Rising Sun Lodge #115 AF&AM

04/30/2026

04/30/2026

To all local Brethren, Rising Sun Lodge 115 in Grayslake will be conducting a double 2nd Degree on Monday, May 18 at 7:00 PM.

We need some help with someone to deliver the Senior Deacon’s lecture as well as the Charge to the Candidate(s).

If interested and available please message Senior Warden James Jesse.

02/20/2026

🚀 Honoring Brother John Glenn – February 20, 1962 🚀

On February 20, 1962, Brother John Glenn made history aboard Friendship 7 during NASA’s Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, becoming the first American to orbit the Earth.

At the height of the Cold War and the Space Race, Brother Glenn completed three orbits around our planet, traveling over 75,000 miles at speeds exceeding 17,000 miles per hour. His courage, calm under pressure, and unwavering sense of duty inspired a nation and demonstrated the very best of American resolve.

But beyond his achievements as a Marine, test pilot, astronaut, and U.S. Senator, John Glenn was also a dedicated Freemason.

Brother Glenn was raised in Concord Lodge No. 688 in Ohio in 1978. He was also a member of the Scottish Rite and received the 33° Inspector General Honorary, one of the highest honors in Freemasonry, recognizing his service, character, and contributions to society.

Throughout his life, Brother Glenn exemplified the Masonic virtues of:
🔹 Brotherly Love – through his humility and devotion to family and country
🔹 Relief – through decades of public service
🔹 Truth – through integrity in both his military and political careers

His journey from the Lodge room to orbiting the Earth reminds us that the principles we uphold as Masons—faith, perseverance, discipline, and moral courage—can carry a man to extraordinary heights.

Today, Smithfield Masonic Lodge proudly honors Brother John Glenn’s legacy and the light he brought not only to our nation, but to the Craft.

“Ad astra per aspera” – To the stars through difficulties.

02/14/2026

On February 11, 1988, a meaningful moment in modern Masonic history unfolded in the nation’s capital. On this day, a distinguished delegation of Masonic leaders met with President Ronald Reagan at the White House, symbolizing the enduring relationship between Freemasonry and the civic life of the United States.

During the meeting, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia formally presented President Reagan with a commemorative certificate, recognizing the occasion and honoring the shared values of leadership, service, and moral character that both the presidency and Freemasonry seek to uphold. The ceremony reflected the long-standing tradition of respectful engagement between American institutions and the Fraternity.

In addition, representatives of the Scottish Rite and the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners) conferred honorary memberships upon President Reagan. These honors were symbolic gestures of esteem, acknowledging his role as a national leader and his embodiment of principles admired by Masons: dedication to country, commitment to community, and a belief in the importance of personal integrity.

This gathering stands as a notable example of Freemasonry’s presence in American public life. Throughout U.S. history, Masons have participated in civic affairs while promoting ideals of brotherhood, charity, and enlightenment. The February 11, 1988 meeting reaffirmed those connections, highlighting mutual respect between the Fraternity and the Office of the President.

Today, the event is remembered as a proud chapter in contemporary Masonic history — a reminder of Freemasonry’s ongoing engagement with the broader fabric of American society and its continued emphasis on honor, fellowship, and public service.

02/05/2026

Brethren, Family, and Friends -

The men of Oriental Lodge No. 33 invite you to a memorial service and celebration of life for our dearly departed RWB Johnathan Barnes.

In moments like these, our teachings remind us that Masonry is not only something we belong to, but also something we live. We are called to walk uprightly, to serve faithfully, and to meet one another with Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.

RWB Barnes lived those principles in a way that left a mark on everyone who had the honor of knowing him. His life was not defined only by his offices, but by his presence, his character, and the steady way he carried himself as a Mason and as a man.

And now, in keeping with our obligations to one another, we are called to do what Masons have always done when one of our own is laid down from his labors:

To gather.
To remember.
To support the family.
And to honor a brother who helped strengthen the Craft.

We ask the Masonic community and our friends join us as we celebrate his life, reflect on his legacy, and stand together in unity and gratitude for the light he shared with so many.

Details
Brotherhood Fellowship and Celebration of Life
Saturday February 21
2:00 PM cs- Iwan Ries & Co - 19 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60603

This gathering is an opportunity to be together as Brothers and friends, to share stories, laughter, memories, and the kind of fellowship that strengthens us all. If RWB Barnes touched your life in any way, we invite you to come and help fill the room with gratitude, remembrance, and love.

Cost is $25 and is byob

Last Rites and Service
Sunday, February 22
Ceremony Begins at 10:00 AM cs
383 E Lake St
Bloomingdale, IL 60108

Your attendance will mean more than words can express. Not only to the family, but to every brother who will be there carrying grief quietly and relying on the strength of the fraternity to get through it.

Fraternally,

WB:. John P. Kennedy
Worshipful Master

RWB:. Geno Bonaventura
Senior Warden

Bro. Brent Williams
Junior Warden

RWB:. Luis Barahona
Secretary

01/29/2026

Brother William McKinley, initiated into Freemasonry on May 1, 1865, at Hiram Lodge No. 21 in Wi******er, Virginia, and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on May 3, 1865. It was said that his interest in Freemasonry was sparked by witnessing a Union surgeon distribute money to wounded Confederate prisoners, explaining that they were "Brother Masons" and that he was fulfilling a Masonic duty.

