Inventory of Mill Valley Lodge's Advantages

Brotherhood and friendship: The bonds of fraternal friendship are particularly strong among the members of Mill Valley Lodge. Routinely, in more ways than can be briefly catalogued, members of this Lodge demonstrate in their dealings with each other that they have internalized the lessons of Masonry and welcome as a pleasure, not a duty, their being their brother's keepers. One of the most obvious demonstrations of our sincere affection and willingness to welcome strangers as our brothers is our Lodge's degree work: In few Lodge's can degrees we witnessed that are imbibed with such positive intention, proficiency, and with dramatic presentation.

The remainder of this inventory, however, will focus more on the physical resources we now have at our disposal and how such resources in our "inventory" might be taken "off the shelf" and used to further our brotherhood, and to expand our fraternal circle. The following inventory may seem disjointed at first glance. To understand its utility, try thinking of our inventory as musical notes: Until a composer arranges the notes, they too are disjoined tones, but once arranged the tones can become a beautiful symphony. Each Master Mason should be a leader in the Lodge, and should be going to our inventory (and even expanding the inventory) to compose new "music" for the brethren.

Our Lodge's Infrastructure

First, we should consider the infra structure that we have been building for 100-years. Foremost is our beautiful, historic, downtown Masonic Events Center that has just been the focus of the Centennial Renovation project. It is a show piece for almost any conceivable event that requires a beautiful setting. It is now equipped with beautiful new china, flat ware, glass ware, and a selection of tables (both the new round and old rectangular styles). The Mill Valley Masonic Events Center will be our primary source of our income, but if it goes unrented, will certainly be our undoing. While the hall association is responsible for marketing the Masonic Events Center, all brethren must help in this effort, since the mortgage on the building really places our life on the line. Tell your friends about it. Supply leads to the Hall Association for them to follow-up. Rent it yourself for family events (the member's discount is a significant benefit of membership). The Hall Association will soon consider seeking municipal historic building designation.

The Masonic Events Center show cases another innovation with public relations potential, the incorporation of renewable power. Masons work in the light, and now our Masonic Events Center truly works every day, taking the power of the brightest light in our galaxy and turning it into electricity. Given the continuing nature of the "energy crisis" and likely hood that it will only get worse as non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuel are exhausted in the next 50 to 80 years, our utilization of solar energy makes the Lodge a community leader - we are, after all, the first commercial property in downtown Mill Valley to make this move. Consider a parallel: Eighty years ago, our Lodge helped solve the problem of deficiencies in public education by organizing open house nights at the elementary through high school levels in Mill Valley, Sausalito, Tiburon, Corte Madera, and Larkspur; now we can take the lead in solving another deficiency, the under-utilization of renewable energy sources.

Our Lodge has excellent sound systems both in the Lodge Room and the Banquet Room. For many years we have employed the Lodge Room system to add a dramatic quality to our Third Degree. The ethereal, 900-year old music we have been using for the last several years has received many compliments. With the addition of the new, more conveniently located amplifier we can increase our use of music. Further, we can now have background music in the "South" when our Lodge moves to its refectory for the refreshments provided by our Stewards at the direction of the Junior Warden.

Still within the rubric of the Masonic Events Center, we should consider our library and "museum." Our library has expanded in recent years to include history, metaphysical, and philosophical texts of interest to students of Masonry. Our Masonic video collection is first rate. Hopefully, the collection of jewels, regalia, paraphernalia from our Lodge, other items of Masonic interest, and the current special display of fraternal memorabilia is of interest to our membership. With regard to our collection, we recently have received a number of donations that have or will be integrated with the existing collection. Both our library and "museum" collections could be expanded with the construction of additional built in shelving units in the billiard room and built in show cases in the entry way to the billiard room. The built in units that have been proposed would greatly accentuate the collection and the building itself, but will have to wait until funds become available.

Within the peaceful walls of the Temple, Mill Valley Lodge is a functioning School of Memory. Masonry has an oral tradition, taught from mouth to ear, that follows proven methods of imaging and association advanced by Cicero over 2000 years ago. Using the art of memory, Mill Valley Lodge's candidates coaches work patiently with their charges teaching them the ritual and philosophy of Freemasonry in a way that brings about personal growth for the novitiate. In advancing, our novitiates make real gains in their own mental control.

Our Lodge's internet web site (See, Mill Valley Lodge Home Page) serves as both a public interface and means of communication and education for members. It is one of the most original, diverse representations of Freemasonry on the internet. It encompasses a significant body of original Masonic research and an appealing exposition of our Lodge's many activities and benefits. By all measures, the site daily receives a tremendous amount of traffic who stay and read: This is a testament both to Wor. Bro. Wright's skill in designing the site and the value of the materials it contains.

Our Lodge's cable television series has the potential to introduce up to 60,000 cable subscribers to the history, philosophy, philanthropy, members, and significant buildings. As a side benefit, the Lodge has built an extensive collection of Masonic films that could be used by the members.

Our Trestleboard communicates a wealth of Masonic thought, information, long range and short term calendar updates, and birthday and anniversary information to the members. Comparison teaches that our Trestleboard is one the finest Lodge bulletins being written.

