Membership Development

Chair: Mike Bible

Membership Committee October 2018

The objective of the Membership Committee is to strengthen and maintain an effective program that results in net membership growth.  It shall be responsible for attracting new members, engaging current members to promote enthusiasm and participation, and contacting and reinvigorating inactive members.

The Membership Committee shall consist of a Chairman and a minimum of 8 members and include as ex-officio members the Heads of the four Bodies, the Secretary, Assistant Secretary, the Director of Work, and the Personal Representative.

Tasks:

1. The Committee shall track, analyze, and report membership activities and trends to better understand the challenges and opportunities for membership growth in the Valley.  The Committee shall:

a. Create and communicate an annual summary Membership Committee report reflecting membership demographic information and trends to be used for membership growth, and retention. The report shall address both current membership demographics and projected future trends;

b. Establish and communicate goals for new initiations, reinstatements, and reduced attrition (NPD and demits), to be updated annually and published in the annual Membership Committee report and used to guide and resource Membership Committee activities;

c. Manage the Valley’s execution of the VMAP efforts. Incorporate a VMAP coordinator into the Membership Committee structure.

2. (Membership Growth): The Committee shall contribute to the growth of Valley membership by attracting new members to the Scottish Rite. The Committee shall:

a. Develop, publish, and promote the unique value proposition of membership in the Alexandria Scottish Rite;

b. Create a master plan for potential outreach activities and offerings to raise awareness of the Scottish Rite in the Blue Lodges and attract new members;

c. Prepare an introductory letter to be sent from the Valley to the incoming Worshipful Master of each Blue Lodge every year to inform them of the Valley’s ‘Value Proposition,’ to offer a program on the Scottish Rite during their year in the East, and to provide the name of the Scottish Rite Representative assigned to their Blue Lodge;

d. Develop a set of talks that can be given by Alexandria Brethren at the various Lodges that will inform the Brethren about the Rite and the Valley and explain the value and advantages of membership. Schedule speakers to present these programs at the various Lodges;

e. Provide a program to encourage non-Scottish Rite Masters and Wardens of the local Blue Lodges, to come to the Valley for an informative presentation on the Scottish Rite.  Activities such as a special banquet or perhaps capitalizing on an existing event such as the Blue Lodge Night or a Division Leadership Conference might be useful to increase participation;

f. Develop a variety of Scottish Rite events and activities appropriate for delivery to outlying areas. These might include presentations to Scottish Rite Clubs, Degree exemplifications, or other such activities;

g. Develop metrics on new member growth for inclusion in the annual Membership Committee report.

3. (Existing Member Development): The Committee shall contribute to the strength of the Valley membership by increasing existing member enthusiasm and participation in its activities. The Committee shall:

a. Maintain an active program to assign, engage, train, and support Valley Scottish Rite Representatives to each area Symbolic Lodge;

i. Reaffirm current or appoint new Scottish Rite Representatives and provide each with the appropriate resources, information, training, and assistance to ensure that an effective outreach program can be established and maintained in each Masonic Lodge in the area served by the Alexandria Valley;

ii. Ensure that the Representatives have defined duties and responsibilities and a “Scottish Rite Representatives’ Handbook;”

iii. Monitor, evaluate and improve the Scottish Rite Representative’s performance in each Lodge through a combination of observation, and results-based metrics.  Provide an annual report on the significant activities, results, and recommendations for improvement of the Scottish Rite Representative program.

b. Maintain an active program to mentor and recognize new members in the Valley;

i. Incorporate the Mentors’ Program into the Membership Committee structure. Enhance and coordinate the Valley Mentors’ Program for new members;

ii. Include line item in Valley annual budget to provide each new member with a name badge;

iii. Schedule annual guided tours of the House of the Temple to new Valley members and their families. Include a budget line item to provide charter bus transportation from the Valley to the House of the Temple;

iv. Coordinate with and support the Venerable Master and Master of Ceremonies of the Lodge of Perfection to establish cérémonies to recognize the Valley’s new members and present rings, caps, or patents.

c. Maintain an active program to encourage and recognize membership participation in the Valley’s activities and assess membership perspectives on Valley operations and programs;

i. Develop member participation recognition programs, such as the Knight of the Double Eagle program, for approval of Valley leadership;

ii. Conduct surveys to assess membership perspectives on Valley operations and programs as well as to collect suggestions for improvement;

iii. Analyze the demographic trends in the Valley membership to see if the current arrangement of Scottish Rite Clubs is optimized to serve the needs of remote members;

iv. Identify staffing requirements and propose adjustments to ensure optimally qualified Valley members for specific jobs and committee assignments.

d. Develop metrics on existing member programs and participation for inclusion in the annual Membership Committee report.

4. (Member Retention): The Committee shall endeavor to reduce the Valley’s inactive and NPD member losses. The Committee shall:

a. Contact all NPD members and inactive local members (within 40 miles of Alexandria) on an annual basis so that contact can be made by the Committee to encourage retention;

i. Call each Brother who is behind in his dues and at risk of being suspended for non-payment of dues (NPD), who has already been suspended NPD, or has demitted to determine the reason(s), to determine if he needs assistance, and to see if he can be persuaded to remain or become an active, dues paying member;

ii. In the context of these calls, to the extent feasible, solicit from each Brother comments about his Alexandria Scottish Rite experience and suggestions as to how his Scottish Rite membership can be made more meaningful;