FROM THE DESK OF THE SECRETARY 2024

RWB DONALD C. COX, PDDGM – Secretary

 

If you have questions regarding your Membership, Dues, Masonic Procedures or just need information about procedures for Membership / Petitions, Reinstatement, Demit or Affiliation etc. please feel free to contact me.

Please check this page regularly.  I will be posting information and reminders for members of our Lodge as appropriate.

 

 

RWB Donald C. Cox, PDDGM
Myrtle Beach Lodge #353, Secretary

Mailing Address:
Myrtle Beach Masonic Lodge No. 353
P.O. Box 353
Myrtle Beach, SC 29578-0353

Email:  [email protected]

Cell:  (843) 222-0072


SUBJECTS COVERED

  • Dues – General Information
  • Dues – How to Pay 
  • Dues – 2024 Payment Schedule
  • SC Grand Lodge Forms
  • Masonic ID Numbers
  • SC Grand Lodge Membership Management
  • Contact Information
  • Annual Awards 
  • Masonic Funeral Services

See below for details….

DUES – GENERAL INFORMATION

$125 / YEAR

Annual Dues are payable IN ADVANCE (2024 Dues are due by December 31, 2023)


DUES – HOW TO PAY 

This section is NOT applicable if you no longer pay dues

CHECKS:  Please make check out to “Myrtle Beach Masonic Lodge #353” and mail to address below (new Dues card will be mailed to you), or deliver to Secretary at a meeting and pick-up your new Dues card.

Mailing address:

Secretary
Myrtle Beach Masonic Lodge No. 353 
P.O. Box 353
Myrtle Beach, SC 29578-0353

CASH:  Deliver in person to Secretary at a meeting, and receive your new Dues card.


2024 DUES – PAYMENT SCHEDULE

NOTE: Your Account was posted in August 2023, and statements were emailed or mailed in September, 2023.

  • If you do not pay by December 31st, 2023 you will be considered “in arrears” – but no penalties will be incurred at that time.
  • If not paid by October 31st, 2024 you will then be considered “erased from the rolls”.  In this case, you will still be able to be reinstated as “active as of October 31st (2024)” provided you pay your dues by December 31, 2024.
If you haven’t paid by December 31, 2024 you will be “NPD” (Non Payment of Dues) and the only way to regain membership is by applying for reinstatement, which can only be approved by ballot.
“I urge that you do NOT allow this to happen.  We have had several members who requested to be reinstated after becoming “NPD” , and they did not always realize the procedures necessary to get back in, including paperwork, possible re-investigation, having to be voted-on by the Brothers, the time Reinstatement can sometimes take, and cost involved (1 years dues in arrears plus the current years dues.)” 

Important Note:  SC Grand Lodge also reminds us all that many Lodges outside of South Carolina will not accept your Dues Card unless it has the current year on it…. so if you still have a previous year’s Dues card, although you can get into a SC Lodge, you may not be accepted into a Lodge out of our jurisdiction.

Any Questions about this, please feel free to contact me.


SC GRAND LODGE FORMS

Please see me if you need the following forms.  I have the latest updated SC Grand Lodge forms.

* PETITION FOR DEGREES   Please note that this must be an original, 2-sided form completed by the Candidate himself (and not by a sponsor Brother or third party).  Please advise your Candidate to fill in every part, and to make sure time is taken to make it legible.  We need complete name, including middle name; Addresses must be complete; Date of birth accurate, and Email addresses and Phone numbers clear and current, since all contact information is entered into the Grand Lodge database from this form.

Please check all items have been completed accurately by the candidate and the form is signed by two (2) active Brothers from our Lodge before turning the Petition in to Secretary with candidate’s correct Petition fee.  Thank you

* APPLICATION FOR AFFILIATION

* REQUEST FOR REINSTATEMENT


MASONIC ID NUMBER

Please contact Secretary if you don’t know your Masonic ID #.


MEMBER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

You will need to have your Masonic ID Number (see above) before you can register to access this database.

Thank you to all those who have registered – however this is a very small percentage of our Lodge membership.  

SC Grand Lodge would like for every Mason in SC to register on their database.  This will give you access to your personal record, where you can update your address, phone numbers and email addresses as well as complete personal and spouse information (optional).  You can also access your account (if you pay dues) and see your balance and payment history.

Please Click here for a printable instruction page on how to register / access the SC Grand Lodge “Member Management System”


CONTACT INFORMATION:

Many hours have been spent over the past several years trying to locate and touch base with Brothers who have relocated away from the area and with whom we had lost touch.  I am happy to report that the Membership Roster is now as up-to-date and accurate as it can be. 

REMINDER:  If you have registered with the SC Grand Lodge “Member Management System” and have updated your address, email address and / or phone numbers, “Thank you”!  However you also need to make sure you notify the Secretary of any such changes whether you move across the street, across town or across the country, or if your phone number or email address changes.  The Secretary uses his records to contact members.

PLEASE NOTE: Recently there have been several deaths from our Lodge, where we were not notified by anyone and a Brother may have just noticed an Obituary, or heard something by word of mouth.  Several times we hear about them some time after the Brother passed.  If we did hear about these “in time”, we have had to call the funeral home to find out if the family wanted a Masonic Funeral or not.  Please make sure family members know how to contact your Lodge to notify us in the event of death, and let us know if they request a Masonic Funeral, or not.

Thank you.


ANNUAL AWARDS

Your years are calculated from the date you were raised as a Master Mason, minus any years for NPD if applicable.

25-Years:  When you have been a Mason in good standing for 25 years, you are eligible to receive a 25-Year Pin.

50-Years:  You will receive a 50-Year Certificate, 50-Year Pin, a Lifetime Dues Card (you will no longer be required to pay dues).

60-Years:  You will receive a 60 Year Certificate and 60-Year Pin.

70-Years:  You will be eligible for a 70-Year Certificate and 70-Year Pin.


MASONIC FUNERAL SERVICES:

Regardless of age or current health, each of us should make sure our desires are known by those who will take care of our final arrangements as to whether or not we want a Masonic burial service.  The family should know how to contact the Brother’s lodge to notify the Lodge in the event of the Brother’s death (even if they do not want a Masonic funeral).

The family should contact the Brother’s lodge, or one located in the city where burial is to be conducted, to request a Masonic burial service.  Brothers who desire Masonic burial services with their aprons interred with them should make sure the family knows his preference, and the aprons location.

Our Lodge stands ready to render the honors our fallen brothers deserve.