The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland
William Ramsay McGhee, MStJ, D.L., Grand Master Mason
Brethren
Many of our Masonic Clubs will be preparing to open their doors again as the country moves from Level 3 to Level 2 at which time indoor drinking will be permitted in 2-hour time slots with closing at 22.30 hours. I am aware that the management teams of many of our Clubs subscribe to the SLTN (Scottish Licensed Trade News). In the May edition there is a good two-page article that covers many of the essential areas that our clubs will require to comply with in relation to track and trace, physical distancing, cleaning, loud behaviour, ventilation, two-hour time slots and so on. During my 18 years involvement with the Licensed Trade, I found the SLTN to be an excellent tool to keep up to speed with the many developments taking place in the trade – one of the regular contributors is Jack Cummins who is recognised as one of Scotland’s leading licensing lawyers. If you don’t subscribe but would like to do so, contact Russell Pharo - 0141 567 6000 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Our Lodges in the Districts, Superintendencies and those who report directly to Grand Lodge should ensure that they adhere to the licensing legislation of their respective countries.
Next week promises to be a busy one with a Zoom meeting on Monday night to celebrate the granting of a Charter to Lodge St James (Kilwinning) Tarbolton No 135 250 years ago, whose Depute Master from 1784 to 1788 was our National Bard, Robert Burns. The Strategy Group meets on Tuesday to prepare their final submissions to the Administration Committee, the History and Heritage meeting on Wednesday will feature the District Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador and in the evening, I will have the pleasure of being with the Provincial Grand Lodge of Fife and Kinross. Thursday, Grand Secretary and I will be attending the annual Tripartite Meeting with the United Grand lodge of England and the Grand Lodge of Ireland. At the end of the week there will be a second 250th Zoom meeting, this time with Lodge Thistle No 127 in Stewarton.
Our Homes and Charities Manager, Mrs Dawn Oliff informs me that as part of the ongoing Dementia Awareness Initiative, the Dementia Awareness Team has received details of the launch of ‘Knowledge is Power’. It is aimed at people who are living with Dementia but some of the details contained therein will also be of relevance to other illness groups. The booklet can be downloaded using the link - Knowledge is Power English booklet single page.pdf (lifechangestrust.org.uk
It is also hoped to release details in the near future for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Initiative Zoom presentation.
The Group saw its membership rise to 5098 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 788, submitted by 285 of its members. These updated contributions can now be attributed as to being made on behalf of 319 Lodges, from within all 32 Provincial Grand Lodges, 23 of its District Grand Lodges, Superintendencies and Lodges under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge.
With the addition this week of £45,264, the total identifiable monetary value of the contributions now recorded has risen to £1,251,837.
Change in Criteria for posts
Whereas the purpose of the group, when it was originally set up, was to record and share examples of contributions being made to individuals, groups and charities in the face of the COVID-19 crisis, its scope has now been widened to include any and all charitable donations and acts by Freemasons operating under the Scottish constitution.
The public facing page SCFS –Showcase, which regularly publishes selected posts from the SCFS group, has been active now for 12 days. During this short period, it has reached 6071 people, had 1038 post engagements and 464-page likes. It is hoped that this page, which can be viewed by anyone, will demonstrate to the wider public the contributions being made by Scottish Constitution Freemasons throughout the world. The team at SCFS would welcome your support and assistance in achieving this objective and would be grateful if you would consider sharing this page with your non-Masonic friends and family. The page can be accessed by clicking the following link - SCFS-Showcase
SCFS Overseas Report
- As a result of new members joining from Lodges in Barbados, Bermuda, Far East (South Korea), Middle East (Malaysia), North Island New Zealand, Panama, and Sierra Leone and The Gambia, our Overseas Membership has now risen to 1448
- The largest increase in membership was from the District of the Far East, with the most Brethren joining from an individual Lodge coming from Lodge Harry S. Truman, No. 1727, in that district.
- Our membership of Brethren belonging to Lodges whose Grand Lodges are in amity with the GLoS continues to grow. We now have 561 Brethren spreading news of the wonderful support, featured in the SCFS posts, throughout their constitutions.
- This week Brethren joined from 7different Masonic constitutions, namely: GL of California, GL of Quebec, GL of Massachusetts, GL of Michigan, United GL of Victoria, UGLE (England), GL of South Carolina.
- Brother Martin Weekes, PM/Secretary of Lodge St. George, No. 200, in Bermuda, sent in an extremely interesting post featuring the support previously provided by his Lodge, and also Lodge Somers Isles, No. 1503 and Lodge Civil and Military, No. 726.
- Brother Beng Hock Teo, District Grand Secretary of the Middle East, shared an uplifting post on behalf of Lodge Mulu, No. 1821, showing the Duit Raya support of that Lodge to orphans in Miri Orphanage, Malaysia, during Bulan Ramadan.
Finally, as always, please stay safe and look after each other
Ramsay McGhee
Grand Master Mason