Funeral/memorial workshop

After input from many of the local Lodges, we have set the time/date for a funeral & memorial workshop as follows:

• When: Saturday, April 18^th – 1-4 p.m.
• Where: Chehalis Lodge #28 (123 West Main Street, Chehalis, WA)

Please talk this up and encourage your Brothers to consider attending. I hope to see you many of you there!

RSVP to DDGM Brian Morgan directly – It would be nice to know how many bodies to expect, especially since we are planning for some refreshments (sandwiches?) for those in attendance. We, of course, will not turn anyone away!

Think about it – if you get the call that a Brother has passed on and his family requests a Masonic service, are you able to mobilize a team on short notice? I have been asked to do many funerals this year and have been able to only donate my time for four services. I’ve had to decline more than I’ve accepted, due to my other commitments. And, frankly, it comes down to each Lodge’s Master to put on the necessary service and honors.

WM Steve Carmick has graciously offered the use of Chehalis Lodge for this possible workshop – thanks, WB Steve! We will make sure that we have either sandwiches or some sort of nourishment for you all.

The workshop will be informal and cover any areas you want to cover, including any questions from any Brother present. We could run through a few mock services (they only last about 15 minutes), some of the obstacles and challenges that are inherent in funerals and some of the protocols and resources you have at your disposal. We could give the opportunity for Brothers to try their hand at reading parts of the ritual, to familiarize us all with the various services. The ritual changes a bit, depending on whether there is a casket graveside, no remains at all, ashes in an urn or ashes at a niche, for example. Many Brothers have not seen a Masonic funeral or memorial and have no point of reference. I’d like to change that so they are prepared, should they be asked to assist in one some day.

Flexibility is key in services of this nature. Whether you have a full degree team with all the accoutrements or you are a Brother who is asked on two hours’ notice to pick up the Monitor and read the service to the best of your ability, all by yourself, I want you to feel confident that your Lodge can handle the call for a funeral or memorial service, one of the most important pieces of our ritual. It is a powerful service and one that serves as a reminder to the public of who we are.