THE MEMBERS' PATHWAY

THE MEMBERS’ PATHWAY OFFERS A STRUCTURED ROUTE TO HELP LODGES IN THE RECRUITMENT AND PROGRESSION OF NEW MEMBERS

The Members’ Pathway is a series of steps for lodges and members to follow to attract, introduce and encourage new members while retaining and adding value to the existing membership.

The Members’ Pathway has been created to help a lodge plan for its future and to take a man who is interested in Freemasonry, but not yet a member, on a journey to becoming a committed Master Mason. The pathway draws upon the experiences of many strong and healthy lodges across the Constitution.

• Convene a meeting or series of meetings to discuss the future of your lodge
- Include all members in this meeting or meetings, and not just the Past Masters or Lodge committee
- A suitably skilled, respected and experienced member of the Lodge should chair these meetings
- Involve the relevant leaders from your Province.

• Create a Lodge profile
- A Lodge Profile describes the Lodge’s key features and especially its characteristics, circumstances, expectations and values
- Lodge profiles help members to identify prospective candidates who are a good match to the Lodge
- Lodge profiles help members identify issues in the Lodge that need addressing
- If a common feature emerges (such as a sporting interest, hobby, old school), develop a prospective member’s ‘profile’

• The Lodge in its community
- UGLE is encouraging Lodges to become visible, recognised and respected within their communities
- Lodge profiles can be developed into promotional or informational literature for the Lodge
- The Lodge can engage in local community events
- It can also organise its own private and public events and activities open to friends, family and other non-Masons
- The Province should be consulted before any Lodge becomes involved in public events.

• During the planning meetings, identify:
- An enthusiastic member (not necessarily a Past Master) for the role of Lodge Membership Officer(LMO)
- At least one more knowledgeable member to assist the LMO when screening enquiries from potential candidates (see Step 4)
- A skilled interviewer to be Chairman of the Interview Panel
- Two other knowledgeable members (at least one who is not a PM, at least one who is a PM) to be members of the Interview Panel.

• Make decisions, record them, set deadlines, assign responsibilities for action and review at intervals.