RWB Michael D Smith Engaging Our Membership
Gentlemen, as we enter the “Dog Days of Summer” we are at the time and place in our Lodges to determine what our membership will be by year end and if we have members that are in danger of being dropped from our roles at the end of the year. This is the time to both, review the results from the Masonic Education Lesson Plan, as found at www.scgrandlodgeafm.org under the Resources Tab, and to move forward in our series on the Lodge of the Future. If your Lodge has not yet discussion your actual Lodge statistics and direction for the future, the data that you will generate is vital to understanding your Lodge Future Success.
Start now with your plans to visit every member who is in danger of dropping membership, and determining why they are in arrears.
The key issue facing us today is how best to maintain our members and engage them. This is best performed today with an appropriate use of email and website communication to ALL of our members. It is very unusual today to find any Lodge in our Grand Jurisdiction that has more than 20% of members attending meetings. Why so few attendees? What do we deliver to our members at meetings?
If, as promised, we are to support one another and continue to improve and enlighten our membership, so then why are they not coming to our Lodge?
We hear the typical responses, but often not supported by real facts and truth. Health issues, work obligations, and relocation are legitimate and often heard, but what about those other members that we do not see anymore, or in some cases ever! I submit, that like me, many Lodge Officers have members that they have never met! These are often the very members that are questioning the Value of Lodge membership and predictably more likely to drop from our roles. While it is incumbent on all members to support their lodge, many report that they feel little or no connection to the Lodge. We must work to improve the Lodge Experience, with more time together, giving every member a responsibility to the Lodge and providing more for our members. Better Education, more discussion, better time spent together over a good meal at Lodge and even in other settings.
Now let’s address ways to engage members that are not active with us but are still our brothers and lodge members. It will take work and effort.
For us to establish a platform for growth and stability, we must address the issue of Creating Membership Value. We must communicate with all of our members with regular frequency with meaningful information and encouragement to remain active and engaged. We must make our meetings more than meet, read minutes, pay bills and go home. We must recreate the environment of Brotherhood, Fellowship, Education and Support for all of our members with valuable experiences. In essence, we must create an environment where members WANT to come to our meetings.
In the Masonic Education Lesson Plan Number 2 - Engaging Members, we offer a Lodge Education topic and action plans to create an opportunity for improved communications and engagement. Get it at www.scgrandlodgeafm.org
Will your Lodge become a place where we can come together, learn from each other and enjoy being part of something greater than ourselves and make a difference to our members, our lodge, and our community?
Before we address how to add new member, we must make Lodge Membership a meaningful and rewarding experience for all of our members.
Brethren, thank you for your work to improve the Lodge Experience and Advance toward a successful Lodge of the Future. Share your results!
MASONIC EDUCATION LESSON PLAN NUMBER 2
OUR LODGE OF THE FUTURE – ENGAGING MEMBERS
BACKGROUND: Engaging our Current Members is Critical to our Long Term Success.
ISSUES: How well we improve and deliver Membership Value will determine our Future Success!
NEEDS: Freemasons expect and want more value from the Lodge Experience! How can your Lodge improve membership engagement?
FACTS: Lead a discussion with the members at your meeting to address the following;
Gentlemen, as we enter the “Dog Days of Summer” we are at the time and place in our Lodges to determine what our membership will be by year end and if we have members that are in danger of being dropped from our roles at the end of the year. This is the time to both, review the results from the Masonic Education Lesson Plan, as found at www.scgrandlodgeafm.org under the Resources Tab, and to move forward in our series on the Lodge of the Future. If your Lodge has not yet discussion your actual Lodge statistics and direction for the future, the data that you will generate is vital to understanding your Lodge Future Success.
Start now with your plans to visit every member who is in danger of dropping membership, and determining why they are in arrears.
The key issue facing us today is how best to maintain our members and engage them. This is best performed today with an appropriate use of email and website communication to ALL of our members. It is very unusual today to find any Lodge in our Grand Jurisdiction that has more than 20% of members attending meetings. Why so few attendees? What do we deliver to our members at meetings?
