Table Lodge

[BG_TRBL]

Ours have been a blast. The WM is always advised to have someone drive him home as he tends to be the most unable to safely operate a vehicle. He is involved with all of the toasts, and we are allowed to use wine. Last year, in his closing remarks, our WM repeated the same story at least 5 times. It was very difficult to keep a straight face after he started to repeat the third time. By the fifth repeat, the MC had to nudge him like a skipping record.

You're supposed to SIP, not gulp.... LOL. Anyhow, we always remind the officers that the juice that is in their cup is to last through ALL of the toasts. I actually am incorrect, I meant to say that the juice in their pitchers (which are more like gravy boats for us) is to last. That's equivalent to about 1 cup of fluid.

 

[mdonahue66]

You're supposed to SIP, not gulp.... LOL. Anyhow, we always remind the officers that the juice that is in their cup is to last through ALL of the toasts.

Our "Cannons" must be fully "discharged" at each and every toast. Of course we're using wine. We will have water and NA wine for those with that preference. And we'll have plenty in stock for any additional toasts the brothers may want to offer up. BTW, our spring table lodge (if you can call it spring) is Monday Night, so if you're in Southern MN, let me know and come on by!

 

[BukeyeJackson]

No alcohol in Ohio lodges but at our's we fully discharged cannons of pom. juice. By the final toast we were begging the stewards for water

 

[KevinL]

Here in NY a table lodge is tyled. If it isn't tyled it's called a festive board. The GL building of NY surprisingly doesn't have a lot of private dining rooms, and the ones we do have must be rented. So we have a lot of festive boards. My lodge saves the renting fee for big dinners, like before a district deputy visitation or an apron presentation, but these are all open to significant others and friends, and untyled. I've never been to a table lodge myself, but I hope to fix that soon.

 

[NZ-Freemason]

Our "Cannons" must be fully "discharged" at each and every toast. Of course we're using wine. We will have water and NA wine for those with that preference. And we'll have plenty in stock for any additional toasts the brothers may want to offer up. BTW, our spring table lodge (if you can call it spring) is Monday Night, so if you're in Southern MN, let me know and come on by!

The same goes for my lodge, you must consume your drink in its entirety. At my first table lodge I didn't know that, nor did I know that they drink whiskey...my glass was filled up for me (by a brother who I now keep a close eye on, lol) ready for the first toast and boy was I in for a shock! This was followed promptly by a rousing laugh from the other brethren.

I absolutely love Table Lodge, we have one every year at my lodge which attracks brethren from all over the North and South Islands...our goal is to try and be in sync with the toasts and especially slamming our glasses...I can't wait for our next one!

 

[mdonahue66]

The same goes for my lodge, you must consume your drink in its entirety. At my first table lodge I didn't know that, nor did I know that they drink whiskey...my glass was filled up for me (by a brother who I now keep a close eye on, lol) ready for the first toast and boy was I in for a shock! This was followed promptly by a rousing laugh from the other brethren.

I absolutely love Table Lodge, we have one every year at my lodge which attracks brethren from all over the North and South Islands...our goal is to try and be in sync with the toasts and especially slamming our glasses...I can't wait for our next one!

WhiskeyHoly SMOKES! We have enough fun with wine!

 

[Duncan1574]

My first Table Lodge is Monday, I am thinking I am glad that I usually park facing HOME!

 

[mdonahue66]

My first Table Lodge is Monday, I am thinking I am glad that I usually park facing HOME!

Ours was last week. We were fortunate enough to have our Treasurer's wife taxi service the three or four of us who needed it!

 

[Windrider]

I had my money in my hand to buy a ticket for the next table lodge when I realized the date was somewhat important... I'd be in surgery the next day

 

[solomonsdruid]

Brother Duncan,

Congratulations on your raising. I am a past master of West Allis #291 here in Milwaukee and this year master of Silas Shepherd #1843 Lodge of Research. I hope that our paths may cross one of these days. Again congrats and welcome to the fraternity.

William Krohn

 

[KSigMason]

When I was WM, I did a Open Table Lodge for our Fall District Communication. I invited the Brothers to bring their wives and had a local Bethel serve dinner. The Grand Master loved the idea so much he authorized the use of wine during the dinner and ceremony.

It was a complete success and I had more show up than we planned for. We about ran out of food, but the Bethel Guardian in all her cleverness, made a bit extra and saved my bacon. All money donated that night went to them.

Great food, great ceremony, great speeches, and more importantly not too lengthy.

