Perhaps your Father, Grandfather or a person you know was a Mason. Whether you are interested in joining Freemasons or just curious about the requirements of membership we appreciate your interest and hope we can help. Freemasonry can be found in virtually every corner of the globe and, where it does exist, the process of applying for membership is pretty straightforward.

What you can expect from being a member

Freemasonry provides many benefits to its members some of which are:

Meet men of all ages and walks of life, both local and from around the world.
Develop fellowship and friendships with fellow members
Earn respect from fellow members
Achieve honour through self development
Practice and improve your speaking in a formal setting
Opportunity to contribute to Charity, participate in Charitable events in the community
Take part in Ceremonial events originating from the early 1700’s
Take part in occasional social events with Lodge members and their families (and yours) such as social dinners, games evenings and BBQs

What The Crown Lodge expects from you

Four hours once a month, that’s it, just 4 hours, once a month.

We meet on the first Thursday of the month (with the exception of January when no meeting is held) and we ask that you attend our regular meeting on every occasion possible. We understand that at times it may be impossible, perhaps due to family or career commitments, and we respect this.

Once you become more experienced in the Lodge and ready to assist with roles in the Lodge, we will ask that you commit a 2^nd night to your monthly calendar. However this is unlikely to be in the first 12 months and only if you want to take on such responsibilities within the Lodge.

Meetings

Our regular meeting is held on the first Thursday of the month. This follows the tradition of the first ever meeting of The Crown Lodge which was held on Thursday the 6^th of July 1882 by the founding members.

The meeting starts shortly after 7pm and ends around 9.30pm. This is followed by supper and refreshments which are usually finished by 10.30pm.

A Standing Committee & Practice is held on the Thursday prior to the regular meeting. Standing Committee consists of the business and management of the Lodge while the Practice is like a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the coming week. This is a less formal, but no less important meeting to ensure the Lodge is running smoothly and the high standard of our meetings can be maintained.

Ceremonies and Ritual

When a new member joins, the first evening is known as the “Initiation” and is the Ritual of the 1^st Degree. Similar to a piece of theatre, each part during the evening has carefully been studied and the wording memorised by the members contributing to that particular evening. The Crown Lodge Ritual originates from Scottish Freemasonry which gives a slightly different flavour to the event.

The aim of every ceremony is for members to perform their part to a very high standard. This achieves a memorable evening for the new member and great kudos for those involved.

There are 3 degrees in Freemasonry with the final degree normally held between 6 and 12 months after joining.

Charity

Freemasons take the welfare of others seriously. On occasion, a collection may be taken within a Lodge for donation to Charity or a selected project. For example, Freemasons New Zealand was able to fund the purchase of GPS units for all St John Ambulances in New Zealand.

There may also be opportunities for you to be involved in a charitable event. For example, we have in the past wrapped Christmas Presents for a local shopping mall. The money raised was then used to purchase sporting equipment for a local school.

Costs

When you first join, you will be asked for an initiation fee. Part of this fee accounts for your first six months membership and partly to offset fees incurred by the Lodge when you join.

Membership fees can be paid by monthly instalment and are less than $20 per month. This includes the cost of supper and refreshments, the guides that are provided by the Lodge and the costs associated with running the Lodge. It also includes some charitable gifting by the Lodge throughout the year.

You will also need to order an Apron for when you complete your 3^rd degree and reach the rank of Master Mason. This is likely to be between 6 & 12 months after you join the lodge. The approximate cost is $100 for a brand new apron.

Suits and clothing

Members wear Black Tie with a white shirt and bow tie (think James Bond!). It is also acceptable to wear a dark business suit with a white shirt and bow tie.

If you have any questions regarding suitable attire, simply let us know.