What is Rainbow?
The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (IORG) is a service organization. The girls learn about charity, hope, and service through their work and involvement with their annual local and Grand (state or country) service projects.
On April 6, 1922, the degrees of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls were first exemplified on a class of one hundred seventy-one girls in the auditorium of the Scottish Rite Temple in McAlester, Oklahoma.
Basic Information about the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls
The following information is available below:
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What will a girl gain from the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls? |
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What is the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls? |
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What do Rainbow Girls do? |
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How often are the meetings? |
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Who can attend the meetings? |
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Is the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls a religious organization? |
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The Ritual of the Order. |
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What do the seven colors of the Rainbow represent? |
What Will A Girl Gain From Rainbow?
The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls emphasizes the following: (1) Effective Leadership; (2) Church Membership and active Participation in the church of your choice; (3) Patriotism; (4) Cooperation with Equals; (5) Love of Home; (6) Loyalty to Family and; (7) Service to Humanity.
The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls helps promote self-esteem and leadership in its members. As a member, a girl will learn valuable public speaking skills and will attend meetings preside over by girls her own age. While there is always adult advisors to provide direction, all meetings are conducted by the girls.
If given the opportunity to rise to the position of Worthy Advisor of her local Rainbow Assembly, a girl will learn to plan a program beneficial to all members and, by carrying out these plans, become a director and leader of people. Furthermore, she will learn the proper way to conduct a business meeting.
In addition, to their local Assembly, girls may have the opportunity to advance to leadership positions on a statewide level. They will also have the opportunity to apply for the various scholarship funds available to those members who meet the academic qualifications.
The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is a character building organization for girls between the ages of 11 and 20. It’s purpose is to promote effective community, leadership skills and, most importantly, service to humanity.
The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls was established in McAlester, Oklahoma in 1922. The very inception and writing of the first Ritual, and the laws governing the Order, was the work of W. Mark Sexson, a 33rd degree Mason from McAlester, Oklahoma.
Reverend Sexson was very active in several Masonic appendant organizations. Among his many offices, he held the titles of Most Worshipful Grand Master of a sovereign Masonic Grand Jurisdiction (1928) and Worthy Grand Patron for the Order of the Eastern Star (1925-1926), both in the state of Oklahoma. The degrees of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls were first exemplified on April 6, 1922, by the regular officers of South McAlester Chapter No. 149, Order of the Eastern Star, for a class of 171 girls at the Scottish Rite Temple in McAlester, Oklahoma.
Today Rainbow Assembly can be found in many jurisdictions around the world, including the United States, Australia, Brazil, The Philippines, Germany, Canada, Italy, and Japan, to name only a few. Nearly all states in the United States have Rainbow.
Members of the Rainbow are active in their churches, schools, and communities. They raise money for various charities through bake sales, dinners and car washes, and they extend themselves in service to their communities, churches and their sponsoring organizations. Rainbow Girls have many fun activities and opportunities to make lifelong friendships.
Most Rainbow Assemblies meet twice a month. In addition to the bi-monthly meetings at her local Assembly, she will have the opportunity to visit other statewide or International Rainbow Assemblies, where she will meet other girls her own age who are members of the same organization.
Who Can Attend A Rainbow Meeting?
Rainbow Members in good standing, as well as any Mason, Eastern Star or Amaranth in good standing, any Majority member of Rainbow, and any parent, grandparent or legal guardian of an active Rainbow Girl is eligible to attend a meeting of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls.
Is Rainbow A Religious Organization?
No. The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is a service organization. Rainbow does, however, encourage each member to be an active participant in the church of her choice.
The Ritual for the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is a book of ceremonies used primarily for the Opening, Closing and Initiation of a Rainbow Assembly. Members of the Order recite, from memory, the ceremonies contained in the Rainbow Ritual.
The Seven Colors of the Rainbow are represented by seven stations, strategically placed in the shape of a bow. Each station is represented by a color, and each color teaches one of the seven lessons of Rainbow. The stations and lessons of the Rainbow are as follows:
Red is the first color station and represents Love. It emphasizes the importance of love of home and family.
Orange is the second color station and represents Religion. It emphasizes the importance of membership and active participation in the church of your choice.
Yellow is the third color station and represents Nature. It emphasizes the importance of spending time in the out-of-doors.
Green is the fourth color station and represents Immortality. It emphasizes that even though our body dies, our souls live on forever.
Blue is the fifth color station and represents Fidelity. It emphasizes the importance of loyalty to the Order and to the Rainbow Girl’s family and friends.
Indigo is the sixth color station and represents Patriotism. It emphasizes the importance of respecting the laws of our country and its flag.
Violet is the seventh color station and represents Service. Service is the foundation of Rainbow and emphasizes the importance of providing unselfish acts of service to our home, community and sponsoring orders of Rainbow.
The leadership structure of Rainbow begins with the local Assembly and extends to the State and International Assemblies. Each local Assembly is made up of five line officers (Rainbow Girls who lead the Assembly under the direction of a Mother Advisor and Advisory Board) and thirteen appointed officers. The adult governing body of each Rainbow Assembly is known as the Advisory Board and is comprised of seven to fifteen adults from various Masonic organizations.