Provincial News
- Written by: Rob Taylor
On Friday the 15th of September 2017, members of Heritage Lodge No. 9344 together with the Past Masters of 2015/16 were pleased to present cheques to four charities: Lakelands Hospice, Corby MIND, Vine Community Trust and Home-Start Corby.
Additional cheques had already been presented to the Kettering & District Samaritans for £400, the Corby Parkinson’s Group for £250 and 3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless for £250.
Cheque Presented to Lakelands Hospice for £400
From left, WBro James Spence (Senior Group Officer Corby - PAGDC), VWBro Trevor Boswell (Deputy Provincial Grand Master - PGSwdB), Lakelands Hospital representative, W Bro Chris Winfield (IPM - Lodge of Heritage), WBro Thomas Hall (WM - Lodge of Heritage)
Cheque Presented to Corby MIND for £400
From left, WBro James Spence, WBro GBD Cole, VWBro Trevor Boswell, Corby MIND representative, Corby MIND representative, WBro Chris Winfield, WBro Thomas Hall, WBro D Docherty (Treasurer - Lodge of Heritage - PProvSGD)
Cheque Presented to Vine Community Trust for £400
From left, WBro James Spence, WBro GBD Cole, VWBro Trevor Boswell, Vine Community Trust representative, WBro Chris Winfield, WBro Thomas Hall
Cheque Presented on Behalf of 2015/16 Worshipful Masters to Home-Start Corby for £2,000
From left, WBro James Spence, WBro GBD Cole, VWBro Trevor Boswell, Home-Start Corby representative, Home-Start Corby representative, WBro CCH Woods (PM - St Giles Lodge 2015/16), WBro S Wright, (ADC - Lodge of Heritage - PPJGW), WBro AD Rae (PM - Lodge of Heritage 2015/16 - PPGStwd)
- Written by: John Fergusson
On Saturday the 16th of September 2017, 3 Pillars - Feeding the Homeless hosted a Thank-You Evening to mark its first anniversary.
It was an opportunity to thank friends, supporters and brethren for their assistance, particularly the amazing band of volunteers who had contributed so much in the form of time, effort and supplies during the first year.
Organisers and supporters of 3 Pillars at the Thank-You Evening
A particular vote of thanks must go to the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Max Bayes, and his wife, Barbara, who took time out of their busy schedule to attend and support the evening, 3 Pillars is enormously grateful for their personal support and encouragement.
The Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Max Bayes, speaking at the event
The Charity is now focused on supporting their homeless friends during the very difficult upcoming winter period.
Any and all offers of support, whether in the form of time, money or provisions, will be gratefully received and faithfully applied.
- Written by: John Fergusson
Strangers, whence come you? From Babylon?
Well not quite Strangers, Companions and certainly not from Babylon!
But we re-emerge from the summer recess and, I trust, with renewed enthusiasm and a sense of excitement as we now face the challenges of another Masonic year in 2017/2018. I hope that you have all “summered” well.
For Freemasonry in general, we are now three-quarters of the way through our Tercentenary year and a successful one it has been thus far. The Tercentenary Grand Ball is getting closer, to be held at Wicksteed Park in Kettering on 21st October and we, in the Royal Arch, will have supported all three of the major Provincial events to the best of our ability.
From the Royal Arch perspective, the season started in earnest this week with the September meeting of our First Principals’ Chapter at Ellindon where our guest speaker was E Comp Christopher Maiden, perhaps better known as the Grand High Priest of the Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests and the Order of Holy Wisdom.
And what a tremendously informative and entertaining presentation he gave – an Order which first saw the light of day in the 1700s and now covers 27 countries worldwide with over 8000 members. E Comp Christopher travels widely and regularly as he oversees his domain – an avid collector of Air Miles, no doubt but a charming man with it.
Companions, all remains well within the Royal Arch Province and as reported at the Annual Convocation in June, 2016 was another successful year in terms of membership. We bid farewell to E Comp George Clayton at the Convocation after three very successful years and George played his part in raising the profile of the Order and visiting many a Chapter. He was replaced, as you are now aware, by E Comp Jim Boughton who needed no introduction. Jim had stood down as an Assistant PGM a year or so before and known as an enthusiastic Royal Arch colleague, he was an obvious choice in many ways. The fact that he and I played rugby together way back in the 1960s in the same old boys school team is neither here nor there!
Our new Third Grand Principal, E Comp Gareth Jones OBE, also honoured us with his presence and made an immediate impression on our proceedings as he has done on his many visits to other Provinces all around the country. His address to us was quite inspiring and in conjunction with E Comp Russell Race as our Second Grand Principal, their enthusiasm and encouragement for the Royal Arch raises our profile to another level. We are indeed fortunate to have them both and I personally feel that now is a good time to be a Companion of our Supreme Degree. The future looks good.
