Address from the Provincial Grand Master, March 2018 Provincial RAM Assembly at Essex Enthroned Commanders No. 1044
"Brethren, I start by thanking you for the marvelous attendance today, it is very heart-warming to see so many of you and I am sure your support is appreciated by those who have received honours. I have previously stated and I reiterate again, that I am firmly of the belief that an honour such as Royal Ark Mariner Provincial Grand Rank must be earned and not just given. The Grand Council allocates this Province a certain number of promotions, but I do not, and will not, use the full allocation unless I am fully satisfied that those eligible are worthy of that status.
So, to those brethren I have just invested, I say “thank you” for the effort and support you have contributed over the years in the Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner to warrant this promotion. I am wholly satisfied that you have all earned it. Please, continue to support both your Lodge and our Province in the future and wear your collarette with pride, not every member of our Province will be so rewarded. Remember, also, that with honours comes responsibilities; continue to take an office in your Lodge when needed, continue to deliver ritual where you can, go back in the chair if necessary and continue to encourage new members to our order.
Brethren, as is the case every year this is my first opportunity in an open Provincial meeting to thank all those who attended the annual Grand Assembly of Royal Ark Mariners in December and to congratulate those brethren who received Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank from the Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master. They were:
Arthur Bennett
John Finlay
Anthony Goater
Robin Hall
Roy Kaye
John McCann
I am sure you would all wish to join me in congratulating them here, today, as well.
So, before I move on to some parish notices I thought that I should give you a quick update on membership of this order in our Province. As you will no doubt know the Mark Province of Essex is one of the largest Provinces under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, so, consequently, we have one of the highest numbers of Royal Ark Mariner members as well.
We are all too aware that Freemasonry in general has showed a decline in recent years and we are no exception. I am, however, pleased to report that, after a drop in numbers between 2013 to 2015, we have since then made steady progress and, since the low point in 2014/15, we have now increased our number by around 4% which means in real terms we now have more members at this point in our masonic year than we did 5 years ago, and we still have 6 months of the year left. So I thank you for your continued support and the hard work that has gone on around our Province to increase our numbers.
For instance, I should like to quickly tell you of one of our Lodge success stories. Some of you will know the Naze Tower Mark and Ram Lodges, which meet at the Kirby Cross Centre, decided to hand their warrants in last year as they were down to the last 6 members. Fortunately, before doing so, the last, remaining Lodge members met with the Masonic Centre Directors and board members. The centre was already losing a Craft Lodge and, with the potential loss of two more lodges, was becoming less viable and there was a significant risk that the remaining Lodges would bear the brunt of increased costs to keep the centre going. As the result of this meeting a plan was put in place and in the last year the Mark Lodge membership has grown from 6 to around 26. This year the same plan is in place to rescue the RAM Lodge and, at an emergency meeting in April, they will ballot for 6 new candidates and Elevate three. By the end of the year, Naze Tower RAM will be up to strength and firing on all cylinders.
This is excellent news and a real success story where all are winners. The Lodges remain open; the Centre remains viable and it is guaranteed additional income. In my view it shows what can be achieved when centres and Lodges work together for the good of all; joint working at its best.
Brethren, I attended the recent PGM forum in London where the Grand Secretary made some announcements of interest that I am able to share with you. The new Grand Lodge website is almost complete and is hoped to go live before the end of June, this new site will be far more user friendly and easier to use than the existing one and will have dedicated pages for each of the orders administrated from Mark Masons Hall.
Whilst not a Royal Ark Mariner matter, I can inform you that there will be a change this year to the way Mark Grand Ranks will be conferred. Because of the large increase in members attended the Grand Investiture in June, Grand Lodge has had to use overflow temples and big screens to show the proceedings from the main Temple. This is far from ideal especially when you have travelled many miles to attend.
Whilst I cannot, at this time, tell you who will be receiving a first appointment or promotion I can tell you that the June Grand Lodge meeting will be solely for those receiving first appointments to Grand Rank or to Active Office only and that the September Quarterly Communications meeting will be used for promotions in Grand Rank. It is hoped this change will even out the numbers attending each meeting and make the occasions more enjoyable. Please remember this is a trial and the results will obviously be evaluated before any final decisions are made.
