Bullet points from address to Provincial Grand Chapter
by the Grand Superintendent E Comp David Cons
18th June 2008

o Supreme Grand Chapter seeing increased number of Exaltations over past years. Middlesex having majority of our Chapters working harder, recruiting members and enjoying meetings. For the first time our AGM was oversubscribed and we had to turn away late applicants. Next year we will consider a bigger venue.

o Congratulations to those being appointed or promoted in Provincial Grand Rank.

o Royal Arch Executive is unchanged this year. Roger Croome reappointed as Deputy Grand Superintendent and Michael Higginbotham and Jack Flint as 2nd & 3rd Provincial Principals.

o Paul Huggins appointed APGPs replace Clive Morgan.

o Royal Arch Visiting Officers reappointed -
E.Comps. Andrew Elliott, Michael Mercer, Alan Peters, David Wakefield, Tom Porter, Graham Dosset, John Culling and Mark Bingham. 7 new appointments are Michael Juden, Ray Tillyer, David Blair, David Pearson, Colin Hollingsworth, Joe Dawson and Michael Knepper.

o Mike Treacy retires as Provincial Janitor (since 2002). Gus Fielding becomes new Provincial Janitor. Russell Bew retiring as Co-ordinator for Lodge and Chapter visits. Grand Superintendent thanked both for their services.

o The 2009 RMBI Festival ends in March 2009. Total donations & promises to date including recoverable tax and interest = £3.25 million. Cash paid over to RMBI = £2.5 million.

o Dates for the diary are:
Open day at Harrow for friends 28th June
Fete at Harrow on the 20th July
Middlesex promoting a Masonic garden at Hampton Court Flower show (open to the public on Thursday 10th July until and including Sunday 13)
The Provincial Service at Guildford Cathedral on 16th November

o The travelling pedestal presented at the meeting for the first time. It is geared for those Chapters with small memberships. Please advise the Provincial Office or your VO if Chapters would like to join the scheme.

o Every Lodge has been asked to appoint a Royal Arch Representative to recruit for the Royal Arch. If your Lodge has not done so please push your Secretary and Master to appoint one. We will support you with encouragement and information to do the job.

o The mentoring scheme which is already running in the Craft is now at the printers for the Royal Arch and will be distributed after the summer to make new members feel comfortable and involved.

o We now have a full page of Royal Arch matters in the Middlesex Mercury and we will shortly have a section on the Provincial website so the Office needs articles and photos of noteworthy events in your Chapters

o The Master Class (for the Executive and APGPs) to perform a ceremony will be at Richmond Chapter for an exaltation on the 21st January 2009 and they would welcome guests.

o Thanks to PMK Chapter who continue to support weaker Chapters in filling in offices and the PMK demonstration team who present the third section of the old Lectures in the catechetical form and are available to do this for Chapters who have no work David Pearson is the organiser.