“The truly impactful people? Their peers trust them, because of who they are…not what they say they are…but WHO they are.” 

There’s so much depth to our ritual when we reflect beyond just “the words.” This week we sit down with our Grand Lodge Education Officer and discuss a wide range of topics, from slowing down our daily grind to inspiring others. Do you have what it takes to be a positive "spark plug" in your lodge? 

“Is the length of your cable tow based on what you CAN do or what's convenient to you? Stop focusing on the past and focus on the future…and where you want to go.”

Put on your riding gear and fire up the Harley, this road trip we’re in search of calmness, impact, and peace. 

KARE 11’s Karla Hult is an Emmy, Edward R. Murrow, and Walter Cronkite award-winning journalist. Her favorite stories are those shared from the heart, including her award-winning documentary of her family’s own Alzheimer’s journey.

“We are trying to walk alongside them in a way that is respectful and honors their dignity. That is ultimately what made me pause after our marathon with my dad and say, what more can I do to share and uplift others?” 

In 2021, Karla launched “So Many Goodbyes,” a mission to support and educate families, caregivers, and the greater community about the dementia crisis and how families can cope, find joy, and not feel alone on the journey. 

More info: www.somanygoodbyes.com 

Minnesota Masonic Charities was formed in 2006, but how did we get here? Author Paul Hodnefield breaks down the timeline of the three distinct stages of “Charity” in Minnesota and how it has guided us since our inception in the 1850s. 

“The advances that Minnesota Masonry has funded over the years are known not just here locally, they’re known across the world. It's something that has benefitted mankind at large.” 

Learn about our rich history and the pivotal influence of A.T.C. Pierson, Gideon Ives, Marian Savage, the Order of the Eastern Star, and more. 

“Masonry is a tool to be used, not a form to be served.” -PGM Leroy Mattson

Paul Hodnefield's latest book is titled “Our Guiding Star” and will be released in spring 2026. 

Minnesota takes pride in civic participation, but there’s a leadership deficit in our state. Leadership, as well as volunteering and charity, is crucial for addressing community needs and opportunities. 

How do we confront generational changes of social affiliations and people leaving rural areas? In this episode, we focus on the challenge of collaborative leadership with Dr. Kathy Quick.

“Leadership is about adaptation. It matters that everybody be a good communicator. It matters that everybody have some degree of empathy…not be so overtaken by their own ego and title that they forget about the followers. And it helps if they do have a mission.”

Dr. Kathy Quick is the Gross Family Chair for Public and Nonprofit Leadership at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. She is also an Academic Co-Director of the Center for Integrative Leadership, a university-wide center dedicated to building leadership capacity across the business, government, and nonprofit sectors to work together to advance the public good. 

The pod gets electric when Ben Lacy shares perspective on respecting the 24-inch gauge, creating a bespoke Masonic experience, and the action necessary for authentic brotherhood. 

“Support the people that are working for the betterment of the Craft. Figure out a way that you can ask someone how you can help them. And then go follow up on that and do the thing. Figure out a way that you can make a difference.”

A felony prosecutor/nonprofit attorney, busy dad/husband, and one-time collaborator with the Duke of Edinburgh ( ! ), Ben is a plural member of Golden Sheaf Lodge No. 133 (Morris, MN) and St. John’s Lodge No. 1 (Stillwater, MN). 

“Muh-sonic” or “May-sonic?” Call your next witness, it’s an all new episode of Minnesota Masonic Histories & Mysteries. 

Freemasonry isn’t and has never been a religious organization. It has always been open to members of all religions and faiths. However, the world into which it was born, in Enlightenment-era Europe, was a largely Christian one. As a result, many of the symbols of Freemasonry reflect Christian iconography—including the connection to the two Saint Johns in Freemasonry. 

Their feast days are closely associated with the summer and winter solstice – underscoring the symbolic duality of the two figures. 

This week we sit down with our pal, Nate Smithson, and unpack the “Masonic experience”: proactive community engagement, the infinite mindset required for long-term success, our obligation, and more. 

“It’s always easy, isn't it…for us to assign somebody else's priorities without understanding what's going on in their life.”

How does one balance being a VP/Risk Manager, family man, and civic leader? Fire up the commodity market ticker, it’s an all new Minnesota Masonic Histories & Mysteries.

”Does Masonry complement you, or does it define you?”

This week we sit down with Dr. Sujit Varma and cover a wide variety of topics: the psychology of complaining, AI’s influences in our lives, and how to bridge the gap between embracing technology and retaining authentic human connection. 

”Imagine like 500 years ago when Gutenberg invented the printing press, I'm sure there was some parent then who said, ‘…oh my God, books are gonna rot your mind because you spend too much time reading!’”

Sujit owns a psychiatry practice and is a Past Master of Lake Harriet Lodge No. 277 in Minneapolis. 

What is the aim of our Labors? At times we are fixated on the efficient performance of what we’re already doing, and completely uninterested in what we’re missing out on. 

This week Reed welcomes fellow Regional Directors Markus Mueller and Ethan Seaberg to the studio.  They discuss a new model of cooperative labor, purposeful organization, and the new paradigm of Masonry in Minnesota. 

Our Salute to Service continues with another installment of the 18:53 Working Tools Series. Did you know that Grand Master A.T.C. Pierson served in that position for nine years? Known as the “Father of Minnesota Freemasonry,” he faced innumerable challenges: a disastrous financial panic, the Civil War, and unifying our “work” throughout the state. 

“Brotherhood thrives upon adversity. The harder the times the stronger became the Masonic Tie. Our Brothers were determined to hold their Lodges together, and this spirit, coupled with the continuous work of Pierson among them, kept the fraternity intact.”