Also, our contract with Hope for Tomorrow will end in June of this year and, as you know, we are now supporting St Johns Ambulance with a £3 million donation. I can confirm that the new Essex Ambulance will be handed over prior to our Provincial Grand Lodge Meeting in May in a short ceremony of Blessing.
So, to the usual parish notices.
The golf day this year will be at Stockbrook Manor, Billericay on Friday 27th July. I am told that there are still a few places left for those who wish to play golf and places available for those, who like me, would like to spend all or part of the day at the 19th hole and dine afterwards with the athletes! All the information is available on our Essex Mark web-site or by speaking to W.Bro Richard Goodwin, the main organiser. If you can support us on the day please do so.
The location and date of this year’s Provincial Officers Mess has yet to be decided. I can, however, confirm that we have now received the results of the recent survey, for which I am grateful for those who took part. The results will be posted on the website and Facebook pages and, once I have decided on the next location, I will, of course, let you all know.
For those of you who do not have a Provincial Tie or a set of cuff links, then don’t worry! Both are available for you to buy today in the foyer. All proceeds will go to our Welfare Fund and you can pay via your debt or credit card as well as cash or cheque.
Moving on, I must remind you that our Provincial Grand Lodge meeting is to be held at Felsted School on Thursday 31st May. We are in the process of sending out individual invitations to every member of the Province and are trying hard to encourage Mark Master Masons to attend as well. If you have not received your email invitation by the end of the month it may well mean that the provincial office does not have a current email for you. If that is the case please update us by either speaking directly to the Provincial Deputy Grand Secretary, W.Bro Tony Goater or send him an email via the website link.
As the result of the information obtained from a previous survey the meeting will again start at the earlier time of 3 pm. As well as the St Johns Ambulance being there for you to inspect, there will also be a number of displays from other Orders and groups of interest, which I hope will add to the occasion and your enjoyment of the day. Please do try and attend if you can and arrive early so you have plenty of time to have a good look around before the meeting.
Finally, before I close, I thank the secretarial and ceremonial teams for their hard work in putting today together for all your benefit. I know I do nag them from time to time but they always do such a wonderful job!
Brethren, I thank you for your kind attention; please continue to enjoy your day and I look forward to seeing you all at Provincial Grand Lodge at Felsted."
So, to those brethren I have just invested, I say “thank you” for the effort and support you have contributed over the years in the Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariner to warrant this promotion. I am wholly satisfied that you have all earned it. Please, continue to support both your Lodge and our Province in the future and wear your collarette with pride, not every member of our Province will be so rewarded. Remember, also, that with honours comes responsibilities; continue to take an office in your Lodge when needed, continue to deliver ritual where you can, go back in the chair if necessary and continue to encourage new members to our order.
Brethren, as is the case every year this is my first opportunity in an open Provincial meeting to thank all those who attended the annual Grand Assembly of Royal Ark Mariners in December and to congratulate those brethren who received Royal Ark Mariner Grand Rank from the Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master. They were:
Arthur Bennett
John Finlay
Anthony Goater
Robin Hall
Roy Kaye
John McCann
I am sure you would all wish to join me in congratulating them here, today, as well.
So, before I move on to some parish notices I thought that I should give you a quick update on membership of this order in our Province. As you will no doubt know the Mark Province of Essex is one of the largest Provinces under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, so, consequently, we have one of the highest numbers of Royal Ark Mariner members as well.
We are all too aware that Freemasonry in general has showed a decline in recent years and we are no exception. I am, however, pleased to report that, after a drop in numbers between 2013 to 2015, we have since then made steady progress and, since the low point in 2014/15, we have now increased our number by around 4% which means in real terms we now have more members at this point in our masonic year than we did 5 years ago, and we still have 6 months of the year left. So I thank you for your continued support and the hard work that has gone on around our Province to increase our numbers.
