All smiles as Provincial meetings return to the Epic Centre

May 16, 2022

What's the collective noun for Provincial Grand Masters? Perhaps a 'Happiness', or as in this picture. a 'Handful'? This picture was taken before the Provincial Grand Lodge of Lincolnshire, and shows, from left, RWBros Bill Dastur, Cambridgeshire; Steven Varley, Derbyshire; Tony Henderson, Bedfordshire and Philip Marshal, Nottinghamshire.

For the first time since our Covid-enforced absence from the Epic Centre we were back for our Provincial Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter meetings – which was certainly appreciated by the visiting Provincial Grand Masters in our picture!

Here’s what Dave Wheeler, Most Excellent Grand Superintendent in Chapter, and Provincial Grand Master in the Craft had to say in his addresses, which included presentation of three Certificates of Merit, to Tony Greswell, John Grimwood, and Terry Little:

CHAPTER

Good morning, Companions. It is great to see so many of you here today, back in our spiritual home of the Lincolnshire showground for the full resumption of our annual meetings.

Following the problems of the last two years, today we are back in great numbers and it is wonderful to see so many of you here, particularly our guests from other Provinces. I appreciate you taking the time to visit us.

It has been a busy year for myself, the Deputy Grand Superintendent David Bird and the two Principals, Mike Rix and Michael Carter.

After the restrictions of the pandemic were lifted I and the active team visited 11 Chapters in 6 months. David Bird visited the remaining 22 to ensure that every chapter had a visit from one of us.

The Principal’s backed us up superbly by visiting all of our Chapters between them which has been a magnificent effort. On occasions, all of four of us managed to visit a Chapter together which was great to see and very much appreciated by me and, hopefully, by those present.

After the uncertainty of ‘lockdown’ we only had one chance to do this and the idea was to encourage and support our Chapters with a visible and tangible presence. The feedback I have received is that this was well-received in our Chapters.

As things appear to be recovering, what of the future?

Nationally, Supreme Grand Chapter have put together two groups to ensure we are all working in the same direction to promote the Royal Arch beyond 2022:

A Regional Liaison Group, chaired by Excellent Companion Michael Holland from Herefordshire and
a Membership and Communications Working party, chaired by Excellent Companion Paul Renton, West Lancashire, who is here today.

I am delighted that our very own Mike Rix is also a member of the Communications Group.

As a Province, we are well-positioned to build on our percentage ratio of Craft Masons who are also in the Royal Arch which currently stands at 47%. Before any of us become too complacent, this is less than half so there is clearly a lot of work to be done.

The national work is, as a result of a series of surveys, bringing together a shared understanding and a common narrative for the Royal Arch so that we are all, literally, ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’. Locally, our own Royal Arch focus group continues with a series of initiatives to encourage our Master Masons to want to join the Royal Arch and not feel they have to join. You will all have heard me say that our Master Masons should become companions, ‘when the time is right for them’.

We have an influx of new Freemasons, which is great. However, they are at their most vulnerable within the first three years of their masonic journey. If they are pressured in to the Royal Arch too quickly, they may lose interest and leave. Far better that they take their time, join when they can fit everything in and then stay with us for good. We need to think of the long-term and treat our future companions as individuals, supporting them where we can and according to their needs.

Once they are exalted, then all of us must ensure that they can contribute within their Chapters by involving them in the ceremonies, sharing the ritual, and offering them pieces of work to do. Explaining the ceremony through the use of ‘setting the scene’ is really helpful so new companions understand the detail of the ceremony.

We all know that the ‘key’ people in our Chapters are the three Principals, particularly ‘Z’, the Scribe ‘E’ and the DC. I suggest to you that the most important people in our Chapters are our newly-exalted companions.

After the overwhelming euphoria of an exaltation ceremony, it is very easy to overlook our new companions to such an extent that they can lose interest. It is the role of everyone here today to make their journey as fulfilling and enjoyable as we can so that our Chapters continue to thrive within Lincolnshire.

Thank you all for your support today. We have a very happy Province and I am confident that our next five years will be our best five years. After all the problems we have faced, recently, let’s get back to doing what we do best: enjoying our Freemasonry and, particularly, the beautiful degree – the Royal Arch.

In terms of celebrating success, I congratulate the following on their promotions and appointments at the recent SGC Investiture meeting;

Excellent Companion Tony Greswell; promotion to Past Assistant Grand Sojourner

And first appointments:

Excellent Companion Philp Anyan to Past Assistant Grand Standard Bearer and Excellent Companion Michael Carter to Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.

