What are the requirements for membership?
The person who wants to join Masonry must be a man, sound in body and mind, who believes in God, is at least the minimum age required by Masonry in his state, and has a good reputation.
How does a man become a Mason?
Some men are surprised that no one has ever asked them to become a Mason. They may even feel that Masons in their town don't think they are "good enough" to join. But it doesn't work that way. For hundreds of years, Masons have been forbidden to ask others to join the fraternity. We can talk to friends about Masonry. We can tell them about what Masonry does. We can tell them why we enjoy it. But we can't ask, much less pressure, anyone to join. There's a good reason for that. It isn't that we're trying to be exclusive. But becoming a Mason is a very serious thing. Joining Masonry is making a permanent life commitment to live in certain ways. We live with honor and integrity, to be willing to share with and care about others, to trust each other, and to place ultimate trust in God. No one should be "talked into" making such a decision. So, when a man decides he wants to be a Mason, he asks a Mason for a petition or application. He fills it out and gives it to the Mason, and that Mason takes it to the local lodge. The Master of the lodge will appoint a committee to visit with the man and his family, find out a little about him and why he wants to be a Mason, tell him and his family about Masonry, and answer their questions. The committee reports to the lodge, and the lodge votes on the petition. If the vote is affirmative—and it usually is—the lodge will contact the man to set the date for the Entered Apprentice Degree. When the person has completed all three degrees, he is a Master Mason and a full member of the fraternity.
What if I want to join shades valley lodge?
if you are interested in joining our lodge, in particular, we encourage you to come by and get to know the brothers for a while before committing to joining. we are at the lodge every Thursday night at 6:30 (before our 7:00 meeting). email or message us on facebook and let us know you want to stop by—we would love to get to know you, too.