If, as promised, we are to support one another and continue to improve and enlighten our membership, so then why are they not coming to our Lodge?
We hear the typical responses, but often not supported by real facts and truth. Health issues, work obligations, and relocation are legitimate and often heard, but what about those other members that we do not see anymore, or in some cases ever! I submit, that like me, many Lodge Officers have members that they have never met! These are often the very members that are questioning the Value of Lodge membership and predictably more likely to drop from our roles. While it is incumbent on all members to support their lodge, many report that they feel little or no connection to the Lodge. We must work to improve the Lodge Experience, with more time together, giving every member a responsibility to the Lodge and providing more for our members. Better Education, more discussion, better time spent together over a good meal at Lodge and even in other settings.
Now let’s address ways to engage members that are not active with us but are still our brothers and lodge members. It will take work and effort.
For us to establish a platform for growth and stability, we must address the issue of Creating Membership Value. We must communicate with all of our members with regular frequency with meaningful information and encouragement to remain active and engaged. We must make our meetings more than meet, read minutes, pay bills and go home. We must recreate the environment of Brotherhood, Fellowship, Education and Support for all of our members with valuable experiences. In essence, we must create an environment where members WANT to come to our meetings.
In the Masonic Education Lesson Plan Number 2 - Engaging Members, we offer a Lodge Education topic and action plans to create an opportunity for improved communications and engagement. Get it at www.scgrandlodgeafm.org
Will your Lodge become a place where we can come together, learn from each other and enjoy being part of something greater than ourselves and make a difference to our members, our lodge, and our community?
Before we address how to add new member, we must make Lodge Membership a meaningful and rewarding experience for all of our members.
Brethren, thank you for your work to improve the Lodge Experience and Advance toward a successful Lodge of the Future. Share your results!
MASONIC EDUCATION LESSON PLAN NUMBER 2
OUR LODGE OF THE FUTURE – ENGAGING MEMBERS
BACKGROUND: Engaging our Current Members is Critical to our Long Term Success.
ISSUES: How well we improve and deliver Membership Value will determine our Future Success!
NEEDS: Freemasons expect and want more value from the Lodge Experience! How can your Lodge improve membership engagement?
FACTS: Lead a discussion with the members at your meeting to address the following;
- How can we improve communication with our members?
- Email your members to inform them of the next Lodge Meeting
- Plan and upgraded meal and let them know
- Plan a special education program and let them know
- Invite a guest speaker to present a program.
- Recognize a member at the meeting and let them know.
- Plan and upgraded meal and let them know
- Phone Calls to your members to invite those that don’t have email.
- Let them know you are calling on behalf of the Lodge
- Let them know that they are missed and invite them to come
- Offer to bring them if they need a ride.
- Let them know you are calling on behalf of the Lodge
- Email or Mail an regular newsletter to members
- Have a Member Breakfast and invite your members to come. Have a Lodge Status Report and Project List for their involvement.
- Start a Supper Club outside of Lodge to invite members and spouses in a Dutch Treat dinner to build relationships.
- Email your members to inform them of the next Lodge Meeting
- How to create some membership value with the community?
- Once a quarter, invite one of your local service groups (Firemen, Police, EMS, VFW, etc.) to attend a special meal before your regular meeting, especially if you have members in the service group. They get to invite peers and involves them in the plan as well.
- Invite a local merchants, town council or school administrators to the Lodge to a dinner prior to the meeting. Recognize an accomplishment of the group. Be a positive supporter.
- Sponsor a Local Charitable Project and promote with your town.
- Invite a local Sports team to the lodge especially if they have won conference title or other reason to celebrate community.
- As a Lodge, schedule and attend your officers church services together, recognize the Lodge members in the church.
These are but a few ways to get your Members involved, engaged, and improve awareness in with your members and the community. Try at least one of these but whatever you do, focus on raising the bar on member value.
- Once a quarter, invite one of your local service groups (Firemen, Police, EMS, VFW, etc.) to attend a special meal before your regular meeting, especially if you have members in the service group. They get to invite peers and involves them in the plan as well.
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