• 02/03/2026 …. February Stated

• 02/03/2026 …. Chili Cook-off

• 02/10/2026 …. Ritual Practice

• 02/17/2026 …. Ritual Practice

• 02/21/2026 …. D1 EA Workshop

• 02/24/2026 …. EA Degree

The 175th Rededication of Porter Lodge No. 137 is fast approaching, and commemorative coins are now available for purchase. By securing a coin, you not only own a piece of Masonic history but also support this special event, which will take place on May 8, 2027.

Official invitations and additional details will be sent to you in due course. For now, the most important thing is to claim your coin and preserve a lasting legacy for generations to come.

Order yours today.

WB Robert Easton:

Egregore: The Spirit of the Lodge

In most academic settings, an egregore is described as a kind of collective mental formation - a shared psychological construct that comes into being when a group of people hold the same beliefs, participate in the same rituals, and commit themselves to the same ideas…

Bro JD Trevor Merriman:

Raising a Four-Year-Old Mason

At four years of age, a child is already keenly aware of fairness, deeply sensitive to truth, and instinctively responsive to love. He knows when something is right long before he can explain why. In a way, he is not far from the position of that of an Entered Apprentice, standing at the threshold, perceiving more than he understands, and learning far more from observation than from instruction…

WB Duane A. Marshall:

Walking the Mosaic: Beyond the Black and White

I am going to share something from inside the Lodge. I do not really consider this a “Masonic Secret” as much as I do “Masonic Common Sense”. But then the majority of our lessons are very common sense. Maybe that’s why it takes a lifetime to master them?

WB Matthew Backus:

What Come You here to Do?

Brethren all: As we assemble for our Annual Feast of Saint John Observance, I’d like you to stop everything that you are doing right now. Look around the room and really absorb this moment. We are going to have a small exercise before we continue. As you look around the room at all these Freemasons, perhaps you don’t know everyone. That’s ok. Perhaps this is your first Table Lodge.

Someone must lead the Lodge, and so it has been since time immemorial. Brothers rise to the Oriental Chair to serve as Worshipful Masters - a title they carry for the rest of their lives as Worshipful Brothers (Past Masters). They deserve the utmost respect for their dedication, service, and labor. They are the beacons of every Lodge throughout the world, the custodians of authority, and the guardians of Masonic principles and values…

Within Freemasonry, ritual is far more than memorized words and practiced movements - it is the living heartbeat of the Craft. Every degree is designed to communicate timeless lessons through symbolism, cadence, and solemn delivery. When performed with precision and sincerity, the ritual becomes a powerful teaching tool, capable of leaving a lasting impression…

The members of the Lodge - especially those who have accepted an office - are expected to participate in the ritual work. This is one of the fundamental aims of our Craft: labor combined with thoughtful study and reflection.

The Lodge building improvement project continues into the new year of 2026 without pause, reflecting our ongoing commitment to preserving and enhancing the beauty of our Lodge. All materials needed to complete the East wall have now arrived, and the contractors have already begun work installing the columns and the stone pattern. This phase of construction is expected to take approximately…

A great deal goes into maintaining a respectable home. Our Lodge is our home, and rest assured that considerable effort is invested in keeping it both respectable and fully functional - for ourselves today and for future brethren.

Every part of the Lodge requires care and ongoing maintenance. Broken items must be repaired or replaced, and many systems require annual…

01/29/2026 - Valparaiso, Trustees meeting.

As is customary, the Trustees met on the Thursday prior to our Stated Meeting to deliberate on matters of building upkeep and future improvements. With the Lodge in the midst of significant renovations, the Trustees’ desk is heavy with proposals requiring careful consideration and vote. We commend these hardworking Brothers for their steadfast stewardship of our Lodge’s physical legacy.

The Porter Lodge traveling gavel is on the move once again following a successful fraternal visit on January 28.

Members of McKinley Lodge traveled to Lake Lodge in Crown Point to witness an Entered Apprentice degree. It was a well-executed evening with 22 members and the candidate in attendance. With six visiting brothers present, McKinley Lodge secured the majority required to officially recapture the traveling gavel and bring it home.

Congratulations to the brethren of McKinley Lodge for their dedication to the craft and for strengthening the bonds of fellowship through this visit.

***

The gavel is meant to move, and the challenge is always out to all surrounding lodges to come and take it back. As a reminder of the rules:

• A visiting lodge must have at least 5 brothers present to qualify.

• In the event of multiple lodges visiting, the gavel goes home with the brothers who traveled the furthest to get there.

To the exceptional brothers born in February: you didn’t settle for starting the year - you chose to own the shortest, coldest, and most unpredictable month of them all.

Everyone who pays their current balance—including any late fees—will immediately receive the newly designed 2026 membership card. Please note that all old membership cards are now officially expired and no longer valid for entry or Lodge business.

Get your payment in this week to ensure you receive your shiny new card and remain a member in good standing!