Preparing for the Future

Why are we doing what we are doing?

“Empirical Validation” Relying upon direct observation, conducting practical experiments, and/or engaging directly with evidence rather than relying upon opinion, whim, conventional wisdom, authority or untested ideas.

450,000, ,000, ,000, ,000, ,000, ,000, ,000, ,000,000 50,000, ,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000, ,000 US Population 4,099,219 1,373,453 / Masons 308,745,538

AASR-NMJ (July, 2011) US Masonic Membership and US Population (data from Masonic Service Association)

Membership Changes: Count Census Year Ending June 15 (+) Initiated (+) Restored (-) Deceased (-) Suspended Ending Count NMJ Net Change 20062,5421,4838,5258, ,933-15, ,1771,0288,0716, ,949-11, , ,7575, ,859-11, ,6521,9717,6925, ,142-10, ,4651,2579,1425, ,230-10, ,1281,2016,8944, ,443-7,787 Membership Changes: Percentage Census Year Ending June 15 (+) Initiated (+) Restored (-) Deceased (-) Suspended Ending Count NMJ Net Change Excl Deaths %0.5%3.7%2.9% -5.5%-1.8% %0.5%3.8%2.9% -5.4%-1.6% %1.0%4.0%3.0% -5.6%-1.6% %0.7%5.0%2.8% -6.0%-1.0% %0.7%4.0%2.8% -4.5%-0.5% Membership Trends

Getting Back to Basics Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth

Inspiration Convenience Enjoyment

“Great by Choice” The difficult task is to marry relentless discipline with creativity, neither letting discipline inhibit creativity nor letting creativity erode discipline.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.