The largest jurisdiction of Odd Fellows in North America is the Jurisdiction of California. Currently, 109 Odd Fellows Lodges reside in this jurisdiction. However, at last month's annual Session of the Grand Lodge, 56 Lodges sent at least one representative, but 53 Lodges did not send any representatives.
Contemplate that thought for a moment. Virtually one-half of the Lodges in California sent not even one representative to the annual Grand Lodge Session. That statistic continues a reality that has existed for many years in California (and I suspect, many other jurisdictions).
Bottom line - half of our Lodges do not attend or participate in the decision-making (e.g. legislation, resolutions, elections, and installations) at the state level of our Order.
Why do Odd Fellow Lodges not Participate?
I suggest that there are five possible reasons, individually or in combination, that induce Lodges to stay away. Here are my thoughts on the reasons for the isolation:
- Lack of Funds. No matter how you slice or dice it, attending a Grand Lodge session costs money. There are costs involved in registration, transportation, lodging, meals, and the like. Many individual members simply cannot afford the costs, and some Lodges have little or no funds available to subsidize.
- Low Interest. While attending Grand Lodge sessions is a high priority for some Lodges, it cannot be ignored that attendance at the state level gathering holds little or no interest for other Lodges. There are Lodges satisfied and content to function at the local level, and those Lodges see no benefit in attending meetings or events at the state level.
- Lack of Time. Attendance at Grand Lodge sessions takes time. Sessions typically take several days, some of them during the work week. Some members do not have the ability to take time off to attend sessions - at least, it's not a high priority for them.
- Lack of Past Grands. The only members who can meaningfully participate and vote as Grand Lodge Sessions are Past Grands, and Past Grand Masters. It could very well be that some smaller Lodges have no current Past Grands, or only one or two Past Grands, and they may be quite old or infirm.
- Under the Radar. There are certainly Lodges that wish to remain as anonymous as they can be vis a vis the Grand Lodge. These Lodges believe that Grand Lodge and its officers only exist to find fault with or impose requirements on Lodges. They believe that the less they interact with Grand Lodge, the better life will be. They just want to be left alone.
Until Grand Lodge addresses these issues in earnest, attendance will continue to only include half of our Lodges. It would be well worth the effort for Grand Lodge to address this issue - not in a punitive way, but in a positive, educational manner. Step one would be to conduct a simple survey of the Lodges that did not attend, and determine what kept them away. If those Lodges do not readily participate in this survey, then perhaps the District Deputy Grand Masters can provide the needed input. Once the real reasons for this non-attendance are determined, then a plan of action can be developed which will encourage and assist non-participating Lodges to re-engage.
F - L - T
Dave Rosenberg
Past Grand Master
Jurisdiction of California
