I recently did an in depth evaluation of the our lodge membership going back 50 years, yes 50 years. As an engineer by trade I tend to want to look at the numbers. What I found was that our lodge had reached its membership high of 327 members back in 1958. Since that time it has been a steady decline of about 50 to 60 members per decade until we reached a low of 127 members in 2005. Yes the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's were not kind to our lodge.
However in the last three years we have been turning the tide, 2006 we gained 9 new members, 2007 we gained 12 new members the largest single year gain since the 50's and in 2008 we will have gained 9 new members through the first half of the year. If we maintain our current pace this decade should easily be the first decade in fifty years that we have net positive growth. This is my second year as Master and it is my hope to finish my term having 25 new members in my two years.
How...........well momentum is a funny thing, again as an engineer it is all a matter of physics. it takes great energy to turn the tide. If you as Master believe, others will believe, energy is contagious, you can't just "try to make it through your year", you have to embrace it, enjoy it after all you have put in many years to get the East. Set the craft to work, most lodges are old and need maintenance, updating, painting, cleaning, etc this gives the members a chance to work side by side and get to know eachother better. Maintain the programs that work and add to the social atmosphere of the lodge and maintain good ritual practices no body enjoys watching sloppy work.
Remember things don't happen over night but as long as we keep adding one stone at a time....
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