Prov.G.M. Address
Essex Enthroned Commanders Lodge No. 1044
19 March 2024
Brethren may I start by thanking you for your support once again today.
To those Brethren I have invested, may I thank you for the hard work, commitment and support you have contributed over the years to your lodges and the Province to warrant this promotion. Please wear your collarette with pride and take every opportunity to explain to others what it represents.
As this is my last opportunity to appoint and invest you all with Royal Ark Mariner Provincial Grand Rank, some may say I left the best to last, but I couldn’t possibly comment!
Remember with honours comes responsibilities. Please continue to take an office in your Lodge, continue to deliver ritual where you can, go back in the chair if necessary and continue to encourage new members to our order. Thank you also for attending today to receive your honour.
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 Grand Master.
They were:
W.Bro. Paul Firmin
W.Bro. Rob Sandy
W.Bro. Roger Smith
W.Bro. Paul Thurgood
Congratulations to you all.
Moving on to the usual parish notices.
Can I first remind those of you who use Facebook and who are not a member of our Provincial group to please consider signing up to it, you can request to become a member via Facebook at Essex Mark and RAM Masons. We have nearly 470 members and it would be wonderful to reach 500. By being a member, you get to see and hear the news first.
Please keep an eye out for further information regarding the latest awareness event which will be taking place at Chingford on Saturday 4th May. These events are your opportunity to recruit new members to your lodges so please do your best to support it.
One other really exciting recruitment initiative has been agreed with our Craft Provincial Grand Master R.W. Bro. Paul Tarrant. He has given us permission to make presentations in Craft Lodges around the “Magic of the Mark” video. The stipulations are it will only be presented by those approved by the Province, it will only take place at the invite of the Craft Lodge and that there are no other ceremonies taking place in that Lodge on the same day.
We are very lucky to have this support and close working relationship which, has now been further stressed at both the Mark Grand Lodge meeting last week when the Craft Pro Grand Master addressed the meeting to stress the importance of working together for the one purpose of ensuring the future of masonry and also by our Pro Grand Master who was allowed to address the Craft Grand Lodge meeting the next day, where he also repeated the message about working closer together for the benefit of all of us. If your Craft Lodge has no work and would like the presentation which will include the “Magic of the Mark” video please contact the acting Provincial Secretary Rob Sandy.
I think you all know by now the next Annual General Meeting will be taking place at the racecourse at Great Leighs near Braintree, where W.Bro. John and his team will be Invested in the presence of the Pro Grand Master, so I am sure you will want to support them all, please look out for the calling notices and book in early, it will be a great day for the Province and you its members. I will be saying more about this in the Mark meeting later as well as events for the 2030 MBF Festival.
Before I close can I thank the Secretariat and Ceremonial teams for their work in putting today together, in the run up behind the scenes, in the Temple and the Festive Board. They always do such a wonderful job, and I am very grateful, thank you.
Brethren, I thank you for your attention once again, congratulations to those who received their Royal Ark Mariner Provincial Grand Rank. Please continue to enjoy your day and I look forward to seeing you all at the Festive Board later.
To those Brethren I have invested, may I thank you for the hard work, commitment and support you have contributed over the years to your lodges and the Province to warrant this promotion. Please wear your collarette with pride and take every opportunity to explain to others what it represents.
As this is my last opportunity to appoint and invest you all with Royal Ark Mariner Provincial Grand Rank, some may say I left the best to last, but I couldn’t possibly comment!
Remember with honours comes responsibilities. Please continue to take an office in your Lodge, continue to deliver ritual where you can, go back in the chair if necessary and continue to encourage new members to our order. Thank you also for attending today to receive your honour.
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 Grand Master.
They were:
W.Bro. Paul Firmin
W.Bro. Rob Sandy
W.Bro. Roger Smith
W.Bro. Paul Thurgood
Congratulations to you all.
Moving on to the usual parish notices.
Can I first remind those of you who use Facebook and who are not a member of our Provincial group to please consider signing up to it, you can request to become a member via Facebook at Essex Mark and RAM Masons. We have nearly 470 members and it would be wonderful to reach 500. By being a member, you get to see and hear the news first.
Please keep an eye out for further information regarding the latest awareness event which will be taking place at Chingford on Saturday 4th May. These events are your opportunity to recruit new members to your lodges so please do your best to support it.
One other really exciting recruitment initiative has been agreed with our Craft Provincial Grand Master R.W. Bro. Paul Tarrant. He has given us permission to make presentations in Craft Lodges around the “Magic of the Mark” video. The stipulations are it will only be presented by those approved by the Province, it will only take place at the invite of the Craft Lodge and that there are no other ceremonies taking place in that Lodge on the same day.
We are very lucky to have this support and close working relationship which, has now been further stressed at both the Mark Grand Lodge meeting last week when the Craft Pro Grand Master addressed the meeting to stress the importance of working together for the one purpose of ensuring the future of masonry and also by our Pro Grand Master who was allowed to address the Craft Grand Lodge meeting the next day, where he also repeated the message about working closer together for the benefit of all of us. If your Craft Lodge has no work and would like the presentation which will include the “Magic of the Mark” video please contact the acting Provincial Secretary Rob Sandy.
I think you all know by now the next Annual General Meeting will be taking place at the racecourse at Great Leighs near Braintree, where W.Bro. John and his team will be Invested in the presence of the Pro Grand Master, so I am sure you will want to support them all, please look out for the calling notices and book in early, it will be a great day for the Province and you its members. I will be saying more about this in the Mark meeting later as well as events for the 2030 MBF Festival.
Before I close can I thank the Secretariat and Ceremonial teams for their work in putting today together, in the run up behind the scenes, in the Temple and the Festive Board. They always do such a wonderful job, and I am very grateful, thank you.
Brethren, I thank you for your attention once again, congratulations to those who received their Royal Ark Mariner Provincial Grand Rank. Please continue to enjoy your day and I look forward to seeing you all at the Festive Board later.
Posted on 24/03/24
