Ritual, Manhood, and You

Today's post comes from the Art of Manliness. It's so DeMolay appropriate that I don't even know where to begin. It's about how ritual is an important part of the social structure of organizations and groups. Check it out...

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/01/06/the-power-of-ritual-building-shared-worlds-and-bonds-that-transcend-the-everyday/

I have rarely seen such a good explanation of why ritual is important and how it strengthens our bond as Brothers. If you only read one Art of Manliness article that I post this year, it should be this one.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

A Preview: Round 2

On Monday, I gave you a preview of one of the organization charts we are using in the new online version of the DAD Training. The chart you saw was for the young men, but we all know that the adult volunteers of DeMolay are organized a bit differently. We just put the finishing touches on the Adult Leader Organization Chart and I'm happy to share it with you today! Please note, this chart was developed with Pennsylvania DeMolay in mind, but much of it applies to the organization as a whole.

• DeMolay International (Active and Deputy Members) – DeMolay International is the highest authority on the DeMolay program. It is composed of Active Members (who wear gold collars) and a varied number of Deputy Members (who wear silver collars.) Active members may speak and vote on issues, while Deputy members may only speak.
• Board of Directors of DeMolay International – This body rules when DeMolay International is not in session. It is composed of the officers of DeMolay International (Grand Master, Grand Secretary, Regional Representatives, etc.), two active DeMolays (the International Master Councilor and the International Congress Secretary) and several key committee chairmen.
• Executive Officer of Pennsylvania DeMolay – The Executive Officer of a jurisdiction is the highest DeMolay authority in his assigned area. He is appointed by the Grand Master of DeMolay International with input from the Masonic organization in his territory. He is responsible for managing and organizing DeMolay in his jurisdiction.
• Executive Secretary of Pennsylvania DeMolay – Appointed by the Executive Officer, the Executive Secretary serves as his right hand man. In Pennsylvania DeMolay, the Executive Secretary handles the day to day and clerical operations of the organization, such as membership and program reporting, Advisory Council registrations, and jurisdictional communications.
• Executive Officer’s Leadership Team – Each Executive Officer is allowed to appoint jurisdictional staff members to help administer the DeMolay program in his area. In Pennsylvania DeMolay, there are Deputy Executive Officers who aid with administrative oversight of Chapters as assigned. Additionally, there are program directors who handle specific duties within PA DeMolay (such as Ritual, the State Officer Corps, and Convention.)
• The Advisory Council of a Local Chapter – Local DeMolay Chapters have an Advisory Council which is appointed by the Executive Officer. They serve entirely at his discretion and he may appoint and remove members at any time, with or without reason. These adult leaders ensure that each DeMolay Chapter meets organizational requirements and provides quality programming for the young men.
• Chapter Chairman of the Advisory Council – The adult leadership of the Council is overseen by the Chapter Chairman, whose job it is to make sure that the Chapter has enough Advisors and to oversee the adults working with the Chapter.
• Chapter Advisor – Each Advisory Council chooses a Chapter Advisor, whose job is to work with the young men, most especially the Councilors, on planning Chapter activities. This person serves as the conduit between the young men and the Advisory Council.
• Members of the Advisory Council – Every member of an Advisory Council is important and will fill varied roles, such as Ritual Advisor, Merit Bar Advisor, etc. They will also help in making sure that every DeMolay event meets the Youth Protection Guidelines by being available to supervise activities.
• Councilors – The Councilors (Master, Senior, Junior) are elected by the young men and act as their leaders. They work with the Chapter Advisor to plan events and organize the Chapter.
• Members of the Chapter – These are the young men; the DeMolays themselves.

I hope this chart clears up some questions for you!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

A Preview of Things to Come

Here at the PA DeMolay office we juggle many projects at once. One such project is the upcoming online DAD Training program. While still in its infant stages, we are working diligently to pull together the resources necessary to do DAD and DAD Plus training programs through an electronic medium. This requires us to produce a lot of documentation and resources. One of the things I've been pulling together is an organization chart of DeMolay. Today, I thought I'd give you a preview of that piece. This should give the newbies a good idea of how the youth lead our organization while giving veteran DeMolay folks a new way to look at things.

Please keep in mind that these are draft documents and do not represent a final product. They are also tailored for Pennsylvania.

