From the Provincial Grand Master
Brethren and Companions
A Happy New Year to you all. I am sure that you are as disappointed as I am that we still find ourselves in lockdown and not able to resume masonic activity as yet. Still, there are positives to look at, not least the roll out of the vaccines across the population.
I really enjoyed the series of zoom meetings we held last week. It was great to see around 250 of our members from across the province in pretty good heart. There were some really good questions raised and ideas suggested as to how we can move forward. We will be reflecting on those over the coming weeks and build on them in a positive way. I also hope that these informal meetings will become a regular feature of the provincial diary.
In my Annual Assessment to the Rulers last month, I noted that COVID has clearly impacted the Province: our numbers are down as we have not been able to initiate candidates and our Festival efforts have stalled as we can’t do fund raising events. This might be expected, but I went on to say clearly that my personal frustration is that I believe that Oxfordshire has so much potential, but for whatever reason, collectively we are not delivering on this. I hope that the next couple of years will prove me wrong.
OPERATION KICKSTART
I am afraid that I have no magic crystal ball that will tell us when masonic activity will restart or in what restrictions may be placed on us when that restart occurs. There are many variables to consider. But there is nothing to stop us as individuals, as Lodges and as centres starting to plan now, so that we can hit the ground running. I hope Lodge committees will start to meet to discuss these plans:
What ceremonies do we have in the pipeline, and what is the most efficient order to do them in?
Could we do emergency meetings or multiple ceremonies to help with the backlog? The province will not charge for any dispensations required to tackle this problem.
Have we talked to our candidates for any degree to discuss the current thinking? I believe that there are currently over 100 potential candidates in the pipeline in the Province.
How do we catch up with any administrative backlog?
Please do remember that the Province is here to help you. We can provide advice; we help find brethren to assist you with ceremonial work; and remember that we have agreed to supply MM aprons to the first candidates initiated after the lockdown, recognising that cost is sometimes seen as a barrier to attracting new members. The apron will be presented to the candidate when he is raised by an active provincial officer and it will be returned to the lodge for future use when the candidate is installed as a WM.
The Chapter Provincial Executive is equally keen to encourage chapters to exalt new candidates and has also agreed to set aside a sum of money to purchase the full chapter regalia for any candidate exalted within the first 12 months after we are allowed to resume performing exaltations.
As with the Craft, the regalia will be presented by an active provincial officer and it will be returned to the chapter for future use when the candidate becomes a Principal. So if you are a Craft Freemason who has not yet completed his journey into Pure, Antient Freemasonry, now would be an advantageous time to do so!
2022 MCF FESTIVAL
Over the last 10 months, we have deliberately not pushed the Festival, but as we head into the last 18 months of fundraising, now is the time to start a final push to a total that we can be really proud of. Our fund stands at just shy of £750k currently. How great would it be to push that into seven figures? The MCF has shown how much it has supported us over the last year – now if the time for us to repay that support.
NEW WEBSITE
In addition to the many excellent articles in this edition of The Second Rising, I am excited that, any day now, we will be able to launch our new website and I would strongly encourage you all to visit it as soon as it is live. I thank all those involved in its development, notably Gavin McCoy. But I also want to place on public record my own thanks and gratitude, and those of all the province, to Phil Harley for everything that he has contributed to the previous website. His efforts have been enormous, and I know we have all appreciated that work. Thank you, Phil.
Finally, brethren, while there may be light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, I urge you all to stay safe and well, and pray that the Great Architect will continue to look after you, your family and friends.
James Hilditch
Provincial Grand Master and Grand Superintendent