 

[Duncan1574]

First table lodge under my belt. Belt is not an understatement and I was one of the stewards. Good time serving the GM

 

[pazmaz4x]

I served as Worshipful Master of my Lodge in 1992. I wanted to have a Table Lodge during my year to the delight of several of the Past Masters as we did not have one in many years. I inquired about having wine for the toasts, which at the time in Pennsylvania was a "no-no." So I directed my Steward to be sure to have grape juice for the Table Lodge. The night of the big event we had a full room, many of the members were there as were many visitors from the District. We had the first toast, everyone lifted their glasses and I watched in horror at the many sour faces around the room, the Steward gave us GRAPEFRUIT juice!

 

[NZ-Freemason]

I served as Worshipful Master of my Lodge in 1992. I wanted to have a Table Lodge during my year to the delight of several of the Past Masters as we did not have one in many years. I inquired about having wine for the toasts, which at the time in Pennsylvania was a "no-no." So I directed my Steward to be sure to have grape juice for the Table Lodge. The night of the big event we had a full room, many of the members were there as were many visitors from the District. We had the first toast, everyone lifted their glasses and I watched in horror at the many sour faces around the room, the Steward gave us GRAPEFRUIT juice!

Lol! I have noticed a lot of Jurisdictions in America do not allow wine...is this for all meetings or just for Table Lodges and why?

 

[Ashlar2006]

Lol! I have noticed a lot of Jurisdictions in America do not allow wine...is this for all meetings or just for Table Lodges and why?

Many jurisdictions are dry .

 

[Bob Franks]

NC is dry

Lol! I have noticed a lot of Jurisdictions in America do not allow wine...is this for all meetings or just for Table Lodges and why?

North Carolina (AF&AM) does not allow alcohol in lodge buildings, even if an outside group rents the facility. This has caused some lodges to have a difficult time to rent out the building to pay for repairs on old buildings, because even a champagne toast would not be allowed at a wedding reception. At our last Grand Lodge, a proposal to allow the Grand Master to approve alcohol at functions on an individual basis was defeated.

I have heard both that it dates to the time of the Anti-Masonic fervor that changed the way we do a lot of business in the lodge (like only conducting lodge business on the MM Degree), to eliminate claims of drunken revelry in the lodge, and also that the Temperance Movement got US grand lodges to make lodges 'dry.'

S&F

 

[NZ-Freemason]

Thanks Ashlar and Bob, makes sense.

I would hate to think what the brethren here in NZ would do if anyone even hinted at the possibility of declaring lodges dry...good reasons nonetheless...

 

[Ofotherworlds]

In Ohio masonic temples themselves are dry, but lodge functions outside of the lodge building itself can be wet. Furthermore, lodge properties that do not contain a regular lodge room can serve alcohol. Fortunately for us, York Lodge owns a majority share in the York Golf Club, which quite naturally serves alcohol. As a result, my first table lodge featured real wine for the toasts, as well as an open bar before dinner. This was all rather nice, though we ran out of the good "red powder", and started using this screw-top wine from Australia that was utter shite. But it was a very fun experience even so, and by the third toast we were all drunk enough not to care about the quality of the wine. It was more fun than I had had since college. Doing it dry just wouldn't have been the same.

 

[BukeyeJackson]

In Ohio masonic temples themselves are dry, but lodge functions outside of the lodge building itself can be wet. Furthermore, lodge properties that do not contain a regular lodge room can serve alcohol. Fortunately for us, York Lodge owns a majority share in the York Golf Club, which quite naturally serves alcohol. As a result, my first table lodge featured real wine for the toasts, as well as an open bar before dinner. This was all rather nice, though we ran out of the good "red powder", and started using this screw-top wine from Australia that was utter shite. But it was a very fun experience even so, and by the third toast we were all drunk enough not to care about the quality of the wine. It was more fun than I had had since college. Doing it dry just wouldn't have been the same.

My eyes just turned green brother. The only other way around it I had heard of was an off site "Table-style Lodge Dinner" where they had wine. My first table lodge last year was dry as will this years. Thankfully WB SW who is heading this event won't be repeating the black currant juice or pom juice. I think... It was still however very fun and I'm looking forward not to be the serving brethern this year.

 

[NZ-Freemason]

My eyes just turned green brother. The only other way around it I had heard of was an off site "Table-style Lodge Dinner" where they had wine. My first table lodge last year was dry as will this years. Thankfully WB SW who is heading this event won't be repeating the black currant juice or pom juice. I think... It was still however very fun and I'm looking forward not to be the serving brethern this year.

Wow, like I said in a previous post, the annual Table Lodge at my mother lodge serves Whiskey, beer, wine, sherry, juice, pop and everything in-between...I don't usually drink alcohol at regular meetings so our annual table lodge is a very fun time. We all organize our wives to pick us up though...it's either that or we walk home, and none of us can walk so that's not an option!

I couldn't imagine a dry Table Lodge...