Question 1

Who can join?

Accepted Answer

Anyone 18 or older who is of good character, willing to contribute time to the lodge, and able to affirm the three basic commitments of Odd Fellowship: belief in a Supreme Being, loyalty to country, and willingness to abide by the Order's teachings.

You do not need to be from St. John, related to a current member, or have a specific occupation or background. We have members from across Stafford County and a few from farther out.

Question 2

What happens at a meeting?

Accepted Answer

A regular meeting runs about an hour and a half. It opens with a short ritual reading — a few minutes of ceremony that ties us back to two hundred years of lodge tradition. Then the Secretary reads the minutes from the last meeting, the Treasurer reports on finances, and committees update on what they're working on.

After the business portion, we talk about upcoming events, vote on any applications or lodge decisions, and close. Afterwards, most of us hang around for coffee.

Regular meetings themselves are members-only. If you're thinking about joining, a meal is served at 6:30 p.m. before the meeting on meeting Thursdays — you're welcome to share it with us. Call or email first so we know to watch for you.

Question 3

How much does it cost to join? How much are dues?

Accepted Answer

Up front:
Initiation fee: $25 — paid once, before your initiation ceremony.

Ongoing:
Annual dues: $64.50 per year — billed annually.

If lump-sum payment is a hardship, ask about a payment plan. Nobody gets turned away from membership over money.

Question 4

Do I need to believe in a specific religion?

Accepted Answer

No. The Order requires belief in a Supreme Being, but is deliberately non-specific about which tradition. Our members include Protestants, Catholics, members of other faith traditions, and members who hold a broader spiritual view.

If you're wondering whether your beliefs are compatible, the short answer is: almost certainly yes. If you want to talk it through before applying, email the Membership Committee at lodge@ioof539.com.

Question 5

What's the time commitment?

Accepted Answer

Two Thursday evenings a month, 7:30 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m., at the Lodge Hall on 1st Street.

On top of that, most members contribute to one or two lodge projects a year — a community BBQ, a cemetery cleanup, a scholarship committee. The amount is up to you. The only real expectation is that you show up for meetings and do your part when it's your turn.

Question 6

How is this different from the Masons, the Elks, or the Rotary?

Accepted Answer

All four are civic and fraternal organizations. The differences are in lineage and emphasis.

The Masons (Freemasonry) trace back to medieval stonemason guilds and have an older ritual tradition. The Odd Fellows split off from an English branch of a similar stream in the 1700s.

The Elks (BPOE) were founded in 1868, half a century after the Odd Fellows. They tend to run larger social facilities — clubhouses, restaurants, golf courses — and emphasize veteran and youth programs.

The Rotary was founded in 1905 as a business-networking service club. It runs lunch meetings and tends to focus on professional service.

The Odd Fellows (IOOF) emphasize the four original charges — visit the sick, help the distressed, bury the dead, educate the orphan — and were, historically, the first American fraternal order to admit women (as Rebekahs, 1851). Most of our work is quiet, local, and direct.

People who love all of them exist. They're not competitors. They're siblings.

Question 7

Can I visit before committing?

Accepted Answer

Yes — just not inside the meeting itself. Regular meetings are members-only, but we serve a meal at 6:30 p.m. before the 7:30 p.m. meeting on meeting Thursdays, and you're welcome to join us for it. A tour of the hall is easy to arrange too. Call or email ahead so we know to watch for you.

You can also meet one of our members for coffee — we'll set that up if you ask. No pressure. No sign-up required.

Question 8

What if I'm not from St. John?

Accepted Answer

You're welcome. Many of our members are from elsewhere in Stafford County and beyond. What matters is whether you can show up to meetings and participate, not your ZIP code.

Question 9

Is my family welcome?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Spouses, partners, and children are welcome at public lodge events — BBQs, breakfasts, community days, get-togethers. Regular meetings themselves are for members only.

The Rebekahs (the sister branch of the Order, chartered in 1851) are the traditional path for women to become full members of the Odd Fellow family in lodges where both branches are active.

Question 10

What do Odd Fellows actually do in the community?

Accepted Answer

At the local level: scholarships for graduating seniors, meals after funerals, rides to medical appointments, flag-planting at veterans' graves, community BBQs and get-togethers open to the whole town, fundraisers for causes that don't have a better-funded advocate.

At the national level: the Educational Foundation funds ten categories of scholarships, the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth sends high school juniors to the UN for a summer session, and the Order partners with the Arthritis Foundation and SOS Children's Villages.

Question 11

Do I need a sponsor?

Accepted Answer

No. You do not need to know a current member before applying. If you don't have a sponsor, the lodge will assign one when your application comes in.

Sponsors aren't gatekeepers. They're a named member who can answer your questions during the application period and introduce you around at your first meeting.

Question 12

How long does the application process take?

Accepted Answer

Usually four to six weeks, start to finish. Everything we decide happens at a regular meeting, and we meet twice a month.

1. Your application is read at the next regular meeting and sent to the Membership Committee.
2. You sit down with a few members for an interview.
3. At the meeting after that, members vote on your application.
4. Initiation is at the next meeting after the vote passes.

Why this rhythm? Our decisions happen at meetings, and meetings are every two weeks. That pace is why four to six weeks is typical.

Question 13

Is my information kept private?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We use your application information only to process your petition and communicate with you about the lodge. We do not sell, share, or rent your information to anyone.

Our full privacy practices live on the Privacy Policy page.

Question 14

What if the lodge votes me down?

Accepted Answer

It's rare, but it happens. If it does, a lodge officer will reach out to you about it. In most cases, a 'no' is about timing or about specific questions the lodge needs answered — not about you as a person.

You can reapply.

Question 15

What do I wear to a visit or to initiation?

Accepted Answer

We do not have a dress code. Wear appropriate, comfortable clothing.

For a visit: what you'd wear to have dinner out is more than fine.

For your initiation: the same — come as you are.

Frequently asked questions

Still have a question?

Frequently asked questions

Still have a question?

Frequently asked questions

Fifteen most-asked questions

01Who can join?

02What happens at a meeting?

03How much does it cost to join? How much are dues?

04Do I need to believe in a specific religion?

05What's the time commitment?

06How is this different from the Masons, the Elks, or the Rotary?

07Can I visit before committing?

08What if I'm not from St. John?

09Is my family welcome?

10What do Odd Fellows actually do in the community?

11Do I need a sponsor?

12How long does the application process take?

13Is my information kept private?

14What if the lodge votes me down?

15What do I wear to a visit or to initiation?

Still have a question?

Frequently asked questions

Fifteen most-asked questions

01Who can join?

02What happens at a meeting?

03How much does it cost to join? How much are dues?

04Do I need to believe in a specific religion?

05What's the time commitment?

06How is this different from the Masons, the Elks, or the Rotary?

07Can I visit before committing?

08What if I'm not from St. John?

09Is my family welcome?

10What do Odd Fellows actually do in the community?

11Do I need a sponsor?

12How long does the application process take?

13Is my information kept private?

14What if the lodge votes me down?

15What do I wear to a visit or to initiation?

Still have a question?