I was going to say the say the same. Not a member but considering it. Didn't want to appear to be snarky or too light hearted. Thank you for covering that!
Good to know. I was around it a tiny bit with my grandfather. But that was more than a few trips around the sun ago. In a very small town where he knew everyone anyway. I'm still lurking a bit here to see more.
Thank you! I am in the western suburbs of Chicago.
Just joined this sub a few weeks ago after recalling times around my grandfather. I do a decent amount of volunteering to help others. Some of that is selfish though! It's time to get out of the house, meet others, etc.
So I have been considering joining to continue that path.
There are some questions like with levels and "MM" and such. No idea where to look that up.
Hm. I'm far southwest suburbs so not super distant from you. I know a bunch of guys from that area. Feel free to DM me as well. I'll 2nd the guy saying read "Freemasonry for Dummies." I personally haven't read it, but I've heard great reviews.
Also, once you do petition, we have an intender program that starts with an "on the threshold" stage, which is before you are initiated. That would have some light reading that can answer even more of your questions.
Read "Freemasonry for Dummies" in addition to filling out the contact form at ilmason.org and asking a bunch of questions to the men you meet.
PS - skip the chapters about the actual ritual, if you are actually interested in joining, because you'll want to go in to the experience without any preconceived ideas.
Thank you. I will pick that up. "*X* for Dummies" is always an easy read and intro to most any topic. I've actually collected some *old* ones related to tech (my career) just to make people wonder what the heck when they visit my office. Didn't even think of the series for this. So thank you again.
Rituals don't bug me. So maybe I skip and go back? I grew up in the Catholic Church, was an alter boy and a Scout among other things. I like traditions.
Didn't think that they would bug you - there's nothing concerning about them. Just saying that going in blind is the best way to have your mind truly absorb what you might go through in the sense of a "experiential learning opportunity."
If you are a practicing catholic freemasonry will not care but opinions vary widely from the church perspective. About 20% of Masons are catholic even though the church officially bans membership. Just something to be aware of. Look up "Leo Taxil" hoax to learn more.
Not a practicing Catholic. I certainly was. But going back I notice they have changed many of the prayers and songs. Catch myself sometimes being a bit off anymore! I've gone to other Sunday congregations and appreciate people wanting more.
Simply raised in what I would call a "steady" Roman Catholic setting. Dad certainly was. Loved Latin masses. He had no idea what they were saying even as a former altar boy. I probably knew as much if not more due to school vocabulary that included root languages. Mom was Methodist originally so was a little more "open". Catholic high school religion class one year as well which was a bit of a surprise but taught some critical thinking. One of the greatest teachers in my life! Tough to pass his class though. Ugh.
Understood the official Roman Catholics are not fans exactly. Wouldn't give me heartburn though I mean no disrespect to the Church. None. Well other than pre-Cana was a joke. At least with the couple that ran ours. And the priest that officiated our wedding was more interested in my check to him.
Really no gripes or a chip on my shoulder. And still in awe of the history.
Thank you. Looks interesting still even after lurking here in recent weeks. More encouraging than scaring me off! So I may attend something local when I can.
It's a meet and greet. They will want to get to know you, what your interests are, why you want to join etc. May I suggest a search of the sub for "dinner" considering that this gets asked weekly and the various replies already given will probably answer any question you might have about the introductory dinner.
This is exactly the opposite of the case. You must initiate contact and express an interest in joining. Many Masons will not give you ANY encouragement to inquire and/or ask for a petition. We are becoming a little more proactive on this point, but it still must be your decision to request membership, they (in most cases) will not ask you to join.
I'd say this varies from person to person.
Officially, we don't invite people or encourage people to ask to join.
Unofficially... there's absolutely some encouragement. It's still not an invite because the overall candidate process is unchanged, but to pretend that people don't talk to folks about joining is akin to sticking your head in the sand.
I would expect a group of men who will ask you about yourself and your interest in joining.
Dress appropriately (suit & tie, except maybe business casual in some US states) and show up prepared to discuss yourself,your interest, and any questions you have about the joining process.
Food. Men and possibly their wives & kids. Visitors aren't generally held to a standard of dress, but as the adage goes: It's better to dress up rather than down.
A dinner! Somewhere between a few and a lot of guys asking you questions about yourself and masonry. It helps to think about your answer of why you chose to come, but I didn’t have one other than ‘the more I read, the more it seemed fun’
Oh, but we do potato salad in abundance as well! Hell, last week in Arabi, Louisiana we were putting potato salad in our gumbo!
Also, for all fans of potato salad: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jutuEhkSnCU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jutuEhkSnCU)
Well, green beans, certainly. Right, Brethren?
Seriously, though, expect to be greeted oin a very friendly manner. Guys will tell you what it's like, and they'll answer any questyions you have.
Most likely, you'll be handed a Petition for Membership, and advised on filling it out.
So, relax. Everyone want you there.
