How many members show up at most meetings? - Page 2

WyndellF · 02-20-2007, 12:26 PM

What could be more telling is "What percentage of members show up at each meeting?"

AlabamaDan · 02-21-2007, 11:22 AM

We've been having about 20 Masons at a regular communication, which is great considering we have on 56 members.

David Herman · 02-23-2007, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyndellF

What could be more telling is "What percentage of members show up at each meeting?"

What percentage of your membership shows at most meetings?

Michaelscribe · 03-07-2007, 10:58 AM

At our Lodge in Canada, it appears that the average number of members attending the Regular Meetings is between 20 and 40 members. Of course, during Official Visits or Installations, the attendance numbers increase substantially. It is evident that the advancement of technology has greatly contributed to the decline of membership and attendance in Masonic Lodges as well as other fraternal and social organizations.

If we look back to the 1950’s and 1960’s, Masonic Lodge attendance was a sacred icon and the attendance numbers were at a record high. In the 21st century, husbands and fathers have a greater responsibility at home as now the wife or mother has also entered the workforce. The household male now indulges in numerous functions previously unheard of in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The household male has now taken on numerous duties previously thought to have been the mother’s function. Fathers are now contributing by feeding the children, cooking meals, dressing them, doing laundry, changing diapers, bathing children, putting children to sleep, performing household duties, shopping as well as the historic duties like shovelling snow, cutting the lawn etc. Today’s husband and father is not like the portrayed “Ward Cleaver” in the series “Leave it to Beaver” that goes to work, comes home to a clean and tidy house, puts on his slippers, lights up a pipe and reads the newspaper in the library while the wife cooks and sets up dinner. Today’s husband and father works as a team and tries to pull his weight.

Today, both parents spend more time with their children. There are more events for children than ever before and parents seem to attend all of them. With the increase of crime, perverts, pornography and child molesters, parents rarely leave their children’s side. Many parents commute long distance to work – I commute approximately 200 miles per day and when I get home, I do not want to go out again. Parents spend more time at home with the family and children. Satellite and cable television offers thousands of channels to watch. Many homes have large T.V. Rooms with surround sound and hundreds of movie DVD’s to select from. Hockey games and other sport events are readily available and are no longer blacked out thus staying at home has now become the norm for most families.

Most homes in Canada have at least one computer hooked up to the Internet. Parents and children communicate via MSN or other computer chat line. Children as young as 9 years of age own cellular telephones and pagers. Parents are in constant contact and communication with work and home via Blackberry Technology. With this day and age of fiscal prudence, schools do not have as much money for education, text books or teachers and thus parents are forced to participate in school activities, fund raising projects and helping educate their children in the evening. As a parent of three children, I am so busy that it really is hard to break away from the daily routine to attend Lodge or Lodge functions. Fortunately, my wife is very understanding and knows how much Masonry means to me and thus I am able to attend Lodge each and every month.

Many Brethren are in the same predicament as I am, but are not able to attend Regular Lodge meetings as their wives either work nights or require them to attend or assist at home. Many Lodges have suffered a major membership and attendance decline resulting in Day Lodges being opened around the Province.

Sadly, the membership and attendance decline is a reality, and what once was a night out or form of entertainment for the Brethren, today for many, it is only a memory in their mind.

Widow's Son · 03-13-2007, 07:06 AM

Here in Georgia, maybe 10-15% of membership comes to lodge meetings regularly at the lodges I've attended.

Informal chats I've had with many members outside of the lodge all indicate the same reasons they don't attend:

1. They get nothing out of it. The meetings are unilluminating and boring.
2. They have or had a personal quarrel with another member of their lodge.

Interestingly, almost all the Masons I've met who don't attend lodge continue to pay their dues so they can "belong."

Widow's Son
BurningTaper.com

Michaelscribe · 03-13-2007, 03:49 PM

Dear Widow's Son:

I totally agree with your comments pertaining to attendance at Blue Lodge.

The other observation which I neglected to address was that a large number of Brothers join Blue Lodge and get involved with either Scottish Rite, York Rite, OES or the Shrine and never seem to return to the Craft. They paid their Blue Lodge dues but rarely are in attendance at Lodge.

I wonder if you have experience the same?

Thank you for your comments and response.

Once again, be well and keep in touch.

Michaelscribe · 10-10-2007, 05:00 PM

Approximately 5 to 10% of the members attend meetings. There are many reasons why attendance is often low!

Sincerely,