Companions, it is simply thrilling to see you all here today, to be able once again to welcome our Honoured Guests, to thank them for taking the time to be with us and to thank them for the hospitality that they extend to us when we visit their Provinces. I particularly welcome Companions who are attending Provincial Grand Chapter for the first time.
To those receiving Provincial Honours, whether it be a first appointment, reappointment or promotion, the Annual Convocation of Provincial Grand Chapter is the main occasion when I can recognise your contribution to Royal Arch Masonry in the Province. This is your day of recognition and celebration. Enjoy it without reservation, it is a privilege to invest you with your new ranks. Wear them with justifiable pride and play your full role in engaging and inspiring our fellow Craft Brethren within your Lodges.
What a whirlwind this year has been for the Royal Arch in general and for the Province of Berkshire in particular. Companions, you continue to exceed all reasonable expectations both in terms of exaltations and equally importantly in reducing resignations. These successes can only be achieved by demonstrating to the Craft that, as the natural fourth element of pure Antient Freemasonry, the Royal Arch is vibrant and relevant, offering a meaningful and transformative experience and following that by actually practising what we preach. This applies just as much to those Companions who are unattached as it does to those yet to experience the richness of the Royal Arch. As I said last year, there is no substitute for the personal approach which results in 80% of our exaltations and rejoining members. We are all Royal Arch Ambassadors and what we say and do as Royal Arch Masons is noticed.
To realise the benefits which Freemasonry has to offer, it is essential that each and every one of us is fully engaged in the masonic community and, from the outset, has a sense and feeling of belonging.
Belonging is not about simply paying one’s subscription or turning up at a Chapter Convocation as an observer, but it is about finding fulfilment and purpose whilst engaging in an exciting Voyage of Discovery. It is about contributing, being listened to and playing as much of an active role in the life of one’s Chapter as personal circumstances may dictate at any given point.
Whilst the Province has strengthened considerably over the last twelve months, we cannot afford to be complacent or to take our eye off the ball. There is still much work to do to improve our conversion rate from the Craft into the Royal Arch. As you will see from the booklet, results are patchy and not every Chapter has grown and strengthened its position. It is important that, in addition to adopting the personal approach for exaltation, every Chapter takes a long hard look at the physical attendance of its Companions and, again through personal contact, makes every effort to welcome back those whose regular attendance for whatever reason has dropped away. Bring them back, make them feel warm & welcome and make each of your Convocations a really special celebratory event.
I am delighted that Supreme Grand Chapter has now authorised the appointment of official Chapter Mentors. I urge every Chapter within the Province to appoint one without delay. I am passionate and certain about the role that effective Chapter and Royal Arch personal mentors can play in the development and sense of belonging of our newly exalted companions. I thank the Provincial Grand Chapter Mentor E Comp Owen Doe for all that he is doing to move the programme forward.
Equally, I am grateful to the Assistant to the Principals E Comp Paul Wilding and also to E Comp Rodney Bancroft for overseeing the implementation of the new Visiting Chapter Officer scheme which is already starting to enhance the communication flow between Regular Chapters and the Province so as to spread good practice and to resolve any local issues that may arise.
Our work with Royal Arch Representatives in Lodges also continues apace and the importance of their front-line role cannot be underestimated. I am grateful to them for their passion & commitment.
Last year, I spoke about the rollout and implementation of Archway, together with the development of Royal Arch care and support teams to provide proven solutions to problems that we need to resolve. The care and support teams are proving most effective and I am grateful for all the hard work that they are putting in on behalf of the Province.
It will not have escaped your notice that Archway and the Craft Members Pathway have now been harmonised into ‘Building Together;’ part of the ‘One Organisation – One Journey’ approach. During the autumn, you will hear more about how Building Together can support you and your Chapter in moving forward. Currently, it is available for your use and perusal on Solomon.
Whilst thinking about the use of technology, I do encourage you to sign up to the new Berkshire Explorer App, your ‘one stop shop’ for the Province which now includes direct access to Portal (the new UGLE/SGC interface), as well as Solomon. Have a go, you can do it today!
Last year, we launched the ‘Companions Club’ to enhance enjoyment and a sense of belonging within the Royal Arch. It is an outstanding success and I am grateful to the Second Provincial Grand Principal E Comp Peter Oakley and his team for all the hard work that they put into making the Club work so effectively.
The Royal Arch & Craft Executives have and continue to work tirelessly for the benefit of the Province, and I remain truly grateful to each and every one of them for their unwavering commitment and personal support. Companions, you have no idea how much input I require from them! It would be remiss of me not to mention by name the two Deputies E Comps Jim Sampins & Mark Heppelthwaite for their invaluable contributions in overseeing the Membership Challenge in the Royal Arch & the Craft. We all work together as a team harmonising pure & Antient Freemasonry.
As we say ‘au revoir’ to E Comp Colin Townsend Green as Second Grand Principal and E Comp David Arnold as Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra, we thank them once again for their outstanding contributions to the success of the Province. As you will have noticed, neither has been released from working with the Executive.
I welcome E Comps Peter Oakley, Steve Hieke, Bob Rance and Paul Youngman in their new roles and wish them well during their tenure. There is still much to do and it’s worth remembering that a leopard does not change its spots!
As always, preparations for today have been long and complex to arrange. Therefore, I would like to thank especially our outgoing Provincial Scribe E, E Comp David Arnold, our outgoing Provincial Director of Ceremonies, E Comp Steve Hieke and both their teams for all the unflagging work that they have put into making today such a success.
Our next big Provincial event is the Consecration of the new Combined and Emergency Services Chapter, here at Sindlesham on Monday 30th June. It promises to be incredibly special so I do hope that as many of you as possible will support the event; especially if you have never seen a Royal Arch Chapter Consecration before.
Companions, I thank you for your attention and I look forward earnestly to what this new season will bring in the certain knowledge of your unwavering support and commitment to Royal Arch Masonry. I don’t think that we are going to be idle! Onwards and upwards!
