Membership does matter

The thing that matters most in a chapter is the friendship and good will that each member exhibits to the other men in the chorus. Yes, we are serious about good close singing harmony, BUT many of the men also come for the good-natured kidding around and teasing that gets a laugh or two along the way. As we bear down on learning a song, things can sometimes get a little strained. We're all trying to get it right the first time, but it doesn't always work that way.

As several of our newer members have indicated, they enjoy our Tuesday night meetings, simply because it is a relaxing way of reducing the tension that sometimes occurs in the course of normal living during that particular day, or the rest of the week. We shouldn't be thin-skinned either, because the teasing, which facilitates this reduction in tension, is sometimes aimed in our direction.

These thoughts have been going through my mind over the past few months, because many of us have recognized that the dynamics of our Society and our chapter itself is one of constant change. As time passes, we can take note of the changes in lifestyle and change in our home roots, which seem to occur with some degree of regularity.

It is true that we have been successful in attracting a number of new members, but we probably have to be more determined in our efforts to succeed in getting additional men just to stay at our normal membership number.

In the next few weeks, we will be scheduling an open house to invite men to visit with us. There will be hotdogs, soda, cake and coffee, and an introduction to the barbershop style of singing. Each of you will be asked to invite one person to join you at the meeting. There will be no pressure of any kind to get someone to join. It will strictly be an introduction to the barbershopping style of singing and a stress-free get-together with friends.