1. The Masonic Year begins with the installation of the new Worshipful Master. This takes place on St. John the Evangelist Day, or the Sunday nearest that day. For example, in 2012, St. John the Evangelist Day
will be celebrated by Prince Hall Freemasons in Ohio on Sunday December 16, 2012.
2. There are potentially 12 Lodge Business Meetings in the year, with the Lodge meeting the first Tuesday of each month for the stated purpose of conducting it’s “Business”.
3. There are potentially 12 Lodge Work Nights in the year, with the Lodge meeting the 3rd Tuesday of each month for the stated purpose of addressing “Work”.
4. There is (typically) one “Occasional” Grand Lodge Meeting per year. Master Masons are expected to attend if they are able.
5. There is one Grand Lodge Communication per year. Master Masons are expected to attend if they are able.
These are the bare minimum meetings that all Master Masons are expected to attend. These meetings are relevant to conducting the stated business of the Craft. This does not include celebratory events, such as Prince
Hall Americanism Day, or the celebrations of the two Saints John. This does not include the meetings of other appendant Masonic bodies. To conduct the stated business of the fraternity, for regular Master Masons,
there are 24 opportunities to do so at a local Lodge level, and two opportunities to do so at a Grand Lodge level.
12 opportunities to practice or perform ritual work officially, receive or distribute the light of Masonic Science, learn, or advance candidates through the degrees of Craft Masonry.
12 opportunities to propose projects, assign work, conduct operations, report progress, collect and expend monies, receive official communications, learn of the personal status of the Brethren, vote on policy positions or
corporate actions.
2 opportunities to influence the Grand Lodge by voting on Grand proposals and attempting to influence the operations of the Grand body with official means.
While a year can seem like a long time, time is short. While the operations of a Lodge purportedly are expected to transcend the limitations of “who sits in the East”, in reality, operations surround the seating of the
Worshipful Master and line officers. There is a learning curve as they learn their stations, and there is a slowdown period as they prepare to transition to new positions. So, there are not 24 pure, blank slates upon which
to paint the productive year. There is a “Move Up Night”. The lodge traditionally “goes dark” for some portion of July and/or August. There is a “first meeting” for a team of line officers, and there is a “last meeting”
for that same team. So, 24 meetings in the Masonic year can reasonably be reduced to 18 to 20 realistic opportunities to conduct stated business.
With such limited time in a year, we should be mindful of the importance of each opportunity to meet. To be sure, the business of the Lodge takes place outside the regular meetings. Committee activity is paramount.
The heroic service of individual Brothers, simply doing what needs to be done without being asked is critical. But as our 24 inch gauge teaches us to be mindful of our time, so that we may make the best, most
productive use of it, let us also, as a corporate body, be mindful of the precious nature of each meeting, and use them to the best effect possible.
Let us come prepared for business on business nights. Let us make the proposal and vote on it, not wait for the next meeting. Let us make the report, taking care to make it complete when presented, so that it does not
need to take six to eight weeks to approve, adopt, or enact proposals. Let us come prepared with knowledge of the business. Let us distribute information before meetings, not after.
Let us come prepared for work on work nights. Let us work diligently to memorize what we can, and recite it before the Craft for support and constructive criticism. Let us set aside time for Brothers to practice their
delivery, even if whole passages are not complete. Let those who have not been assigned specific work have a space to attempt to try parts or pieces in an environment where the experienced are present. And, let us
dispense Light.
As there are 24 hours in a day, there are 24 opportunities to meet for St. Mark’s Lodge #7 in a Masonic Year. Let us apply the lessons of our craft, treating our time as the precious gift of the Grand Architect that it is.
We can accomplish great things.
will be celebrated by Prince Hall Freemasons in Ohio on Sunday December 16, 2012.
2. There are potentially 12 Lodge Business Meetings in the year, with the Lodge meeting the first Tuesday of each month for the stated purpose of conducting it’s “Business”.
3. There are potentially 12 Lodge Work Nights in the year, with the Lodge meeting the 3rd Tuesday of each month for the stated purpose of addressing “Work”.
4. There is (typically) one “Occasional” Grand Lodge Meeting per year. Master Masons are expected to attend if they are able.
5. There is one Grand Lodge Communication per year. Master Masons are expected to attend if they are able.
These are the bare minimum meetings that all Master Masons are expected to attend. These meetings are relevant to conducting the stated business of the Craft. This does not include celebratory events, such as Prince
Hall Americanism Day, or the celebrations of the two Saints John. This does not include the meetings of other appendant Masonic bodies. To conduct the stated business of the fraternity, for regular Master Masons,
there are 24 opportunities to do so at a local Lodge level, and two opportunities to do so at a Grand Lodge level.
12 opportunities to practice or perform ritual work officially, receive or distribute the light of Masonic Science, learn, or advance candidates through the degrees of Craft Masonry.
12 opportunities to propose projects, assign work, conduct operations, report progress, collect and expend monies, receive official communications, learn of the personal status of the Brethren, vote on policy positions or
corporate actions.
2 opportunities to influence the Grand Lodge by voting on Grand proposals and attempting to influence the operations of the Grand body with official means.
While a year can seem like a long time, time is short. While the operations of a Lodge purportedly are expected to transcend the limitations of “who sits in the East”, in reality, operations surround the seating of the
Worshipful Master and line officers. There is a learning curve as they learn their stations, and there is a slowdown period as they prepare to transition to new positions. So, there are not 24 pure, blank slates upon which
to paint the productive year. There is a “Move Up Night”. The lodge traditionally “goes dark” for some portion of July and/or August. There is a “first meeting” for a team of line officers, and there is a “last meeting”
for that same team. So, 24 meetings in the Masonic year can reasonably be reduced to 18 to 20 realistic opportunities to conduct stated business.
With such limited time in a year, we should be mindful of the importance of each opportunity to meet. To be sure, the business of the Lodge takes place outside the regular meetings. Committee activity is paramount.
The heroic service of individual Brothers, simply doing what needs to be done without being asked is critical. But as our 24 inch gauge teaches us to be mindful of our time, so that we may make the best, most
productive use of it, let us also, as a corporate body, be mindful of the precious nature of each meeting, and use them to the best effect possible.
Let us come prepared for business on business nights. Let us make the proposal and vote on it, not wait for the next meeting. Let us make the report, taking care to make it complete when presented, so that it does not
need to take six to eight weeks to approve, adopt, or enact proposals. Let us come prepared with knowledge of the business. Let us distribute information before meetings, not after.
Let us come prepared for work on work nights. Let us work diligently to memorize what we can, and recite it before the Craft for support and constructive criticism. Let us set aside time for Brothers to practice their
delivery, even if whole passages are not complete. Let those who have not been assigned specific work have a space to attempt to try parts or pieces in an environment where the experienced are present. And, let us
dispense Light.
As there are 24 hours in a day, there are 24 opportunities to meet for St. Mark’s Lodge #7 in a Masonic Year. Let us apply the lessons of our craft, treating our time as the precious gift of the Grand Architect that it is.
We can accomplish great things.
© 2012 St. Mark's Lodge No. 7 Prince Hall Free & Accepted Masons. All Rights Reserved
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| Time Is Precious: The Masonic Year for St. Mark’s Lodge No. 7 by Bro. Doug McCollough |