DDEBORAH
GRAND CHAPTER
ORDER
OF EASTERN STAR
Prince Hall Affiliation
Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19140
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DDEBORAH
GRAND CHAPTER
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19140 |
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Membership
New Members Directive No. 1
Membership/New Members
OPEN DOOR MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT
On July 16, 2007, Most Worshipful Grand Master Samuel King announced and authorized an “Open Door Membership Policy” for use by DGC. This policy will be in effect for a limited period of time! The purpose of this Directive is to provide specific administrative guidelines for the official implementation of the Open Door Policy.
Deborah Grand Chapter’s membership has decreased from a high of 6,000 in 1993 to approximately 3,400 currently. This is a decrease of more than 40%. Unfortunately, use of established recruiting methods (via the blood-line and an extended blood-line) have not resulted in obtaining a significant number of new members. Considering the average 50 years plus age of our current membership, the organization will not survive another 25 years without the addition of a significant number of new and younger members.
Recruiting Technique!
Our intent is to recruit only women of good mental & moral character, who believe in a Supreme Being and are willing to make a personal choice to join the Order of Eastern Star! Therefore, we must solicit only women who would be an asset to the organization; indeed, would be a valued member of your family!! We are not interested in recruiting the “most people”; only the “best people”! Therefore, there absolutely will be NO AWARDS given to chapters that recruit the greatest number under this Open Door Policy! Your only reward will be the satisfaction that you enhanced the active membership of your chapter!
Good possible sources for the quality of women we need for the organization to thrive are as follows: your church, Greek Sororities, capable co-workers, good neighbors, and personal friends. Always remember that you are recruiting members of your family. Your signature on a Petition for Membership signifies your personal knowledge that the applicant is of good moral character and wants to be a contributing member of DGC!.
Several useful tools are being prepared and will be made available to help your recruiting efforts. We are preparing a pamphlet entitled “What is the Order of Eastern Star?” and a special Open Door Recruitment Flyer. Both of these items will be available in September and will be distributed at Seminar 2007. These materials should be given to all prospective applicants: they may also be distributed at all public OES functions, i.e., banquets, luncheons, etc. To further enlighten the membership about the Open Door Policy and its implementation, there will an overview of the program during Seminar 2007. Topics to be discussed include: recruitment techniques, revised Investigation Committee Questionnaires, scheduling of area and regional Mass Initiations, etc.
In summary, sisters and brothers, the Grand Master has given us an opportunity to greatly enhance the membership of DGC, thereby ensuring the survival of our great organization! It is important that we anxiously, but very, very carefully, take advantage of this unique situation. Because of negative experiences with the previous Open Door Program, this Directive is issued prior to the approved solicitation of “Open Door” petitions. We must ensure that adequate preparation, i.e., orientation, training, solicitation materials, etc are in place BEFORE we actually begin the program.
Therefore, applications under the “Open Door Policy” MAY NOT BE SOLICITED until further written guidance is issued by this office.
We thank you for your complete cooperation in this matter! Please direct all inquiries regarding this Directive to the Office of the Grand Worthy Matron and Grand Worthy Patron.