WHAT IS THE RAINBOW GIRLS

The International Order of Rainbow for Girls is an organization devoted to helping young women become better people and effective leaders.

Rainbow is a non-profit, service-oriented organization that teaches girls three basic virtues: Faith in a Supreme Being and other people, having Hope in all that they do, and Charity toward others.

Former Rainbow girls include Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner; astronaut Dorothy "Dottie" Metcalf-Lindenburger; actresses Lee Merriwether, Ruth Buzzi, and Dawn Wells; Bobbie Shunk Gaunt, first woman president and CEO of Ford Motor Co. of Canada; State Senator Carol Hudkins; and US Senator Olympia J. Snowe, just to name a few.

The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls was founded in 1922, by William Mark Sexson, along with eleven adults comprised the first Supreme Assembly of the Order of Rainbow for Girls. William Mark Sexson ,a Christian minister and active member of the Masonic Lodge, had spent his life dedicated to both fraternal organizations, and his ministry, and became aware of the need for a youth organization for young women who were from a Masonic or Eastern Star home. Today, membership is open to any girl regardless of Masonic affiliation.

The Order has two degrees:

(l) Initiatory; and

(2) Grand Cross of Color (which is an Honorary Degree.)

The ritual is based upon Faith, Hope and Charity and the 9th Chapter of Genesis, "And God said . . . 'I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.'" It emphasizes the seven colors of the rainbow; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet as symbols of lessons to be learned.

Each Color Station represents a color of the seven colors of the Rainbow, and they represent seven teachings that each member receives on her journey toward the pot of gold.

Red: Love The lecture of the Sister of Love is about love in all of its forms. It reminds us that we must love everyone--our God, our families, our friends, and even our enemies. It is fitting that the Sister of Love's color is red, because love is like having the ultimate in rose-colored glasses. Love helps us see the good behind the bad things in life. It allows us to love people in spite of knowing their faults. Even when someone is gone from our lives, it is the love that remains.    Orange: Religion The lecture of the Sister of Religion uses examples based on Christianity. This is because the founder of the International Order of Rainbow for Girls was a Christian minister. However, we should not interpret this lecture as telling us that Christianity is the only way. The principle message is that some sort of organized religion should be a part of all of our lives. The lecture uses examples from Chrisitianity to teach the general truths applicable to all organized religions. An example of such a universal truth is: "Do unto others as you would have them unto you." This lecture emphasizes the importance of a Religion based on love and forgiveness. It does not require any conversion to the Christian religion.    Yellow: Nature The lecture of the Sister of Nature is that nature and its lessons should always be present in our lives. In our increasingly technological world, nature can get lost. We each need to spend time marveling at the way the elements of our natural world fit together, each part of that world supporting another. The Sister of Nature reminds us that the environment is not just a "cause," it is where we all live, an atmosphere from which we can gain inspiration. We must do our best to protect our environment so that we may continue to take lessons from it.    Green: Immortality The lecture of the Sister of Immortality teaches us that death is a part of life. We must each learn to cope with the idea that eventually death will come to each of us. In addition, we must learn to grieve and go on after those we love pass away. The Sister of Immortality relies on the teachings of Christianity to explain the concept of an afterlife. Like the lecture of the Sister Religion, these teachings are only examples of the afterlife that is a part of many, if not most, organized religions.    Blue: Fidelity The lecture of the Sister of Fidelity teaches us to be honest. When we make a promise, we must keep it. When we say we will do something, we must do it. When a friend trusts us with a secret, we must keep it. The Sister of Fidelity teaches us to show others by our actions that we are honest and reliable.    Indigo: Patriotism The lecture of the Sister of Patriotism teaches us to be true to our country. Sometimes we think of service to our country as military service, but this is not the only way we can serve. The Sister of Patriotism's lecture has a place in all of our lives and is demonstrated when we vote, when we serve in elected office, when we participate in electoral campaigns, or work in the public service. In short, the Sister of Patriotism teaches us to be a proud citizen of our country, to respect its flag, and to defend it through military service when called to do so.    Violet: Service One could say that the Sister of Service presents the lesson that ties all of the others together. We serve our loved ones and our Supreme Being. By working to preserve the environment, we learn its importance. Our service to others lives on, even when we are gone. We show our patriotism by serving our country. This lecture teaches us that service does not have to be a big thing. It can be as simple as helping with family chores or visiting a shut-in. It is important to do things for others, not just when it's convenient or organized by your Assembly. Service to others should be an everyday part of each of our lives.      Other Sisters: Sister of Faith The Sister of Faith guides us through the journey of Initiation just as our Faith guides us through life. The Sister of Faith teaches us to have Faith in God, in each other, and in every righteous thing. Most importantly, the Sister of Faith teaches us to have Faith in ourselves. She shows us that when things get really difficult, we are strong enough to get through anything. Sister of Hope The Sister of Hope teaches us not to despair and to never give up, because something better is around the corner for each of us. We learn from the Sister of Hope never to doubt that doing the "right" thing will be best for us in the end. It is easy to give up hope and use that as an excuse to give up completely on trying to live by the lessons of Rainbow. The lesson of Sister of Hope says, "hang on, you matter, don't give up, keep working for that goal, because you will get there." Sister of Charity The Sister of Charity teaches us to strive for the Pot of Gold all of our lives. For Rainbow Girls, the Pot of Gold is a life lived completely according to the lessons of Rainbow. The Sister of Charity shows us the principal treasures in the Pot of Gold, but she reminds us that there are many others that we find in a life of service. In other words, in making the lessons of Rainbow an everyday part of our lives, we will find life's true treasures

Local Assembly Organization

Rainbow Assembly No. 377 is sponsored by Helotes Masonic Lodge No. 1429 as well as Adah Chapter No. 49, Order of the Eastern Star.

The Sponsoring Body selects those who will serve for one year on the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is comprised of Majority Members, Master Masons, Eastern Stars, and member’s Parents, Grandparents, and Legal Guardians. These adults have a deep interest in helping young people, are respected leaders, and provide the core of the directly involved adult leadership.

A Mother Advisor is selected from among the members of the Advisory Board. This is a woman chosen because she can inspire the girls of her Assembly. She works hand-in-hand with the girls and allows them to preside over the affairs of the Assembly with her direction.

The Assembly is comprised of 20 offices, which are occupied by the Rainbow Girls. An Installation of these offices occurs every 4 to 6 months and is open for all to attend. Therefore, girls are given the opportunity to fill many different positions in a short period of time.

Within these 20 offices are 7 that are elected by the girls and 13 that are appointed by the Worthy Advisor with the assistance of the Mother Advisor. The youth leader is called the “Worthy Advisor” who presides over the meetings and workings of the Assembly. A girl may wish to advance through the elected offices and eventually become the Worthy Advisor.