The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland
William Ramsay McGhee, MStJ, D.L., Grand Master Mason
Brethren
The Young Masons zoom conference last Saturday attracted a total of 205 Brethren. I was delighted with the turnout and even more delighted with the vibrancy displayed and the standard of the discussions in each of the five breakout groups. This has resulted in a significant amount of feedback which Grand Secretary is now feeding into the Strategy Working Groups. My sincere thanks to all who took time out on a Saturday morning to attend. I would also like to record my sincere thanks to the facilitators and the scribes in each of the five breakout groups and to Grand Secretary and our IT manager for their excellent organisation.
Next week brings three Zoom meetings – on Tuesday, the Overseas, External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee will be meeting followed that afternoon with the Information and Communications Committee then on Wednesday by the Benevolence and Care Committee.
I had the pleasure last week to attend the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Vernal Equinox meeting at which ME Companion J Stewart Wood, Grand Master of the Great Priory of Scotland gave an excellent presentation on the various Orders related to Royal Arch Masonry. It was a well-attended meeting expertly chaired by the 1st Grand Principal, ME Companion Joseph John Morrow, CBE, QC, LLD.SCFS
- The Group saw its membership rise to 4843 Brethren from not only the Scottish Constitution 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 704, submitted by 265 of its members.
- These updated contributions can now be attributed to 313 Lodges, from within all 32 Provincial Grand Lodges, 23 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 £1,032,131.
There have been 106,912 individual comments likes, and other reactions to the group since its inception
SCFS Overseas Report
Our Overseas Membership has now risen to 1383 Brethren with new members joining us from their Lodges in ... Bermuda, Far East (Hong Kong), Fiji, Guyana, North Island New Zealand, Sierra Leone and the Gambia, Trinidad & Tobago and Grenada. The largest increase in membership was jointly from the District of Guyana and from Bermuda (which has only 3 Lodges, all under Grand Superintendents). The most Brethren joining from an individual Lodge were from Lodge Alpha, No. 1594, based in Georgetown in Guyana.
An additional 32 Brethren (ICMs) joined from Lodges operating under Grand Lodges in amity with the Grand Lodge of Scotland, bringing our ICM membership to 434. This week Brethren joined from the GL of the Philippines, GL of Quebec, GL of Canada in the Province of Ontario, GL of Victoria, UGLE (England, Montreal and Halifax, Bermuda), GL of Wisconsin, Grand Lodge of Texas, United GL of New South Wales and ACT, GL of California, GL of Japan, GL of Ireland, GL of Ohio. In addition, the list of Grand Lodges represented by Brethren within them joining as ICMs had the Grand Lodge of Lithuania and Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ontario and Jurisdiction added to it this week.
Interesting fact - Brother Rick Huggins joined as an ICM within hours of his initiation into Lodge Mornington, No. 160, GL of Victoria ... having been invited by his uncle, Brother Lex Law, WJW, Lodge Blackridge, No. 1145.
A very special welcome was extended to Brother Robert Dupel, who will be installed as Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Quebec on 29th May.
A very touching post was received from Brother Joseph B Lum-On, WJW, sharing details of a donation made by Lodge Polynesia, No. 562, in Fiji, towards the support of an elderly gentleman who is experiencing medical and social challenges during this difficult period.
Finally, as always, please stay safe and look after each other
Ramsay McGhee
Grand Master Mason