May 2026: A Milestone Month of Theater, Degrees, and Historical Brotherhood

What an absolute whirlwind of a month for Shekinah-Fernwood Lodge No. 246! May has been a showcase of what makes our fraternity so vibrant: a spectacular Pus-One social outing, historic degrees in collaboration with out-of-state brethren, and a legendary guest speaker who brought the house down.

From the Stage to the Table: "1776 The Musical"

We kicked off the month's festivities on Saturday, May 2nd, with a fantastic lodge social event to see 1776 The Musical at the historic Walnut Street Theatre. If you attended the Grand Lodge Annual Communication banquet last December, you likely recalled seeing a stirring preview from some of the cast members performing numbers from the show.

The evening began with a wonderful dinner at Buca D’oro Ristorante, where the fellowship was as excellent as the food.

Bellies full, we sauntered a few blocks over to Walnut Street where we entered the room where it happens (wait, that's the wrong musical!). Seriously though, the play was absolutely amazing. The portrayal of the history surrounding not only the writing of the Declaration of Independence but the monumental task of convincing all 13 colonies to sign was tense, stressful, and exciting, even though we all knew exactly how it ended.

A Night of Hockey History: Lessons in Grit and Brotherhood from Brad Marsh

At our Stated Meeting, we had the profound honor of hosting Flyers legend Brad Marsh, who currently serves as the President and Director of Community Development of the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Association. A massive thank you to Joshua Glickman, P.M., for lining up such an outstanding guest speaker.

Building the Ashlar: A Career Forged in Determination

Brotherhood and perseverance were the true themes of Marsh’s address. He entertained the room with the paradox of his 15-season NHL career, which spanned from 1978 to 1993 and included seven memorable seasons with the Flyers from 1981 to 1988. He proudly claimed the humorous title of being the player who participated in 1,086 career games while scoring the absolute fewest, netting only 23 goals in his entire professional run.

Instead of relying on natural grace on the ice, Marsh depended heavily on an unwavering will and determination to succeed. He openly admitted he lacked the pure skating, shooting, or stick-handling talent of his legendary peers. However, he made his mark through sheer hard work and leadership, eventually serving as captain or assistant captain for every single team he joined.

His arrival in Philadelphia was actually a historic NHL milestone. When Marsh was just 22 years old and serving as the young captain of the Calgary Flames, he was called into the general manager's office and told he had been traded to Philadelphia for Mel Bridgman. This marked the first time in NHL history that a "captain-for-captain" trade ever occurred. His journey is a perfect parallel to our own Masonic labors to continuously chip away at the rough ashlar and improve ourselves daily.

Working Hard and Doing Your Best

Marsh framed his core life philosophy around three simple directives: work hard, do your best, and have fun. He shared a fantastic story about his early days in Philly. Rather than driving a luxury sports car like modern athletes, he drove a bright yellow 1972 GMC pickup truck, a former New Jersey highway department vehicle with the fleet number "292" still stenciled on the side. The team affectionately dubbed it "Old Yeller".

While driving to the rink with Flyers icon Bobby Clarke in Old Yeller, Marsh, who was frustrated by a sudden lack of playing time, asked the veteran for advice. Clarke simply replied, "You know, Marshie, I've never had a bad practice." That single, profound statement hit Marsh like a ton of bricks, completely changing his work ethic and trajectory.

He also shared a powerful anecdote about joining the Detroit Red Wings later in his career and watching Steve Yzerman. As a seasoned veteran, Marsh was amazed to see Yzerman complete a grueling full-body gym session, practice with the team for an hour and a half, and then stay behind to shoot over a thousand pucks alone on the ice. True leaders never cut corners, proving that success is not a light switch you can simply flip on.

The Brotherhood of the Ice and Community Relief

Perhaps the most resonant part of the evening was when Marsh directly compared the hockey locker room to the lodge, calling it a unique brotherhood similar to what we share. He demonstrated this steadfast integrity when he was released by the Flyers and picked up by a struggling Toronto Maple Leafs team. Rather than joining the veteran Leafs in their lazy practice habits where they explicitly agreed "not to embarrass anybody," Marsh relied on his elite conditioning, took off on the ice, and lapped the entire defensive core. He refused to lower his personal standards just to fit in with the crowd.