Our history and archives have been completely examined, a draft compiled of our 100-year history, and it is soon to be edited down as a Centennial History book. Further, our history has been celebrated publicly to a greater extent than perhaps any other period: The Lodge was the cover story in the 2003 Mill Valley Historical Society's Annual Review, which was mailed directly to over 500 members of the society. Additionally that volume of Historical Review will be on sale for years to come (every day in the Lecritia Little History Room and annually at the Society's Walk into History) and will be in the library's collection forever.

Our Lodge has been a member of the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce for four years. The Chamber has taken an active interest in the Lodge and views it and the Masonic Events Center as a great asset to downtown Mill Valley.

Our press release system has succeeded in gaining recognition for the Lodge: Newsworthy lodge events are receiving significant public attention in local, regional, and specialized media, including the Mill Valley Herald, Independent Journal, Mill Valley Business. While the manual system being utilized could be improved upon, including being automated, it is working.

Our mailing lists are bringing information about our Lodge to a wider audience than ever before in the community, including past Lodge visitors, municipal leaders, leaders of third sector/non-governmental entities, members of the chamber of Commerce, etc.

Advertising directed to securing rentals for the Masonic Events Center, is focusing sustained, positive attention on Freemasonry in Mill Valley.

Our portable Masonic displays get attention. The Lodge now has a beautiful free-standing, folding symbolic display painted by Wor. Dick Mills that depicts both antiquarian and modern images of the fraternity. The imagery of the new symbolic display is captivating. This high quality, artistic display (together with the free standing photo collage of the Lodge Room murals) can be used at events outside the Masonic Events Center to generate interest in the Freemasonry and open conversations about the fraternity.

Our Lodge has a unique slide collection of slides taken of the Book of Marks of the late Mill Valley Chapter No. 108, Royal Arch Masons. These depictions of the Chapter member's Mark Master Mason's Marks are a rare glimpse into personal Masonic art.

International Freemasons Monthly MeetUp Day: The idea originated with Mill Valley Lodge. The day of the MeetUp always coincides with our Stated Meeting. How we utilize MeetUp Day will be the measure of its impact on the Lodge. As with all activities, if we participate we stand to gain personally by sharing time together and as a Lodge by letting the public see, "How good it is for Brothers to dwell together in unity."

Our Lodge's Community Involvement

Academic Pentathlon: This district wide Masonic activity benefits primarily the Middle Schools outside of Mill Valley. Have we fully maximized our opportunities at this event? Why don't we distribute Masonic Scholarship information (remember these will likely be the kids seeking scholarships within five years of the competition), arrange to have a MSAP representative from Grand Lodge present, Kids ID booth, and/or invite our new fraternal friends such as the Knights of Pythias with their Safe Kids Helmet program to protect those brains? Why not set up a kids fair for the weekend following the Academic Pentathlon to include all of the above plus a Shrine screening clinic, Scottish Rite Language Disorders Clinic representative, and invite fraternal friends to give information about summer camp programs? Why not do all of the above and invite nursery schools and/or day care facilities to exhibit?

Memorial Day Parade: Part of first successful joint venture with Marin Shrine Club, which has given us the use of Shrinemobile, thus enabling our participation without having to build a float ourselves. Are we utilizing it to its greatest effectiveness? Could we have a powerful amplified music system to blare fun "Masonic" parade music like Joplin's Shrine March, or pop artist Ray Steven's Shriner's Convention and Ahab the Arab? What's wrong with showing we have a sense of humor and can laugh at ourselves? What about distributing candy? What about using the event to advertise a local Shrine Hospital Screening Clinic?

Kids ID: Our first successful joint venture with Mill Valley Fire Department and Police, which has been expanded to work with Marin Lodge, Fairfax Lodge and the San Rafael Police Department. Marin Lodge has recently invested in its own Kids ID computer which can be used to expand the Kids ID program throughout Marin. Consider all the potential places where the Kids ID could be set up, including at the Academic Pentathlon, Shrine Hospital Screening Clinics, etc. Could we further expand the benefit we are offering to the community by inviting fraternal friends such as the Knights of Pythias to work along side us with their Kids Safe helmet program?

Haunted House: Our second major joint venture with the Mill Valley Rotary Club, the former Mill Valley Lions Club, Eastern Star, Job's Daughters, and Mill Valley Boy Scouts. A former mayor, Past President of the Mill Valley Rotary Club, and columnist for the Mill Valley Herald said after working with us, that we were, "The organization that knows how." While it takes some work to produce, seeing the children's excitement and receiving parent's thanks for our efforts really makes the work involved seem insignificant. Moreover, as with all projects, working together has tremendous rewards in enhancing brotherhood. Some of the equipment, i.e., strobe lights, light ball, (even the mirror ball) that has been donated for this endeavor can be utilized in ways we have yet to imagine.

Fraternal Friends: Our recent fraternal exposition and symposium has opened doors to new network of referrals: We now know about services offered by, i.e., Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias for children, respectively, Three Links Camp and the Pythian Camp and Kids Safe Program. We can and should steer children at risk toward these worthwhile programs, and as revenues increase consider sponsoring at risk children from our immediate area, including Marin City and San Rafael, to attend these programs. To cement this network, we might consider adopting "Sister Lodge" resolutions along the lines of municipal Sister City resolutions that are enacted to promote trade, commerce, and cultural exchange.

