[cemab4y]

Does anyone here, have experience with Masonic Square and Compasses Clubs? These are informal organizations of masons, who have open meetings, and barbecues, and all types of family activities. Such clubs are very popular in New Hampshire, and Oklahoma.

I organized a Masonic Square and Compasses club at my base in Iraq.

see

Charles Martin's Blog. Iraq and Freemasonry

[Ashlar2006]

I posted on this in another thread ,but we have one .We meet 2 or 3 times a week to talk about Freemasonry , have debates over politics and religion and talk about anything else that strikes our fancy . More Masons show up to these meetings than regular meetings . We get together and go bowling , play softball and have B-B-Q's .

[cemab4y]

How interesting! In 1993, I tried to start a Masonic Square and Compasses club in Bowling Green/Warren County Kentucky. A Past Grand Master found out about it, and called the current Grand Master, and the GM called me at home, and read the riot act. He told me in no uncertain terms, that the regulations in the Grand Lodge of Kentucky absolutely forbade the forming of such clubs, and he yelled and screamed at me for 15 minutes.

My lodge shot the idea right down. Where is your home lodge? Where is your S&C club? Are you operating within the regulations of the GL of Kentucky?

In 2005, I tried to set up a S&C club in Al Asad,Iraq. The Grand Secretary of KY, emailed and wrote me letters, demanding that the club be shut down. The GL of KY does not like S&C clubs, even in Iraq.

[Ashlar2006]

Yes we're under the GL of Ky . Wow , maybe they haven't gotten wind of it yet . We've only been at it since last spring . We keep it amongst ourselves though . If they feel that strongly maybe we'll do away with the name and just call it "get togethers " or family nights .

[Ashlar2006]

Just made a couple of calls and you are correct , if the Gl finds out they will shut us down . We are going to get rid of the name and the " club status " and just have get togethers . Glad you posted that , don't need any grief from the GL .

[cemab4y]

There are informal masonic associations all over Kentucky.

Middletown lodge has a "Social club"

Plumb lodge has a "Gavel club"

The Grand Lodge CANNOT stop you from having a masonic group of friends meet up and have fellowship. I encourage you to keep up, and have your club. Square and Compasses clubs meet all over the state of Kentucky and all over the USA.

We will have our S&C club in Iraq, and I don't care if the GL of KY disapproves or not.

[Ashlar2006]

Oh , we are going to continue meeting , we are just going to consider it a social event and not a club event . We never served meals at these meetings , but I think we'll start serving something simple , meat trays , donuts or chili .

[mollyL]

That kind of socialising is something that I think would do good for both the Masons and their larger community.I read that Masons don't discuss religion or politics when meeting. Is it because it's an informal thing that Masons can discuss politics?

[Ashlar2006]

Yes . While in lodge , to keep the peace and harmony we refrain from talking about religion and politics but in the informal setting we can discuss any topic we wish .

[BG_TRBL]

Religion and Politics are two areas which are often strongly divided, either side of the coin when flipped will be argued fanatically by the opposing side. These areas are just too available for extended and exhaustive arguments, which would then take away from the learning process. These areas are therefore not discussed within lodge. Any topic may be discussed when out of the lodge (lodge meaning during an actual meeting) even if in the masonic building. It was just found that to restrict discussion on these topics it would assist in preventing unwanted hardships between brethren who have strong ties to these areas.