{"id":1473,"date":"2023-08-21T10:01:40","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T17:01:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/?page_id=1473"},"modified":"2023-10-09T10:57:45","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T17:57:45","slug":"discover-freemasonry","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/?page_id=1473","title":{"rendered":"Discover Freemasonry"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"1473\" class=\"elementor elementor-1473\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ff11cd5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ff11cd5\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-590b40d\" data-id=\"590b40d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b53b086 elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"b53b086\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 09-10-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-content{width:100%}@media (min-width:768px){.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-left .elementor-image-box-wrapper,.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-right .elementor-image-box-wrapper{display:flex}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-right .elementor-image-box-wrapper{text-align:right;flex-direction:row-reverse}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-left .elementor-image-box-wrapper{text-align:left;flex-direction:row}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-position-top .elementor-image-box-img{margin:auto}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-vertical-align-top .elementor-image-box-wrapper{align-items:flex-start}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-vertical-align-middle .elementor-image-box-wrapper{align-items:center}.elementor-widget-image-box.elementor-vertical-align-bottom .elementor-image-box-wrapper{align-items:flex-end}}@media (max-width:767px){.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-img{margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-bottom:15px}}.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-img{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-title a{color:inherit}.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-wrapper{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image-box .elementor-image-box-description{margin:0}<\/style><div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2554\" src=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/FMQR-CODE-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1657\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/FMQR-CODE-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/FMQR-CODE-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/FMQR-CODE-1024x1022.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/FMQR-CODE-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/FMQR-CODE-768x766.jpg 768w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/FMQR-CODE-1536x1533.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/FMQR-CODE-2048x2044.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Use the QR Code above to \"Learn More About Freemasonry\"<\/h3><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-63d0d9c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"63d0d9c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a9fcd3f\" data-id=\"a9fcd3f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0225ccd elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0225ccd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 09-10-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"279\" src=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-11-11.41.37-AM-300x279.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-image-1424\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-11-11.41.37-AM-300x279.png 300w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-11-11.41.37-AM-1024x953.png 1024w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-11-11.41.37-AM-768x715.png 768w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-11-11.41.37-AM.png 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cf1ae67 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cf1ae67\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9249022\" data-id=\"9249022\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f8abe1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1f8abe1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 09-10-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.656; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">Freemasonry, Explained<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">Freemasonry (or Masonry, for short) is one of the world\u2019s most historic membership organizations, a 300-year-old worldwide fraternity of like-minded people committed to bettering themselves and their communities. Masonry encompasses a series of moral teachings based on allegory and the symbolism of ancient stonemasonry. But we\u2019re so much more than our history. We\u2019re a way to find friendship, purpose, and connection.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">At its core, Freemasonry is about:<\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; background-color: var(--ast-global-color-5);\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">True Friendship<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Many members meet their best friends through Freemasonry. That\u2019s because Masonry offers a combination that\u2019s hard to find anywhere else: shared traditions, shared purpose, and a shared commitment to fostering lifelong relationships.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Personal Development<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Ancient Freemasons focused on building structures. Today\u2019s Masons focus on building character. We believe in strong values, and we embody them through our actions, our relationships, and our service to others.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\">Community Service<br \/><\/span><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">Masons take an obligation to support those around them. Masons give back in a multitude of ways, from local charity drives to statewide efforts through the California Masonic Foundation.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4ef229 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f4ef229\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.16.0 - 09-10-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-divider{--divider-border-style:none;--divider-border-width:1px;--divider-color:#0c0d0e;--divider-icon-size:20px;--divider-element-spacing:10px;--divider-pattern-height:24px;--divider-pattern-size:20px;--divider-pattern-url:none;--divider-pattern-repeat:repeat-x}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider{display:flex}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{font-size:15px;line-height:1;max-width:95%}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__element{margin:0 var(--divider-element-spacing);flex-shrink:0}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-icon{font-size:var(--divider-icon-size)}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider-separator{display:flex;margin:0;direction:ltr}.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator{align-items:center}.