"On a freezing December night in 1894, Governor William McKinley was working late in his Columbus office when a janitor mentioned that a group of children were huddled outside the State House gates singing Christmas carols for spare change to buy food for their families—and what most people don't know is that McKinley immediately put on his coat, went outside, and sat on the cold stone steps listening to every single song they knew, applauding after each one and requesting encores until the children were giggling with delight instead of shivering with hunger. When the caroling ended, McKinley didn't just hand them money—he asked each child their name, their favorite subject in school, and what they dreamed of becoming, writing everything down in a small notebook he always carried, and then he did something extraordinary: he invited all eleven children and their families to the Governor's Mansion for Christmas dinner three weeks later, telling his staff 'these voices brought joy to my difficult day, and joy should always be repaid with abundance.' On Christmas Day, those families arrived nervously at the mansion to find McKinley and his wife Ida had prepared a feast, wrapped individual gifts for each child based on the dreams they'd shared, and spent the entire afternoon playing parlor games and telling stories, with McKinley later writing in his diary 'today I remembered that a leader's greatest privilege is not the power to command, but the opportunity to delight.' Several of those children grew up to become teachers, nurses, and community leaders, with one woman writing in 1920 that 'Governor McKinley taught me that my voice mattered and my dreams were valid, and I've spent my life teaching children that same truth,' proving that when we pause to truly see people, we don't just change a moment—we set souls on fire.

"

01/22/2026

In Freemasonry, the Square is perhaps the most recognizable and fundamental of all the working tools. It is traditionally the tool of the Worshipful Master, used to ensure that the work of the lodge is "true" and upright.

In operative masonry, the actual craft of building stone structures.. the square is an instrument consisting of two metal or wooden rules joined at a perfect 90-degree angle.

Its primary functions are:

• Testing the Accuracy of Stones: To ensure that the edges of a stone are cut perfectly perpendicular to one another.
• Ensuring Structural Integrity: A building can only rise straight and strong if the foundation stones are
"square." If they are off by even a fraction, the entire wall will eventually lean and collapse.

For the Speculative Mason, the physical tool is transformed into a moral guide. As the ritual often
states:

"The Square, to square our actions."

The Square represents the "Golden Rule" to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Just as a stone must be square to fit into the Great Architect's building, a Mason's actions must be square with the laws of morality and virtue.

The 90-degree angle is the meeting of a horizontal line (representing our progress through time) and a vertical line (representing our uprightness toward God and man). Where these two meet, the Square is formed, symbolizing a life of balance and integrity.

01/18/2026

While serving as President of the United States, Brother Harry S. Truman remained an active Mason. On one occasion, he attended a Masonic meeting accompanied—as required—by a Secret Service agent.

As Truman approached the lodge room, the agent moved to follow him inside.

Truman stopped.

He turned to the agent and said, calmly but firmly:

“You can’t come in there with me.”

The agent explained that his duty was to protect the President at all times. He was armed. He was responsible. He could stand quietly in the back.

Truman shook his head.

“Inside that room, I am not the President.
And you are not my guard.
In there, all men meet on the level.”

He instructed the agent to wait outside.

The meeting proceeded as any other lodge meeting would. Truman sat not as Commander in Chief, but as a Brother—under the same obligations, governed by the same rules, bound by the same trust as every man present.

Brethren, that moment tells us something essential.

Truman understood that the lodge room is one of the few places in the world where rank is checked at the door. No office outranks obligation. No authority overrides equality. Even the most powerful man in the nation does not stand above the Craft.

What’s more remarkable is this:
Truman did not view that restriction as a risk.
He viewed it as a sacred boundary.

The trust he placed in the lodge was greater than the fear he carried from the outside world.

That is faith in Masonry.

It also reminds us of our responsibility. If a President could lay aside power, protection, and title to sit among Brothers as an equal—then the sanctity of this room depends on us honoring that trust.

So the lesson here isn’t about Harry Truman being humble.

It’s about Harry Truman being obedient to his obligation.

The lodge room only remains special as long as we protect what it represents:
• Equality over status
• Trust over fear
• Brotherhood over authority

Brethren, when we enter this room, we all leave something behind.
For Truman, it was the Presidency.
For us, it should be our pride.

01/08/2026

Brother Benjamin Franklin (initiated 1731 in St. John’s Lodge, Philadelphia) may have expressed a similar sentiment with Poor Richard’s “early to bed, early to rise” 😊

⏰️❌️ If you need five alarms and a pep talk, you are probably living a life you do not even like.

When you have a real goal, you wake up because you are hungry, not because you have to.

No motivation hacks. No quotes.

Just a mission that matters.

Build something worth chasing.

Cut the distractions.

Stop wasting mornings on scrolling and excuses.

Set a target, then earn it daily.

A life with purpose does not need an alarm clock.

It needs you to stop lying to yourself and start moving.👊🔥