Greetings Brothers;
Earlier this year you received several double sided "business cards". We are enclosing some more cards, this time professionally printed. You might be wondering what they are for and why you have received them.
But first we are expecting several exciting meetings in the next few months. Immediately coming up on our first meeting in October (2nd) will be the first of four upcoming 50 year award ceremonies! Bro. Harold Trout, one of my own masonic mentors, is receiving this award and I am thrilled for him. If you haven't met Bro. Harold yet, you are in for a treat! We also have several other programs planned. I hope to see you there.
Which brings us back to the enclosed
cards. Earlier this year Grand Lodge held several meetings for lodge
officers where it was impressed upon us that the numbers of incoming
masons are far from that which is needed to sustain the fraternity and
that only through the blue lodges themselves can this possibly change.
Our
lodge is quite unique in that our numbers have held
virtually constant over the last ten years. However these facts coupled
with the increasing age of our members means our lodge will be faced in
the
next few years with a substantial membership drop as our lodge brothers
pass on.
Several recent innovations, among them
the ability to inform and ask qualified men if they would like to
consider membership and a streamlined yet complete one-day initiation,
passing and raising, are some of the new tools to help lodges increase
their
memberships. This spring Bro.
Harold Trout came up with the idea of passing out cards to prospective
members, inviting them to meet with our lodge either for a special
recruitment meeting, or just one of our monthly dinner meetings. This
idea has been enthusiastically welcomed by the Grand Master and Grand
Lodge.
Which brings us to the cards that are
enclosed. W.M. Ron Shoup and our lodge officers are committed to seeing
that each person you bring in via these cards will be contacted within
48 hours after you have invited them to a meeting at out lodge. We
intend to see to it that each candidate is valued and encouraged. With
your help and encouragement we can insure that Otterbein lodge has a
healthy and secure future.
Very best regards;
Bob Finch, S.W.