Today, Marsh channels that same brotherly love into the Flyers Alumni Association. He proudly shared how their trust network raises millions of dollars for charitable causes across the region. From purchasing adaptive bikes for disabled children to organizing the Flyers Warriors hockey program for disabled veterans, his post-hockey career perfectly mirrors our Masonic commitment to relief and charity.

Highlights from the Q&A

The brethren kept the energy high with some fantastic questions to close out the night. Here are a few standout moments:

• The "Philly Flu" and the Spectrum Lot: Marsh joked about the terrifying experience of being an opposing player walking across the dark parking lot into the old Spectrum. He confirmed that the legendary "Philly Flu," where opposing players mysteriously fell ill before playing the Broad Street Bullies, was a real thing. He recalled playing for the Atlanta Flames and having teammates who literally became physically sick in the hotel parking lot out of sheer anxiety before walking down the Spectrum ramp.
• Playing Against Heroes: When asked if he ever faced his childhood idols on the ice, Marsh recalled working at a local hockey school for $50 a week as a 14-year-old camp counselor. Years later, when he squared off against those exact same tough pros in the NHL, they would skate by him and joke, "Keep your head up, kid."
• Modern NHL Salaries: A brother asked about today's massive multimillion-dollar player contracts. Marsh humbly noted that everything is relative, recalling that his first rookie contract as a first-round draft pick paid him $55,000, which felt like an absolute fortune back in 1978.
• The Secret Referee Instructions: Marsh teased an incredible upcoming project regarding a new documentary about the legendary January 11, 1976 game where the Flyers played the Soviet Red Army team. He shared a fantastic behind-the-scenes detail where the game's referee walked into the Flyers' locker room before puck drop and literally told the team, "We're putting our whistle away tonight, boys."

In addition to the Marsh's visit, we donated to Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education for the Bernie Parent Fishing Tournament. Click below for more information!

Setting the Craft to Work: Degrees and Inter-State Fellowship

The end of May brought an extraordinary burst of degree work and an incredible opportunity for inter-state fellowship as we welcomed the brethren of West Nashville Phoenix Freemasons’ Lodge No. 131 (Grand Lodge of Tennessee) to Philadelphia!

Thursday, May 28, 2026: Double-Degree Night

We started the evening with a great meal and plenty of laughs at Tom's Dim Sum.

With our appetites satisfied, we headed back into the temple to set the craft to work. Our brothers from Nashville really enjoyed watching our degrees. It was a packed and productive evening as we successfully conferred:

• The Fellowcraft Mason Degree for Brother Garrett Owen Strominger.
• Entered Apprentice Mason Degrees for Brother Brett Jared Zeitlin and Brother Adam Bernard Woldow.

Please join us in congratulating these brothers on taking their next steps in their Masonic journeys!

Friday, May 29, 2026: A Tennessee "Bucket List" Moment

The fellowship did not stop there. The very next evening, Shekinah-Fernwood Lodge No. 246 had the immense privilege of hosting our Tennessee brethren from West Nashville Phoenix Lodge No. 131 for a true Masonic "bucket list" experience.

First, we took them out to dinner at Maggiano's Little Italy for some more good food and conversation.

Then, in celebration of America 250, our visitors took the floor inside the breathtaking Egyptian Hall, one of the historic and world-renowned lodge rooms at the Masonic Temple on One North Broad Street. The Tennessee brethren proceeded to confer a traditional Tennessee 1st degree. It was an unforgettable privilege for everyone in attendance to witness this historic cross-jurisdictional moment and share the unique beauty of our building.

We extend our deepest thanks to the brethren of West Nashville Phoenix Lodge No. 131 for visiting us, and we look forward to returning the favor with a trip to Tennessee one day soon!

Looking Ahead: Summer Events and RSVP Deadlines

As the warm weather settles in, please remember that the lodge goes into summer recess for stated meetings, but our social calendar is hotter than ever! Make sure you check our brand-new Upcoming Events page to clear your schedules and lock in your spots for our Day at the Phillies!

• Day at the Phillies Game: Saturday, August 22nd. Pregame Tailgate at 3:00 PM — Tailgate will take place in Lot K, please bring your own chairs. Game Time at 6:00 PM. Open to Members and their Families! All details are listed on the RSVP Form. RSVP here.

Note: All summer events have strict RSVP deadlines.