Have you seen the Traveling Gavel?

If you have never laid eyes on it, you should! It could even be yours to claim for your Lodge, Brethren!

Purpose

The Traveling Gavel was implemented for the sole purpose of encouraging Brethren of the 11th District to travel and visit other Lodges and to promote brotherly love and fellowship.  The Gavel should be a source of pride for the Lodge that possesses it and equally so for any Lodge that successfully captures and takes the Gavel back to their own lodge. Above all, it’s all in good fun.

 

1.     The current lodge holding the Traveling Gavel will keep and display it until another lodge from the 11th District attends a regular or special meeting of the holding lodge, bringing with them 5 (five) members.

2.     The Lodge that wishes to capture the gavel must have at least 5 members of their Lodge present prior to the opening of the Lodge. If additional members show up after the start of Lodge opening, they will not be counted.

3.     Upon successfully capturing the Gavel, the visiting Lodge is allowed to take it to their own Lodge and remain the holder of it until it is taken from them in like manner.

4.     In the event of a tie between two visiting lodges, the Gavel will be awarded to the lodge that is physically most distant from the possessing lodge. If lodges are equidistant, a coin flip or other method agreeable to the lodges will be used to determine the new holder.

5.     EVERY TIME the Gavel is captured, the new holder will complete the following tasks:

6.     Log an entry into the Record Book accompanying the Gavel with the name of their lodge, the names and number of members visiting from that lodge, and the date the Gavel was captured.

7.     Provide the District Deputy Grand Secretary or District Webmaster with this information as well so the current possessing lodge can be added to the record of Gavel Holders on the district webpage (ma11thmasons.org) and all lodges know who currently holds the Gavel.