Extend fellowship beyond the doors of your Hall

Extend fellowship beyond the doors of your Hall

By Amanda Brozana Rios

Membership and Leadership Development Director

“For in our fraternity, there is work forall…” So we learn in the First Degree.

Yet, the Grange is not just for work. It isa “social order” that reminds its membersto “avoid intemperance in… work andrecreation” at the close of every meeting.

As new members take part in thewelcoming ceremony, they hear they can“expect from this Grange fellowship” first,before the President goes on to say they willhave “a chance to explore and develop to[their] highest potential and the opportunityto serve.”

We know our founders and leaders overthe past 155 years took great pride in writingthe ritual work of the Grange with precision,so it is not a stretch to believe that these three“expectations” were written in the order theyfelt was most important.

How is your Grange doing with thatimportant balance of doing good forothers while being good for your membersand their social needs? How often doesyour membership get together outside ofmeetings and activities that support theservice, operations and maintenance ofyour Grange and its property to just enjoythe company of one another – to meet theexpectation of fellowship?

If the answer is “not often” or “never,” yourGrange – regardless of how successful it maybe in other ways – is failing at one of its coreobjectives. With all the challenges Grangescan identify, improving our fellowship focusis one of the easiest – and potentially themost meaningful – we can make to improvethe Grange experience for those who havealready joined, whether they remain active ornot, and those who may be welcomed in thenear future.

Fellowship for the present and future

Every Grange and every community is different, but a simple resolve to increase and improve fellowship opportunities can be made by every Grange today. To show how easy it is for any Grange – regardless of size, age of members, budget, and other factors – a list of suggestions for fellowship opportunities and tips is included in this article.

The focus here is on what you can do that requires little or no planning/work, and requires little of your members beyond “showing up.” This is meant to encourage fellowship opportunities with fun at the heart - there’s more than enough work to do later, and of course, at any gathering of Grangers you’ll find lots of discussion about a next big event, project or initiative.

Don’t forget, these events are a great way to introduce people you think might make great Grange members to your membership and make them more comfortable when

they finally attend a Grange meeting. Plus, it’s easier for your members to “vet” them to see if they’re a good fit for membership when they’re just getting to know one another and hang out in a social situation.

Moreover, if you’re wondering what your community wants out of your Grange and what would motivate someone to join, inviting a prospective member to a social event will get that conversation going without much prodding. What are they suggesting the Grange could focus on with service projects or outreach? What programs could you offer to pique their interests and answer their questions? You may find so much more benefit than just getting to spend some quality time with friends and fellow Grangers by adding fellowship opportunities into your routine.

If you’re thinking “why would someone come hang out with us,” the same applies with “why would someone join our Grange?”

If you don’t enjoy one another socially, how can you expect someone new to choose to spend their time working with this group and learning all kinds of new and strange things from them.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully helps you to think of what would work for your group.

Fellowship ideas

• Go out for ice cream

• Walk around a local arts festival

• Hold an impromptu mini golf competition

• Go pumpkin picking

• Invite the Grange over for a board game night

• Sign up for a 5K walk together

• Take yourselves out to the ballgame (major league or Little League - it’s all a good time)

• Attend a Farm-to-Table (or other) dinner at a local restaurant

• Go to a movie together

• Weekend getaway at a nearby camp

• Spend the day at an amusement park

• Tailgate together before a Friday night football game

• Lawn games and backyard barbecue

• Head to the fair for youth livestock showing or auction night and cheer on the kids (and future members)

• Have a pool party at a member’s house

• Visit a new exhibit at a local museum

• See a peformance at the community theatre or high school

• Go to BINGO night together

• Meet at a park and take a leisurely walk or bike ride

• Make a team and play in a local noncompetitive league (volleyball, kickball, darts, etc.)

After you identify some possible fellowship opportunities, think of how you can make it most successful and how you can implement a focus on fellowship in your Grange that will excite all of your members. Here are a few tips.

Tips for Fellowship Opportunities

Make them casual. Make sure folks know if they can’t come or aren’t interested, it’s OK. Include the whole family - even the ones that haven’t joined yet. On that same vein, don’t forget to invite friends and neighbors you think may be good Grangers. Also remember to reach out and invite members you haven’t seen in a while.

Post about it! Tell others the fun you’re having with your Grange family at these impromptu/casual events to show Grange is not just all work and no play.

Be proud. Wear your Grange gear and identify as a group of Grangers. Let your community know you’re more than just a building or a “secret society.”

Don’t be afraid to decide on short notice. You don’t have to have the event planned months in advance. You could decide on Wednesday that you’d like to invite everyone to a pool party at your house on Saturday, and that’s ok!

Make the mundane and must-do’s fun by adding fellowship. Have a group of young parents in your Grange? They’ll all have “school shopping” on their to-do list in August. Why not go together?

Let the calendar be your guide. You can use special days/months (like Dairy Month or Pizza Day) to help you come up with ideas.

Laugh out loud and be silly. Nothing says Grangers can’t show that they’re having fun when they’re together.

Don’t let your outings create or reinforce cliques. Make sure everyone is invited and there are a variety of interests and times/days represented in what you organize.

Everyone should feel welcome to offer invitations to the group. Consider creating an “unofficial social committee” or “fellowship committee” who can coordinate getting the word out about opportunities and invitations but make sure everyone in the Grange feels empowered to contribute to the calendar or list of ideas.

Don’t forget to support your members and their families. If someone’s grandson is in a championship Little League tournament, your support will be meaningful to your member and their family - all prospective members who likely already have some understanding and appreciation of the Grange.

A Final Note

Just because these fellowship opportunities focus on fun doesn’t mean work and service can’t grow from them. Think of the pumpkin picking idea - a few members could then volunteer to take extra pumpkins and make pie filling that could be sold as a fundraiser for your Grange or be made into pies that could be given to shut-ins or struggling families around the holidays.

There are an unimaginable number of possibilities to blend our desire to serve with our social inclinations. Striking the balance can make the Grange exciting again for members who may have fallen away and make it the perfect fit for so many more people in your area.