First, let's look at the chart itself:

Now, let's go through the descriptions for each entry on the chart:

DeMolay Youth Leader Organization Chart Descriptions

• DeMolay International Congress – Composed of two representatives from each jurisdiction, as well as cabinet members and the International Master Councilor and the International Congress Secretary; this body serves as the voice of the members of DeMolay to DeMolay International. In Pennsylvania, two of the Elected State Officers serve as the representatives.
• The International Master Councilor and the International Congress Secretary – Elected by their peers, these two members of DeMolay hold seats on the Board of Directors of DeMolay International and act as the public face of DeMolay. They represent the interests of the DeMolay International Congress when not in session.
• Regional Cabinet Members – Represent the interest of DeMolays from various geographical areas. Each Region elects its own Cabinet member, who then works with the International Master Councilor and International Congress Secretary to achieve programming goals.
• State / Jurisdictional Master Councilors – Each state or jurisdiction selects a State / Jurisdictional Master Councilor to lead DeMolay. He will act as a liaison between DeMolay and the Masonic Fraternity, as well as the public. In Pennsylvania, he is also given the responsibility of organizing and leading the DeMolay program across the Commonwealth through initiatives and program planning. The State Master Councilor is elected by the DeMolays in Pennsylvania at the annual Convention. He must have served as least one term as an Elected State Officer before submitting his name to run for State Master Councilor.
• Elected State Officers – The Elected State Officers are the backbone of PA DeMolay. They assist the State Master Councilor in executing his goals, as well as provide leadership to the young men in the local Chapters.
• Appointed State Officers – The State Master Councilor appoints several young men to leadership positions within the fraternity. These members will take part in ritual presentations and serve on jurisdictional committees.
• Chapter Master Councilors – Every DeMolay Chapter elects a Master Councilor who will lead the Chapter for a six month term. He will plan and execute several activities and programs aimed at providing a fun and educational experience for his members and serving the community in which the Chapter is located.
• Members of the Chapter - These are the young men; the DeMolays themselves.

I hope everyone will find this useful and feedback is always welcome!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth C. Anthony

Are you being served?

Some people like to go to sleep while watching television, while others like to listen to the radio, and another group likes it absolutely quiet. I like to fall asleep while listening to podcasts. I currently subscribe to four different ones (a movie related one, a couple of geek news shows, and the Art of Manliness.) While listening to the latest episode of the Art of Manliness I was reminded of something I believe whole heartedly in but haven't yet discussed on the blog - servant leadership.

Before we take the big dive into this topic I'd like you to ask yourself a question. "Who am I serving?"

This question becomes very important when you take on a leadership role in any organization, be it in DeMolay, in your school, or in your community. When you set out to lead people, you are really setting out to serve them by offering your unique talents and vision to steer their organization in the right direction. When elected or appointed to a leadership role your job immediately becomes to do what is best for the organization and for its members, regardless of other motives. In some cases you have to do what is right even when the members don't want it (such as raising dues or changing a tradition.) In other cases you have to go against your own feelings and do something the members want (such as having an event you don't particularly like.) In either case, it's up to you to serve your members by providing stability and direction.

What does being a servant leader really mean? To relate it back to our theme for the year, it means "Taking Control!," but not in the way you probably expect. I'm not referring to control of the group or organization, but rather control of yourself, your will, and your motives. Any person that is in charge has to lead by example. Until you can take control of yourself and set the example you can hardly command an organization. You, as a leader, have to separate your values and wants as a person from the opinions and needs of the group. This is what we expect our Congressmen to do (although they rarely succeed.) If a person is elected to office and believes that the public library should be closed but his constituency (a fancy word for the people who elected him) don't want it to shut down then he should probably vote to keep it open (or else he'll face the issue during his next election.) While that was a simple example, it's what serving is all about - making things better for those who you lead, rather than making things better for yourself.

Let's relate this to the fraternity and to DeMolay. When you get elected Master Councilor you've been entrusted with the highest position of leadership in the Chapter. It means you've been elected as the highest servant in the group as well. Managing your time has just become more important because the Chapter is now relying on you to make time for it and to lead it in the right direction. No one wants to sit and stuff envelopes on a Sunday afternoon, but as the Master Councilor you might have to do this. It's part of serving your Chapter to the fullest extent possible.

Some of you may be familiar with the idea of an "Organization Chart." It's a graphic that businesses use to show who is charge and where everyone fits in the group. Generally, the "boss" is on top, with everyone else reporting to him / her in some way (whether it be to another person then to him / her or to him / her directly.) When all filled out, it kind of looks like a pyramid. However, in DeMolay our organization charts look a little different because of this servant leader idea. Let's take a look:
Well look at that. It kind of looks like an upside down pyramid, with the Master Councilor on the bottom level - and it's absolutely right. Your supervisor, boss, or whatever you want to call it, are your members, officers, PMC's, and others. You need to listen to and serve them to be effective. That's the real challenge of being in charge.

Who are you serving?

Frat!~"Dad" Seth Anthony

Placing the Puzzle Pieces

DeMolay is a big organization. With over 16,000 member worldwide. It takes a pretty intricate organization to operate those Chapters, and to many the bureaucracy of how it works is mind boggling. Recently I stumbled over a great breakdown of how DeMolay runs, from the home Chapter all the way to the Grand Master. Have a read, and perhaps you'll learn something!

