Another Question About The A.L.L. Program

[Michaelstedman81]

Due to the recent thread regarding the A.L.L. program, I was reminded of a question that I have about it. I didn't want to post my question in that thread as there was only a couple of reply posts and I didn't want to "bird walk" that topic and that person not get the answer they were looking for. So I started this thread for my question.

As soon as I was raised, I was deployed. After I came back, I turned in my MM work and shortly after that I was out of the Army and moved. I was never told about the A.L.L. program until a few months ago when I moved to a new area and started visiting lodges. One Brother emailed me in PDF format the A.L.L. program materials (the handbook and workbook) for when I found my new lodge that I was going to switch my membership to.

Here is my question. When I do select which lodge is going to be my new home lodge, how do I go about completing the program? Do I just give my completed workbook to the Secretary, or what? Just wanting to make sure that I get it done right and get the credit for completing it.

Additional questions: After I turn it in, where does it go? Is there any kind of certificate or anything like that that I recieve for completing the program? Can I complete the program with a lodge that I am not a member of, or does it have to go through MY lodge? What are the usual time requirements (or other requirements) surrounding the program?

Thanks, Brothers.

 

[owls84]

When I do select which lodge is going to be my new home lodge, how do I go about completing the program?
It is up to the counselor of the Lodge.
Do I just give my completed workbook to the Secretary, or what?
You may but again it is up to the counselor or in most cases the secretary. You may just find out they have never heard of what you are talking about.

After I turn it in, where does it go?
The workbook should go in your membership file and you keep the handbook for future reading.
Is there any kind of certificate or anything like that that I recieve for completing the program?
In the past I have done some and presented them with them at the stated meeting.
Can I complete the program with a lodge that I am not a member of, or does it have to go through MY lodge?
There is a TON of gray area on this program (as with many GLoTX programs). There is not a defined answer but as long as you complete it and it is entered into the minutes for record (Read that you have completed at a stated meeting) you are good to go. Just my interpretation though. Ideally it is you home Lodge though. The secretary needs to contact GL so they can document it in the secretary's database.
What are the usual time requirements (or other requirements) surrounding the program?
90 days after being raised per the GLoTX Law Book

 

[Michaelstedman81]

Wow...Thanks a lot for all that. Got all of my questiones answered. A couple months ago I talked about this to some Brothers at a lodge that I was going to join. Lol they had said that they had limited knowledge of the program cause they hadn't had anyone do it in so long..lol According to one of my old lodges, since I was raised and then deployed and with me getting out pretty quick after I got out, I have a pretty good "excuse" for not getting it done within the time requirements.

With some news that I recently recieved, I am thinking that I will be joining a specific lodge in the area that I live in now. As soon as I get in there, I will make sure to get this program taken care of. Thank you for the answers!

 

[Timothy Fleischer]

Brother,
Regardless of whether you complete the ALL within the 90 days as required by recent GLoT laws or within a longer period of time, the purpose of the ALL program is to help build a better foundation for you as a Mason. I think, from seeing your posts here, that you will have a wide, strong foundation as a Mason. Soak up knowledge of every kind. Curiosity and desire for more light are great qualities in a new Mason. Find a mentor, whether it is a formal relationship or an informal one, that can help guide you. You'll find that relationship to be a terrific one over the years!

 

[Beathard]

Git er done... You dont want to go suspended...

 

[Michaelstedman81]

Git er done... You dont want to go suspended...

I didn't know that one could actually get suspended for that. Right when I moved up to the area I just moved to, I asked the secretary of a lodge that I was visiting (and was going to transfer my membership to) about it. Lol he told me that I won't get suspended for it, and in fact he had said that they hadn't even given the program to any of the new MMs in a quite a long time. Even when I was thinking that there was no suspension for this, I was going to do it anyway just to be able to get it done and was finally able to get the workbook and handbook emailed to me. That way I can have it done and ready to just give to my lodge that I transfer to when I get all settled in... Lol Now I have a reason to hurry. I'll contact the lodge I am currently on the books for tomorrow and see if I can mail the stuff to him instead of waiting for the process of transfering my membership up here to take place. Thanks for putting that up there, Bro. Beathard. I had no clue. Obviously, got some misguided information...lol

the purpose of the ALL program is to help build a better foundation for you as a Mason.

Yea, there was some stuff that I had questions about that were actually in the program. I am glad that I was finally able to get access to the handbook and workbook. It was pretty informative on a bunch of little things that I see is pretty common knowledge.

 

[Beathard]

The workbook is online at http://www.airsetpublic.com/files/ALL Workbook.pdf?i=UxSbbCtlWGdR

Art 439 of the law book says it has to be done within 90 days and states that it is not optional.

If you look at the workbook, I bet you can finish it in 20-30 minutes.

 

[Michaelstedman81]

If you look at the workbook, I bet you can finish it in 20-30 minutes.

