St Peter's Lodge
Sone general information for you.
Why should I want to become a freemason at St Peter’s?
We are very friendly and keen to enjoy each other’s company. We do like a good laugh over dinner and a few drinks. We are mutually supportive through the good times and the not so good. We are charitable; we combine our donations to make a difference to local and national charities. We want to do well by each other, so we try hard to put on a good show in our meetings, honing our ceremonial trade skills as masons of old did before us. Being a member of St Peter’s is a manageable commitment that fits in well with family and work commitments. There is a compelling reason why masons remain members right up until they pass from this world. It is a friendship and bond that lasts for life
What should I expect at a lodge event?
When we go out for an evening, we like to make an effort as we are sure you do too, hence our attire is lounge suits, plus you will no doubt be familiar with the imagery of freemasons wearing ceremonial attire on top. We are fans of tradition and history. Great Britain itself has a long history of tradition, and we are no different. With a nod to masons of ancient times, we don aprons like those worn by them with the addition that ours have a bit more flare. Why not?!
One of our traditional attires is to wear white gloves. This represents our belief that we are all equals, regardless of background.
Equality is very important to freemasons. We do have a structure to our lodge so that we might organise ourselves effectively, but it is not a permanent hierarchy. Each member may progress to take it in turn to fulfil the various positions in the lodge and we encourage all members to progress through and give back to their fellow brothers. It is cyclical so having progressed all the way through, one may choose to return to the beginning to progress through again and support other brothers as they progress. Supporting each other, in the good times and the bad, is fundamental to our beliefs.
Between 6 to 7:45pm we host our lodge meeting. Dinner starts at 8pm. The meeting has a ceremony to it. We do love tradition. Depending on what we are focussing on that particular evening, there will be a fairly common structure for it which is adhered to in lodges across the country. Lodge ceremonies are a great way for masons to practice their public speaking and work on their form in a safe and friendly environment, the content of which is rich with valuable lessons on life and how we best conduct it in a productive and harmonious manner. The ceremony might be, for example, to initiate (or induct) a new member to freemasonry. Such a powerful and emotional occasion to witness someone first entering, and one to which all masons resonate from their own experience. We hope we may witness your initiation ceremony together, and subsequently accompany you to enjoy watching others join. During the meeting, we take a collection for charity. It is given anonymously into a charitable purse. A small token of charity is all that is required.
Having completed our meeting, we dine. There is actually no commitment to dine every time so it is quite alright to join the meeting and not stay for dinner if you have other commitments that evening. No one bats and eyelid if a member has another commitment and cannot stay. However, it is normal to stay for dinner because that is where the fun truly begins. Starting at 8pm and typically finishing by 10pm. We have a home cooked meal, catered by our wonderful resident cook, Pam. Less than £20 for 2 courses, and on top diners will also take something from our bar to wash down their meal.
We have a raffle, a few toasts and speeches, and most importantly a great opportunity to chat and laugh with our fellow diners on whatever topic takes their fancy that evening. The proceeds of the raffle go to charity. Charity is a paramount principle for masons. As lodge meetings typically have visitors from other lodges, we get to meet new acquaintances who dine with us as well as catch up with those met previously who have joined us for the evening. The same may be said should you visit other lodges and dine with them. Visiting other lodges is one of the best experiences in freemasonry. Few other pursuits offer the chance to visit other clubs and have them welcome you in such a warm manner.
Whilst joining new groups or events in other pursuits may seem daunting, that is not so in freemasonry. It has to be one of the friendliest groups to join. It is a pursuit by those keen to meet and engage with other brothers. There is always someone on hand to ensure you are introduced and of course at your own lodge at St Peter’s you will very quickly get to know us all intimately. When visiting other lodges, we typically go as a gaggle so you will arrive accompanied and once you find your feet you may even choose to venture out unaccompanied to meet a very warm welcome. You will soon recognise familiar faces and become one yourself.
