in Ballard; Doric - becoming involved with the Summer Solstice parade in Fremont for the first time; Greenwood - with their restoration and reinstallation of the Greenwood clock; Green Lake - trying very hard to revitalize the Lodge and their annual "Spud Night"; Maritime - going to an every other month meeting schedule with a great dinner at a local restaurant beforehand; Walter F. Meier Lodge of Research - with their continuing educational programs including the Masonic College.
All of these show new interest in Masonry and new determination within these Lodges. The goals set today will be harvested tomorrow by new Masons who will benefit from our planning and goals today. Do not be afraid to set some lofty goals for your lodge and work to carry them out. I would like to thank Worshipful Masters Richard Castleberry, Greg Stewart, Jack Streckenbach, Gerry Torgerson, Eugene "Bud" Zahler, and Steven Ellis for the many courtesies and kindnesses over the first part of this year. It has been a pleasure to attend each meeting and each one shows some improvements and interesting developments. Keep up the good work, Worshipful Sirs. You will be leaving your Lodge in better shape than you found it for your successors.
I hope to hold a session with each Lodge early in the summer to bring the new printed out in full, ritual, so that officers and members can read it at leisure. I will be calling the Masters to set a date and time. I look forward to seeing what mistakes I am making in ritual and I am sure we will all benefit from reading it carefully.
Best wishes for a good summer.
Fraternally, Bob J Jensen
Thanks to both the Deputy of the Grand Master in District 4, and the Masonic Monitor which publishes his articles for allowing us to reprint them. The Masonic Monitor is published monthly (except August) under approval of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington. The Masonic Monitor can be contacted at: 6619 132nd Avenue NE, PMB 237, Kirkland, WA, 98033-8627, USA. Phone: (425) 822-4605 - FAX: (425) 822-2535 - Email: masonicmonitor@earthlink.net.