17 Songs That Make You Think About Odd Fellowship

Matisyahu, Tim McGraw, Drake, Michael Franti, singers from the musical Rent, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Rage Against the Machine, Queen, Luminaries, Black Eyed Peas, Craig Morgan, White Stripes, Aretha Franklin, Bo Diddley, Swedish House Mafia, Bob Dylan. OK folks, these are music videos that can get you thinking about being an Odd Fellow. Some are […]

Diagram of the 1797 Lodge Layout of the Patriotic Order of Odd Fellows

First, the link below should bring up a diagram of a lodge of Patriotic Odd Fellows in 1797: Patriotic Order of Odd Fellows Lodge Layout The documentation I used to support the making of this diagram is the description of the lodge found in the 1797 ritual book. In looking at the diagram of the […]

Following Yourself On The Jericho Road

What if the story of the Good Samaritan is about YOU and your personal suffering? Taken as a whole, The Good Samaritan story can be about your own “inner suffering.” Those nights you are alone and cry yourself to sleep. Your anguish at not being able to achieve your goals, or that nagging addiction part […]

CONSIDER THE POOR, 1845.

CONSIDER THE POOR. (Adapted and edited for the 21st century reader from The Symbol and Odd Fellows Magazine, 1845. I used 19th/early 20th century photos and drawings to keep with the tone of the article) We call the attention of our readers to the following excerpt, from a report, made by the Episcopal city missionary, Bro. […]

DISCRIMINATION AND RELIEVING THE POOR

As we are called to relieve people who are in distress, we need to understand how certain discriminatory laws contribute to making life harder for others and creates problems beyond their control, especially if one is poor. It is very common for such laws to create inequality even today in 21st century societies. Following is […]

Tips For Creating An Effective Social Media Campaign For Your Lodge

If we’re going to continue increasing membership, we need to consider this statement: In order to recruit Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z, we’re going to have to engage them online using social media FIRST. “…using social media FIRST” is an extreme statement, but I mean to sound extreme to challenge some of you to understand the […]

Is It Time For Your GL to Call It Quits? A Historical View.

The number we keep seeing is 200. We see this number from research conducted by Dedicated Members for Change (God bless ye!), and also mentioned by others on various Facebook posts and direct messages some of us receive. What’s the number 200? The consensus seems to be, that if your jurisdiction has fewer than 200 […]

THE LONELINESS EPIDEMIC: Make Odd Fellows Your Tribe.

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.

Should Your Lodge Have A Pledge Period for Candidates?

To answer the title question, I’m not sure. Just tossing this idea out there, so I may change my mind. I first became aware of the notion of an Odd Fellows pledge period through the reading of the Davis Lodge #169 of California website. Davis Lodge #169 has new candidates go through a pledge period, […]

Nine Odd Fellow Scholarships and Loans for Education

Below 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 […]

Odd Fellowship, Religion, and Compromise

The issue of religion in Odd Fellowship pops up often these days. And for those who aren’t Odd Fellows, nearly all members understand The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is NOT a church. In fact we have less religion in our Order than many other fraternal orders. It’s just that many U.S. Odd Fellows want […]

Advice For Initiates

A Mystic Master once said, “To visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead, and educate the orphan is the command of our laws, and a duty which we require.“ There’s not a better statement than the one above for a new Odd Fellow to hear. The statement is both a warning and an […]