Growing Pains

The term growing pains seems to get used to describe a variety of things. It's been a number of years since most of us were in our teens and maybe slightly less than that for our children and in some cases grandchildren. Hopefully there are a few out there that may have recently experienced the growing pains and are anticipating the growing pains of their own children.

The term, growing pains, seems to fit quite nicely in describing the current state of the fraternity in our state of Michigan. It seems that we are in that strange sort of contraction area between being too big in certain areas and not big enough in others.

As we move forward, we realize we are not poised to take on the tasks involved in growing this fraternity. When we say a lodge is growing, what does that mean exactly? .... or when we say the fraternity is growing what does that mean?

Growing is quite subjective.......a lodge can be growing in their ritualistic performance, a lodge can be growing in number of members, a lodge can be growing by their involvement in the community, a lodge can be growing in the number of members who actively attend lodge meeting and functions.

It is a very hard thing to measure and everyone has their own interpretation.

We are currently going through some realigning of the districts in the entire state of Michigan. There seems to be only one question regarding this and that is.....why?

There are several good reasons for realigning, although the current thought is divided on the new boundaries. The number one reason is that the Board of General Purposes in having 53 reps had some questionable members on the board....many of whom took the job because nobody else wanted it, they were railroaded, or they were the last man standing, etc.

So, do we really want brothers acting as representatives merely to fill a position or do we want brothers in those position who will help lead the local lodges and this great fraternity as we move forward. Years ago there were probably fewer districts than the new 28, the days when brothers like WB Bob McClellan, and WB Jerry Miller were board reps and had numerous lodges to represent.

Not that long ago GM was on the brink of extinction, they did some downsizing and belt tightening and emerged on the other side leaner, stronger, more efficient, and ready to grow. My thought is that this great fraternity will emerge leaner, stronger, more efficient and ready to grow.....not just in numbers of members but growing in community involvement, personal growth, integrity, and in quality.