January 21, 2009 - MASTERS & WARDENS ASSOCIATION

Last night we hosted the first meeting of the SunCoast Masters & Wardens Association. This is a not-for-profit organization representing the fourteen Masonic Craft Lodges in Districts 20 & 21 (Pinellas and West Pasco Counties). I volunteered our Lodge to host the event at the group's last meeting of 2008. I did this for a couple of reasons: first, I wanted to expose my junior officers to the organization so they could start to get a feel of what the other Lodges in our area were experiencing, and; second, I wanted to showcase our Lodge and communicate the message that we warmly welcome visitors.

Forty Brothers from around the area came to visit us on a cold Wednesday night (cold by Florida standards, not by northern standards).

Prior to the meeting, the host Lodge is charged with providing a sit-down dinner which attendees pay a nominal fee for. My Junior Warden did an outstanding job setting this up and the Craft volunteered to help out, including an Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft. Instead of forming a buffet line with paper plates and plastic utensils (which has become somewhat traditional common in a lot of Masonic lodges), we opted to wait on the attendees and served them on plates and silverware which I believe was appreciated by the attendees. The food was not lavish, but it was certainly good. We were fortunate to have a restauranteur as a member of the Craft who provided a fantastic Greek salad and superb deserts. All in all, our Junior Warden and his assistants did a bang up job and actually had fun putting it all together. Even better, they made money on the event which will be used for future meals at the Lodge.

As to the Association itself, I see it as an important organization for local Wardens and Masters to network and learn to help each other (it makes a great safety net). I have personally established many friends as a result of the group, and learned a lot from the experience. In 2005 I was privileged to serve the group as President and I still volunteer to help on committees. But frankly, I'm surprised when Lodges don't participate in the Association. I find they tend to suffer from Tunnel Vision and have trouble thinking of Freemasonry beyond the four walls of their Lodge. Very strange.

As for Dunedin Lodge though, we found last night's Masters & Wardens meeting to be a "Win-Win" situation.

Until next time.

All the Best,
Tim Bryce, PM, MPS, MMBBFMN
timb001@phmainstreet.com
Dunedin Lodge No. 192 F.& A.M.
http:/www.dunedin192.org/
Dunedin, FL, USA
"For the Good of the Order"