The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland
William Ramsay McGhee, MStJ, D.L., Grand Master Mason
Brethren,
I hope and trust that you have all enjoyed the Christmas festivities and are looking forward to the New Year.
As we approach the end of 2022, we can look back with much satisfaction. During the year, we have witnessed our Lodges at home and overseas returning to something approaching normal after two years of lockdown. Much hard work has taken place to ensure that our lodge rooms are safe to be in and I thank everyone for their efforts. It is so good to be back
We have all experienced a difficult two years and no doubt 2023 will continue to present challenges at all levels of our organisation but I am confident that with determination, commitment, and a widespread will to make our Craft fit for purpose for the 21st Century we will overcome the challenges.
May you all, along with your families, have a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2023. Lets’ start the year with words of wisdom from that legend of Scottish rugby, the late Doddie Weir – “Whatever your situation, make the most you can of each day; be nice to people and laugh as much as possible”.
A good New Year to you all.
SCFS
- This week saw Group membership rise to 7007 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 1507, submitted by 439 of its members.
- These updated contributions can now be attributed as to being made on behalf of 424 Lodges, from within 58 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 Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Fife & Kinross, Galloway, Glasgow, Kincardineshire, Linlithgowshire, Perthshire East, Ross & Cromarty and Stirlingshire.
- The total identifiable monetary value of the contributions now recorded has risen to £2,912,311.
SCFS Overseas Report
We were delighted to publish the following posts this week:
- Brother Scott Bartlett, IPDGM, advised of very generous donations by Lodge Humber, No. 1475, in the District of Newfoundland and Labrador, to the Deer Lake Regional Foodbank and also to the local Ecumenical Food Sharing Group, which provided hampers and hot Christmas dinners to those in need.
- Brother Nico Volckeryck, PM, Lodge Wellington, No. 1385 (Antwerp, Belgium), posted news of a wonderful donation of 4000 presents, delivered to the homeless on Christmas Eve, which the Lodge was greatly involved in.
- The Overseas membership continues to increase, particularly helped by new members joining from Lodge Midland Junction, No. 972(Western Australia), Lodge Darul Takzim, No. 1836 (Middle East - Malaysia), andLodge St. Andrew, No. 1756 (Bahamas). Additional members were also approved from Lodges whose Grand Lodges are in amity with the GLoS such as from the Grand Lodge of Virginia.
During January, I will be representing Grand Lodge at the following meetings –
7th January - New Year Festival organised by the Danish Order of Freemasons in Copenhagen.
12th January – Heads of Orders Meeting in Edinburgh.
14th January – Lodge St Nicholas No 93 in Aberdeen.
15th January – Inverness Lodges Joint Divine Service
16th January – Overseas, External Affairs and Special Purposes Committee
19th January – Special meeting of Grand Committee
25th January – Burns & Hogg Evening – Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No 2
28th January – Lodge St Enoch No 1288 Centenary
28th January – Provincial Grand Lodge of Glasgow Masters Dinner.
30th and 31st January – Tercentenary of the 1723 Lodges - London
Finally, as always, please stay safe and look after each other.
Ramsay McGhee
Grand Master Mason