Grand Lodge Structure
Sample Hierarchy
Hierarchal Order of Odd Fellow Lodges
Lodges of the Odd Fellows are organized in a hierarchal manner. Each organizational level consists of elected officers, appointed officers and representatives. Odd Fellow lodges are subordinate to their jurisdiction, in the U.S., jurisdictions are divided geographically by states. These jurisdictions are known as Grand Lodges. The Sovereign Grand Lodge is the governing body for all jurisdictions under the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.). Listed below is the hierarchy of the I.O.O.F from least to greatest, an Odd Fellow Lodge, the Grand Lodge of (insert state jurisdiction) and the Sovereign Grand Lodge.
An Odd Fellow Lodge Consists of the Following Positions:
Elected Lodge Positions |
Abbreviation |
Past Grand (Has Presided Over an Odd Fellow Lodge) |
PG |
Noble Grand (Presiding Officer) |
NG |
Vice Grand (Deputy Presiding Officer) |
VG |
Secretary |
SEC |
Financial Secretary |
FS |
Treasurer |
T |
Appointive Lodge Positions |
Abbreviation |
Warden |
W |
Conductor |
C |
Inside Guardian |
IG |
Outside Guardian |
OG |
Right Supporter of the Noble Grand |
RSNG |
Left Supporter of the Noble Grand |
LSNG |
Chaplain |
Ch |
Musician |
Mu |
Color Bearer |
CB |
Right Supporter of the Vice Grand |
RSVG |
Left Supporter of the Vice Grand |
LSVG |
GL - Grand Lodge - The Jurisdictional Authority over the Odd Fellow Lodges of Texas
(Hierarchal Order from greatest to least)
Elected Grand Lodge Positions |
Abbreviation |
Past Grand Master (Has Presided over the Grand Lodge) |
PGM |
Grand Master (Presiding Officer) |
GM |
Deputy Grand Master (Deputy Presiding Officer) |
DGM |
Grand Warden (Will proceed to DGM) |
GW |
Grand Treasurer |
GT |
Grand Secretary |
GS |
Grand Representative (Represents the GL at SGL Sessions) |
GR |
Grand Lodge Director |
GLD |
Appointive Officers |
Abbreviation |
Grand Instructor (Instructs DDGM) |
GI |
Grand Marshal |
GM |
Grand Conductor |
GC |
Grand Chaplain |
GCh |
Grand Musician |
GMu |
Grand Colour Bearer |
GCB |
Grand Guardian |
GG |
Grand Herald |
GH |
District Deputy Grand Master |
DDGM |
SGL- Sovereign Grand Lodge - Presiding Authority over all Jurisdictions of I.O.O.F.
(Hierarchal Order from greatest to least)
SGL website:
www.ioof.org
Elected Sovereign Grand Lodge Positions |
Abbreviation |
Past Sovereign Grand Master (Has Presided Over the SGL) |
PSGM |
Sovereign Grand Master (Presiding Authority of SGL) |
SGM |
Deputy Sovereign Grand Master (Deputy Presiding Officer) |
DSGM |
Sovereign Grand Warden |
SGW |
Sovereign Grand Treasurer |
SGT |
Sovereign Grand Secretary |
SGS |
Appointive Officers |
Abbreviation |
Sovereign Grand Marshal |
SGM |
Sovereign Grand Conductor |
SGC |
Sovereign Grand Chaplain |
SGCh |
Sovereign Grand Guardian |
SGG |
Sovereign Grand Musician |
SGMu |