The Learning Journey in Freemasonry
The learning and practice of ceremonies and presentations in freemason lodges develops skills in teamwork, self-discipline, and public speaking. The content includes valuable lessons in life, applicable to all in society who seek to improve the contribution they make to their family, friends, and community. Typically, freemasons will dedicate part of their free time to studying our book of ceremonies and attend one of the learning journeys such as our training lodge. We also offer online learning in the modern digital age. Each freemason may progress at his own pace and there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to learning. Many masons learn over many years and one never really stops learning in life. Learning can also positively affect your mental well-being. It can boost your confidence and self-esteem, help build a sense of purpose, and encourage social interaction and connection.
The Act of Giving in Freemasonry
Charity, an important principle to all freemasons, is practiced during every meeting we have and outside many continue to give to charity through regular donations or donations of their time. Some freemasons also take on responsibility to look out for fellow members in hardship and all of us are on hand as needed to help a fellow brother in distress as needed. Such is the powerful bond of brotherhood. Even small acts of kindness towards other people can give a sense of purpose and make people feel happier and more satisfied about life. Take some time to consider what you can do for someone else. Consider joining us on that journey.
Membership
Our annual lodge subscription is kept low, currently just under £140 per annum which goes to the upkeep of the building and into a charity fund. Charity is a guiding principle of freemasonry so typically when we meet members will make an additional small donation to our charity fund. A few pounds each time is all that is needed. It is the act of giving to others that is most important, not the quantum, and our donations each time are made anonymously so the amount of individual donation is never revealed. There is no joining fee. Whilst it is unusual to resign from freemasonry because members enjoy it so much, it should be noted at the outset that membership is an annual financial commitment and members may choose to leave at any time with no financial penalty or long-term financial commitment.
We meet six times per year, on the first Friday in February, March, May, October, November and December. We start at 6pm and typically finish at 10pm for those staying on for dinner, or 8pm for those unable to stay for dinner. You can see that the commitment is rather limited, and we do like to enjoy our Summer and Christmas with family and friends so you will note that we break for those periods of the year. In addition to our own lodge meetings, one of the great joys of freemasonry is the chance to visit other lodges in the area, the county, the country and for some even the world! There we will make new acquaintances, be entertained as guests, and see how others host their meetings. Completely voluntary and completely great fun. There is always a very warm welcome as a visitor to other lodges, and none more so than at St Peter’s. You do not have to be a member to visit other lodges so there is no fee for visiting; just the cost of the meal and the voluntary opportunity to make a small donation to the charity fund.
Freemasonry also offers the chance to learn its ceremonies and further your excellence in their delivery. To support you, we have linked with a Lodge of Instruction in nearby Bordon, which is a training lodge. They meet at the Bordon masonic center on a Monday for those keen to learn and perfect. Some of our members attend regularly as well as members of other lodges in the area.
How do we contribute to charity?
In 2022, freemasonry across the country collectively donated over £50m per annum to a variety of good causes in the UK and internationally. What makes us unique is that all donations are from our own members. In our province in Hampshire and IoW, we have contributed our share to the national foundation and provincial causes, with £1.3m donated in 2022. In addition, in St Peter’s lodge we have supported some local good causes including Petersfield food bank and Queen Alexandra Hospital.
In addition to our charity fund, we also contribute and have access to an almoner’s fund which seeks to look after freemasons in distress and their relatives. The national fund has ensured that no freemason who asks for help goes without and there are many great stories of support and charity that permeate freemasonry across the country, in our province and in St Peter’s lodge. Come join us to find out more and see how you can contribute to society and your fellow brethren and their families. One day you may be in need of support too and freemasons will be there to help as they have been for over 300 years.
The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), the Freemasons’ Charity, builds better lives by encouraging opportunity, promoting independence and improving wellbeing for people across society.
Funded entirely through the generosity of Freemasons, their families and friends, the MCF is one of the largest charities in the country, providing a range of grants for charitable projects that help local communities across England and Wales, in addition to supporting individuals in need.
The MCF’s vision is that everyone has the opportunity to lead positive, active and fulfilling lives, especially those who are in need, disadvantaged or marginalised.