Wisconsin Freemasons – We’re building momentum!
I love sports and nothing says Fall like the best time of the year for sports! Baseball playoffs are in full swing, the NFL season is well underway, and NBA & NHL seasons are getting kicked off. Sports can offer a lot of parallels Freemasonry. While we see brotherhood on full display in many sports, it feels like none offer as many Masonic similarities as baseball. Whatever your team, the shared love of the team flows through the players, coaches, and fanbase. They’re all working toward a shared purpose.
Other parallels to Freemasonry are easy to see. Baseball is well known for its history, traditions, symbols, rituals, and unwritten rules. Sound familiar? Every game includes historical traditions like the ceremonial first pitch, seventh inning stretch, or new ones like the Brewers sausage race. Our meetings and degree work also stem from traditions handed down through the ages, but new traditions can be fun too. I’m looking forward to a NFL themed table lodge soon.
To make it to the big league, most players make their progression through the minor leagues. Each league offers a chance to hone skills and improve themselves. Our ritual and degrees are the building blocks of long-term success in Freemasonry. Anyone ever see an official baseball scorecard? It’d likely take a mentor to learn…much like our cipher. Either challenge takes time and dedication to master. Team culture can reflect the true identity of a ball club. Culture plays a critical role in our Lodges too. Lodges may build their identity around social gatherings, degree work, education, or charity & community service. What does your lodge culture say about your lodge?
It seems like every year; a team gets hot at the right time and makes a run in the playoffs. (Except the Brewers…that sting will hurt for a while.) Many times, we don’t see all the hidden work leading up to a successful run. Individual efforts alone don’t get the job done but they are the building blocks for team success. When players buy into the program, gel and come together to work toward a common goal the results come as no surprise to the champions. As we move toward new officer elections, do you have the right team and brothers in the right positions to take your lodge to the next level? Let’s take this Fall season to build on the foundation laid by brothers in the past, strengthen our lodges by laying out goals for next year, and plans to make them a reality.
Speaking of momentum, the Grand Master’s Appeal toward the Acts of Kindness program is off to a great start! We’ve almost reached 10 bags in our first few weeks. I’m asking for your support this year to outfit our WI State Patrol with another 50 Jump Bags (AEDs & FSTs in a snazzy neon bag). These units have been key to saving WI lives, pets, & property all over the state. Once donated, deployed FST units can typically be replenished via insurance coverage…they are a gift that will continue to provide benefit to our communities for years to come. We’ve also reopened the WI Freemasonry clothing store with new items, proceeds will also go to the GM Appeal. For the first time, the store also features some ladies’ options picked out by my wife, Laura. Just visit www.wimasons.org, click “For Member” and “Clothing Store”. Just in time for Christmas!
Let’s continue to build momentum by engaging with your lodge this fall. There are numerous ways to get involved to help WI Freemasonry knock it out of the park in the new Masonic year!
Wisconsin Freemasons #WeBuild Now my favorite part…the picture grid from travels the past month!
