Our mission is guided by the enduring and relevant tenets of our fraternity - Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth - and our core values, including:

Tolerance - The fraternity values religious, ethnic, cultural, social, and educational differences and implores us to  respect the opinions of others and strive to improve and develop as human beings.

Personal growth - Our continuous pursuit of knowledge, ethics, spirituality, and leadership brings more meaning to our lives.

Ethics - Our lives are based on honor and integrity, and we believe that honesty, compassion, trust, and knowledge are the underpinnings of every successful man.

There are numerous benefits to being a Mason, but they tend to be personal and varied. The benefits can only be truly discovered by becoming a member. But we can try and give you an idea. Without question you will have the opportunity to experience fellowship with a group of men across the boundaries of age, race, religion, culture, and opinion. This is a fundamental concept to the Fraternity. Many find great value and knowledge in our ritual ceremony — it uses symbolism and metaphors to encourage and remind us to appreciate principles, ethics, and morality, and to live our lives accordingly. Others find great satisfaction in our charitable efforts, community service, and the support we provide our members and their families. Finally, for those who take on leadership positions within their lodge, they have the chance to develop or further very practical management skills.

To be considered for admission to Wayzata Lodge No. 205, one need only be a man of at least 18 years of age, of sound moral character and profess a belief in a Supreme Being (which is up to the petitioner’s interpretation). 

Ask. If you are interested in joining Masonry, ask a Mason – he will be more than happy to help you.

It is quite possible you know a Mason but you just don’t realize it. If your father, uncles, or grandfathers aren’t Masons, they probably know someone who is. You might also want to ask around your workplace or school, church, or gym — anywhere that you find a group of men, you might find a Mason. Masons tend to be very proud of their association with the Fraternity, but though many love to talk about Masonry, others are uncomfortable talking about it.

If you don’t know anyone who is a Mason and you are a complete stranger to all of the members of the Lodge, you are going to want to take some time getting to know them. They are going to want to take some time getting to know you too. Once you are ready to Ask, a member of the Lodge will sign your petition.

Time: Becoming a Mason takes several months from the time you complete your petition until you have finished your degrees. Until you begin taking your degrees though, very little is asked of you. Once the degree work begins you will need to attend your Lodge’s monthly meeting. There is also some side work that you will need to complete that amounts to a little bit of homework. Every member of the Fraternity has gone through this process and Wayzata Lodge No. 205 will assign a Mentor to help you.

Once you have completed your three degrees, we expect our members to attend their lodge’s “Stated Communication,” or monthly meeting, although it is not required. Sometimes there will be a special meeting on a second night in a month. Beyond that, there are other activities going on: community service, family and social outings, etc. that take place throughout the year. We hope our members will participate in the events that their time and interest allows. We also recognize and understand the need for balance between family, work or school, and other interests and commitments.

Cost: Considering the cost to join many organizations these days, Freemasonry could be thought of as a bargain. But there are some costs involved, like initiation fees and dues.

A one-time initiation fee is $250 for the three degrees program. There are also annual dues that run $150 to maintain membership.

Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion, although it is comprised of religious men. It’s essential qualification opens it to men of many religions and it expects them to continue to follow their own faith. It is a positive environment that reminds every Freemason of his duty to himself, his family, community and the Supreme Architect (an individual’s own definition of a Supreme Being.). Freemasonry does not allow religion to be discussed at it’s meetings.

No. It is sometimes said that Freemasonry is a “Society with secrets, not a secret society.” In point of fact, however, any purported Masonic “secrets” were made public several centuries ago in London newspapers, and today can be found in the Library of Congress, on the Internet, and in many books on the subject. Benjamin Franklin once said, “The great secret of Freemasonry is that there is no secret at all.” But some say the one great secret of Freemasonry… is finding out who YOU really are.

The nature of Masonic ritual is both complex and beautiful. “Ritual” is a formal ceremony of initiation which recites certain tenets and truths that have been passed down for generations. This “Ritual” takes the form of lectures and theater in the Lodge, and is used to teach new Masons the value of true friendship, the benefits of knowledge, and the necessity of helping those in need.

It speaks to the power and impact our ritual has on men’s hearts and minds because it has stood the test of time for more than 300 years. Although our world has changed dramatically during that time, our ritual is virtually the same.

Not everyone will want to learn the ancient ritual — as it takes great time and study — but those Masons who chose to learn it are rewarded with the satisfaction of upholding a great tradition and helping their fellow brothers further their Masonic understanding.

Freemasonry often employs metaphors of architecture. Following the practice of the ancient stonemason guilds, Freemasons use special handshakes, words, and symbols to not only to identify each other, but to help.

Although every Freemason takes an obligation — and vows to keep the secrets of Masonry — it doesn’t matter to him that you can find the secrets in print; what matters is that he keeps his promise. And the secrets he is protecting are only used to help Masons become better men; and there’s certainly no secret surrounding what it takes to be good and true.

Freemasonry is a beautiful system of morality, vailed in allegory, and illustrated by symbols dedicated to the brotherhood of man under the all seeing eye of our Creator. Freemasons in a Lodge conduct the fraternal business of making Freemasons, disperse lodge charity and receive instruction in truth. Freemasons out of their lodges are to be active citizens in the community by practicing brotherly love, relief, and truth.

Yes!  If you can make it down to the Lodge on a Stated Meeting night, you’d be welcome as our guest for dinner, you could meet some of the Brother’s and get a tour of the Lodge. Stated Meeting Dinners are on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 P.M.

The annual dues will be $150.00 for the 2024 calendar year and may be paid via cash, check or online. Please make all cash and checks payable to “Wayzata Lodge No. 205” and submit payments to Lodge Secretary. All dues are to be received by no later than December 31st.

The best way to get information is to talk to a Mason. If you would like, we can arrange a convenient time to meet, introduce you to some other members, give you a tour of the building, and answer your questions.