Author Archives: masonicmaven

Recommended Reading The Craft and It’s Symbols The Lodge and the Craft Freemasonry in Massachusetts Freemasonry for Dummies Idiots Guide to Freemasonry Lexicon of Freemasonry A New Encyclopedia of Freemasonry The Hiram Key Recommended Web Sites Grand Lodge of Massachusetts: … Continue reading →

Richard H. Ryder, 2017  All Masons hold Solomon’s Temple in high esteem, for the perfection of this edifice symbolizes the internal edifice we all hope to perfect within us.  But what do we know about Solomon, this fallible, historical, and … Continue reading →

(Richard H. Ryder, 2016) Editor’s note:  This is the first of three articles highlighting the three Masonic degrees.  They are written in generic terms to allow Masons and non-Mason to better understand the meaning of the degrees.  By sharing these … Continue reading →

Top 10 Meeting Facts for the Entered Apprentice (Richard H. Ryder, 2016) Aprons All Masons must wear an apron in lodge.  Candidates wear their lambskin aprons during their degrees.  Master Masons who are members of a given lodge will wear white … Continue reading →

10 Ways Leaders Differ From Managers Mangers manage things; Leaders lead people Managers live in the present; Leaders live in the future Managers have employees; Leaders have followers Managers react to change; Leaders create change Managers have good ideas; Leaders … Continue reading →

Richard H. Ryder, 2017 The man who lives without the constraint of conscience, licentiously violating the moral law, and paying no regard to the precepts of religion, is unworthy to become a member of that institution which boasts that its … Continue reading →

The Master’s Trestle Board “Creating Objectives” (Richard H. Ryder, 2017) This is the second in a series of articles to help the Senior Warden, in anticipation of being elected “Master-Elect”, to plan his term as Master.  So as not to … Continue reading →

RICHARD H. RYDER (February, 2017) In the first leadership series article I discussed the importance of relationship building as a key to leadership success.  This second article describes why respect forms the foundation for strong relationships. Everyone of a certain age … Continue reading →

(Richard H. Ryder, 2017)  Each day in your many roles you have the opportunity and the responsibility to serve as Masonic Ambassadors, within and outside the lodge, to promote Freemasonry and your lodge. That leaves one important question – how? … Continue reading →

(Richard H. Ryder, 2017) By now I hope you have read the Trestle Board series articles in the January and February editions of The Maven’s Journal, where I reviewed how to create effective vision statement, goals, and objectives.  In this … Continue reading →