The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland
William Ramsay McGhee, MStJ, D.L., Grand Master Mason
Brethren,
In many of the Provinces and Districts we are now well and truly into Lodge Installations. May I take this opportunity to convey my best wishes to all new Masters and Office-bearers for a happy and successful term in office and thank all those who are demitting office, many who have carried out at least an extra year because of Covid. Your service and dedication have been outstanding. Thank you.
On Wednesday this week Ann and I had the pleasure of conveying the Past 1st Grand Principal, MEC Ian Fraser and his wife Joan to Inverness where we met up with the current 1st Grand Principal, Dr Rev Canon Joe Morrow, CBE, QC and Grand Scribe E, MEC Douglas Duncan when Ian presented another cheque to the Iris Murdoch Foundation bringing the total to a magnificent £200,000. Fantastic effort – well done.
SCFS
- The Group saw its membership rise to 5985 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 1008, submitted by 329 of its members.
- These updated contributions can now be attributed as to being made on behalf of 342 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 Aberdeen City, Dumfriesshire, Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh, Fife & Kinross, Forfarshire, Glasgow, Inverness-shire, Linlithgowshire, Renfrewshire West, Ross & Cromarty and Stirlingshire.
- The total identifiable monetary value of the contributions now recorded has risen to £1,788,261.
MILESTONE POST ANNOUNCEMENT
The raison d'être for the SCFS page is to provide an online opportunity to record and share all the wonderful examples of charity and support by Freemasons in Lodges governed by the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Since its launch in May of last year, posts of such a nature have been received and published.
This week we celebrate the publishing of the 1000th post. That number in itself is very impressive, but we must look behind this statistic and take cognisance of what it represents … and that is the special nature of our order, illustrated through all these posts which have demonstrated support - large and small, financial and in kind, of time and of care.
The Milestone 1000th post was received from Brother Scott McAdam, WSW, Lodge Ivanhoe, No. 879, in the District of Western Australia, who shared news of a donation of almost £2000 to the mental health charity, “Beyond Blue”.
Many thanks are extended to all Brethren who have contributed towards achieving the 1000th postmilestone.
SCFS Overseas Report
A number of outstanding posts were published this week …
- Brother Jim Kerr, District Grand Master of Central South Africa, shared news of a wonderful donation of almost £5000 by the District to the Cancer Association of South Africa.
- Brother Scott McAdam, WSW, Lodge Ivanhoe, No. 879,shared news of his Charity Kilt Run at the Perth Highland Gathering of Western Australia (referred to above).
- Our Overseas Membership is now 1655with the most brethren joining from an individual Lodge this week coming from Lodge Peace, No. 908, in the District of Lebanon.
- We now have 1070brethren from Lodges whose Grand Lodges are in amity with the GLoS. New members joined from the Grand Lodges of India, Washington, Louisiana, Indiana, Brazil, California, Italy, Canada in the Province of Ontario, Arizona, Columbia, Ohio, United GL of Victoria and UGLE. A special welcome was extended to Brother Roger VanGorden, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Indiana.
Finally, as always, please stay safe and look after each other.
Ramsay McGhee
Grand Master Mason