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A Message From The Grand Master
It is a new day! Much can be achieved regarding the future of Florida Freemasonry. Some believe we are not in charge of our own destiny. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our membership has declined for more than twenty years and still we point our index finger at all kinds of factors and/or individuals.
My slogan this year is: “SUCCESS FAVORS THE BOLD!” This year we will make a concentrated effort to grow our membership dynamically with the right kind of men. We will also make an effort to make our Masonic Leadership Training Program more accessible to all the Craft.
The Membership Development Program efforts will be composed of three primary components including: “Each One, Reach One;” “The Lodge of Discussion;” and “Successful Public Service Events.” I would like for you to imagine the effect your Lodge could have in your community if you doubled your membership with new energetic highly motivated men of character and faith. Doubling your membership may seem like an unrealistic goal at first thought. However, it is well within our reach. Doubling our membership only requires each Brother to find one man he knows, likes, and trusts to become a Brother Mason. The “Each One, Reach One” program provides a mechanism for you to identify those men thereby creating a pool of candidates for you to select only the best of the best. I, R∴W∴ Chas Jordan, State Chairman of Membership Development, and the Zone Chairmen stand ready to help you create this pool of candidates.
“The Lodge of Discussion” is a mechanism for enriching the Lodge experience that both guests and Brother Masons can share together. It can be conducted on any evening the Lodge has a Stated Communication. The Lodge of Discussion includes a short presentation on a topic of interest that can be directly related to Masonry or equally as important a non-Masonic topic from an outside speaker. The subject matter and potential speakers are almost unlimited. Would not the members of your Lodge benefit if a Speech Professor from a nearby college gave a short presentation on becoming a more effective or persuasive public speaker?
“Successful Public Service Events” must be programs that are valued by your community. This will be an ongoing process of improvement. It may be important for your Lodge or District to partner with a business or another organization within your community where this event is mutually beneficial without overshadowing one another. Please ask your Membership Development Zone Chairmen for assistance if you have any questions.
The combination of the above three activities implemented effectively by you, your Lodge, your District or a combination of Districts will make the difference. Someone once said, “To get what we’ve never had, we must do what we’ve never done.” It is absolutely essential to our future that we do more to have a positive impact with potential candidates and the public at large. A major college coach once told his players, “If it is to be, it is up to me.” I spoke with him about this once requesting clarification of what he meant. He told me he was trying to make his team understand that in order to be successful it would require each and every one of them to make a significant contribution. And so, that is exactly what I am asking each of you to do. Be the difference! Start by contacting your Membership Development Zone Chair and request he or his representative lead your Lodge in an “Each One, Reach One” exercise. Conduct “Lodges of Discussion” with invited guests. Design a “Successful Public Service Event” that is meaningful to your community and invite the candidates from your “Each One, Reach One” list to volunteer. Those who sweat together bond together.
As I close this message, I wish you great success this year as we move forward with these plans. I know you can do it and I stand ready to help you. Thank you for all you have done and are yet to do for Florida Freemasonry. May God bless you; may God bless our armed forces; and may God bless the United States of America.
Grand Master’s Message 2019
It is a new day! Much can be achieved regarding the future of Florida Freemasonry. Some believe we are not in charge of our own destiny. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our membership has declined for more than twenty years and still we point our index finger at all kinds of factors and/or individuals.
My slogan this year is: “SUCCESS FAVORS THE BOLD!” This year we will make a concentrated effort to grow our membership dynamically with the right kind of men. We will also make an effort to make our Masonic Leadership Training Program more accessible to all the Craft.
The Membership Development Program efforts will be composed of three primary components including: “Each One, Reach One;” “The Lodge of Discussion;” and “Successful Public Service Events.” I would like for you to imagine the effect your Lodge could have in your community if you doubled your membership with new energetic highly motivated men of character and faith. Doubling your membership may seem like an unrealistic goal at first thought. However, it is well within our reach. Doubling our membership only requires each Brother to find one man he knows, likes, and trusts to become a Brother Mason. The “Each One, Reach One” program provides a mechanism for you to identify those men thereby creating a pool of candidates for you to select only the best of the best. I, R∴W∴ Chas Jordan, State Chairman of Membership Development, and the Zone Chairmen stand ready to help you create this pool of candidates.
“The Lodge of Discussion” is a mechanism for enriching the Lodge experience that both guests and Brother Masons can share together. It can be conducted on any evening the Lodge has a Stated Communication. The Lodge of Discussion includes a short presentation on a topic of interest that can be directly related to Masonry or equally as important a non-Masonic topic from an outside speaker. The subject matter and potential speakers are almost unlimited. Would not the members of your Lodge benefit if a Speech Professor from a nearby college gave a short presentation on becoming a more effective or persuasive public speaker?
“Successful Public Service Events” must be programs that are valued by your community. This will be an ongoing process of improvement. It may be important for your Lodge or District to partner with a business or another organization within your community where this event is mutually beneficial without overshadowing one another. Please ask your Membership Development Zone Chairmen for assistance if you have any questions.
The combination of the above three activities implemented effectively by you, your Lodge, your District or a combination of Districts will make the difference. Someone once said, “To get what we’ve never had, we must do what we’ve never done.” It is absolutely essential to our future that we do more to have a positive impact with potential candidates and the public at large. A major college coach once told his players, “If it is to be, it is up to me.” I spoke with him about this once requesting clarification of what he meant. He told me he was trying to make his team understand that in order to be successful it would require each and every one of them to make a significant contribution. And so, that is exactly what I am asking each of you to do. Be the difference! Start by contacting your Membership Development Zone Chair and request he or his representative lead your Lodge in an “Each One, Reach One” exercise. Conduct “Lodges of Discussion” with invited guests. Design a “Successful Public Service Event” that is meaningful to your community and invite the candidates from your “Each One, Reach One” list to volunteer. Those who sweat together bond together.
As I close this message, I wish you great success this year as we move forward with these plans. I know you can do it and I stand ready to help you. Thank you for all you have done and are yet to do for Florida Freemasonry. May God bless you; may God bless our armed forces; and may God bless the United States of America.
In closing, my Brothers, may God bless each and every one of you, may God bless our Fraternity, may God bless our Armed Forces, and may God bless the United States of America.
Most Worshipful John W. Westerman, III., Grand Master
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