Making Good Men, Better Men Since Time Immemorial
Making Good Men, Better Men Since Time Immemorial

All posts by: Ross Jackson

The Tenets of Our Order Are Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth

On January 25th , a tornado ripped through the Fultondale and New Castle Communities in northern Jefferson County, barely missing the Gardendale Lodge, but causing massive destruction to the neighboring communities and taking the life of a 14-year-old boy.  It is disasters like these when we, as Masons, can exercise these important tenets in our community.

Brother Nick Chieffo of Brooklin Lodge #704 visited with Brother Paul Thomas of Gardendale Lodge #907, and together, with the help of Brother Melvin Cochran of Sam Thompson Lodge #456, organized an effort to raise funds and supplies for those affected.  Brother Chieffo, and another member of Brooklin Lodge, Brother Bryant Fortenberry, operate a food cart in addition to their usual vocations.

After contacting as many of Brooklin’s members as possible in a short time, they brought their food cart to an emergency staging area in Fultondale. Although several of their brothers from Brooklin were able to attend, they were quickly overrun with demand. Brother Chieffo said he was amazed by the number of brothers who were there already or who came after a quick phone call. They jumped in to help man the cart, purchase additional cart supplies and help in any way they could.

Before long the brothers from Gardendale, Sam Thompson and Brooklin were joined by masons from Acacia #670, Maryland #783, Milton H. Fies #722, Brookside #552, Hewitt-North Birmingham #519, Georgiana #285 and Huffman #633 Lodges, as well as brothers from the GAOTU Tribe of the Widow’s Sons. Brother Andy McCaleb of Milton H. Fies, brought his bobcat and helped clear debris.

In a matter of hours, the food cart raised $3,000 from sales, and other contributions – from masons and community members alike – totaled just over $3,000, generating in excess of $6,000 that was immediately donated to the relief efforts.

This truly is Freemasonry at it’s best!

Brother Bruce L. Patterson, PM

Secretary, Brooklin #704

Grand Master’s Social Media Message

January 13, 2021

Brethren, if you have not reviewed the Social Media Policy lately, I encourage you to do so. While posting on the internet can be fun, rewarding, and educational, at times it can be challenging, especially when engaged in a subject near and dear to your heart. Emotions can sometimes get in the way of expressing yourself in the manner that would be appropriate as a representative of our fraternity.

Having social discourse is a freedom we all enjoy. Please use the social medium platforms we have available today in a positive way and be respectable of others.

Tommy Morrow

Grand Master

*Service Date Change* Obituary of Mrs. Shirley Brackin

Please keep the family of Mrs. Shirley Brackin in your prayers. She is the Widow of Most Worshipful Brother Joseph Brackin, Past Grand Master. She is also the Mother of our current Senior Grand Deacon, Brother Allen Brackin.

Obituary:

Shirley Henderson Brackin, of Dothan, passed away peacefully on December 29, 2020 surrounded by her loving family. She was 85 years old.

Funeral services will be held 3p.m. on Sunday, January 17, 2021, at Sunset Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Mike Pearson and Rev. Teresa Seevers officiating. Burial will follow at Dothan City Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 2-3 p.m. In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Greystone United Methodist Church, 4401 Fortner Street, Dothan AL 36305.

Shirley was born on December 16, 1935 to the late John Asa and Katherine Henderson. She was a majorette at Dothan High school and graduated in the class of 1954. After high school, Shirley married the love of her life, Joseph Brackin, and they would be married for almost 50 years before his passing. Shirley worked at Fort Rucker as the Inspector General for 33 years until her retirement. She was a dedicated member of Greystone United Methodist Church, formally Lafayette Street UMC, where she served as the Church Financial Secretary, Sunday School teacher, and charter member. She was also a member and secretary of the Forsythia Garden Club.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Joseph Brackin; and her sister, Bobbie H. Jackson.

She is survived by her sons, Allen (Mary Beth) Brackin, Mark (Kathy) Brackin, and David (Kris) Brackin; Her grandson, Matthew (Fiancée Cassie) Brackin; step-grandson’s, Michael Monday, Chris (Elisha) Hollis, and Joey (Erica) Hollis; several great step-grandchildren; her brother, Johnnie (Helen) Henderson; and a host of extended family members and friends.

Clarification to COVID-19 Update 16 December 2020

Brethren, just a point of clarification. If the brethren of your lodge decide that it is in the best interest of the lodge to not meet because of the pandemic issue, I want it to be the consensus of the members who attend on a regular basis, not the Worshipful Master only. The Worshipful Master can determine this consensus in the manner in which he chooses whether it be in a regular lodge meeting or a special called meeting for that purpose, or by contacting these brethren one on one, or in an informal setting with two or more brethren present. Now that a vaccine is in use, hopefully soon we will be back to normal, whatever that normal may be.

Fraternally,

Tommy Morrow

Grand Master

Installation of Officers | 2020-2021

Join us in celebrating the installation of the Grand Lodge of Alabama’s 2020-2021 Officers.

Lodge Officers

  • Shelby Thomas Morrow, Jr. — MW Grand Master
  • Billy Wayne Jackson — RW Deputy Grand Master
  • Richard “Rusty” Beck —  RW Senior Grand Warden 
  • Michael Lee Boyles — RW Junior Grand Warden
  • Zachary Allen Holmes — Grand Treasurer
  • Teddy Roosevelt Grogan, JR. — Grand Secretary
  • Gary Pervie Wates — Grand Tiler
  • Gene Thomas Nelson — Grand Chaplain
  • Daniel Wesley Robinson — Grand Orator
  • Travis DeFoor, Jr.  — Grand Marshal
  • Andrew Hill Barnett — Grand Historian
  • Joesph Allen Houston Brackin  — Senior Grand Deacon
  • Kenneth Neil Amison — Junior Grand Deacon
  • Billy Wayne Wilkerson — Senior Grand Steward
  • Jerry Ellis Miller — Junior Grand Steward
  • Wendell Merrell Black — Deputy Grand Tiler