One Brother's Journey: Visiting All 12 in a Single Year

The following is a personal account submitted by Brother Rick Jones of Adena Lodge No. 603, Columbus, Ohio.

I'll be honest — when I first heard about the Moonlight Journey, I thought it was the kind of thing other people did. Retired brothers with time on their hands. History buffs who liked road trips. Not a working father of three with a lodge calendar already full.

But something about it stuck with me.

January: The First Lodge

It started on a cold January night with a drive down to Scioto County to visit Western Sun No. 91 in Wheelersburg. My wife thought I was crazy — three hours each way in January, to attend a lodge meeting I had no particular history with.

But the moment I walked in, something changed. The brothers there greeted me like I was expected, like I belonged. The lodge room felt like it had stories in the walls. And when the Master opened lodge that night under the full moon — I could see it through the windows — I understood why this tradition had survived 200 years.

I drove home at midnight, the full moon lighting the empty Ohio highway, and I knew I was going to finish all 12.

The Middle Months

Spring and summer brought easier travel but no less memorable visits. I found myself planning family weekends around full moon dates — "we'll visit Portland Lodge on Saturday and hit Hocking Hills on Sunday." My kids started asking about the lodges. My wife started reading about Masonic history.

Each lodge had its own character. Some were in small towns where the lodge building was the oldest structure still standing. Others met in modest rural halls that felt unchanged since the 1950s. The brothers everywhere were welcoming, curious about my journey, and generous with their time and their hospitality.

What I Didn't Expect

I didn't expect how much I'd learn — not just about Masonic history, but about Ohio itself. Rural Ohio is a different world from the Columbus suburbs where I live. These communities, these lodges, these brothers carrying on traditions in places where the population is falling and the young people are leaving — there's something moving about it. Something worth preserving.

I also didn't expect the friendships. I still stay in touch with brothers I met at lodges in Adams County and Erie County. Brothers I'd never have encountered if I hadn't committed to this journey.

December: The Final Lodge

I completed the final visit on a cold December night, parking under a full moon that felt intentional, theatrical almost. Inside, the brothers had heard I was finishing my journey and made a small celebration of it — nothing formal, just the warmth of brothers who understood what it meant.

The certificate now hangs in my lodge room at home. My kids ask about it.

If you're on the fence about starting the Moonlight Journey — don't be. Start planning tonight. The roads are out there, the lodges are waiting, and the moon will be full again before you know it.

— Bro. Rick Jones, Columbus, Ohio, 2026