On January 12, the officers of Porter Lodge convened in the dining room for their first officers’ meeting of the year. The newly installed Worshipful Master outlined his vision for the year, first in broad terms and then with greater detail. A variety of initiatives were discussed, with a strong emphasis on strengthening fellowship among the brethren and their families. To that end, several inclusive events were proposed, including a movie night at the Lodge, shared dinners, the annual picnic, and similar gatherings.

INDIANAPOLIS – On Saturday, January 10, Freemasons from across the state gathered at the historic Scottish Rite Cathedral for the annual Founders Day celebration. The event served as both a reflection on our storied past and a bold roadmap for the future of the Craft in Indiana.

The weekend began early for many, as Brothers traveled to the circle city on Friday evening. These informal gatherings in the downtown area provided a vital opportunity for fraternizing and strengthening brotherly bonds—the very essence of our fraternity—before the formal proceedings commenced the following morning.

Social media—defined here as all electronic messaging and social platforms—is a powerful tool for connection. The Grand Lodge of Indiana embraces these technologies and supports their regular use by our Brethren.

As I look back on the moment I was asked to become a Lodge officer, I can still feel the weight of that decision pressing on my heart. Fear was my first companion—fear of the unknown, fear of failing those who trusted me, and fear of stepping into a role that demanded more than I believed I could give.

Freemasonry came to America through Europe, with England and Scotland being two distinguished locations of early Speculative Masonry. Christianity was the main religion in those regions during that time period. St. John the Baptist had long been associated with Freemasonry, extending back to references of St. John's Masons throughout medieval Europe during the time of Operative Masonry.

 As we look forward to 2026, our Lodge is excited to move ahead with a clear and thoughtful plan for the year—one that reflects the vision of our Worshipful Master, Ian Christiansen, and his commitment to strengthening our Lodge through fellowship, education, and brotherly care.

During our most recent officer installation, where I was appointed Senior Steward, I watched our new Senior Deacon pray while closing the 3 Great Lights during the closing of the Lodge. I wondered to myself, what will I be praying for when I am in that chair?

Step back into the vibrant heritage of our Lodge with this evocative look at a newly unearthed historical treasure. Spanning from our mid-19th-century foundations to the roaring dawn of the 1920s, this retrospective captures the "Golden Age" of American Masonry—an era when our halls hummed with the energy of hundreds of brothers bound by a shared and powerful purpose.

Brother Paul Bearer was just about half-way through delivering the most eloquent recital of the Winding Staircase lecture that I had ever witnessed in my time as a Mason. I was mesmerized, his inflection carried on like the ancient cadence of monks chanting while they worked in perfect rhythm. I was hanging on every word that seemed to flow like a stream of honey. It was poetry, it was art, it was beauty.