Ok, I'm interested... how do I join?

Although exact membership requirements may vary slightly from country to country and state to state, generally anyone meeting the following primary requirements may petition a Lodge for membership:

• You are an adult male 18 years old of good character and recommended by a Mason.
• You believe in a Supreme Being — no atheist can become a Mason — but we are not concerned with theological distinctions or your particular religious beliefs.
• You are interested in becoming a Mason because you hold a favorable opinion of our institution; and, your decision to apply is based on your own “free will and accord.” No one will compel you to join.

It is quite possible you know a Mason but you just don’t realize it. If your father, uncles, or grandfathers aren’t Masons, they probably know someone who is. You might also want to ask around your workplace or school, church, or gym — anywhere that you find a group of men, you might find a Mason. Masons tend to be very proud of their association with the Fraternity, but though many love to talk about Masonry, others are uncomfortable talking about it. Some find it difficult to speak with their friends or family members because they don’t want to push Masonry on them. They might very well be looking forward to the opportunity to speak with you if you show interest, however. More importantly, they would probably be honored to sponsor you for membership.

If you don’t know anyone who is a Mason and you are a complete stranger to all of the members of the Lodge,you can fill out the contact form and a member will contact you to meet at the lodge.

The first step in the process is learning enough about Freemasonry to form a favorable opinion of the institution, and then "asking" to join. You would need to choose a particular Lodge to ask, which is ultimately where you would become a Mason and attend meetings, etc.

In general, most men seek out a Lodge near their home or work. It's also possible you may have come across a Lodge a bit more "out of your way" that you're interested in joining. Or, you might ask a friend who is a Mason to recommend a Lodge to you.

Once you've found a Lodge you'd like to join, let them know of your interest and they will provide a "Petition for the Degrees in Freemasonry".

Having expressed interest to the Lodge, they will likely invite you to dinner, an event, or otherwise get to know you a bit, and will provide you with a "Petition for the Degrees in Freemasonry" - an application to join.

We'll ask for character references as part of the application, as well as some personal information. Along with your completed Petition, you should submit the application fee, which varies from Lodge to Lodge.

Once your petition & application fee is received, it will be read aloud (and into the record) at a regular meeting of the Lodge. Upon being accepted, it will move to the next step.

Once your Investigating Committee has contacted your references, met with you, and reviewed your background check, they can confer with each other and complete their report, each man determining if their opinion is favorable or unfavorable. Their combined opinions result in a simple & concise Committee report - which consists of no more and no less than either: "Full and Favorable", "Favorable", or "Unfavorable".

This report is signed, submitted to the Secretary, and presented to the Lodge at a Regular Meeting.

At that meeting, immediately after their report is presented aloud, the Lodge will hold a secret ballot on admitting you to take the Degrees in Freemasonry.

Following a unanimously affirmative ballot, the Lodge will contact you with the good news and schedule a date for your First Degree. And thus, your journey begins!

We'll find a date to confer each Degree that works for the Lodge, for you, and for any other Candidate for the Degrees who'll be going through the process alongside you.

After each Degree, you'll attend at least one "Lodge of Instruction", at which you'll learn more about the Degree you've just gone through. You'll also attend some educational nights at the Lodge to learn more about the ritual & its meaning prior to moving to the next Degree.

We'll make sure to keep you apprised of any important information as you go through the process, and encourage you to join us for any and all Masonic events you like! This is very much a "you get out what you put in" sort of thing, and as with many like it... your investment of time is sure to be returned many times over in enriching experience.

Becoming a Mason takes several months from the time you complete your petition until you have finished your degrees. Until you begin taking your degrees though, very little is asked of you. Once the degree work begins you will need to attend your Lodge’s monthly meeting. Different states may have additional requirements, such as attending a “Lodge of Instruction,” where you receive further explanation about the degree you just experienced. There is also some side work that you will need to complete that amounts to a little bit of homework. Every member of the Fraternity has gone through this process and your lodge will assign a Brother to help you.

Once you have completed your three degrees, we expect our members to attend their lodge’s “Stated Communication,” or monthly meeting, although it is not required. Sometimes there will be a special meeting on a second night in a month, and rarely, you may find some Lodges that have stated meetings twice a month. Beyond that, there are other activities going on: community service, family and social outings, etc. that take place throughout the year. We hope our members will participate in the events that their time and interest allows. Like many things, you get out of Freemasonry what you put into it; although we also recognize and understand the need for balance between family, work or school, and other interests and commitments.

Considering the cost to join many organizations these days, Freemasonry could be thought of as a bargain. But there are some costs involved, like initiation fees and dues.

Each Lodge has different fees for application and during the degrees based on their individual budgets, operating costs, and programs. Upon completion of the degrees. the annual dues are indexed off the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and currently $196 due each September.