When the COVID-19 pandemic first began, many Valleys were forced to temporarily shutter their doors. Reunions and meetings were indefinitely postponed, leaving Brothers without a proper means to seek light and continue their Masonic journey through our 29 degrees.
Equally important, our members were isolated from one another. The noble, like-minded men that had supported them along their journey thus far could no longer serve a physical presence in their lives.
In an effort to fulfill our mission of being a fraternity that cares for its members, The Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite, NMJ quickly stepped in and brought forth Thursday Night at the Rite.
What is Thursday Night at the Rite?
What was envisioned to be a temporary solution has evolved into a cherished member event. Over 1,000 members have joined us online since the inception of Thursday Night at the Rite!
Each season of Thursday Night at the Rite, the Supreme Council invites Brothers from across our 15-state jurisdiction to gather online to watch one of our inspiring degree productions, with the featured degree presentation changing each week.
Each degree presentation is accompanied by fraternal discussion amongst Scottish Rite, NMJ leaders and brethren, allowing members to connect with and learn from each other as they continue along their path towards self-improvement.
What Degrees Are Presented During Thursday Night at the Rite?
The Scottish Rite, NMJ expands on the degrees of the blue lodge, offering the 4°-32°. Our Thursday Night at the Rite events rotate through these degrees with the exception of the 32°, which is reserved for special celebratory events and in-person Reunions. Each degree presented at Thursday Night at the Rite is eligible for passport credit.
Brothers who log on witness one of our cinematic degree videos, most often featuring fellow Brethren acting out the degree featured. While our degrees may not be live, our team has taken great measures to bring a one-of-a-kind, cinematic experience to each presentation. These productions are far beyond a home video. Watch our behind the scenes video of the making of the 4° and view some of our degree "movie posters" below for a glimpse of what you can expect.
Even if a Brother has already witnessed the degree being presented, whether it be online or in-person, we encourage all to continue to join us as we continually add new innovative formats to Thursday Night at the Rite. One of our most acclaimed events featured a live degree presentation by the Valley of Cincinnati!
Other innovative formats have included a spoken word presentation of a degree, produced in the style of early radio!
"It was very well done.... It was reminiscent of an old time radio drama. I am happy to have the opportunity to view these degrees remotely. My valley is 25 miles away and with the pandemic and the distance..this was a simple way to further my Scottish Rite experience. My father, grandfather, and great grandfather are all 32° Masons and each only ever had about six degrees. It is with no small amount of humility that I state that the Virtual Reunions & Thursday Night at the Rite has enabled me to have eleven degrees so far. Surpassing my father's and my ancestors experience." - Bro. Steve Dave
What Do Members Think About Thursday Night at the Rite?
Members have overwhelmingly enjoyed our Thursday Night at the Rite events, preserving them in our regular programming for the foreseeable future. The latest Thursday Night at the Rite schedule can be found here. Read some of what members had to say below!
"The Degree itself was outside the box. It was a ‘radio’ version where the script was read instead of performed on stage. It was phenomenally done....The enthusiasm for the craft, the positive attitudes of the members, and the overall production quality from this virtual event gave me hope that Freemasons will rise to the challenge of adhering to our lofty ideals." - Bro. Christopher Hathaway
"The Thursday Night series is fantastic. I am very grateful for the generous opportunity to view these degrees." - Bro. Steve Dave
"This is excellent, I just watched the 17° and was blown away by not only the production value, but also the acting by a bunch of “amateurs.” This is how we’re gonna keep people interested, especially those that have other interests and commitments outside of AASR. Live degrees should never go away, but this is a great bridge to members that otherwise may have been kept away by scheduling. Well done Brothers and an outstanding example of leadership being flexible." - Bro. Pete Stanford
"To all who have put this series together, THANK YOU for this opportunity to seek more light on my Masonic Journey. So Mote It Be." - Bro. John Ritenour
"The Thursday Night at the Rite degrees have been awesome for me during this pandemic. As an essential worker, I’ve been working a lot but these degrees have given me something to look forward to each week and have kept me connected with our great fraternity!" - Bro. Andrew Kennedy
"This has been great for me as a new member, I received my 4° and 14° a week before the pandemic forced quarantine, it’s been really nice to be able to stay active, even if only virtually!" - Bro. Dennis Boyd
"Because of my business I can’t usually make the Reunions in my Valley, but I so enjoy the life lessons and teaching of the degrees. Even those degrees I have seen several times, I still find new takeaways! I also find that Thursday Night at the Rite keeps me grounded in my journey to becoming a better man!" - Bro. Ronald Boice
"It was innovative and well done. I appreciate that SR continues to think out of the box. Thank you all so much for what you do for the Craft!" - Bro. Wes Trapp