Grand Lodge Committee on Lodge Service 


Purpose: The Committee shall support and assist the Grand Lodge to provide 
mentoring and “in Lodge” service to Lodges who request help in the areas of 
Solvency and Viability Review Assessment; strategic planning; finances and fund 
raising; membership programs; Lodge programs and meeting quality; and Lodge 
revitalization. The Committee will serve as the Grand Lodge repository of Lodge 
operations “best practices” (programs, activities and procedure that result in 
exceptional Lodge operations) and share such practices with all Lodges. Its also 
shall evaluate and make recommendations to the Grand Master on all request to 
charter new Lodges and close or consolidate existing Lodges. 

Organization: The Committee shall be composed of a Chairman, and one 
member from each of the geographical divisions of the state as specified in 
Section 1.102. 

The Committee Chairman shall be a member of the Grand Lodge Committee on 
Strategic Planning and Implementation. 

The Committee shall meet not less than quarterly to assess, plan, coordinate and 
direct its delivery of Lodge service. The Chairman may call additional meetings to 
plan and develop programs as required. The meeting may be held in the Grand 
Lodge office at 4115 Nine Mile Road in Richmond, Virginia, or at such location(s) 
as may be deemed convenient for the committee membership. 

Roles and Responsibilities: 

The Committee shall: 

• 
Maintain the Solvency and Viability Review Tool and furnish copies to all 
Lodges with the goal of making it “downloadable” to all Lodges from the 
Grand Lodge Website. 
• 
Recruit and train regional service teams to provide responsive support to 
all Lodges requesting assistance throughout the Commonwealth. Each 
team would have a lead and two or three trained members. The teams 
shall provide “in Lodge” service at the request of the Worshipful Master in 
the areas of: 
o 
Solvency and Viability Review Assessment 
o 
Strategic Planning 
o 
Finances and fund raising 
o 
Membership programs (e.g., Bring A Friend Night) 
o 
Improved lodge programs and stated meetings 
o 
Assistance in the use and application of all guides and Lodge 
service publications 
o 
Lodge Revitalization 

• 
Provide a web enabled “Help Desk” to allow Lodges to communicate their 
requests for assistance to the Committee 
• 
Serve as the Grand Lodge repository for Lodge Operations “best 
practices” and insure that this knowledge is promulgated to all Lodges 
• 
Execute Lodge service tasks as ordered by the GM 
• 
Maintain/develop and disseminate via the web Lodge service resources 
including (but not limited to): 
o 
Officer training Course 
o 
Fund Raising Booklet 
o 
Stated Meeting Management Guide 
o 
100 Jobs booklet 
o 
Monthly educational program assistance 
o 
Project ideas 
o 
SVR Assessment users guide 
Planning and Reports: The Committee shall formulate a Five Year Lodge 
Service Action Plan to be submitted to the Grand Master for his approval. The Plan 
will identify issues, shape plans to resolve problems, and detail a list of action items 
to be accomplished over the five year period. The Plan will be updated annually 
and submitted for Grand Master approval on December 1st of each year. After 
receiving such approval, it will be implemented and later included in the 
Committee’s report to the Grand Annual Communication. 

First Year Objectives: The Committee shall: 

• 
Form, organize and develop its “stand-up” plan. 
• 
Validate and test the SVR Tool as part of the final acceptance of 
the tool from The Minnesota Team. 
• 
Develop a user’s guide to assist Lodges to use the SVR Tool. 
• 
Deliver a copy of the SVR Tool and users guide to all Lodges 
requesting a copy. 
• 
Provide initial service in the field to all Lodges requesting 
assistance in performing an SVR Assessment. 
• 
Recruit and train six regional Service Teams, consisting of a 
Committee member and two to three Brethren who can provide 
assistance to Lodges within the areas of the Committee’s 
responsibilities. 

• 
Establish a “Help Desk” to serve as a central point of contact for 
lodge request for help and assistance. 
• 
Post all of its Lodge service resources as ‘downloadable resources” 
from the Grand Lodge website. 
• 
Prepare and deliver to the Grand Master a Five Year Plan. 
Second Year Objectives: 

The Committee shall: 

• 
Recruit and train additional Service Teams so one is available for 
each Division and ideally that a team member is available within 
approximately fifty miles of each Lodge. 
• 
Develop the capability to providing assistance to every Lodge that 
requests assistance within four weeks of the request.