Thinking about Freemasonry?
Meet new people, take part in something worthwhile and discover a tradition that still has plenty to offer today. If you’re curious about Freemasonry in Hertfordshire, we’ll help you understand what it involves and how to take the first step.
You’ll continue to the Hertfordshire Provincial website to make an enquiry.What could you get from it?
People join for different reasons and stay for reasons they didn’t expect.
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Friendship
A lodge brings together people of different ages, backgrounds and jobs who would never otherwise have met, in a setting where respect for each other is the starting point.
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Personal development
There is always something to learn and, when you’re ready, a part to play. Members take on small responsibilities, speak in front of others and work on things together. Confidence grows at your own pace.
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Making a difference
Lodges support local causes and the wider charities Freemasons fund, and many members give time as well as money. It’s a practical way to be useful to the community you live in.
Freemasons talk about four values: Integrity, Friendship, Respect and Service. Less a slogan than a description of how members try to treat each other and everyone else.
What does membership actually involve?
A lodge is a local group of members who meet regularly, usually in the evening at a Masonic hall. Joining Freemasonry means joining a particular lodge, so it’s worth finding one that suits you.
- Meetings combine lodge business with traditional ceremonies, a little like short plays with a message about how to live well. Afterwards, members usually dine together.
- Outside meetings there are social events, often with partners and families, and charitable activity through the year.
- How often a lodge meets, what it costs and what else it asks of you vary from lodge to lodge.
- A good fit takes account of work, family, where you live and what you can comfortably afford. The membership team will help you weigh this up.
A friendly face while you find your feet
Freemasonry will be new to you, and that’s expected. Mentoring is there to help you understand what’s happening, ask questions and feel more at home.
In practice, a member whose job is to look out for you while everything is new.
- Someone to explain the unfamiliar
- What the customs mean, what will happen at your next meeting, and the questions you’d feel awkward asking in a crowded room.
- Someone to help you get to know people
- Introductions, a seat at dinner next to someone friendly, a nudge towards the people and events you’ll enjoy.
- Someone to help you make sense of it
- Freemasonry is learned gradually. A mentor helps you understand why things are done as they are, so you get more from it as you go.
Details differ between lodges, but the intention is the same: you shouldn’t have to work it all out alone.
From curiosity to a conversation
An enquiry commits you to nothing. It simply starts a conversation.
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Register your interest
Use the short form on the Hertfordshire Provincial website.
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Have a conversation
The membership team will be in touch to talk through your questions and circumstances.
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Explore a lodge together
If it still feels right, you’ll be helped to find a suitable lodge, meet some members and agree the next steps.
Questions you might already have
Anything not covered here, bring to the conversation.
Do I need to know a Freemason?
No. Use the enquiry form and the membership team will take it from there. Many members had no connection to Freemasonry before they joined.
Who can join?
Hertfordshire lodges belong to the United Grand Lodge of England, whose membership is open to men aged 18 and over, from any background and any faith. Members are asked to be of good character and to affirm a belief in a Supreme Being, worded so that people of many beliefs can join. You don’t need to practise a religion.
Women’s Freemasonry is organised separately by two Grand Lodges we work closely with: the Order of Women Freemasons and Freemasonry for Women (HFAF).
How much does it cost?
It varies. Each lodge sets its own subscription and joining fee, and you’ll normally pay for dinner after meetings and buy some regalia. Charitable giving is always voluntary. Ask for the full picture before you apply, so there are no surprises.
How much time does it take?
Lodges meet on a set pattern through the year, usually in the evening; a meeting with dinner takes a few hours. There may be the odd rehearsal or social event too. Some lodges ask more than others, so be honest about the time you have and the membership team will help you find a fit.
What happens at a meeting?
Some ordinary business, then a ceremony: traditional, performed by the members themselves, each with a lesson about living a good life. New members take part gradually and are always told what to expect. Then everyone sits down to eat.
Is Freemasonry a religion?
No. Freemasonry has no religious affiliation and isn’t a substitute for faith. Members are expected to believe in a Supreme Being, but which one and how you worship is your own business. Religion and party politics stay outside the lodge, which is partly why people of different views get on.
What support will I have when I’m new?
More than you might expect. Lodges aim to give every new member someone who looks out for them, explains what’s coming and helps them get to know people. See A friendly face while you find your feet, above.
You don’t need all the answers to ask the first question.
Tell the Province a little about yourself and someone will be in touch.