The Masonic family has a place for anyone of good character & who believes in a supreme being.

Membership and friendship in a community of good men.

In an era where people are likely to have more friends in internet chat rooms than in real life, it's easy to become disconnected from your community and the people around you. While there's certainly nothing wrong with being a member of an online forum, it's worth considering the greater value of building friendships in your own community.

Community service.

We are motivated and work together to help our communities and protect the unfortunate, the weak, the young or old.

Self improvement.

We all want to become better men — better fathers or grandfathers, better husbands, better workers or leaders.

A connection to history.

Upon becoming a Mason, you join a brotherhood that is centuries old and has included many great people such as American founding fathers George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, civil rights pioneer Thurgood Marshall, author Mark Twain, and musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

What got us here is our shared values, and shared values are what keep us involved.

We're not going to tell you what your political beliefs ought to be, and we're not going to tell you how to worship God, as you see him. We may differ therefore on the finer points of our politics and theology.

Freemasons understand that men of good character may differ on these points yet still be men of integrity.

We agree to respect each other's 'sovereignty' or self-rule over these issues, and therefore we focus on the points we have in common.

The Application Process

Anyone seeking membership in Freemasonry MUST ASK a member of a Masonic Lodge to recommend him. One of the core tenets of Masonry is that a man must ask to join "of his own free will and accord", so it's highly unlikely you'll ever be asked to join the fraternity. If you know a Freemason, simply ask him if he will sponsor your petition to join your local lodge. If you do not know a Freemason, you may obtain a petition by contacting your local lodge directly. The candidate will then sign the petition, stating his age, occupation and place of residence. Over the course of the next few weeks, the candidate will meet with a few members of the lodge who are on the interview committee.

These interviews are a great opportunity to have any of your questions answered about Masonry or the events and charities that the lodge participates in. Then, members of the Lodge will vote by secret ballot. To be accepted, the ballot must be unanimous. Be aware that some jurisdictions may also conduct a criminal background check and that felony convictions are not looked upon favorably. The petition, interview, and voting process often takes about a month.

Qualifications

Freemasonry is proud of its philosophy and practice of "making good men better." Only individuals believed to be of the finest character are favorably considered for membership. The following qualifications are required for membership:

• Every applicant must believe in the existence of a supreme being. Your religious beliefs are your own business. Masons only care about your belief in God, not where you pray to him.
• You must be joining of your own will.
• You must be of lawful age. In Oregon, the minimum age to join is 18.
• You must be well-recommended. This qualification refers to the application and interview process mentioned above.

For more information, please contact us.