And within Province, the various Heads of other Orders continue, as always, to enjoy a close rapport and a degree of co-operation which is the envy of many another Province. There have been changes more recently – E Comp George Bonham stood down as the Provincial Grand Master in the Mark Degree in June, to be succeeded by E Comp Bob Stokes and E Comp Martin Wilson was installed in July as the new District Grand Master of the East Midlands, Royal and Select Masters. Both new incumbents have long been prominent players within our Province, well known and highly respected by us all and that excellent rapport we have so enjoyed with other Orders operating within Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire over the years is set fair into the foreseeable future.
And whilst we can congratulate ourselves on the continued success of the Holy Royal Arch, we cannot afford complacency. Our success relies so much on a successful Craft Province with whom we work so closely; after all’s said and done, the Royal Arch is the completion of Pure Antient Masonry and the very completion of Craft Masonry itself - the happy ending to the storyline that, in the Third degree of Craft, ends in death, bereavement and anguish and for the teachings of the Supreme Degree then to introduce a spiritual awareness and re-awakening.
So, Companions, we all continue to assume the role of ambassadors for the Holy Royal Arch; we all share a responsibility to promote the Order even further and raise the profile so that those who have yet to join us appreciate that their Masonic journey is so incomplete until they have taken that fourth and final phase of Pure Antient Masonry. The Book of Constitutions makes it perfectly clear for those who seek further reassurance - a journey from “Initiation to Exaltation”, a happy ending with a few trials and tribulations thrown in for good measure along the way! And the Third Degree of Craft gives out so many clues and suggestions that there is still more to come.
Unfortunately, so many of our colleagues miss them initially; we are focussed so much on the intensity of a good, well delivered Third Degree ceremony but on further examination in the cold light of day, those hints and clues are so obvious. And that, my Companions, is the challenge I therefore set you - the very same challenge as I have promoted in recent years past and will no doubt continue to do so in the years ahead.
Our penetration into Craft membership remains at around 39% - it’s about average for most of our Royal Arch Provinces under Supreme Grand Chapter but there are one or two Provinces that really excel. We have a target “market” of some 60% therefore and just a few successes here and there will begin to make a difference. We on the Provincial Executive remain ever grateful for the tremendous support and encouragement you continue to give us; the welcome we receive on visiting your Chapters, formally or informally, is exemplary and we thank you for it.
And on a personal note, I am privileged to have been your Grand Superintendent now for the last – wait for it – ten and a half years. It has been a great experience to have made so many new friends over that time – friendships that will be life-long and that is a wonderful legacy to cherish. But still, together we still have much work to do – enjoy the new Masonic year 2017/2018, enjoy your Masonry certainly but most importantly, enjoy your Royal Arch Masonry.
And I shall look forward to catching up with you all as the season progresses.
Wayne E Williams
ME Grand Superintendent
- Written by: Simon Key
Last weekend, from Friday the 8th of September to Sunday the 10th of September 2017, the Masonic Centre in Daventry High Street threw open its doors to the public as part of the annual Heritage Open Days nationwide event.
The event's aim was to make people aware of Daventry's thriving Masonic community, and to give the public a guided tour of the lodge rooms and inherent symbology.
Local Masons were on-hand to explain the meaning of the many curious objects used at Masonic meetings. A video-presentation and exhibition provided information about Freemasonry in-general and its achievements locally and worldwide.
Inside the Lodge Room at Daventry Masonic Centre
A significant number of visitors braved the wet weather to attend the event. Many commented that they found the experience fascinating, that it dispelled many myths and rumours about Freemasonry, and that it left them with a positive view of the organisation, particularly taking into account its history of charitable giving.
Visitors at the Centre
Freemasonry in Daventry dates back to 1891, the year in which Beneventa Lodge No. 2380 was consecrated. Prior to that, Daventry Masons attended lodges elsewhere, typically Towcester or Northampton.
Beneventa originally met at the Wheatsheaf Hotel (now a residential care home) at the top of Sheaf Street. As a result of a continued increase in members, the Lodge obtained a mortgage and purchased its current premises (which were previously occupied by Daventry Working Mens' Club) in the Hight Street.
Daventry Masonic Centre is now host to over 250 brethren meeting at five lodges. Between them they've donated over £34,000 to many local charities and good causes.
Following last weekend's successful event, the organisers are hoping to attract even more visitors from Daventry and the surrounding area at a similar event next year.
For further information about Freemasonry in Daventry please email the Centre Secretary at the address