The Quiet Work – By Ian Love-Jones

We sew, protect, and nurture the seeds of trust and connection. And we do that by checking in, rooting out discord, providing safety in stormy times, offering nourishing interactions, and allowing the right amount of space (opportunity) for things to grow.

Everything, everywhere, all at once – By Torbjörn Andersson

We live in an age of relentless demands, where expectations, responsibilities and ambitions compete for our attention. The world moves at an extraordinary pace, urging us to pursue more, achieve more and become more. Amid this constant motion, a fundamental question remains: what truly deserves our time, our loyalty and our devotion?

Many Things In Proper Measure – By Ian Love-Jones

There are many ingredients to measure. Depending on the particular talents, interests, work-life schedules, and financial means of the membership, your lodge may excel in some areas more than others. There’s nothing wrong with a lodge that overwhelmingly shines in a few specific areas, but equilibrium is critical.

Here comes a candle – By Torbjörn Andersson

Wisdom rarely means having all the answers. More often, it means learning how to listen. To listen to another brother. To recognize the person who stands quietly at the edge of the fellowship. To notice the brother who carries a burden beneath his smile. To offer encouragement when it is needed. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give another person is simply to see them. This is where our values become real.

Elevating Character – By Ian Love-Jones

I did not seek initiation because of famous Odd Fellows, though there are many. The marketing doesn’t hurt though! It can be exciting to know in the back of your mind, that your name appears in the same registers with titans in history … In our enthusiasm for shared kinship with strong willed leaders, and high achievers, we should also be discerning about whom we celebrate. I caution discernment not because I ever expect humans to be perfect and uncomplicated – I expect quite the opposite, in fact. I am only observing that notoriety is not always the mark of a life spent promoting or demonstrating good character, or even a life that demonstrated redemptive change.

Light A Candle – by Ian Love-Jones

Please know that lighting a candle rather than simply cursing the darkness isn’t about ignoring challenges, looking down on healthy venting, or creating some self initiated cure-all. Lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness is a reminder of how important it is to first find some hope, when throwing up our hands would feel far easier. It is an encouragement to do just what we can when the world seems bleak, and we are tired. Lighting a candle and not just cursing the darkness is a lesson: that even small lights when openly shone, can travel far, signal needs or solutions, summon non-judgmental helpers, and inspire others to light their own candles so that we can press back the gloom as a collective.

Becoming An Elder – By Ian Love-Jones

So where can the elders of today and tomorrow discover the true shape of their mantle? For me as an Odd Fellow, involvement in the Encampment is about embracing that particular journey and transition. The titles of Patriarch, Matriarch, or elder are not just about being the oldest or most experienced within a family. More broadly, those titles describe leaders, nurturers, and protectors. Those monikers describe people who provide reassurance, and a positive example. As elders within the Encampment we should inspire, teach, and develop others – all while continuing to learn.

Who Will You Empower? – By Ian Love-Jones

Your life doesn’t have to be perfect to give back. So often, people need your humanity more than your holiness, and your seasoning more than your success. Give it thought and you’ll start to discover the many ways that you could give back to someone else. You may have precious knowledge from hard earned lessons, you might have a moment to listen and encourage, or particularly as Odd Fellows, you could open the door to a world of supportive community.

A Secret Garden -By Ian Love-Jones

The fraternal lodge is a sealed space where inner growth-work can happen in seclusion. It’s a secret garden of sorts, a place where we can cultivate the delicate fruits of change that the wider world may see later on.

The hidden journey of growth is a concept known to many fraternal folks. Odd Fellows shun worldly praise in favor of “treasures in heaven” (spiritual rewards). Hermetic scholars watch over the science of gradual transformation, knowing that a controlled setting is crucial to cause and effect.

Sanctuary -By Torbjörn Andersson

One of the greatest gifts I have found in Odd Fellow is the idea of sanctuary. The word sanctuary often brings to mind a physical location. A church, a temple, or perhaps a quiet room removed from the noise of everyday life. Yet the longer I have been involved in Odd Fellow, the more I have understood that sanctuary is far more than a place. It is an experience. It is a feeling. It is a state of mind. There are certain places in life where we feel at ease almost immediately. Places where the pace slows, where conversation carries meaning, and where we can set aside the demands of the outside world for a while.

Is Your Lodge a Sanctuary? -By Ian Love-Jones

Odd Fellows, how well do you understand sanctuary? I ask because lodges that serve their members to the fullest, provide some forms of it. Depending on your age or circumstances your introduction to sanctuary could look very different. At 44 years old, my earliest memory of the word came from two different movie versions of Quasimodo swinging into church and calling for protection against persecution, and violence.

The Lodge as a Microcosm of a Positive Society -By Torbjörn Andersson

The lodge as a microcosm of a positive society.

Within the quiet atmosphere of the lodgeroom, something remarkable takes shape.
Through ceremony, symbols, and fellowship, the lodge becomes far more than a meeting place. It becomes a reflection of society as it could be at its very best: a microcosm of a positive society built upon tradition, dignity, respect, truth, and brotherhood.