Essex Mark Provincial Lodge of Instruction
With "face to face" meetings still suspended, it has been a considerable time since any of us met and carried out any ritual. Following ther lead of the GLMMM Lodge of Instruction the PGM tasked his ProvGDC to look at the viability of an Essex Provincial version. After some initial scoping (and cajoling) the first meeting took place on Saturday, 13th February hosted by the ProvGDC and his DepGDC with some excellent administrative skills from W.Bro, David Hook, Scribe of Fillebrook RAM (who "volunteered" just after the GDC told him to!).
Sixty or so Essex Mark Master Masons had registered and, after a few had some electronic glitches, the bulk of them were in place. There was an initial welcome from V.W. Bro. M. Reeve, PGJO, APGM (himself a Past Provincial GDC) who said:
"It is a pleasure to welcome so many members of our Province to the first Provincial Zoom LOI. This is an initiative that will allow the ProvGDC - to whom I extend my thanks and congratulations for having put this in place - to provide all members to take advantage of skills and experience within our Lodges. In the continued absence of any face to face meetings this provided a means for members to start honing their skills again. As a former ProvGDC myself I am committed to any initiative that makes our ritual as good as it can be, so that our new members receive the best Ceremonies possible. Remember, you only get one first impression! So, please take part whenever you can and encourage all your Lodge Brethren to attend in future as well.".
The Provincial Grand DC, W.Bro. Michael J. West then gave an explanation of the aims of the initiative as well as thanking his DepGDC, W.Bro. Vince Bull, and to W.Bro. David Hook for "volunteering" to act as Secretary. The evening saw the rehearsal of a Mark Advancement with some excellent skills and ability shown by many of the "speaking" Officers, especially W.Bro. Geoff Waddoups as WM; W.Bro's. Roy Kaye as SW, Paul Snoad as JW and the ever irrepressible Len Abrahams as SD.
Bro. Kevin Bull was, additionally, flawless with the Working Tools and the "In Conclusion".
The ProvGDC also interspersed the action with some extremely interesting pointers as to common errors and deeper explanations as to what, exactly, various parts of our ritual represented.
Not all attendees were "experienced" members and we were delighted to welcome Bro. Parmjit Singh Bansel of the Forest of Waltham and Khalsa Lodge, Advanced in November 2019 as the "youngest" member (Masonically speaking anyway!)
The next meeting information and Login details will be circulated and published on the website very soon, we look forward to seeing many of you there on the day.
Sixty or so Essex Mark Master Masons had registered and, after a few had some electronic glitches, the bulk of them were in place. There was an initial welcome from V.W. Bro. M. Reeve, PGJO, APGM (himself a Past Provincial GDC) who said:
"It is a pleasure to welcome so many members of our Province to the first Provincial Zoom LOI. This is an initiative that will allow the ProvGDC - to whom I extend my thanks and congratulations for having put this in place - to provide all members to take advantage of skills and experience within our Lodges. In the continued absence of any face to face meetings this provided a means for members to start honing their skills again. As a former ProvGDC myself I am committed to any initiative that makes our ritual as good as it can be, so that our new members receive the best Ceremonies possible. Remember, you only get one first impression! So, please take part whenever you can and encourage all your Lodge Brethren to attend in future as well.".
The Provincial Grand DC, W.Bro. Michael J. West then gave an explanation of the aims of the initiative as well as thanking his DepGDC, W.Bro. Vince Bull, and to W.Bro. David Hook for "volunteering" to act as Secretary. The evening saw the rehearsal of a Mark Advancement with some excellent skills and ability shown by many of the "speaking" Officers, especially W.Bro. Geoff Waddoups as WM; W.Bro's. Roy Kaye as SW, Paul Snoad as JW and the ever irrepressible Len Abrahams as SD.
Bro. Kevin Bull was, additionally, flawless with the Working Tools and the "In Conclusion".
The ProvGDC also interspersed the action with some extremely interesting pointers as to common errors and deeper explanations as to what, exactly, various parts of our ritual represented.
Not all attendees were "experienced" members and we were delighted to welcome Bro. Parmjit Singh Bansel of the Forest of Waltham and Khalsa Lodge, Advanced in November 2019 as the "youngest" member (Masonically speaking anyway!)
The next meeting information and Login details will be circulated and published on the website very soon, we look forward to seeing many of you there on the day.
a screen shot of some of the attendees
