REINSTATEMENT - RETENTION - REVIVAL

The goal of Shepherding is to build a stronger fellowship and friendship within the lodge while trying to reach out and “Bring the Brethren Back” who have fallen by the wayside and or between the cracks through the years.  

This program IS NOT about dues generation.

3 STAGES of Shepherding 

(can be done out of sequence or in combination)

Reinstatement – Lost Sheep Recovery

Reaching out to brethren who have fallen away, such as those suspended for non-payment of dues or who failed to advance in their degrees. Use the Shepherding Guide and your Shepherding Representatives to plan and conduct this outreach. Every reinstated brother is a victory for his family, his Lodge, and our Craft.

Retention – Keeping Current Sheep

Caring for the members you already have. This includes regular outreach to current brethren, ensuring visitors feel welcome, and adding Value Added Training (VAT) to meetings. VAT may include short history presentations, ritual refreshers, family meal nights, or fellowship activities. Lodges that retain members build a strong culture of belonging and participation.

Revival – Community Outreach

Breathing new life into the Lodge by engaging the world around it. This includes participation in local festivals, positive social media presence, charitable fundraisers, fellowship meals, and events open to the public (such as free plates for EMS, Fire, and Police). Revival means the Lodge is visible, active, and inviting—not silent and forgotten. A revived Lodge shows the community that Masonry is alive and well.