Washington Lodge No. 21 is on board with the Grand Lodge of New York’s initiative for meeting and mentoring new Masons, the Northstar Project. While every lodge is different in what specific requirements are necessary before a man may petition for membership, there are four basic qualifications in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of New York that one must satisfy:
| 1) | Membership in a Masonic Lodge under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York is open to all men who are 18 years of age or older, without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, marital status, or sexual orientation. |
| 2) | Those seeking membership must believe in a Supreme Being and the immortality of the soul. |
| 3) | Those accepted for membership must be of good character and reputation. |
| 4) | All petitioners must have the sponsorship of a Third Degree Master Mason of the Lodge. |
If you are interested in joining Washington Lodge, you can take the first initiative by either contacting our Secretary to make arrangements to visit or through a Master Mason of the Lodge, should you know a member personally. While most potential interests come through the recommendations of our Brothers, we do have plenty of members who simply sought out Freemasonry on their own and eventually joined after visiting and befriending the Brothers over time. It’s up to you to truly begin fomenting the Masonic experience.
After your initial visit to the Lodge, should you remain interested, a Northstar Committee member of our Lodge will walk you through the process of obtaining membership, which will include invitations to Lodge events open to the public, one-on-one informal meetings, Q&A information sessions with various Brothers of the Lodge, and eventually the opportunity to petition. Before anyone receives a petition for membership, it’s strongly recommended that a gentleman know the Brothers of the Lodge on a first name basis and feel comfortable particpating in the Lodge’s functions. The Lodge should be like a home away from home, focused on positivity and freeing your mind of the hardships and vices of the outside world, while at the same time forming bonds that will span a lifetime.
While we are glad to welcome interested gentlemen to the fold, we also encourage those who are potentially seeking membership in the fraternity to visit several lodges before making a final decision on where to petition. Every lodge has a distinct culture or dynamic that makes each one unique and allows it to function in harmony. Some men may prefer a lodge that is immersed in history and research, or one that stimulates their minds through esoteric knowledge and ritual, or one that focuses on charity and community service, or one with an abundance of social events; and then, there are those who may want to join a lodge where some or all of these are ventured into equally. This is an important decision that will affect you for the rest of your life, and we encourage you to explore your options to get the most out of your Masonic journey. If you are unsure if Washington Lodge is the one offering what you are seeking, then we recommend for you to inquire through the Grand Lodge website. There, a Northstar Committee member of the Grand Lodge will get back to you with recommendations of Lodges that might pique your interests.