I also congratulate those who have been promoted and appointed today, particularly those who are on the new Provincial team and I look forward to being with you all on our visits to come.

I thank those who were on the active team last year for their wonderful support in, what were, very challenging circumstances.

Finally, I thank everyone who has been involved in ensuring today has been such a success from those in the Provincial office, who have worked so hard making the arrangements, to all those involved in setting up the rooms and tidying up after we all leave. It really has been a superb team effort.

Brother Provincial Director of Ceremonies, please present to me Excellent Companion Tony Greswell.

Presentation of the 16^th Provincial Grand Masters Certificate of Merit.

In closing, Companions, I look forward to spending time with you before lunch. For those not staying for the Craft meeting this afternoon, have a safe journey home and I look forward to seeing you in the not too-distant future. Thank you, Companions.

CRAFT

Good afternoon, Brethren,

It is great to see so many of you here today, back in our spiritual home of the Lincolnshire showground for the full resumption of our annual meetings.

Two years ago, the Provincial meeting consisted of six members of the executive sat around a table. Last year, just the active officers were invited to a small Provincial meeting, to keep the numbers low. This year, there are over 400 of us here, including our guests from other Provinces and representatives from all of our Lodges, of which 62 are serving Worshipful Masters. It is a magnificent turnout and I am very proud to be your Provincial Grand Master today.

On 23^rd April we held a service of remembrance and thanksgiving, organised by W. Brother Peter Brooks and presided over by W. Brother Brian Roberts, our Provincial Chaplain. It was a fitting tribute to those we have lost.

Now, Brethren, we look to the future. The United Grand Lodge of England will shortly be launching a new, 7-year strategy to enhance our reputation as a thriving organisation that people aspire to join and broaden our membership across all age groups. In Lincolnshire, my priorities will continue to be:

Increase numbers and retain members
Promote the Royal Arch
Introduce a combined media strategy
Proactively support the 2025 Masonic Charitable Foundation Festival

Taking these in reverse order, there are challenging times ahead for many of our brethren in terms of financial pressures. Some may find themselves needing help and they will receive help. Those who are able to support the 2025 festival by giving what they can will be providing the funds for the MCF to aid our brethren and their families who may be in need. It is one of the greatest strengths of our organisation.

In terms of communication, we need to positively position ourselves in our communities by telling people what we actually do, not what they think we do. All of our centres will soon be very identifiable within their community by new signage to let people know who we are and where are. Let’s not forget, though, the best ambassadors for Freemasonry in Lincolnshire are each and every one of us.

The Royal Arch in Lincolnshire remains a priority but brethren should join because they want to join, not because they feel they have to join. It is the next step for every Master Mason but to ensure our keen and enthusiastic newer brethren do not take on too much the time must be right for them.

If Craft masonry is strong then all other orders will benefit and I am looking forward to resuming the ‘Heads of Orders’ meeting in November.

For Craft masonry to be strong we also need to encourage and support our newer brethren and not let the positive impact of their initiation, passing and raising ceremonies, and the exaltation ceremony in to the Royal Arch, be diluted by allowing them to be side-lined once these ceremonies are completed. Share the ritual, share the work, work together and let’s all enjoy being fully involved in our Lodges and Chapters and, most of all, enjoy our Freemasonry.

In terms of celebrating success, I congratulate the following on their promotions and appointments at the recent UGLE Investiture meeting;

Brother Len Lewis: promotion to Past Junior Grand Deacon;
Bro Chris Bradley: promotion to Past Assistant Grand Sword Bearer;

And first appointments:

Brother Doctor, the Rev Brian Roberts to Past Assistant Grand Chaplain and W. Brother John Peters to Past Grand Standard Bearer.

I also congratulate all those receiving active appointments today. I hope you enjoy your year in office, it really is a special year. I also congratulate those receiving promotions and look forward to seeing many of you again at the two additional meetings we are holding in June for past rank promotions.

I thank last year’s active team for their tremendous support in completing so many visits, with me, in a much-reduced time period, even though they have had an extended period in office.

Of course, particular thanks must go to the active Wardens who have worked tremendously hard in visiting our lodges and communicating so effectively on their visits. I have received many positive comments about how they have conducted themselves, particularly in their responses at lodge festive boards.