Covid -19 Update 12th March 2021 GMM Bro William Ramsay McGhee


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The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland

William Ramsay McGhee, MStJ, D.L., Grand Master Mason

Brethren

 

The Grand Lodge Strategy Working Party met on Tuesday and I am delighted to report that the short-term strategy to get us through and out of Covid-19 was completed and submitted to the Administration Committee yesterday morning. They expressed their satisfaction with the work carried out so far and the documentation will now go forward to Grand Committee for final approval before being issued to all Lodges at home and abroad. It has to be stressed however that the documentation is bound to change as Government policy changes – this therefore will no doubt be the first of several versions. Progress is being made on the long-term strategy to take Scottish Freemasonry forward through the 21st century. There has been a great response from Districts, Provinces, Lodges and individuals to the appeal for thoughts and comments which is tremendous, and I thank you all.

That said, I anticipate more feed back after the “Young Masons” meeting a week on Saturday. Can I take this opportunity to encourage all Brethren at home and abroad who are under 40 years of age to fill in the form and attend the meeting on Saturday 20th March. You may be wondering why we need your email address – we will be using the break-out facility within zoom and to do that we need your email address. The forms are available from your Lodge Secretary – so please come along – I will be delighted to see you.

The next lecture in the History & Heritage Group Series will be by Brother Mike Craig, District Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of East Africa. Our District Grand Lodge of East Africa covers three separate countries – Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Please come along and learn about the fascinating District.

 

SCFS

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Scottish.Constitution.Freemasonry.Supports/

 

  • An additional 30 new members joined the group which now has a membership of 4763 Brethren from not only the Scottish Constitutions but from many of our Sister Constitutions throughout the world.
  • This week saw the total examples of charitable giving recorded within the group rise to 687, submitted by 263 of its members.
  • These updated contributions can now be attributed as to being made on behalf of 307 Lodges, from within the 32 Provincial Grand Lodges, 22 of its District Grand Lodges, Superintendencies and Lodges under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge.
  • The total identifiable monetary value of the contributions now recorded has risen to £1,013,860.
  • This represents an average of £22,530 per week to date.
  • There have been 104,059 individual comments, likes, and other reactions to the group since its inception.

SCFS Overseas Report 

  • With the inclusion of the new members which we have welcomed from our Lodges overseas this week, our Overseas Membership has now risen to 1362 Brethren. 
  • New members have joined us from their Lodges in ...the Bahamas, Far East (Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong), Guyana, KwaZulu Natal, Middle East (Malaysia), Sri Lanka. 
  • The largest increase in membership was from the District of the Far East.
  • The most Brethren joining from an individual Lodge came from Lodge Alpha, No. 1594, based in Georgetown, Guyana. 
  • Our International Constitution Members (ICMs) viewing the SCFS page has now reached a total of 392. This week Brethren joined from the National Grand Lodge of Poland, Grand Lodge of India, Grand Lodge of QuebecUGLE (Brazil, England)
  • The list of Grand Lodges represented by Brethren within them joining as ICMs had the National Grand Lodge of Poland added to it this week.
  • Amongst the warm welcomes extended was one to Brother Pawel Lysakowski (Treasurer of the National Grand Lodge of Poland).

·         Very interesting posts were received from Brother Scott Bartlett, IPDGM, on behalf of four Lodges (Nos. 454, 1139, 1679, 1754) in the District of Newfoundland and Labrador, sharing their support of COVID-19 Testing Health Care workers, and from Brother Nihal Fonseka, RWM, Lodge Bonnie Doon, No. 611, in Sri Lanka, which donated IT support for the Rehabilitation Centre for the Communication Impaired (RCCI) near Colombo.

 

Finally, as always, please stay safe and look after each other

Ramsay McGhee

Grand Master Mason