The Modern Odd Fellow's Guide
I have just finished my term as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of
Washington, IOOF. We had an excellent session of the Grand Lodge at
which we conducted a lot of very important business and then I turned
the gavel over to my successor. The whole process of proceeding through
the chairs of the Grand Lodge felt like a whirlwind but now that it’s
complete I have the opportunity to reflect and share what I’ve learned.
Think of your lodge now. Being a member for 20 years will have many ups and downs; good seasons and not so good seasons. Are there members in your lodge who have been “life-long fans”? Get them to tell you why their fandom has survived. Could you be a life-long fan of your lodge too?
Read More Being a Fan of Your Lodge by Billy SandersonI have often been asked if I consider myself to be more of a traditionalist or a reformer when it comes to Odd Fellowship. I actually don’t consider those to be a contradiction, however. Odd Fellowship itself has evolved considerably over the years, from the “convivial society” of the 1700’s through the height of ritual and symbolism during the 1800’s and the charitable and service focus of the 1900’s. I do not yet know what this century will bring, but I do know that there is much of value in our past.
Read More Traditional Odd Fellowship, by Michael GreenzeigerA little over two years ago, two Odd Fellows who were Facebook friends were discussing the lack of new Odd Fellow content online. So we cooked up a crazy idea of starting a blog together. We had no idea where we would go with it or if anyone would bother to read it, but it was worth a shot. So here we are two years later! Not wanting to toot our own horn and we know we aren’t the biggest blog in the world but all expectations were blown away. 50,000 views is a lot more than we ever expected to get.
Read More 50,000 Views in Two Years!A terrific video about why we, in the 21st century, are considered by some to be the loneliest people in world history. This video interview has adult language.
Read More THE LONELINESS EPIDEMIC: Make Odd Fellows Your Tribe.I started thinking about the physical and spiritual sacred space of the Lodge and how it acts to bring people together. During the Opening Ritual we physically seal the room by securing the doors and covering the windows from the outside world and its influences and we spiritually strip ourselves of who we are on the outside and take on the mantle of our respective office.
Read More Coming Together Where the World is Shut Out – New Art by Ainslie HeilichBelow are 9 ways Odd Fellows can help you go to school to better yourself. Check these out! THE LOAN PROGRAM: Who Is Eligible to Receive a Loan? It is required that applicants must be, or have a relative who is an active member of an Odd Fellow or Rebekah Lodge. A student desiring a […]
Read More Nine Odd Fellow Scholarships and Loans for Education