Fraternal Energy Initiative: As previously discussed, the Lodge is utilizing photovoltaic energy generation in its Centennial Renovation. We have also introduced the concept to our fraternal brothers at two Scottish Rite Valleys, and fraternal friends at the local Odd Fellows Lodge. It will be interesting to see whether we can start a trend of adopting renewable, "green" energy among Masonic Lodges. The public relations potential of such a community friendly innovation is tremendous.

Resources Not Yet Being Fully or Routinely Utilized

Gift Giving to the Lodge: There can be little doubt that we have planned well for the future. However, our success will depend in a large measure on our financial prosperity. Until our mortgage is retired, much of our income will be going to pay our debt. Continued giving to the Lodge increases our chance of success. This giving can take many forms, including cash gifts (these can be designated, i.e., building fund gifts go to the building), bequests (monetary or property, i.e., bequeathing a house or other real property if you have no other heirs), designating the Lodge as a life insurance beneficiary, charitable remainder trusts, etc.

Our Masonic Education Materials: While we have always had excellent coaching, we have additional resources available that are not fully utilized. The Lodge has a three tape set of candidate instructional videos that was produced by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. We should be making greater use of these materials. The Lodge also has the California Grand Lodge candidate study books, which were authored by our own Wor. Thomas D. Worrel: We should be making better use of these valuable teaching aids.

Scholarship Information: We have sporadically provided information by mail to School Councilors at Tam High School. Could we be more effective in communicating this information, such as having a reception at the Lodge for the school councilors? Consider that when parents become aware that many scholarships are only available to members of DeMolay, Job's Daughters, and/or Rainbow Girls, they may encourage their children to join. Consider too that for many years much of the Lodge's membership growth came from Senior DeMolays and fathers of DeMolays.

Model Student Assistance Program (MSAP): The MSAP is a training program for teachers to help them identify at risk students and help them. Part of our per capita tax supports this endeavor, but we have not yet tried to take advantage of it. Could we arrange for representatives from Grand Lodge to attend the reception at the Lodge for the school councilors and explain MSAP?

Knights Templar Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: We have three Theological Seminaries in the area, one at Mill Valley, one at San Anselmo, and one at Berkeley. The Lodge and/or Lodges in Marin might institute a scholarship fund, begin saving, and start sponsoring ministers, rabbis, etc. on the Knights Templar Pilgrimage program.

Creating new resources to draw upon:

Masonic Angels Fund: For over a year Wor. Bro. Schmalz, in cooperation with Masons from Lafayette Lodge No. 123 in Sebastapol, has been working to secure authorization for the creation of a Masonic Angels Foundation in California. Creation of the foundation will enable us to work closely with local schools to address situations of need on a sustained basis.

Institution of a Synod of the Ancient and Heroic Order of the Gordian Knot: A cadre of Past Masters who meet other qualifications of the AHOGK, have received permission to institute a Synod of the AHOGK at Mill Valley. The side degree relates to Alexander the Great and his loosing the Gordian Knot. While the AHOGK has sanctioned creation of the new Synod, it will require consent of Grand Lodge and will be the subject of a proposal at the 2004 Communication. The potential institution will coincide with the release of two major motion pictures about Alexander, one by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) and one by Oliver Stone (Platoon). There is considerable public relations potential connected with institution of such a new Masonic body in Mill Valley (the first new Masonic organization in Marin in over 20 years) at such an opportune time.

Donating public benches: As more money becomes available from dividends paid from the Hall Association, we might consider donating benches (which have a dedication plaque) to family oriented places such as, i.e., the Children's Discovery Center in Sausalito (protected from vandalism), park renovations (i.e., Hawkee Park, Kay Park, etc.) or long the bicycle path/Richardson Bay bird sanctuary. Some of these might celebrate milestones such as our Centennial, airing the 100th episode of the Mill Valley Masons Show, or memorialize the memory of deceased members.

Conclusion

Expanding on this musical imagery that introduced this inventory, our Lodge might be analogized to a symphony orchestra. On the immediate level, each of us brings to the group a different voice, which we have been combining into a beautiful admixture. We have been fortunate that the Masonic maxim, "who best can work and best agree," truly results in a noble contention within the precincts of our Lodge. As long as we remember that each person has a contribution to make - be it time, effort, or financial - each contribution is vital to what we create. The analogy is not limited to the lodge: As we organize and engage in more joint ventures with government entities, chambers of commerce, service clubs, other fraternal organizations, and third sector groups we have yet to imagine, we become more like either the conductor or, the soloist. When it is apparent that we coordinated and/or hosted the event in our fabulous Masonic Events Center (and it is viewed in the context of our multimedia advertising, including hosting a television program and our sophisticated web presence) the public will have no doubt as to our leadership. Moreover, as we work together and our effectiveness increases, we will have no doubt that we are Masons and are building our own individual Temples as we give of ourselves to each other and to our neighbors.