Covid -19 Update 24th September 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

First, my apologies for the late delivery of last week’s update – a wee technical issue – but all is now resolved.

I have been asked by the Grand Lodge of Scotland Clay Shooting Association to bring to your attention that they are hosting the second International Masonic Clay Shooting Championship on Saturday 16th October 2021.  The event will be held at the National Shooting Centre, Wester Jawcraig, Falkirk and will involve brethren from England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland competing for the Championship Trophy over a 100-target layout.  The top four scores from each nation will determine the result of the competition.

Entries are invited from brethren and their guests who share the passions for our craft and clay shooting and there will be plenty opportunity for fellowship outdoors. 

Further information is on our website www.gloscsa.co.uk/events , our Facebook pages and from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I have received a very encouraging Annual Report this week from Bro Jayaraman Ramesh our DGM in Botswana. While they have had difficulties with Covid, they are making progress and Bro Ramesh remarks in the conclusion to his report – “In the last few days, I have given my approval for the Lodges to meet again and have Business meetings, strictly adhering to all the COVID protocols and observing the local regulations and guidelines. They have also been instructed to abide by the Risk Management matrix as prescribed by the Grand Lodge and have it displayed in the premises.”

This is good news and I hope and trust that they are truly seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and that they will be able to resume normal activity soon.

SCFS

  
  • The Group saw its membership rise by 54 to 5702 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 929, submitted by 311 of its members.
  • These updated contributions can now be attributed as to being made on behalf of 335 Lodges, from within 55 of its Provincial Grand Lodges, District Grand Lodges, Superintendencies and Lodges abroad under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge.
  • This week posts were submitted by group members representing the Provinces of Edinburgh, Perthshire West, Scottish Borders and Stirlingshire.
  • The total identifiable monetary value of the contributions now recorded has risen to £1,421,933.
 

SCFS Overseas Report  

  • Our Overseas Membership has now risen to 1606 This is thanks to new members joining us from Lodges in the Districts of Bahamas, Barbados, Central South Africa (RSA), Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope, Far East, India, Newfoundland and Labrador, Sierra Leone and The Gambia, Trinidad & Tobago and Grenada. 
  • The largest increase in membership was from the District of Trinidad & Tobago and Grenada, with Brethren joining from 9different Lodges.  
  • The Lodge which had the most Brethren joining from it this week was Lodge Arima, No. 899, in Trinidad
  • We are delighted to welcome our 1600thOverseas Member from our Lodges abroad. Many congratulations to Brother Manohar JagdaleRWM, Lodge St. Andrew’s-in-the-East, No. 343, District Grand Lodge of India. 
  • Our membership of Brethren who belong to Lodges whose Grand Lodges are in amity with GLoS continues to grow. We now have 899 Brethren spreading news of the wonderful support featured in the posts on the main SCFS page and on the increasingly popular SCFS-Showcase,throughout their constitutions worldwide.
  • During this week, the expanding reach of SCFS was seen by the fact that Brethren joined from 18different Masonic Constitutions, including: United GL of GermanyUGLE(England, Trinidad and Tobago, Eastern Archipelago, Wales), GL of Ireland, GL of Michigan, GL of India, GL of Arkansas, GL of California, MWGL of the Philippines, GL of Massachusetts, GL of New Brunswick, GL of Quebec, GL of North Carolina, United GL of Victoria, GL of Spain, GL of Nigeria, GL of Texas, GL of Canada in the Province of Ontario, GL of Ecuador
  • From the above, it was delightful to extend a special welcome to Brother Patrick CarrPast Deputy Grand Master of the GL of Arkansas
  • Lodges in our Districts, under Grand Superintendents and under the supervision of Grand Lodge, are all encouraged to continue sharing the examples of the excellent support in which they are involved and we look forward, in turn, to sharing it with all our Brethren. 

My sincere thanks and that of my Depute, Brother Tom Smith, to the Office-bearers and Brethren of Lodge Airlie 286 and Lodge Anima 1223 whose organisation at the weekend for their 200th and 100th anniversaries were first class. All went according to plan and the Brethren thoroughly enjoyed both events.

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

Ramsay McGhee

Grand Master Mason