Companions all, first may I welcome you to this Annual Convocation of Provincial Grand Chapter. Although tinged with some considerable sadness, this is a very special and important meeting for me personally and I trust for all the Companions receiving appointments and promotions. This is your day and I have been delighted to invest you with your new ranks and offer you all my heartiest congratulations. Provincial honours are not conferred lightly and represent the hard work and commitment you have demonstrated in your Chapters, and hopefully this will inspire you to carry on with those efforts in the future. With hard work and effort, together we can achieve anything.
With appointments and promotions in mind, I reflect on the Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter on 1st May this year which was definitely an experience many of us will remember for some time. When the Most Excellent The First Grand Principal, HRH The Duke of Kent, entered, unexpectedly to some, the whole of the Grand Temple erupted with applause which seemed to last much longer than usual. The Most Excellent The First Grand Principal then:
Reappointed
M.E.Comp. Gareth Jones, OBE as the Most Excellent Third Grand Principal
Promotions:
E.Comp. Martyn Wake to PGSwdB
E.Comp. Peter Jones PAGSoj
E.Comp. Colin Rowling to PAGSoj
E.Comp. Keith Ferguson to PGStB
First Appointments:
E.Comp. Jonothon Hughes to GStB Active
E.Comp. John Davies to PGStB
E.Comp. Warren Jones to PGStB
E.Comp. Terry Rowe to PGStB
E.Comp. Eifion Wynne to PGStB
E.Comp. Alun Littlejohns to PGStB
So quite a harvest this year for South Wales. All these Companions have given, and are giving meritorious service to Royal Arch Masonry and I feel certain that we would all like to add our congratulations to them in the usual way.
In this Province we currently have just over 40% of our Craft membership as subscribing Royal Arch Companions, and I am most grateful for that. It does however give us a tremendous opportunity, especially with the single registration fee covering the complete journey in Pure Ancient Masonry, to improve on that figure, and I really feel that, with all of us working together, we can reach that magical 50% membership before too long.
There is no doubt that the profile of Royal Arch Masonry is as high as it ever was, and there is ample literature available from the Province and from Supreme Grand Chapter to provide all the necessary information and support any prospective Candidate could possibly need. But Companions, I still firmly believe that word of mouth is still the most effective and valuable recruiting tool we have. Let’s ensure that our Ceremonies are of the best possible standard so the Candidate comes away from the meeting having had a truly memorable experience, for all the right reasons. We are most fortunate in South Wales to have a team of dedicated, expert Companions, under the leadership of E.Comp. Lyndon Howells, who are ready and willing to assist Chapters when help is needed at Exaltation Ceremonies and Installations. My Chapter in Swansea called on them this year to get us through our Installation evening, and Companions, it worked like a dream. So, thank you, Lyndon for carrying on with this initiative.
Let’s keep our after-proceedings as concise as possible without losing the dignity or purpose of the occasion.
Let’s ensure that we have the right Companion as Chapter Almoner, not forgetting that we are, in fact, all of us Almoners, so that if a Companion is not attending, we find out why and make him realise that his membership means a great deal to us.
Companions, we have exciting times ahead of us, and undoubtedly a busy year ahead. Since becoming Grand Superintendent in March, my eyes have been opened to the work and dedication of the Active Provincial Officers. It has been an uplifting experience to attend Installation Ceremonies and hear the concluding addresses delivered in such an expert and impressive manner, and I have no doubt that will be the case in the year ahead. I am very conscious of the fact that I have inherited a first class team, put in place by my illustrious predecessor before he retired. I couldn’t possibly have a better, more supportive Deputy, Provincial Grand Principals and Assistants to the Provincial Grand Principals. I am so grateful to them all for being so willing to continue in Office.
When you look at our executive officers, we are certainly blessed with a highly qualified Provincial Grand Treasurer to look after our finance, a superb Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra, who with the Assistant Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra and their Assistants, runs a most efficient and happy office which is appreciated by us all. These, along with the Provincial Grand Registrar, his Deputy, the Provincial Grand Almoner, Charity Steward, Membership Officer, Communications Officer and Mentor, gel to give the complete services we want to offer as a Province, which I know we all appreciate so much. The success of this meeting is result of the work of the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies and those who assist him. This morning, E.Comp. Tim Clark has undertaken this duty at virtually no notice while Simon Francis supports his family at a difficult time. Thank you Tim, we are all most grateful to you. We must not forget and not forgetting our host Chapter for this morning, The Chapter of Round Table and its Companions, who, under the avenging eye of Dr. Akram Baig, have undertaken many responsibilities. I think all these Companions deserve an expression of our appreciation.
It’s a credit to you all that we still have our 69 Chapters to look after and I know I can rely on you to assist the Province in maintaining them. All our Chapters remain fully supportive of the 2027 Tercentenary and 2032 Festival and I know you would want me to pledge your support to the Craft Province for these important milestones.
Companions, I reiterate, we have exciting times ahead of us, so let us not forget, we are all in this together, one journey, one organisation, working together for the benefit of Freemasonry and our members.
I thank you for your attention and look forward to working with you.
