About
Freemasonry in General
Q: What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry is the world's oldest fraternal organization. We are a group of good men becoming better men by practicing charity, morality, and compassion for our neighbors, countrymen, and people across the globe.
Q: Is Freemasonry a religion?
We are not a religion, but we do require that any applicant express belief in a Supreme Being. We welcome all men of good character, regardless of religious belief, as long as they express belief in a higher power.
Q: What are the requirements to become a Freemason?
There are four basic requirements to become a Freemason:
You must be a man. Masonry is a fraternity, and we can only accept men into our order. However, there are several Masonic organizations that welcome women members, such as the Order of the Eastern Star.
You must be freeborn. This is an ancient requirement meant to ensure that a slave could not be inducted into the fraternity and then forced to reveal the secrets of the craft to a slave owner.
You must be of lawful age. In the State of Alabama, you must be 21 years old.
You must believe in a Supreme Being or Higher Power. What you call this being is your own volition. A masonic lodge does not require belief in a specific deity, and lodge teachings should not conflict with your belief.
Q: How long does it take to go from initiate to ruler of a country?
Despite all of the conspiracies and "secrets revealed" about Freemasonry, we are sad to inform you that we do not control governments or run super-powerful organizations. As stated above, we are a group of good men trying to become better men. If a candidate expects to learn secrets to get out of traffic tickets, catapult to the top of his employment field, or rule the world, we're sorry to say he will be sorely disappointed.
However, a candidate who desires to become more active and make a difference in his community while fellowshipping with like-minded brothers might find a comfortable and welcoming home.
Q: How do I join?
There is only one way to join the fraternity: ask. If you know a Mason, ask them about joining. If you don't know a mason or are unsure, please contact us about joining our lodge or a lodge nearer to you! Remember: To Be One, Ask One.
Hoover Lodge
Q: What is a lodge?
A masonic lodge is a gathering of masons for the purpose of conducting masonic work. "Lodge" can refer to either the building where masons gather, or the body of masons associated with a particular lodge. In Alabama (and most other jurisdictions), there are often several lodges in a given area, and finding the nearest lodge can be a challenge. You can use the Alabama Grand Lodge location list to help find your nearest Alabama Lodge.
Q: What does "F&AM #XYZ" mean after lodge names?
F&AM stands for Free and Accepted Masons, which identifies a lodge as under the jurisdiction of a Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. F&AM lodges in Alabama are under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Alabama. Other comparable examples would be AF&AM, which represents a lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Freemasons, which some jurisdictions (like Missouri) use instead of F&AM.
#644 is Hoover Lodge's number. Every lodge under the jurisdiction of a Grand Lodge has a lodge number which represents, roughly, when it was founded. Helion Lodge #1, for example, was the first lodge founded in the state of Alabama. Hoover Lodge, while chronologically being a newer lodge, traces its roots back to Fairview Lodge #644, which merged with West End Lodge #753 to form a new lodge. Hoover Lodge kept the older number. It had absolutely nothing to do with bragging rights, Bluff Park #856.
Q: Where are you located?
We are located in the heart of Hoover, at 3445 Sierra Drive, Hoover, Alabama 35216. We are right behind the Fish Market and down the street from the Senior Center.
Q: When do you meet?
Our stated meeting nights are the first and third Mondays of the month. We usually have a meal starting at 6:00pm ET and have our meeting at 7:00pm. Typically, we have a family night on the fifth Monday of a month, but this is not always guaranteed. Check our Events page to see when we're meeting or having a family night!
Q: What do you do in the community?
We are active and becoming even more active in our community. We participate in three major annual Hoover events: Hoover Day in the Spring, National Night Out in the Summer, and Hoover Hayride in the Fall.
Hoover Lodge proudly supports our community first responders, and holds annual First Responder Breakfasts in the spring to show our appreciation for their hard work and services.
We also work with the Scottish Rite Shoe Program, to supply local school children with new shoes. We proudly support local youth sports groups in the Hoover area.
We are constantly looking for new avenues to reach out and support our community. We are working to collect school supplies for Hoover school teachers, and are collecting toiletries for local shelters for women and children.