[Ashlar521]

Since Nov . my lodge has had a flood of petitions coming in , so many that we are having trouble keeping up with the degree work . Just this month we took in 5 petitions alone . A couple of years ago we went almost all year without having one petition .Even the Masons that have been EA's for years now want to move on through the degrees .
It seems it goes in cycles but never been like this . I think it may have to do with books and movies that have came out like National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code that has sparked interest in Freemasonry .
Has anyone of your lodges had an increase in new petitions ? I would love to see it continue at this rate . It seems that we are getting some quality men . We did have to weed out a few of the curious , but not many .

[cemab4y]

I am delighted to hear of your "problem"!! I wish every lodge in America was getting bombarded. I just read a blurb on the Mass Grand Lodge group, and the poster stated that some lodges in Mass are getting a major increase in petitions. This is good news, indeed.

Once, when I was in Arlington VA, March 2005, the small lodge I attended got 17 new petitions in one month, all off the internet. It seems, that the first knock at the West Gate, is more frequently an electronic knock.

I wish my home lodge (in KY) would get a website, they are undergoing a major loss in membership. Sad.

[reviewer]

Agreed, I'm happy to hear about such problems! It definitely beats the alternative, given that a lot of fraternal orders were struggling just a few years ago.

[Ashlar521]

It is great ! Just a couple of years ago we , as well as other lodges , were worried that we may have to merge with another lodge because of the poor attendance . Now we are packing them in . There are now brothers coming to lodge that haven't been there in years . I don't know what is going on , but I'm loving it .

[reviewer]

I have heard that all of the fraternal orders are experiencing a resurgence right now nationally. There was a story about it on NPR (I believe they talked mostly about the Elks, though).

[Jason]

Originally Posted by cemab4y

I wish my home lodge (in KY) would get a website, they are undergoing a major loss in membership. Sad.

If you would like, in the next month or so I can set them up with a website.


Our Lodge has 5 in the petition process right now (I just managed to get myself included in the investigation committee, still haven't figured that one out), we just passed 3 in our Lodge and one from another Lodge last night. I forget how many are in the studying process. Things are picking up for us. Hopefully with the website we have now that will increase further.

[jvlighting1]

Yes my distric shares a Website. It could use a little help. They have not updated it for a wile. Jason, what do you mean "you can set them up"? I am a IT professional, (software support and networking) 10 years in the field.. do you have free hosting? I am going to help out with our site and provide assistance to the local webmaster.

[mollyL]

I wonder why some lodges are being inundated with petitions and other lodges are experiencing downturns in membership?

[juniordeacon85]

we too have had an increese in petitions while a sister lodge 5 mins away can barley open the lodge

[Jason]

Originally Posted by jvlighting1

Yes my distric shares a Website. It could use a little help. They have not updated it for a wile. Jason, what do you mean "you can set them up"? I am a IT professional, (software support and networking) 10 years in the field.. do you have free hosting? I am going to help out with our site and provide assistance to the local webmaster.

What I can do is setup a website, something like Pearl of the West and provide hosting for free. The only thing I would like is a link back to here. When I get some time, I'll try and setup a demo site, with some different layouts to see if you would be interested.