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Certification

Smokey613

Registered User
What if?

Okay, here it is.... if no one active in the lodge holds a certificate nor has been certified to be installed in the East.... what happens? What are the "teeth" to this? Knowing how slow to change some are and how information coming from the Grand Lodge can get confused by the time it reaches the lodge, it would have seemed prudent to have put a longer timeline on this particular change. JMHO.
 

rhitland

Founding Member
Premium Member
You invite your DI over and get him to teach what needs to be learned it is a very small portion of the memory work and could be done in a few hours of work.
 

Smokey613

Registered User
I understand what you are saying and I will be ready and certified by the time I am hopefully installed as WM. My question was what if NO ONE in the lodge meets the qualifications to be installed? This is just a curiosity on my part, not anything directly related to our lodge.
 
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rhitland

Founding Member
Premium Member
Well the law reads The WM has to be certified to be installed so either the law would have to be bent or that Lodge would demise. From the conversation I have had with DIs though they have never ever had a problem with certifing the WM when they had to in the past. I was told that someone would just have to flat not want to learn it or they are being stubborn about the law. One DI said sometime it hurt to approve the certification but they could see the effort was there just the Brother was not an esoteric guy but with a few minutes of practise he was able to pass. I feel the purpose of this law is to start the culture change that our esoteric work has a place and we cannot let it slip away. It just seems we go straight ot the worst sceniaro which rarey if ever happens, Grand Lodge is not going to release the esoteric dogs on us if we do not get it perfect they will do what all Masons do, help a Brother in need, it is just up to that Mason to ASK!! So if NO ONE in the lodge meets qualifications to be installed I think that Lodge needs to ask themselves if they are qualified to be Masons at all.
 
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caeservi

Registered User
to me it boils down to this:if you have visited different lodges, you have probably visited one where they obviously didn't know the work or they had a localized version that was unlike anything you have ever seen. Sometimes it is so bad that you are embarrassed for the lodge; and even more so when they have EA's, FC's and new MM's who they are teaching the "bad" work to. The work needs to be the same in every lodge, which requires some sort of standard by which the lodges are held to. If a brother just wants to come, eat the meals, shoot the bull with the brothers and then leave, that's fine. But if he wants to be in the lineup then he should be willing to learn the work and get certified, not just aspire to the east for the "glory" and bragging rights that come with it.
 

Bill Lins

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Amen! I don't understand how a Brother can accept the benefits of serving without also accepting the responsibilities of the office. I guess some "Brethren" have no pride in themselves or the Craft.

I'm not expecting the WM's-elect to be letter-perfect, I just expect to see that they have put in some effort & that they can get through opening & closing without having to be fed every line.
 

Joey

Co-Founder
Staff Member
Amen! I don't understand how a Brother can accept the benefits of serving without also accepting the responsibilities of the office. I guess some "Brethren" have no pride in themselves or the Craft.

I'm not expecting the WM's-elect to be letter-perfect, I just expect to see that they have put in some effort & that they can get through opening & closing without having to be fed every line.

I agree 100%
 

Smokey613

Registered User
It seems the Grand Lodge has added another requirement to the WM certification process. I need to get busy.

Certification of Lodge Masters & Wardens:
Article 276a adopted in December 2008 now requires the Worshipful Master of a Lodge to be certified as being capable of opening and closing the four Lodges, and having completed an approved administration course. (The approved administration courses are the LIFE program or the Warden’s Retreat program). A new Form 101 was created to document the certification.
 

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
I believe the LIFE Program was always a requirement to my knowledge, just forgotten or bypassed by many Lodges, including my own up until last year.
 

Smokey613

Registered User
What is the process for enrolling into the LIFE program. Don't tell me to check with my lodge secretary as I need other options. I have looked all over the Grand Lodge's website and found an explanation of what the LIFE program is just no place on how to enroll in it or obtain the study materials.
 

TCShelton

Founding Member
Premium Member
Your lodge SHOULD have a counsellor, whose job is to enroll members in this and the ALL program. Ask that question, and if your lodge doesn't have one, you may have to go to another lodge to get it, which is what I did.
 

jonesvilletexas

Premium Member
Brother, The WM appoints a LIFF Instructor for your lodge, he will intern order the LIFE books from GL and he will instruct you in the program, and as each book is completed will notify GL. I hope this helps.
 