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator:before{display:block;content:\"\";border-bottom:0;flex-grow:1;border-top:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:first-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider-separator:before{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider__element{margin-left:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:last-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider-separator:after{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider__element{margin-right:0}.elementor-widget-divider:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text):not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon) .elementor-divider-separator{border-top:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern{--divider-border-style:none}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern.elementor-widget-divider--view-line .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not([class*=elementor-widget-divider--view]) .elementor-divider-separator{width:100%;min-height:var(--divider-pattern-height);-webkit-mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;-webkit-mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);background-color:var(--divider-color);-webkit-mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url);mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url)}.elementor-widget-divider--no-spacing{--divider-pattern-size:auto}.elementor-widget-divider--bg-round{--divider-pattern-repeat:round}.rtl .elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{direction:rtl}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-divider,.e-con>.elementor-widget-divider{width:var(--container-widget-width,100%);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a6f797 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7a6f797\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"452\" src=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-11.43.22-AM-768x452.png\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-1532\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-11.43.22-AM-768x452.png 768w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-11.43.22-AM-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-11.43.22-AM-1024x602.png 1024w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-11.43.22-AM.png 1117w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-349cb91 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"349cb91\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.656; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">Who We Are<\/span><\/p><div><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;\">Our secret isn\u2019t ancient rituals or secret ceremonies. It\u2019s our members. Our members come from all backgrounds and all walks of life. The average age of new members is about 36.<\/span><\/div><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; line-height: 1.38;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">While the Masons of California represents the largest Masonic organization in the state, it isn\u2019t the only one. See a list of other Masonic groups <a href=\"https:\/\/freemason.org\/masonic-organizations\/\">here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;\"><br \/>DID YOU KNOW? <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">There are about 5 million Freemasons worldwide, and approximately 40,000 in California.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dabe54f elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"dabe54f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f6b4b65 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f6b4b65\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"474\" src=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-10.10.25-AM-768x474.png\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-1482\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-10.10.25-AM-768x474.png 768w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-10.10.25-AM-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-10.10.25-AM-1024x632.png 1024w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-10.10.25-AM-1536x949.png 1536w, https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-10.10.25-AM.png 1982w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0661976 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0661976\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><b>What Is a Masonic Lodge?<\/b><\/span><b> <\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">A Masonic lodge is essentially a local chapter. The term \u201clodge\u201d refers to both the members of that chapter (for example, Illinoistown-Clay Lodge No. 51, seen above) and the building in which they meet. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">Keep in mind that Freemasonry exists in nearly every country in the world. Lodges in a given region are overseen by a grand lodge, or larger administrative organization. The Grand Lodge of California is made up of more than 330 local lodges. Other Masonic organizations, like the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California and the Women&#8217;s Grand Lodge of California, have local lodges, as well.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.656; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.656; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-weight: bold; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">What Happens in a Lodge?<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">Every lodge has at least one recurring event on the calendar: A stated meeting. That\u2019s where members share announcements, vote on new members, and do the ongoing work of running the lodge, which is a nonprofit organization. It\u2019s also a regular chance for members to catch up and support one another. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">The lodge is also where new members advance through the degrees of Masonry, and where members hold parties, community events, and communal dinners.<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;\"><br \/>DID YOU KNOW?<\/span><\/p><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">While lodges almost always have a regular meeting place, they can actually meet anywhere as long as they follow a few rules. Historically, that\u2019s included some strange places, like the underground cave in the town of Volcano, Calif.<\/span><\/p><div><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e32391f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e32391f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-2.46.40-PM-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-image-1568\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Use the QR Code above to &#8220;Learn More About Freemasonry&#8221; Freemasonry, Explained Freemasonry (or Masonry, for short) is one of the world\u2019s most historic membership organizations, a 300-year-old worldwide fraternity of like-minded people committed to bettering themselves and their communities. Masonry encompasses a series of moral teachings based on allegory and the symbolism of ancient &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/?page_id=1473\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Discover Freemasonry<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1473","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1473"}],"version-history":[{"count":66,"href":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1778,"href":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1473\/revisions\/1778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mendocinomasons.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}