The Future of My Lodge

The number of Freemasons in Somerset has fallen from 4500 in 2000 to 3700 today. Almost all of the 88 Lodges in the Province have suffered a reduction. The reasons are of course many and varied, some outside our control but the Provincial Grand Master and his executive believe that Lodges can prosper in this challenging climate if they try to plan ahead.
To that end every Lodge has been invited to put together a five year rolling plan based on a survey of current members views, wishes and needs. This section of the Provincial web site is intended to help Lodges through that process by providing resource and information.

Results and recommendations from the series of eight workshops held throughout of the Province in January and February 2015

August 2015 Progress report

At the Lodge secretary’s annual meeting on 26th August the Past Deputy PGM Ray Guthrie gave an update on what Lodges throughout the Province have achieved in working through the planning process over the past twelve months.
Their experience has helped the province produce an updated version of the original getting started document. The new document incorporates the success, simplifies the process and hopefully makes it easier for all Lodges to produce a good working plan.
We have also produced simple templates for Officer succession and a future meeting plan.
New Downloads
Revised getting started document
Five year plan for officers
Three year meeting plan

Following through the process

  • Survey of members – What do they want, times of lodge meetings, content of meetings. The experience of the last year has shown response to survey forms is generally poor (average25%) Personal contact is a much more reliable way of gathering information. However a sample survey form can be downloaded here. It can be adapt it to suit your requirements. It can be used as the basis for a script for personal contact. ( Word.doc format )
  • Colate responses
  • Action meeting – not all the points you will have to consider will be covered by the survey.
  • Formulate an action Plan. Sample is available here.
  • Discuss the options that come out of the survey and initial plan.
  • Discuss the plan at the workshop organised by Provincial Grand Lodge.
  • Finalise the plan set the targets and objectives.
  • Every six months review progress and modify plan to suit changing requirements.

http://www.somersetfreemasons.org/Lodge_Officers_Resources/FOMYL_Workshop_Results/index.html

Additional Resources

Provincial Grand Master’s presentation to Lodge secretaries in August “why Lodges need to plan ahead.”

What direction is freemasonry headed? The membership focus group.

Recruitment, Best practice recommended for Lodges.

What can a Lodges do when a member resigns? See this Resignation and Retention flow chart to find out what is possible.

Or before he resigns
Member Retention Flow Chart

Here is a sample Lodge action plan.

Lodge Ideas and Plans.

Estune Lodge survey results.
Severn Lodge Where are we now – Taking Stock. Where do we want to be? the future.
Nyanza Lodge a plan for the future.
St Kew Lodge our plan for the future
Taunton Lodges joint presentation FOMYL
Wellington School Future of my Lodge.

Future of My Lodge Workshops

Notes from each of the eight meetings in the series of Future of My Lodge Workshops held throughout the Province in January and February 2015 are shown below, click on the title to expand the section and view the notes. Summaries are provided broken down into what Lodges should consider and what members think Province or UGLE should consider in order to help Lodges recruit and retain good members.So what now? Lodges are invited to consider all the ideas and observations from the workshops and other sources to produce and submit a suitable plan by the end of May 2015. Plans should, where possible, set some goals and define the action that will be taken. Examples are available to view on the website. If you would be happy to share your plan for the benefit of other lodges please send it to Ray Guthrie. The Provincial Management Team is looking forward to reviewing all of the information over the summer so as to give some support to lodges through a number of Provincial initiatives based on the work that all lodges have done so far to ensure continued success for masonry in Somerset.

If your Lodge is just starting the planning process you can find help and resources here.



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