Members
Young Men between the ages of 12 and 21, of good morale character and belief in a supreme being are welcome to join DeMolay. The newest member of DeMolay is the most important.

Councilors and Officers
Each Chapter has 22 Officer Positions.

Master Councilor
Senior Councilor
Junior Councilor
Senior Deacon
Junior Deacon
Senior Steward
Junior Steward
Chaplain
Marshal
Standard Bearer
Sentinel
1st Preceptor Filial Love
2nd Preceptor Reverence for Sacred Things
3rd Preceptor Courtesy
4th Preceptor Comradeship
5th Preceptor Fidelity
6th Preceptor Cleanness
7th Preceptor Patriotism
Orator
Scribe
Treasurer
Almoner

The Master Councilor IS the leader of the Chapter. The Councilors are elected by the members of the Chapter to server for 1 term of office. The remaining officers are appointed to serve by the Master Councilor, with the exception of the Scribe, which is appointed by the Advisory Council.

Your Jurisdiction
Most jurisdictions elect a State (or Jurisdictional) Master Councilor and a corps of elected State (or Jurisdictional) Officers. A corps of appointed officers is usually designated as well.

Your Region
DeMolay International is divided into 8 Regions. At the annual International Supreme Council and DeMolay Congress Session, a Regional Coordinator is selected to serve in your region. His duty is to promote communication and brotherhood among the Jurisdictions he serves and also to promote DeMolay International programs and happenings.

DeMolay International
Each year an International Master Councilor and International Congress Secretary are elected by a congress of delegates from every DeMolay Jurisdiction. Candidates for these offices must be past or present State Master Councilors (or equivalents.) The IMC and ICS serve DeMolay by representing us at National Masonic and public functions and affairs. They also visit jurisdictions to promote DeMolay International programs.

Chapter Advisory Councils
Advisors are just that. They Advise! The point of DeMolay is that you, the member, plan and execute all activities and endeavors of your Chapter.

The Chapter Advisor (aka: Chapter "Dad")
The Chapter Advisor’s role is to work with the Chapter’s Leadership to accomplish their goals. He or she also is your direct line of communication between the Chapter and the remaining advisors in the Advisory Council. He or she is the Advisor to turn to for guidance on issues that arise while working within your Chapter.

The Chapter Chairman
The Chapter Dad’s role is to work with the Chapter’s Advisors to ensure proper attention is given to the various projects that the Chapter undertakes. He is the direct line of communication between the Chapter and the Sponsoring Body.

Specialty Advisors
A successful Chapter is one that follows all facets of the DeMolay program. To accomplish this, your Chapter’s Chairman should assign Advisors to work with the Chapter and specialize in the following areas:

Membership Athletics & Activities
Fundraising Public Relations & Communications
Ritual Awards & Honors

The Executive Officer
Each Jurisdiction is assigned a representative of the International Supreme Council. This person is known as the Executive Officer. It is his responsibility to ensure that his assigned Jurisdiction and the Chapters within it operate within the rules and regulations of DeMolay. He sets policy and procedure that all Members and Advisors must follow. He also assigns a staff which takes on responsibility for projects and programs within the jurisdiction.

Active, Deputy, Emeritus and Honorary Members of the International Supreme Council
The International Supreme Council is made up of Advisors from all jurisdictions within DeMolay International. There are several ranks of distinction or “classes” amongst these advisors who govern over the affairs of DeMolay. An “Active” member is a member that has a voice and vote on all issues before the ISC. “Deputy” members have a voice, but cannot vote. “Emeritus” status is given to members who have attained the age of 75. An “Honorary” member is someone who is designated by the ISC as someone who has contributed much the betterment of DeMolay as a whole.

The Grand Master of DeMolay
Each year the Active members of the International Supreme Council vote for an elected line of ISC officers.
These officers are:
Grand Master
Grand Senior Councilor
Grand Junior Councilor
Grand Secretary
Grand Treasurer

To apply this to Pennsylvania, think of this way. In your Chapter you have your Master Councilor, Chapter Advisor, and Chapter Chairman. Next up are the Elected State Officers lead by our SMC, Howard Wagner, and the Executive Officer and his leadership team, led by "Dad" Thomas R. Labagh. Our Jurisdiction (being the State of PA) is in DeMolay International's Region II, which consists of New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Nation's Capital, New York, and of course, PA. Beyond on our Region, we have the International Master Councilor, Bro. Ben Turconi, from Northern California, and the International Congress Secretary, Bro. Jaymie Jordan, from Oklahoma. "Dad" Robert Cockerham is the current Grand Master of DeMolay International, and he's from Missouri.

So there you have it. A quick, concise breakdown of how this little group of ours is run. Where do you fit into the mix? Where do you want to go? It's all up to you!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony