Dedicated to the quality, solvency and viability of Masonic lodges, and of other fraternal societies in North America.
There is wide variety among lodges and chapters of these organizations. Some are successful, and some are not. Some were formed recently; others are quite old. One aspect we share is that all of us are values-driven organizations. We build better men and better communities guided by our values and ethics.
LodgeBuilder seeks to collect and promote Revitalization ideas. We do this by collecting three things:
- Tips and ideas in the Discussion Forums,
- “Success Stories“, which show these ideas put to practice, and
- “Best Practices“, which have gained consensus as the best way(s) to get the job done. --Now being developed.
Use the links at left to read case studies of successful groups and to map out your own strategy to stabilize and rebuild your lodge or chapter. LodgeBuilder supports goal-setting and strategic planning as the keys to lodge revitalization. Rebuilding a lodge or chapter is a process driven by local leaders, while at the same time Grand Officers ought to inspire and encourage the process. LodgeBuilder seeks to document the many good ideas found in our lodges so that others can learn from their examples. We are in this together. Please comment on the discussion boards, and add to the conversation.
Brothers, we have just come through a time when many of our organizations were shaken to their foundations by a wave of anti-establishment, materialistic individualism. Since 1960, membership has declined. We’ve heard of the “me generation”, and how the majority of men and women of Baby Boomer age (born 1943 to 1960) rejected these organizations as castoffs of a previous age. Yet thankfully, the children of the Baby Boomers, "Gen X" and "Gen Y", are showing a remarkable interest in the traditions of their grandparents. Indeed, this has led to the renewal of a number of lodges and chapters of the great fraternities: The Freemasons, the Scottish & York Rites, the Shrine and the OES have all enjoyed substantial pockets of revitalization. The Oddfellows have their success stories, as do America's civic fraternities. LodgeBuilder helps discover HOW and WHY.
This website is designed to explore the strategies and programs that these successful groups have learned, and to share these ideas across North America.
Scottish Rite Freemasons have a saying we should all heed, in Latin: “Virtus Junxit Mors Non Separadit.” Which translated means, “Whom virtue has united, death shall not separate.”
And from Albert Pike, 33°, “That which we do for ourselves dies with us … that which we do for others lives forever.”
On with the good work, my friends.
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