The member's packet is for anyone attempting to get oriented to the workings of The Searchers Club. It is a three part packet that includes:
1- An introduction to the club and why it was created.
2- A breakdown of how a typical Searchers Club meeting runs, and
3- A presentation proposal packet to assist new member in designing a presentation to give at the club.
The overall idea is that everyone should feel comfortable enough to give a presentation, no matter how short it is, so long as it has something remotely to do with our travels as Master Masons. The documents included are designed to assist in that endeavor and are for members to copy and utilize at will. Feel free to print directly from this page, or from the blog itself, its your choice- whatever works easiest and most beneficial for you.
All three items are listed in their entirety below.
See ya in the quarries!
The Searchers Club
1) The ‘Searcher’s Club’
A Masonic Study Group
The ‘Searcher’s Club’, formed in January 2010, is an informal Masonic study group, whose membership is open to any Master Mason in good standing with a just and duly constituted Lodge in amity with the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York. Attendance of meetings is volitional, and is not restricted to any specific Lodge, district, state, or country. The name of the club derives from the concept that while Masonic Candidates seek light within the Craft, Master Masons search for the Masonic Lost Word- hence, the Searcher’s Club.
The purpose of the ‘Searcher’s Club’ is to provide an opportunity for Master Mason’s to take fellowship with Brethren under the auspices of studying, discussing, and analyzing items of direct interest within the Blue Lodge degree’s- Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason. The ‘Searcher’s Club’ is not intended as a substitute or alternative for any presently established course of Masonic study (e.g. LSOME, Road to the East, etc.) provided by either a just and duly constituted Grand Lodge or Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons or Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. At best, the topics studied, discussed, and analyzed within the ‘Searcher’s Club’ serve only as supplemental information addendum to the individual Brother’s present course of learning.
The format of the ‘Searcher’s Club’ is ultimately open to the suggestions and capabilities of the Brother’s participating. The format is free to take on, but is not limited to, the structure of friendly debate, informal lecture, self-study and group discussion, whichever format is best suited to the needs of the participating Brethren.
The ‘Searcher’s Club’ shall hold regular meetings, occurring once monthly at a pre-determined time and place. In this manner, membership participation will not, and should not, interfere with the various life and/or Masonic obligations that the Brethren hold. Additionally, a regularly scheduled date and time lends towards the development of discipline within our Craft work.
Official mass communication amongst participating members of the ‘Searchers Club’ shall be conducted via email and/or cellular phone/text messaging. Additionally, due to the popularity of Facebook and Yahoo, there will be a private Facebook page entitled, ‘The Searcher’s Club’ so that participants may have an alternative mode of contact at their disposal. At this page, members can post pictures, instant message each other, post and respond to discussion questions, and submit ideas for future meetings. Although the Facebook page is private, Brethren should remain cognizant of their Obligations when posting material; the Yahoo group ‘The Masonic Luminary’ will also be used to post scheduled study group sessions amongst Brethren. The Facebook page address is www.facebook.com/searchers.
To obtain membership, Brethren should either submit their name, Lodge, email address, and phone number to: TheSearchersClub@gmail.com, or come to a scheduled study session.
2) Study Session Formats
3-Hour (example)
6:00 P.M. – Evening Opens
Opening Remarks/Introduction
6:10 P.M. - Meet & Greet, Food Orders
6:20 P.M. - Searcher’s Club updates & Speaker Introduction
6:25 P.M. - Speaker Presentation
7:25 P.M. - Q&A, Group Discussion
7:45 P.M. - Organizer’s Presentation Wrap-Up
7:50 P.M. - Fellowship
8:50 P.M. - Closing Remarks/Farewells
Email
Facebook Page
Thank You
9:00 P.M. - Evening Closes
2-Hour (example)
9:00 P.M. – Evening Opens
Opening Remarks/Introduction
9:10 P.M. - Meet & Greet, Food Orders
9:20 P.M. - Searcher’s Club updates & Speaker Introduction
9:25 P.M. - Speaker Presentation
10:10 P.M. - Q&A, Group Discussion
10:25 P.M. - Organizer’s Presentation Wrap-Up
10:30 P.M. - Fellowship
10:55 P.M. - Closing Remarks/Farewells
Email
Facebook Page
Thank You
11:00 P.M. - Evening Closes
3) Presentation Proposal Form
Presenter Name:
Lodge:
Email address:
Contact Number:
Presentation Name:
Presentation Length (up to 60 minutes):
Topic (select one):
Esoteric Ritual Masonic Law Etiquette Education
History Appendant Bodies Other (Please Describe):
Brief Description:
Equipment Needed (select one):
Computer Projector Projection Screen Photocopies
Other (Please Describe):
Proposed Presentation Date (mm/dd/yy):
Day of the Week:
Time (Although most Searcher’s Club sessions will begin at 6 P.M. and end at 9 P.M., we recognize that, due to the inherent nature of some topics, start times may need to be adjusted accordingly):
Format Desired (2-hour formats are used for sessions beginning after 9 P. M.):
3-Hour (example)
6:00 P.M. – Evening Opens
Opening Remarks/Introduction
6:10 P.M. - Meet & Greet, Food Orders
6:20 P.M. - Searcher’s Club updates & Speaker Introduction
6:25 P.M. - Speaker Presentation
7:25 P.M. - Q&A, Group Discussion
7:45 P.M. - Organizer’s Presentation Wrap-Up
7:50 P.M. - Fellowship
8:50 P.M. - Closing Remarks/Farewells
Email
Facebook Page
Thank You
9:00 P.M. - Evening Closes
2-Hour (example)
9:00 P.M. – Evening Opens
Opening Remarks/Introduction
9:10 P.M. - Meet & Greet, Food Orders
9:20 P.M. - Searcher’s Club updates & Speaker Introduction
9:25 P.M. - Speaker Presentation
10:10 P.M. - Q&A, Group Discussion
10:25 P.M. - Organizer’s Presentation Wrap-Up
10:30 P.M. - Fellowship
10:55 P.M. - Closing Remarks/Farewells
Email
Facebook Page
Thank You
11:00 P.M. - Evening Closes
