Sharing our Success

As an update on one of my previous blogs a couple of months ago entitled "Our New Initiative".
North Harrow Lodge 6557 is still experiencing an unprecedented surge of quality members.
70% have been secured through the interest in our website and the others from the increased enthusiasm of existing and new members who have brought in friends and colleagues over the last couple of months.
Last year we were fortunate to have initiated 4 members.
For most Lodges this would have been a great achievement.
However, it didn’t end there, this year we have initiated another 8 and have so far another 7 prospective candidates for next year, which will boost our numbers to about 36, which is almost double our previous membership.

Bro. Khan (L) Bro. Romero (R)
after their 2nd Degree

The question has been asked by many is :
 “ Now you’ve got them. How are you going to retain them?”
The Answer is not simple . Freemasonry is not for everyone and it is inevitable that there are some who will fall by the wayside. Mentoring and communication play an important part in retention and keeping their interest in Freemasonry is paramount.
Because we are now busy in the Lodge, we are able to give them work at the earliest opportunity without them feeling under any pressure to advance before they really want.
There is also a chance that the candidates interest may be lost in waiting to progress through their respective degrees, so standing still for us is not an option.
With almost 30 outstanding ceremonies projected at the start of the year, this could have been an issue.
We have been fortunate to have the support from a number of other Lodges in Middlesex who have had no scheduled work and have been able to “farm out” most of our Second & Third degrees.
This satisfies a number of issues.

1. Our candidates can progress as quickly as they want.
2. It boosts the numbers at the meetings of the other Lodges because we will support our Candidates
3. It gives enthusiasm to the other Lodges as they have work to perform.
4. Most importantly, visiting enables friendships to be made between the Lodges.

Because of our success, we initially interview interested candidates to make sure of their eligibility to join the Craft and if successful, give them the option to be initiated into another Lodge in Middlesex to suit their availability.
We have over the last couple of months introduced 4 candidates for initiation to 4 Lodges and will as part of our initiative, continue to monitor their progression and attend their meetings, just to make sure all parties are happy.
Why not visit us and see how we do things !! Our next meeting is on Friday 12th October at Harrow Masonic Centre, starting at 4.15pm when we will perform another Initiation, followed by the presentation of 2 Grand  Lodge Certificates and then the Proclamation of our W.M , just email me for a Summons.

Success is Great , Sharing our Success with failing Lodges is Greater!!

Flushed with Candidates

A few months ago I would never have thought that the North Harrow Lodge website could have been so successful in recruiting members.
Not a month has gone by without an enquiry into how one would join.
We have initiated  8 into North Harrow Lodge this year and have a scheduled list of double initiation ceremonies well into next year.
The fact is that our membership has grown from a nucleus of 16 Members 2 years ago and has now risen to 30 to date with another 4 in waiting.
That would be good for any Lodge, but in North Harrow we have gone much further.
We have now given 9 ceremonies to other Lodges and to date placed 4 quality candidates for initiation with 4 Lodges that meet at HDMC and that's just a start !!!
Today I have received another 4 enquiries from prospective candidates to join and as we may not be able to take them before 2014, I may offer them to other Lodges.
That's what the power of the Internet can do !!
Take a leaf out of North Harrow's book and reap the benefits also !!

Off we Go Visiting

Every Lodge is different, that's what makes visiting a very enjoyable and important part of Freemasonry.
Tuesday was no exception. First stop on a hot afternoon was the Hercules Pillars to cool down with a pint after fighting through the hoards at Kings X and then Holborn Underground. 

On your marks ! Get set.........

Wow ! Where did the summer break go? . It doesn't seem that long ago that we initiated two more members into North Harrow at our first ever Emergency meeting in June and attended another lodge who had agreed to do a 3rd Degree for us in July.

Lodge business has had to taken a back seat over the last few weeks with a trip to Bern in Switzerland, the Olympics, Paralympics  and a visit to the Tate Modern for the Damien Hirst exhibition. That was certainly different!!