Through the Door -By Ian Love-Jones

If you’re like me, you might have grown up with stories about magical doors where wonder, and transformation waited on the other side of the threshold: Alice In Wonderland, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and others. In those early days, I hadn’t yet been through many doors of my own. So, I enjoyed those tales without knowing life’s many gateways where travelers are changed by passing through.

Beyond the Threshold – A Passage – By Torbjörn Andersson

There are moments in life that arrive in silence yet remain long within us. Within the lodge, the crossing of a threshold forms such a moment. It appears simple, almost ordinary, yet it carries a depth shaped by tradition, intention, and shared experience. A threshold marks a turning.

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.

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.

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.

Odd Fellowship and Superheroes Part 2 -By Torbjörn Andersson

People often imagine the Odd Fellow world as a place of deep reflection, solemn symbols, and quiet dignity. All true. Yet if you look closely you may also discover something else: the spirit of a superhero meeting with less punching, fewer capes, and far better coffee.

Odd Fellowship and Superheroes Part 1 -By Torbjörn Andersson

Every fellowship begins with a single act of courage. Within the Odd Fellow world this courage emerges when an individual chooses service over comfort, compassion over indifference, and dignity over pride. While ancient symbols hold deep meaning, a surprising guide can be found in the heroes of the cartoon universe. Their stories reveal a truth […]

Visiting the Sick: Beyond the Bedside -By Ian Love-Jones

For a truer understanding of what it means to visit the sick, it helps to understand what it means to live with a serious illness, injury, or infirmity. Being sick is often much more complex than not feeling well. And visiting the sick has much greater depth than simply making an appearance at the bedside.

There is No Clock on the Wall of the Lodgehall! -by Torbjörn Andersson

When we visit a lodge in a place other than our homelodge, we immediately feel at home in the foreign hall because it has so much in common with our own.

Perspectives on Fellowship -By Ian Love-Jones

I love fellowship because it does so many things. Did you know that fellowship is more than just friendly association? Fellowship goes even deeper than building lasting friendships, and a sense of community. A subtler benefit of fellowship is that it is a multifaceted course of study, a vehicle for the fellows to learn.

What is Love? -By Ian Love-Jones

What is love? I’ll wait for fans of Haddaway’s hit song to finish their head-bobbing karaoke session. In all seriousness, let’s reflect on that question together: what is love? As Odd Fellows, Love is one of our cherished watchwords and so it’s only fair that we are clear on what love actually is.