Focus on New and Updated Programs and Initiatives

We will be reinstating a Lifetime Dues Endowment program. It will use future value financial calculations to ensure the lodge and the Grand Lodge will receive appropriate funding in exchange for the convenience of never paying dues again. The Grand Lodge portion will be paid by the lodge to Grand Lodge, and the Blue Lodge portion will be invested in the Lodge Permanent Fund with the remainder providing an endowment for the lodge after the member is no longer with us. Once paid, a Lifetime Dues Endowment will be non-refundable for any reason. Details will be provided by the Grand Secretary’s office.

Recognizing that many of our lodge buildings and properties could benefit from revitalization, Brother Joe Jensen, Past District Deputy Grand Master, will chair the Grand Lodge Committee on Halls, Temples and Lodge Rooms which, in addition to its usual functions, will add training and support for our Hall and Temple Associations focused on improving management of the real estate owned by our lodges. The training will be produced in conjunction with the Masonic Education Committee and will proactively cover preventive maintenance planning, insurance concepts, health and safety and other important topics.

I believe the Master Builder Program, created by R.W. Past Grand Master Jay W. Smith, is one of the best programs we have for introducing our new members to the fraternity, getting them engaged in the operations of their lodges and cultivating new lodge officers. We will be placing a new focus on bringing as many new members through the program as possible, and I believe it will greatly improve lodge engagement.

During my time as a District Deputy Grand Master and as a Grand Lodge officer, I have encountered numerous situations where a lodge finds itself in financial difficulty due to a significant expense related to their building, such as needing a new roof, a boiler or air conditioning replacement, flooding, fire or other catastrophes. I have also found that some lodges with significant financial resources are often willing and eager to help out their brothers. We will be encouraging our lodges with strong financial resources to, after proper due diligence, consider helping lodges that need their assistance.

Formerly known as Regional IT Specialists, members of this committee will continue to expand training and support, strengthening the foundation on which our future depends. Special thank you to Brother John Cook, Past District Deputy Grand Master, for his leadership building up and managing this committee for the last six years. Under the leadership of our new Chairman, Brother Kenneth B. Shinn, P.M., the regional leaders will deploy training resources throughout their respective regions, delivering Secretary and Treasurer training as well as user training for new and current members. The Grand View membership management system is a powerful resource for lodges and members alike, and we will work to provide the training and assistance necessary to assist in its adoption.

This committee continues to improve our education programs, with Brother Tom Anke, P.M., taking over the directorship after many years of leadership and dedicated service by Brother Dennis Robinson, P.M. Thank you, Brother Dennis! Newly enhanced officer training has already been delivered, with further Masonic education opportunities coming next year statewide. These efforts will ensure that leaders at every level receive the tools and preparation they need to guide their lodges with confidence and care.

These previously separate but complementary committees will be combined under the leadership of Brother Steven Shimp, P.M.. Thank you to Brother Joe Reuter, P.M., for forming and leading the Lodge Revitalization Committee to this point. The new Masonic Engagement and Revitalization Committee will take on the responsibility for enhancing the member experience, from assuring your voice is heard in lodge strategic planning to assisting lodges with revitalization and member onboarding.

The Pennsylvania ritual has been translated and is ready for deployment in a Spanish Language Lodge (similar to our existing German Language Lodges). A Spanish Masonic club has been formed in Reading, PA, and the next step is to constitute the first Spanish Language Lodge in the history of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Stay tuned!