Your Masonic Lodge Website sucks?

[mpullen]

I'm not a Mason, but I can relate on the effects of declining membership. The decline in membership is not due to dis-interest, but death of the members. I speak of the Submarine Veterans of WWII. Over the past few months, many of the established groups have disbanded, because there aren't enough members to hold meetings. In their upcoming national convention, they may disband totally. This is sad, because these folks went in harms way and lived to tell their tales. Next month, several of us are heading to Washington D.C. to bury Ron Smith, a WWII torpedoman who wrote two books about life during the war.

As the base commander for Submarine Veterans in the Houston to Galveston area, I attend at least two funerals a month, mostly WWII veterans. Many of them never talked about the war, so their memories are lost forever.

[HawkMom]

In Massachusetts, where we were visiting friends, we saw an excellent commercial on TELEVISION promoting Free Masonry.  I think it was broadcast on the cable networks at our friend's house.  It was a commercial focusing on the Masonic connections of the founding fathers of the United States.  Apparently, such public promotion is not the norm for most lodges. 

My husband has been a Mason since he was 21 and I am a new Eastern Star member.

I feel that effective (blogs, electronic media)  promotion /invitations to join of DeMolay, Rainbow, Free Masonry and Eastern Star is the way to have it survive. 

Programs for Rainbow and DeMolay also need to be current with current youth interests.

I'm a strong personal promoter of the 'No Child Left Inside' movement.   Just read the book 'Last Child in the Woods' by Richard Louv.  www.childrenandnaturenetwork.org   Environmental and Natural History Education through my bird of prey programs. 

[John]

Congratulations on your entry into the Order of the Eastern Star HawkMom.
I hope you find much joy.