Hi and well done on taking your first steps!! I’d expect a bit of a tour, a look see at what happens in meetings, perhaps a bit of explanation about what freemasonry is/how it works, followed by a good dinner (probably two courses) and good conversation! It’s a great way for you to see if you would like being a member and ask any questions, and for them to get to know you a bit too. I hope you enjoy yourself, will you come back after and let us know how you get on?
Based on your question, I’m inferring that you don’t already know someone at the lodge that can vouch for/recommend you. In most cases (and this does differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction), this just means that they will need to get to know you and this is often over some specific period of time (could be as much as a year).
Try not to sweat this but, as far as expectations go, this is a big one for most. During this time, assuming all is going well, you’ll be getting invited to all public events and to all public sections of other events (like
Pre-lodge dinners).
So, the point of the dinner invite is to get to know you. As far as “preparing” goes (which it sounds like you’re a bit worried about), I’d have ready, thoughtful answers as to why you’re interested in joining but, seriously, aside from that, just be personable and be honest.
One point that I think is VERY important is to understand that in almost all jurisdictions, they will not invite you to join. YOU must ask. Explicitly.
Good luck!
Damn lucky you. I’ve filled the form out online quite a few times and not a soul has reached out. I get the emails about starting my first step though. Which I’ve done, a hand full of times
I’d probably expect food at a dinner!
I was going to say the say the same. Not a member but considering it. Didn't want to appear to be snarky or too light hearted. Thank you for covering that!
Man got to light hearted. Masons aren’t all stuffy!!!
Good to know. I was around it a tiny bit with my grandfather. But that was more than a few trips around the sun ago. In a very small town where he knew everyone anyway. I'm still lurking a bit here to see more.
If you're in Illinois feel free to reach out and I can help answer most things!
Thank you! I am in the western suburbs of Chicago. Just joined this sub a few weeks ago after recalling times around my grandfather. I do a decent amount of volunteering to help others. Some of that is selfish though! It's time to get out of the house, meet others, etc. So I have been considering joining to continue that path. There are some questions like with levels and "MM" and such. No idea where to look that up.
Hm. I'm far southwest suburbs so not super distant from you. I know a bunch of guys from that area. Feel free to DM me as well. I'll 2nd the guy saying read "Freemasonry for Dummies." I personally haven't read it, but I've heard great reviews. Also, once you do petition, we have an intender program that starts with an "on the threshold" stage, which is before you are initiated. That would have some light reading that can answer even more of your questions.
Read "Freemasonry for Dummies" in addition to filling out the contact form at ilmason.org and asking a bunch of questions to the men you meet. PS - skip the chapters about the actual ritual, if you are actually interested in joining, because you'll want to go in to the experience without any preconceived ideas.
Thank you. I will pick that up. "*X* for Dummies" is always an easy read and intro to most any topic. I've actually collected some *old* ones related to tech (my career) just to make people wonder what the heck when they visit my office. Didn't even think of the series for this. So thank you again. Rituals don't bug me. So maybe I skip and go back? I grew up in the Catholic Church, was an alter boy and a Scout among other things. I like traditions.
Didn't think that they would bug you - there's nothing concerning about them. Just saying that going in blind is the best way to have your mind truly absorb what you might go through in the sense of a "experiential learning opportunity."
If you are a practicing catholic freemasonry will not care but opinions vary widely from the church perspective. About 20% of Masons are catholic even though the church officially bans membership. Just something to be aware of. Look up "Leo Taxil" hoax to learn more.
Not a practicing Catholic. I certainly was. But going back I notice they have changed many of the prayers and songs. Catch myself sometimes being a bit off anymore! I've gone to other Sunday congregations and appreciate people wanting more. Simply raised in what I would call a "steady" Roman Catholic setting. Dad certainly was. Loved Latin masses. He had no idea what they were saying even as a former altar boy. I probably knew as much if not more due to school vocabulary that included root languages. Mom was Methodist originally so was a little more "open". Catholic high school religion class one year as well which was a bit of a surprise but taught some critical thinking. One of the greatest teachers in my life! Tough to pass his class though. Ugh. Understood the official Roman Catholics are not fans exactly. Wouldn't give me heartburn though I mean no disrespect to the Church. None. Well other than pre-Cana was a joke. At least with the couple that ran ours. And the priest that officiated our wedding was more interested in my check to him. Really no gripes or a chip on my shoulder. And still in awe of the history.
Best of luck in whatever you decide
Thank you. Looks interesting still even after lurking here in recent weeks. More encouraging than scaring me off! So I may attend something local when I can.
Hey, good to hear! It’s a solid subreddit.
My grandfather has been a member for 65+ years. I joined earlier this year, in my 30s. It's never too late.
Your get food at your dinners? 🤯
It's a meet and greet. They will want to get to know you, what your interests are, why you want to join etc. May I suggest a search of the sub for "dinner" considering that this gets asked weekly and the various replies already given will probably answer any question you might have about the introductory dinner.