For instance, I should like to quickly tell you of one of our Lodge success stories. Some of you will know the Naze Tower Mark and Ram Lodges, which meet at the Kirby Cross Centre, decided to hand their warrants in last year as they were down to the last 6 members. Fortunately, before doing so, the last, remaining Lodge members met with the Masonic Centre Directors and board members. The centre was already losing a Craft Lodge and, with the potential loss of two more lodges, was becoming less viable and there was a significant risk that the remaining Lodges would bear the brunt of increased costs to keep the centre going. As the result of this meeting a plan was put in place and in the last year the Mark Lodge membership has grown from 6 to around 26. This year the same plan is in place to rescue the RAM Lodge and, at an emergency meeting in April, they will ballot for 6 new candidates and Elevate three. By the end of the year, Naze Tower RAM will be up to strength and firing on all cylinders.
This is excellent news and a real success story where all are winners. The Lodges remain open; the Centre remains viable and it is guaranteed additional income. In my view it shows what can be achieved when centres and Lodges work together for the good of all; joint working at its best.
Brethren, I attended the recent PGM forum in London where the Grand Secretary made some announcements of interest that I am able to share with you. The new Grand Lodge website is almost complete and is hoped to go live before the end of June, this new site will be far more user friendly and easier to use than the existing one and will have dedicated pages for each of the orders administrated from Mark Masons Hall.
Whilst not a Royal Ark Mariner matter, I can inform you that there will be a change this year to the way Mark Grand Ranks will be conferred. Because of the large increase in members attended the Grand Investiture in June, Grand Lodge has had to use overflow temples and big screens to show the proceedings from the main Temple. This is far from ideal especially when you have travelled many miles to attend.
Whilst I cannot, at this time, tell you who will be receiving a first appointment or promotion I can tell you that the June Grand Lodge meeting will be solely for those receiving first appointments to Grand Rank or to Active Office only and that the September Quarterly Communications meeting will be used for promotions in Grand Rank. It is hoped this change will even out the numbers attending each meeting and make the occasions more enjoyable. Please remember this is a trial and the results will obviously be evaluated before any final decisions are made.
Also, our contract with Hope for Tomorrow will end in June of this year and, as you know, we are now supporting St Johns Ambulance with a £3 million donation. I can confirm that the new Essex Ambulance will be handed over prior to our Provincial Grand Lodge Meeting in May in a short ceremony of Blessing.
So, to the usual parish notices.
The golf day this year will be at Stockbrook Manor, Billericay on Friday 27th July. I am told that there are still a few places left for those who wish to play golf and places available for those, who like me, would like to spend all or part of the day at the 19th hole and dine afterwards with the athletes! All the information is available on our Essex Mark web-site or by speaking to W.Bro Richard Goodwin, the main organiser. If you can support us on the day please do so.
The location and date of this year’s Provincial Officers Mess has yet to be decided. I can, however, confirm that we have now received the results of the recent survey, for which I am grateful for those who took part. The results will be posted on the website and Facebook pages and, once I have decided on the next location, I will, of course, let you all know.
For those of you who do not have a Provincial Tie or a set of cuff links, then don’t worry! Both are available for you to buy today in the foyer. All proceeds will go to our Welfare Fund and you can pay via your debt or credit card as well as cash or cheque.
Moving on, I must remind you that our Provincial Grand Lodge meeting is to be held at Felsted School on Thursday 31st May. We are in the process of sending out individual invitations to every member of the Province and are trying hard to encourage Mark Master Masons to attend as well. If you have not received your email invitation by the end of the month it may well mean that the provincial office does not have a current email for you. If that is the case please update us by either speaking directly to the Provincial Deputy Grand Secretary, W.Bro Tony Goater or send him an email via the website link.
As the result of the information obtained from a previous survey the meeting will again start at the earlier time of 3 pm. As well as the St Johns Ambulance being there for you to inspect, there will also be a number of displays from other Orders and groups of interest, which I hope will add to the occasion and your enjoyment of the day. Please do try and attend if you can and arrive early so you have plenty of time to have a good look around before the meeting.
Finally, before I close, I thank the secretarial and ceremonial teams for their hard work in putting today together for all your benefit. I know I do nag them from time to time but they always do such a wonderful job!
Brethren, I thank you for your kind attention; please continue to enjoy your day and I look forward to seeing you all at Provincial Grand Lodge at Felsted."
