The Way and the Why -by Ian Love-Jones

Lately my work has opened my eyes to how easily practices are either misunderstood, missing from formal writings, or disconnected from practical use as time passes. In my frequent reviews of written texts and oral-accounts, I find myself asking meaningful questions. Questions like: how did we get here, is this official, should we still be here, and sometimes, what might it take to get to something that serves us better?

The Way of Things -By Torbjörn Andersson

Before each meeting, the lodge room waits in silence. The altar stands prepared. Candles rest unlit. Chairs form the room open and expectant. For a moment, the hall feels like sacred ground, as if time itself has slowed its pace.Then footsteps arrive. Quiet greetings. The soft rustle of regalia. And the work begins.

Assembling Speaking and Taking Action -By Ian Love-Jones

I’m always impressed by the sheer volume of support that can come out of just one Odd Fellow’s lodge. Support for not only members but for the larger community.

My lodge provides communal space for dance, music, theatre, and martial arts classes. We have a museum of local history centering influential Odd Fellows. We award laptops to high school seniors who actively give back to their community. We donate to relieve the distressed and to support humanitarian causes. We raise money for local PTAs with an annual Halloween carnival, and much more! And that’s all in addition to the support that we Odd Fellows offer to one another inside the lodge. I’ve seen first hand how we render aid to our members in need. Members that have gone through everything from strain and sickness, to the loss of a job, or a loved one.

THEY LAUGH BECAUSE I AM DIFFERENT. I LAUGH BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL THE SAME. -By Ian Irving Bacungan, Grand Sire, PHL

For a long time, I carried that line like a banner of defiance — as if being different meant standing in opposition, as if it were about resisting the crowd simply to prove that I could. I wore it like armor. I thought it was rebellion. I thought it was drawing a line between myself and the world and daring anyone to cross it. But the deeper I walked into Odd Fellowship, the more that understanding began to unravel.

When We See Humanity First -By Ian Love-Jones

Is it our fraternal association with one another that makes us realize all are worthy to be cared for? Or, is our agreement that all are worthy to be cared for the reason that we joined together in fellowship, to relieve the distressed, and to celebrate Friendship, Love and Truth. Does our union within Odd Fellowship give rise to us seeing the humanity of others? Or do we see that humanity first, which compels us to unite as Odd Fellows?

On Being Kind and On Being Nice -By Ian Irving Bacungan, Grand Sire, PHL

There are seasons in the life of an Order when reflection becomes necessary — not because we are failing, but because we care deeply about who we are becoming.

This is one of those seasons.

Today, I speak not only as a leader, but as a brother who loves this insitution. A brother who
believes in its mission. A brother who has stood at the altar, felt the weight of the obligation, and understands that what we profess is not ceremonial — it is sacred.

The Nourishment of Good Fellowship -By Ian Love-Jones

I recently chatted with Torbjorn Andersson, my friend and Odd brother abroad. We agreed that reflecting together on some aspect of the Order, regularly and in writing, would be a great way to let iron sharpen iron, and to always keep creative energy close at hand. That agreement fits perfectly with our first chosen topic — the nourishment of good fellowship. Here are my thoughts:

Nourishment through Odd Fellowship -By Torbjörn Andersson

Maybe some of our first memories of the lodge involve meals being served after meetings. Warm food fresh bread and simple desserts created a sense of peace and equality. Around the table rank and title fade and ordinary, sometimes deep, conversations take over. We remember listening to stories from senior members who had served the lodge for decades as well as newly initiated brothers and sisters. Their wisdom arrived without pressure. A small remark about friendship or truth that became food for thought.

Our Lodge, Hyattsville, and the Legacy of the First World War -by David Michael Newstead

Lodge members were there that day to welcome home their loved ones and fraternal brothers. Samuel Levin was there to see Private First Class Moses Levin. The Parlett family looked on at their son, Sergeant Percival Parlett Jr. Edward Devlin watched Seaman Second Class Edward Devlin Jr. march home in that grand procession. There was Captain James Moses Edlavitch, Captain Oswald Augustus Greager, and many more. For Bradley and Bernice Snyder though, there was some solace amidst the pain. Their oldest, Albert, had returned home from war even if their youngest, Maurice, had not. In total, the lodge lost four young men in the First World War.

Your Earnest Efforts -by Ian Love-Jones

Our Order demands that we care for the sick, and relieve the distressed. We are reminded not to judge another by their exterior, and to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. We are called on to show hospitality to strangers, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to be charitable. Simply declaring a positive belief or affiliation is hollow, without daily actions that are rooted in love.

Lifting the Veils -by Ian Love-Jones

Odd Fellowship does something admirable in the way that it lifts some of life’s veils, and reveals important teaching. Odd Fellowship admits that true sight rarely happens the instant we discover something new.

A New Name -By Ian Love-Jones

I’m in love with growth and personal reinvention. I once moved professionally from being a jailer, to becoming a teacher and author, and once moved personally from having a smaller circle to becoming an Odd Fellow, with kin across the world. I know intimately how each day of life brings new possibilities. I believe that we were created — not to stagnate, but to grow! And that explains why the white stone ceremony resonates so deeply with me each new year.