Yea, there wasn't noting to it really. On Monday or Tuesday I'm gonna drop it the Secretary of my lodge as I can pass through there on the way back to Denton. Thanks for letting me know about that time line not being optional. Maybe I should find a way to let the Brothers at that lodge I visited know that they might have the wrong information on it...

 

[Beathard]

It is actually a pretty good program for a new mason isn't it.

 

[chrisu0017]

I finished my ALL program before I even turned in my work. It's really not all that difficult, but, if I remember correctly, you will need some other reference material to complete some of the questions.

 

[Bill Lins]

Thanks for letting me know about that time line not being optional. Maybe I should find a way to let the Brothers at that lodge I visited know that they might have the wrong information on it...

Every Texas Lodge has received at least one copy of the law book updates & GM's Decisions from last year's Grand Annual Communication. The very first GM's Decision deals with precisely this issue.

 

[Beathard]

Some lodges will do what they want to. When they get caught, they usually get pissed off. Carnes has already been asked why he is the first GM to call some lodges to the floor for doing something wrong.

 

[Michaelstedman81]

Every Texas Lodge has received at least one copy of the law book updates & GM's Decisions from last year's Grand Annual Communication. The very first GM's Decision deals with precisely this issue.

Some lodges will do what they want to. When they get caught, they usually get pissed off. Carnes has already been asked why he is the first GM to call some lodges to the floor for doing something wrong.

Well, this just stinks. I really don't like being or even thinking that I'm in that "danger close" range of being suspended, so I am going to get this taken care of Monday by taking a detour on my way home to Denton. Hopefully, someone will be home or there is a mailbox I can slide the papers into. I know that being a lodge so close to a military base it might be pretty easy to lose track of contact info for some people with deployments and PCSing, but both times that I moved I have been in contact with the Secretary updating him on my new addresses and my phone number and email hasn't changed. I have never heard a peep about all of this from my lodge.

And then I ask the other lodge I was looking to transfer to about it after finally hearing about this, and I get told that it basically doesn't matter and is of no big importance at all. Now I am finding out that this is grounds for suspension? I take my Masonic life pretty doggone seriously and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize my membership, especially over something as easy to complete as this program. Kind of makes me wonder what else was kind of "missed". With that in mind, through another thread on here I am thinking now that there MIGHT be some pretty informative stuff that I was supposed to get while going through my degrees, but never did.

If lodges go and do things thier own way, how are new Masons supposed to actually know the right things that are expected of them? Or even get passed the same information that is supposed to be for everyone? I gotta admit, there has been times where I have felt like a complete idiot because of some of the questions that I have had about simple and common things in our Craft. With both the A.L.L. program handbook and the Candidate Information Books (that I just got access to), as soon as I got acccess to them I took a brief look at them and immediately found answers to questions I have asked before (long after I was raised) and also answers that I felt like I would look too much like a moron to a Brother to ask, and never did.

Sorry if I sound a bit disgruntled..lol I am just finding out that there was information that I could have used a long time and that was supposed to be given to me. I either had to find the answers on my own, or feel emberassed that I didn't know the answers myself or that I wasn't picking up on things like everyone else does and that I should be. Plus, not recieving the information and then getting inaccurate information about the same subject has put me in the position to be reprimanded by something that means a lot to me, and I just don't like being in that position. Thanks for your information, guys. As always, very informative and helpful.

 

[Beathard]

Don't get overly concerned. The people that would suspend you are the same people that feel it is not a big deal. You probably have plenty of time considering their history.

 

[owls84]

The only problem I have with still requiring it is that the Grand Lodge has not updated the program in SOOO LONG. If it is a huge priority and people are going to be suspended then they should send out good information as well. There are several things that need to be changed in this book and things it doesn't even cover that need to be. Also, since EAs and FCs can travel and attend meetings I believe this should be taught to the EAs prior to getting their FC. Just my $0.02.

 

[Beathard]

Send an email to Carnes. See what he says. He seems to have a true interest in fixing things.

 

[Michaelstedman81]

Don't get overly concerned. The people that would suspend you are the same people that feel it is not a big deal. You probably have plenty of time considering their history.

Thanks. I feel a little bit more at ease about it now. I'm still gonna rush to get it dropped of though as I don't want to take any chances.

There are several things that need to be changed in this book and things it doesn't even cover that need to be.

If you got the time and want to, can you tell me a few of the things that you saw that need to be changed in there or that needs to be added? I would like to get the most accurate information as possible. You can PM me about it if you would like. If not, no worries.

 

[owls84]

Send an email to Carnes. See what he says. He seems to have a true interest in fixing things.

For two years a group of us have offered to rewrite it. We even went as far as contacting the committee on education and the only one to contact us was Jerry Martin and we handed him an outline of the improvements and never heard from them again.

 

[Beathard]

I'm going to grand Lodge today. I will attempt to bring it up again.

 

[Beathard]

Could not find the right people. Will try again on Friday.