Smokey613

Registered User
Sad to say, if we have a LIFE instructor I am unaware of who he is. You have to understand, we are a very small lodge with less than 20 members normally in attendance. I will see what I can come up with from one of the more active lodges in my area.
 

js4253

Premium Member
Premium Member
I received the following email. Thought you guys might want to read it.



Honorable Brethren,



After a long conversation with RW:. Timothy Kent Anthony, Chairman, Committee on Work concerning a few phone calls and e-mails we received, the following information is offered in an attempt to clear any misunderstanding.



1. There will be four mini-classes OFFERED at Army Lodge No. 1105, 1306 Grayson, San Antonio, TX 78208 on the following dates: March 11; April 8; May 13 and June 10, 2009 and from 9:00 am to 10:00 am (every second Wednesday of each month preceding election of officers). ANY brother requiring certification may ATTEND or HE MAY also request an audience with Any District Instructor or a member of the Committee on Work.



2. There will also be classes OFFERED at Charles W. Anderson Lodge No. 1413, 10103 Eveningway, San Antonio, TX 78233 on Sunday afternoons from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm beginning February 15, 2009 and continuing until June 2009. These classes will be conducted by Bro. Daniel B. Mason, District Instructor FOR Masonic District 39-B.



3. The certification classes will require the brother seeking certification, to act IN THE CAPACITY OF Worshipful Master; open and close all four Lodges and be able to call down from a Master’s Lodge by giving the “double-order†TO AN EA OR FC LODGE.



4. Additional information concerning the certification requirements are that all brother masons wishing to become Worshipful Master’s of their respective Lodges must have also completed the L.I.F.E. Program or attended A Warden’s Retreat. The Form 101 requires that the Chairman of the L.I.F.E. /A.L.L. Committee certifies completion or that you attach a copy of your Diploma from A Wardens Retreat.



5. There are some additional requirements involved in completing Form 101.



a) You must present your completed form to the District Deputy Grand Master of your district for final certification. This must be done 5 days prior to your Lodge’s Installation Ceremonies or earlier.



b) A copy shall also be retained by the Lodge as part of the minutes of the meeting at which installation was done. Note: in 2009, all incoming Wardens should complete these requirements but may be installed if they have not.



6. Lastly, this e-mail should be read in Lodge at one Stated Meeting per month and may also be posted on your Lodge Bulletin Board.



- - Signed - -

Dan Owczarzak, Recorder

Esoteric Class of Excellence

Army Lodge No. 1105

In God We Trust, Always
 

js4253

Premium Member
Premium Member
Smokey- what's the problem with your Secretary?

Smokey, what Bill is saying is to ask your Secretary to order the LIFE program books for you. The Secretary has already received LIFE cards when he got the dues cards. Once you complete the Worshipful Master book he can give you a card which proves you have completed the LIFE Program.
 

Smokey613

Registered User
Smokey- what's the problem with your Secretary?

Not a problem per se, just our lodge secretary's health has declined and if I can get this done without increasing his already overloaded plate it would be nice. I have enlisted the assistance of other brethern and will have my certification complete before installation. Sometimes I forget how easy it is to just "ask" for help instead of trying to do it on my own. Afterall that is one of the lessons Masonry teaches us, to help our brothers and to ask for it as well. Sometimes I forget that second part. :) Old habits die hard you know.
 

Joey

Co-Founder
Staff Member
Sad to say, if we have a LIFE instructor I am unaware of who he is. You have to understand, we are a very small lodge with less than 20 members normally in attendance. I will see what I can come up with from one of the more active lodges in my area.

Welcome to my world.... I am the elected SW this year but, our WM passed away 2 months into his term. So, I'm WM Pro Tem right now. If we have 20 show up to a meeting that's a lot...... And, our secretary is in very poor health. I have asked several times to get the LIFE program ordered.... And, as of now have yet to get it.......
 

rhitland

Founding Member
Premium Member
You just call GL and order them, they will send them directly to you or to your Lodge they are pretty cheap and would be easy to donate to your Lodge to get it going. We made copies of the ones GL sent us so not to have to buy more. Betty is the best as all the GL help is and they will be more than willing to help, I mean we do pay there salary.
 
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