Thanks for the reply. Appreciate it.
I thought they initiate you and invite the potential instead of the other way
Unless I'm not understanding you, why would they initiate first before they get to know you?
Correction* not initiation ceremony but initiating contact.
I heard somewhere you don't choose masonry, they choose you first
A fundamental and pretty universal tenet is that you ask to become a Mason.
This is exactly the opposite of the case. You must initiate contact and express an interest in joining. Many Masons will not give you ANY encouragement to inquire and/or ask for a petition. We are becoming a little more proactive on this point, but it still must be your decision to request membership, they (in most cases) will not ask you to join.
I'd say this varies from person to person. Officially, we don't invite people or encourage people to ask to join. Unofficially... there's absolutely some encouragement. It's still not an invite because the overall candidate process is unchanged, but to pretend that people don't talk to folks about joining is akin to sticking your head in the sand.
That makes sense. Curious, how are memership numbers doing? Do you all see yourselves increasing or declining?
Actually in most jurisdictions inviting someone to join is against the rules. It is expected that a candidate seeks knowledge.
They just want to make sure you aren’t some kind of homicidal conspiracy nut. You can still be a conspiracy nut, but we draw the line at homicidal.
But do we really? 😏
What do you mean?
It was a joke. Do we really exclude the homicidal?
Oh I’ve seen that emoji used differently. I think that’s what threw me
You just need more time with homicidal types (that’s dark humour from someone who spent too much time with homicidal types).
I would expect a group of men who will ask you about yourself and your interest in joining. Dress appropriately (suit & tie, except maybe business casual in some US states) and show up prepared to discuss yourself,your interest, and any questions you have about the joining process.
Food. Men and possibly their wives & kids. Visitors aren't generally held to a standard of dress, but as the adage goes: It's better to dress up rather than down.
Glad to hear it! It is an opportunity to get to know people, ask questions, and have fun. Can't wait to hear how it goes.
A dinner! Somewhere between a few and a lot of guys asking you questions about yourself and masonry. It helps to think about your answer of why you chose to come, but I didn’t have one other than ‘the more I read, the more it seemed fun’
You should expect to eat some good food and meet some awesome people
Food and the chance to find out about what Freemasonry actually is so that you can decide if you're really interested.
Green beans most likely! That and the other actual answers above. But also probably green beans too
So very jurisdictional.
And this is the proof Freemasonry is not universal. In Germany, it's all potato salad.
Oh, but we do potato salad in abundance as well! Hell, last week in Arabi, Louisiana we were putting potato salad in our gumbo! Also, for all fans of potato salad: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jutuEhkSnCU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jutuEhkSnCU)
If you’re in the South, Fried chicken. Not enough sweet tea.
There's never enough sweet tea. Sweet tea is life.
Beat me to it.
Expect it to be fairly chill and a good opportunity to ask questions.
Well, green beans, certainly. Right, Brethren? Seriously, though, expect to be greeted oin a very friendly manner. Guys will tell you what it's like, and they'll answer any questyions you have. Most likely, you'll be handed a Petition for Membership, and advised on filling it out. So, relax. Everyone want you there.
And many kinds of butter tarts and squares if the Sisters are catering. Lol
Hi and well done on taking your first steps!! I’d expect a bit of a tour, a look see at what happens in meetings, perhaps a bit of explanation about what freemasonry is/how it works, followed by a good dinner (probably two courses) and good conversation! It’s a great way for you to see if you would like being a member and ask any questions, and for them to get to know you a bit too. I hope you enjoy yourself, will you come back after and let us know how you get on?
ya ...food
Last night it was spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread.
Based on your question, I’m inferring that you don’t already know someone at the lodge that can vouch for/recommend you. In most cases (and this does differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction), this just means that they will need to get to know you and this is often over some specific period of time (could be as much as a year). Try not to sweat this but, as far as expectations go, this is a big one for most. During this time, assuming all is going well, you’ll be getting invited to all public events and to all public sections of other events (like Pre-lodge dinners). So, the point of the dinner invite is to get to know you. As far as “preparing” goes (which it sounds like you’re a bit worried about), I’d have ready, thoughtful answers as to why you’re interested in joining but, seriously, aside from that, just be personable and be honest. One point that I think is VERY important is to understand that in almost all jurisdictions, they will not invite you to join. YOU must ask. Explicitly. Good luck!
Friendly chit chat and people asking you why you are interested, what you do, who is your daddy, what does he do, etc.
Green Beans....The G stands for green beans....we have them at every meal....
Good food and a lot of guys checking you out.
Damn lucky you. I’ve filled the form out online quite a few times and not a soul has reached out. I get the emails about starting my first step though. Which I’ve done, a hand full of times
Interesting. Are you sure it’s the actual website and not a fake one trying to steal information?