With the Fall season just around the corner, we are starting to get back into the swing of things and looking towards a great year ahead. Whether it’s going back to school, starting something new, or improving your same routine, there is one beginning that we all have in common: a new Masonic year.
When starting a new Masonic year, there is nothing more important than to jump in headfirst and turn over a new leaf with your fellow Brothers. Creating and expanding upon our Masonic bonds will help us to spread light as a cohesive unit and bring about change within our Lodges, communities, and ultimately the world.
To get you started on the journey to come, we have created a list of fun and inclusive event ideas for your lodge to gain inspiration from and to start the year off on the right foot. We have broken down the events into categories: for the family, with your significant other, together as Brothers, and giving back.
For the Family
A day at the Park – Pack up the soccer balls, Frisbees, and corn hole and head on over to your local park for a day in the sun. Bring sandwiches, chips, and drinks as well as chairs, blankets, and card games. Invite your Brothers and their families for a few hours of fresh air and exercise. This event is especially conducive for Brothers with young children.
Movie Night – Find a space, whether it is at the lodge or someone’s house, and create your own cinema! Find a white sheet and rent a projector for an easy, makeshift movie theatre. Add popcorn, candy, and comfy pillows and you have an evening the whole family will enjoy!
Bowling – Bowling is the perfect activity for families of all ages. Break up into teams at your local bowling alley, rent a few lanes, purchase some pizza and let people come and go as they please.
With your Significant Other
Paint Night – Wine and paint nights have become very popular over the past two years, because they are fun, interactive, and encourage conversation. Rent out your local paint bar for Brothers and their significant others to enjoy an evening of creating, laughing, and meeting new couples. Many places even allow guests to request their own images. Try painting a picture of a Masonic compass!
Masonic Book Club – Many Masonic wives are interested in learning about the teachings of Freemasonry and want to be involved in the craft in some way. Creating a lodge book club, with a focus on Masonic literature, is a good way to bring Brothers and their wives together to learn, educate, and discuss.
Cookoff – Spend your Friday night participating in a cookoff competition between couples! Choose a food genre (ie. dessert, appetizers, Italian food etc.) and have each couple create their best dish. Have fun while cooking and especially eating afterwards.
Together as Brothers
Autumn bonfire – Invite the Brothers over for a bonfire! Complete with s’mores and great conversation, start off the night by telling stories about how each person become a Mason. This is great for lodges with quite a few new members to create even deeper bonds.
Trivia Night – Compile a list of Masonic facts, pick teams, and head on over to the lodge for a fun trivia night. Make it even more interesting with prizes for winners and learn something new while doing it!
September Tailgate – Fall is the perfect time to plan a tailgate with friends. Whether it is a local high school game or big-league team, it is always fun to get the Brothers together for some grilling and cheering, and to support your community team.
Complete a Pathfinder Mile-Marker – Continue your Journey of a Lifetime this fall by checking off a few Mile-Markers in your Pathfinder Field Book! Mile-Markers are activities that you can complete across all aspects of the fraternity to help you strengthen your knowledge of the Scottish Rite. Learn more here.
Giving Back
Make care packages for soldiers – Our troops are always in need of encouragement and a little piece of home. Support the military by setting up a day to make care packages for those that are deployed. These packages can include hygiene items, magazines and books, letters of thanks and much, much more.
Volunteer at the Children’s Dyslexia Centers – The CDC has many opportunities for you and your lodge to give back. Participate in special events like the many fundraising walks coming up, become a center volunteer, or support a child at a center near you to help forward the CDC’s mission of “helping children with dyslexia reach their fullest potential.”
Beach cleanup day – Head on down to your local beach to organize a day of trash removal. Provide volunteers with rubber gloves and trash bags and get to work picking up garbage, moving one step closer to making our oceans healthier. This is great for squeezing the most out of those last few days of warmer weather!
No matter what you’re doing to kick off the new Masonic year at your Lodge, it’s most important to have fun, build stronger bonds with your Brothers, family members and community! When possible, be sure to share the memories being made with pictures to be shared over social media channels and tag the SRNMJ! (Facebook & Twitter: @scottishritenmj)
Has your lodge put on a great event? We would love to hear about it! Email [email protected] and send us a short blurb and pictures – you just might be featured on the SRNMJ blog.