AN ACTION TEAM IN ACTION
This Short Talk Bulletin has been adapted from an article in Fall 1987
edition of The Freemason, official publication of the Grand Lodge AF & AM of
Missouri and is used with the kind permission of its Editor.
Just before closing John Blair Lodge No. 700 in its last meeting of the
summer, Bro. Hugh Jones spoke up when Worshipful Master Dick Smith asked if any
brother had anything to offer. The Master recognized him somewhat reluctantly
because it had been a kind of draggy year in the lodge and Hugh was always
wanting the lodge to do something besides just meeting. Besides it was a warm
night, and the brethren seemed anxious to get out so they could have
refreshments downstairs in the dining room.
"Worshipful Master," began Hugh, "I wonder if any plans have been made for us
to celebrate the Bicentennial of the Constitution in September."
The Master stuttered a bit. He remembered that the lodge secretary had read
the proclamation from the Grand Master calling for a lodge observance of the
200th anniversary of the United States Constitution on September 20.
"No, Brother Hugh," he replied, "I was going to get around to it, but I guess
I just forgot it."
Brother Jones pressed his point. "Worshipful Master", he explained, "the way
our meetings come, we'll have just one communication in September before the
20th. If we're going to get anything done, it's going to have to be in shape
before that time. I think we ought to have a special committee make plans for
this, but we ought to have a little discussion about it before the committee is
appointed."
"Worshipful Sir," said Jim Post, the Senior Warden, "we've had lots of
committees that never functioned. When we went to the Grand Lodge Leadership
Seminars this past year, they said we ought to call them Action Teams. That way
you'll expect them to do something."
The Master noticed that several of the brethren were sitting up in their
chairs while others were squirming a bit as if they wanted to get out of the
meeting. He felt that the subject was getting away from him, so he had better
take charge again .
"I'll appoint the committee or action team or whatever," he asserted, "but I
think you'd better give them some direction."
There was a momentary hesitation on the sideline, and old Worshipful Brother
Golightly was heard to mutter, "We've never done it this way before."' Brother
Samuels, who was a deacon at the church down the street, laughed and declared,
"That's what they said about our church when somebody proposed something new.
They called it the seven last words of the church. Maybe it's time the lodge did
something new."
Several of the brethren were nodding assent to this, so the Master felt he
ought to follow up by making the appointments.
"Hugh, since you brought this up," he ad dressed the brother, "I'm going to
make you chairman of the committee, or let's just call it an action team."
A wild thought came into the Master's mind. Perhaps there were some brethren
who had the ability to work with Hugh and make a go of this thing. It might turn
out a good way to wind up his term as Master of John Blair Lodge. Besides some
of the newer members had been wanting some special activities which would make
the lodge more visible in the community.
"I'll also appoint Brothers Sal Minnicello and Hardy McClellan," Worshipful
Master Smith announced. "Hugh, you get them together."
A brother objected, "Sal hasn't been a citizen too long. He just came from
the Old Country several years ago."
"That's a lot of hogwash," argued Bro. Samuels. "He probably knows more about
the Constitution than most of us because he had to do this studying before he
became a citizen."
Another brother spoke up, "I hope we'll make this an open program on the
20th. Perhaps we can get people to come to the lodge who've never darkened the
door of the temple."
"Yes," added another brother, gaining enthusiasm, "we certainly ought to
invite the ladies, for that matter, maybe the general public."
He turned to Junior Warden Tim Kelog. "Maybe your wife would bake or get us a
cake with red, white and blue icing for refreshments."
"I think we ought to have a speaker," said Jim Post. "Maybe we could get
Prosecuting Attorney Hill to speak. He pays dues at this lodge, but we never see
him except in election year."
"Worshipful Master, I have another suggestion" said Hugh. "It might be fine
to have Brother Hill make a short talk on the Constitution then, but we might
have another short talk by Mr. Walker, the history teacher at the high school."
"He's not a Mason", objected another brother.
"That's true," Hugh replied, "but he could talk to us about the history of
the Constitution. Besides he had always indicated some interest in Freemasonry,
and this just might be a way to lead him to ask for membership."
Brother Brown, who was the Chapter Dad of the local DeMolays, spoke up:
"We might have the DeMolay boys come and present the colors and lead us in
the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag." Others around the hall nodded assent to
that.
Lodge Secretary Rider had been searching through his desk drawers while all
this discussion was going on. He triumphantly held up a handful of booklets.
"Here, Worshipful Master," he almost shouted. "I knew I had some pamphlets on
this. Here's Famous American Freemasons and a Lodge Cuideror Celebrating the
Bicentennial of the US. Constitution. I'll bet there are some other books out in
the lodge library. Maybe the committee, excuse me, action team, can use these."
Old Brother Golightly, who generally was so contrary, stood up with a new
interest in his face. "Worshipful," he said, "the old timers used to tell us
that this lodge was named for John Blair, who helped sign the Constitution along
with George Washington and the others. You know, this town of Blairsville was
founded last century by settlers from Virginia, and John Blair was a Grand
Master of the state. We've got a lot of history right here in the lodge and this
town. We know what it means to say WE THE PEOPLE. We're the ones they made that
Constitution for, and we're the ones who're going to have to keep it.
After a bit more discussion, Worshipful Brother Smith closed the lodge, but
everybody knew that the spirit of Freemasonry was going to keep alive and well
over the summer. The brethren had great things to look forward to in the fall.
When the members parted in a little while, Hugh Jones found himself thinking
about the Masonic phrase, "who have gone this way before me" and he also thought
about those names on the plaque in the anteroom, brothers of another day who had
lost their lives in the struggle for freedom. Perhaps their September 20th
celebration could be a little way of saying "Thank you" for a country and a
Constitution like this.
How did the program turn out? Well, you'll have to wait and see how John
Blair Lodge No. 700 and dozens of other lodges around the country did. It's
pretty important because I don't reckon that any of us are going to be around to
celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the Constitution.
* * * * * * * * * *
The preceding story is fiction. John Blair Lodge No. 700 does not exist. The
characters are reflections of the author's imagination. However, the action of
the story could have taken place in any of thousands of lodges. ..maybe yours! A
master is faced with many challenges, not the least of which are preparation and
planning. He must be prepared for any eventuality. There are many aids and
"tools" which are available to assist him. He must have clearly defined
objectives and a firm timetable of intermediate goals to reach them. To do this,
he must communicate with his officers and members and get them all involved.
Before he can motivate the membership, he must himself be motivated. That's
leadership!
There are literally hundreds of Masonic publications which can be used to
assist lodge officers. Unless they are used, they don't do a bit of good
especially if buried in the Secretary's desk .
All of us want to feel that our lodge is the "best" lodge. We want and expect
our lodge to be active, involved and needed. To accomplish this, we must follow
the example of those master builders who erected the beautiful cathedrals with
such exactness. They laid out their designs on their trestleboards and followed
each detail in the construction. Just as the Builders were working at their
Craft, so must we be workers in preserving our Craft.
The key words are WORK and ACTION.
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