ADDRESS TO THE PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER
29th MARCH 2007

Companions, 18 months in office – doesn’t time pass by so quickly. Much has happened both to this colourful and well loved order of ours and, as you all know, for me on a personal basis. You have all shared my health difficulties and Marlene and I are so appreciative of both the support given by the Royal Arch Province generally and for the individual and very personal empathy given to us by our extended Masonic family. Wise counsel and support has also been given to me from all sections of our Orders during this time.

Now Companions, for the first time, your ME Grand Superintendent is wearing a new robe beautifully edged in mink fur. What you don’t know is that Sonia, the wife of my Deputy in the Craft, no longer has her mink jacket. I am not privy to the negotiations that went on in the Bramley-Haworth household but the conclusion has certainly been of great benefit to the Province. Nigel, I know that Sonia has already been thanked by my Deputy Grand Superintendent but would you please redouble those thanks when you return home this evening.

Once more Companions let me repeat that our relationship with the Craft continues to be so very important and should be regarded as a high priority by all of us.

I am, again, pleased to report the success of the various initiatives being taken by many Chapters and Royal Arch teams to convey to the members of the Craft the benefits and the environment within the Royal Arch. The teachings in this Order are, after all, about each man’s relationship with his God and, as a belief in a Supreme Being is a pre-requisite to joining our Order, it appears to me only natural that a Freemason would wish to experience this special Order of Freemasonry so inextricably linked with Craft Freemasonry.

An excellent pamphlet on the RA within the Province of East Lancashire has been distributed and, if you haven’t seen it, please contact your District Officer Royal Arch (or the DORA as he is affectionately known). The pamphlet explains that Companions do have a higher affinity for each other than that in the Craft. There is a special Fellowship and great friendships are made.

From the encouragement of new members let me move onto the essential need to retain current members. Companions, the hard facts are that we lost 233 members in 2006 due to resignation. Life within the Chapter is so important. We must ensure that we have ceremonies with Masonic tradition but in a modern setting. We must continue to share the work in a more positive pattern and have the will to encompass appropriate changes from where we are to where we need to be. Companions, the moment that Freemasonry is no longer fun and rewarding, members will vote with their feet.

As a necessary part of this philosophy Supreme Grand Chapter has revised the ritual and we, at the Provincial level, have built on that. We have had a working group, so ably led by my Second Provincial Grand Principal, which spent many many hours looking at the various rituals in the Province and now I am happy to say the changes to our Provincial ritual have been completed. In fact, the booklet has been so popular that nearly 1000 copies have been sold – a tribute to all who worked on the project.

The restructuring of our Province continues and I do encourage it. We have now had 2 amalgamations of 6 Chapters and we will have a further amalgamation of 3 Chapters into one later this year. Whilst amalgamations can seem a rather complex way forward the benefits are of great significance to the members – perhaps the most important being that the Companions stay together.

A careful closure process is essential in order to ensure that our Companions flow with the amalgamation. Every effort should be made to see that the guardians of many years of life within the Chapter, are happy with the changes, it should be done with care and understanding and should show empathy with their thoughts. Having said that, Companions, we must continue the process of restructuring towards a healthy Province of fewer stronger Chapters, making them happy and rewarding places to spend an evening and to enjoy that special fellowship.

Today we have a total of 105 Companions who will be experiencing their first appointment, others the elation of promotion, not forgetting the long standing and faithful re-appointments.
The tightness of the regulation is now beginning to bite as we, a former large Province, now have to cope with the management of a reduction with the resultant difficulties, including the reduction in the number of collars which I am able to allocate.

I do thank all the Companions who are to receive an honour today, for the work that you have undertaken and, of course, in anticipation of what you will do in the future. Your Chapters will know that the rank to which you have been appointed reflects not only what you will have achieved in your own Chapter, but also in many cases, the work you do within your Districts and the Province.

Companions, when I have been considering the Provincial Honours which are to be awarded today, I have been so pleased to have been made aware of the information concerning those Companions who have strong links with their communities. Indeed, many new members of the Craft have now stated that one of the reasons they are attracted to Freemasonry is the work we do with Charity and in the Community.

Companions, the news is good on that front. Giving to our East Lancashire Masonic Charity in 2006 was 60% ahead of the previous year. The first 2 months of this year show a further 48% increase on the first 2 months of last year. The Community Fund is now building its position and we have a number of exciting projects going on across the Province.

Companions, I understand that there has been some misunderstanding in the Province regarding the destination of this increased giving. Could I make it clear that, for the moment, one third will go to our new Community Fund and the balance to our beneficiaries and to build the general funds in our charity. After so many years of Festivals, our charity has had a very lean time and together we must strengthen its financial base.

The AGM of the Charity will be held on the 17th May and all members of the Charity – may I remind you that qualification for membership is a donation of a minimum of £60 per year – will be invited to attend. It should be a splendid evening and we have invited several Charities that we are assisting, to attend and talk to us about their link with Freemasonry. I do encourage you to attend.

Thank you Companions so much for your contribution to this vision of reconnecting with our communities. I remain convinced that this presents Freemasonry with its greatest opportunity to attract men of good calibre into our midst. It is the very bedrock of our organisation and I am confident that you will all wish to continue to play your part in this endeavour.

Companions, as you are all aware, we shall be travelling to London at the end of next month for the Annual Investiture of both the Craft and the Royal Arch and I have much pleasure in announcing the following preferments:

First Appointments – all to the rank of PGStB
R Neil Pickup
David C Stevens
James Sutcliffe
Peter A Wills

Promotions – all to the rank of PAGSoj
Derek Bell
Donald Roberts
Roy Taylor

And Comp Stephen Blank is to be re-appointed as a Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies for the fourth year.

As you all know Companions, events such as today don’t just happen and we have relied on many people to bring it together, perhaps in particular the Provincial Grand Scribe E, the Provincial Grand DC and their teams, and all of you who have been in any way involved you have my very grateful thanks.

I am looking forward once again, to having the company of Mrs Susan O’Neill and Mrs Julie Ward at the banquet following this meeting. Companions, they, along with Maria who, of course, works at the front desk at Bridge Street, are to compete in this year’s Great Manchester Run, which takes place on 20 May. That is praiseworthy indeed, but they are doing this for our own ELMC and have already raised over £3,000. What a great effort or at least it will be when they finish!

Companions, may I extend to you all my thanks for your support today and on a very personal note, once again, Marlene and I thank you for your prayers, for your letters, for your emails, and for your words of support, just being there for us. Both of us have been privileged to feel at first hand the true meaning of charity to your neighbour and may that will to care for those in need become the very hallmark of practising Freemasons in this Province of East Lancashire.

So Companions, return to your Chapters with renewed energies, have fun, enjoy fellowship, do good things, support Companions in need, get involved in your local communities, give and spread that special spirit of Freemasonry which I have been so lucky to have received over the last 8 months.

Companions, I thank you.

EComp Paul JE Rink, OBE
ME Grand Superintendent
29th March 2007