From the Deputy ... (May 2018)
The Cornerstone Project is a great tool to energize your Lodge. It touches on elements of virtually every Committee of Grand Lodge. While not being the same as a proper long range strategic plan, it does get you starting to plan out activities for your Lodge for the short term. This should be invaluable for a new Worshipful Master, or in the spirit of planning ahead: for the Wardens!
You pick items to complete from lists of standards. The Mandatory ones are Friend to Friend, Mentoring and Officer Mentoring. The resources for these activities are available in the programs put out by the Friend to Friend, Mentoring and Leadership Development / Officer Progression committees. Pick an item and start to work on it. You will see results very quickly.
If you already do one of these regularly (for instance if you already have done the Cornerstone Project in a previous year) why not pick another one to try?
Likewise for the Major and Basic Standards: pick and choose to create some variety in your Lodge events.
Give blood and save a life. Even if we aren't going to continue to collect those statistics, blood is still needed. Run a clinic or donate blood or plasma yourself if you can. While you're at it, sign your organ donor card as well.
Volunteer at a community event: park cars, put a float in a parade, lay a wreath. Maybe you could hold a Masonichip Foundation of Ontario program at the fair. Wait, you can't count one event for two standards, so do them both!
Have an Open House and invite your community in to meet you. We were very successful last year on June 3, 2017. Should we do this annually?
Arrange for regular education in your Lodge, or run a Lodge of discussion. What topic would you like to hear about or discuss?
Have a full festive board after Lodge, or before. Do the toasts and speeches. Sing if you dare. It is said that if you don't have a festive board you are missing half the Masonic experience.
Contact your Brethren you haven't seen in a while. Run a Rusty Masons night. Take your widows out for dinner. Help them at home. Honour an aged member, or a new member.
Visit, visit, visit (that counts for several standards). Go as a group to church, or shul, or jumu'ah... It'll do you good.
Do all the ritual which is the very core of our order.
Draw up a budget and you'll make both Condition of Masonry and the Lodge Finances Committees happy.
Get involved with a youth group, Masonic or otherwise. Visit a DeMolay, Rainbow Girls or Job’s Daughters meeting. Or invite them to your event. Sponsor a sports team or Scout group. Donate a scholarship.
Come to the Annual Communication. So much goes on there including Masonic workshops, but more about that next month.
David J. Cameron
Deputy Grand Master