Warwickshire Provincial Grand Lodge News
The latest issue of the Provincial Newsletter is
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Valedictory Address by Pro Grand Master
At the Quarterly Communication on 10th December, the retiring MW Pro Grand Master, The Most Hon. The Marquess of Northampton, DL, took the opportunity to put on record some of his thoughts about English Freemasonry.
In order to ensure its future, Freemasonry must continually adapt to fit the needs of the society of the day, from which it draws its members, as it has done over the past 300 years. We must be open, not only with the outside world, but also with our family and friends, and learn how to explain our masonry in layman’s terms.
Integration within the Craft is now much closer, and Grand Lodge is on a sound financial footing, no longer relying on investment income to cover its annual expenditure. Transparency and decentralisation have been key objectives, but it is in our individual Lodges that the real work is undertaken, the Brethren being responsible for the success or otherwise of their Lodge. They have freedom to explore, within the rules and edicts of Grand Lodge, ways of making their meetings more enjoyable, and should consider anything which accommodates the needs of their members, and young men with pressures of time and money, family and business.
Education is of paramount importance, and it is hoped the Orator scheme will encourage Masons to look deeper into the meaning of the rituals during their personal journey of self discovery. As part of the vision for recruitment and retention, which includes the mentoring scheme, an upgraded website is due to go live in March.
Our support for charity is significant and worthy of great pride, but is an effect of our Masonry, not a cause. It does, however, give us tremendous scope for promoting the good things that Freemasonry stands for by being seen to be doing something for our local communities in our local press.
As the mother Grand Lodge of the world, our responsibility to share our experience is practised, and we take the view that it is the individual Mason, imbued with the principles of the order, who makes a difference in society, and not Freemasonry itself.
The past twenty five years have seen us go from being reactive to proactive, repositioning us back into society. We must not ease off, and the efforts made by so many Brethren should now be channelled into attracting and retaining good men and improving the quality of our Masonry.
The Pro Grand Master concluded with best wishes to his successor, together with thanks to his wife for her love and support; to the Grand Master for giving him the opportunity of serving the Craft and Royal Arch; to his fellow Rulers who worked so hard to bring about change, and to all the Brethren who have supported him as a High Ruler during the last fourteen years. All have worked together to ensure that the Craft we all love and enjoy, and its Grand Principles of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth, will continue to inspire men for many generations to come.
The Deputy President of the Board of General Purposes, RW Bro Michael Lawson, PJGW, gave thanks to the Pro Grand Master for his huge contribution to English and world Freemasonry, and also to Lady Northampton for allowing and supporting him in so doing.
For the full text of the address, go to
www.ugle.org.uk/news/progm-speech101208.htm posted 29/12/2008
Also enjoyed at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge on 10th December was a fascinating presentation on the Proceedings of Grand Lodge of two hundred, and one hundred years ago, given by VW Bros John Hamill and Graham Redman.
A right royal rumpus, and controversy over the running of the Freemasons’ Tavern occupied a great deal of attention within Grand Lodge in the early nineteenth century, with history repeating itself some one hundred years later.
To read the full text of the presentation, go to
www.ugle.org.uk/news/101208-jh-gfr.htm posted 29/12/2008
£15,000 for emergency aid in Congo
The Freemasons’ Grand Charity is supporting the disaster relief work of Save the Children with an emergency grant of £15,000 towards its activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For full details of the distressing circumstances which have warranted our support, go to www.grandcharity.org/pages/democratic_republic_of_congo.html posted 29/12/2008
Lodge of St Andrew 4056 will be welcoming a deputation of Brethren from WM Tom Helm's mother lodge, St Munn (Ardnadam) No 496, Scottish Constitution, on Saturday 14th February.
The deputation will present a demonstration of a Scottish First Degree Ceremony. A good turn out is expected, with the Lodge musicians being in attendance.
This will be an excellent meeting and festive board, to which all Masons are welcome. For further details contact Lodge Secretary Peter Burford, standrew_4056@hotmail.co.uk posted 29/12/2008
Michael Guest has been asked by the Grand Master of the Order to succeed Spencer Fenn as District Grand Master on the 7th April 2009. He will be Installed at 5.00pm in the Main Temple at Stirling Road.
Also taking place that day at 2.00pm will be the Consecration of the new Edgbaston Council of Royal and Select Masters, when our PGM Michael Price CBE will be installed as the Council’s first Thrice Illustrious Master.
Our congratulations go to both Companions. posted 29/12/2008
Athol Masonic Buildings Ltd celebrates 150 years (1858-2008) of their buildings as a Masonic Hall.
The former Synagogue was acquired from the Hebrew Community in 1858 that had moved to a new Synagogue in Blucher Street around the corner from Severn Street. The original building, the present Dining Room, had a Lodge Room and accommodation to the front completed in 1891 which now forms the Masonic Hall as we know it today.
The Masonic Hall received a Grade 2 listing a few years ago and now forms part of the historic street scene in Birmingham City Centre. This unique venue contributes to the Masonic experience enjoyed by all members of 18 Lodges who meet there.
A continual programme of refurbishment, instructed by the Directors of the company, is enhancing the buildings in readiness of the 200th Anniversary of Athol Lodge in 2011. posted 29/12/2008
The Birmingham Old Edwardian Lodge No 7115 has recently moved, and now meets in our main Temple at Stirling Road, Edgbaston.
There are five regular meetings, on the fourth Thursday of September, October, February and April, and the first Thursday in December.
Membership is open to former pupils of any of the King Edwards Foundation Schools, and also to parents of such pupils.
The Lodge would welcome qualified Brethren as joining members, and of course candidates to be initiated into the Lodge.
More information is available from Michael Spencer on 0121 449 1868, and from www.birminghamoldedwardianlodge.org.uk posted 29/12/2008
Greville Lodge No. 4773, which meets in Warwick, recently hosted at their Installation meeting 25 members of the Anagennisis Lodge, Athens.
Amongst the visitors from the Greek lodge was the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Greece RW Bro Georgios Vasilogeorgis. The visit was the initiative of Bro George Bamplenis who is a member of both Greville and Anagennisis lodges.
It was an excellent evening thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended, and members of Greville Lodge have been invited to visit Anagennisis Lodge in Athens, hopefully sometime in 2009.
The following day the Greek visitors, accompanied by their wives, visited the Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire building at Stirling Road where they were hosted and given a tour of the building by the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Michael Price CBE.
The photograph shows members of Anagennisis Lodge presenting a commemorative plaque to Greville Lodge. Left to right are W Bro David Butcher IPM Greville Lodge, W Bro Georgios Biniaris WM Anagennisis Lodge and W Bro Gordon Hudson WM of Greville Lodge.
For further information about Greville Lodge, visit their website at www.grevillelodge.org.uk, or via their link from this website (see here.) posted 29/12/2008
