A message from the PGM
During the Presentations section of the meeting agenda the Provincial Grand Master made the following announcement:
“Brethren, the criteria for the PGM’s Award is fairly flexible and based on a number of different factors, so for next year one of the elements I will take into consideration is the London Mark Brother who has proposed the most Initiates into his Craft Lodges or who has proposed the most candidates for Exaltation into his Chapters. We are all acutely aware that to maintain a steady stream of new blood into our Companion Orders we need a healthy Craft – so I am hopeful that the example shown by recruiters into Freemasonry at its entry level will set an example for others and be rewarded and recognised within our Mark Degree. All you need to do is to send me the Lodge or Chapter Summons showing your name as Proposer.“
The Annual Meeting ended with the following Address from the Provincial Grand Master:
“Brethren all, this has indeed been a day with a packed agenda and so I promise you that this will be a short Address. I must of course thank all 620 of you for attending in such great numbers to support this meeting, the climax of our Mark and Royal Ark Mariner year. It has been an opportunity to thank and reward those Officers and members for their contribution to London’s ongoing successes. Of those I have invested today, I have great expectations of continued and even higher levels of service and commitment to this important Province – the jewel in the crown of the Provinces and Districts within the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. To those who have demitted office today, I say thank you again for all your previous good works; and to those who have made today and indeed the past 12 months – if not the past 5 years of my Patent, such a resounding and enjoyable success I say again – as I have said on so many previous occasions – thank you! You know who you are!
To my fellow PGMs and their representatives,thank you for your support and attendance and for giving London the opportunity to reciprocate the fine hospitality I and my Chains have received at your Provincial meetings.
Brethren of London, apart from one or two little pockets of challenges, our Province is in good heart. Memberships at 3,120 are holding up as can be seen from the number of newly-advanced Brethren we saw parade proudly into this Grand Temple today.
115 Advancements and 90 Elevations in the past year are numbers to be proud of. We continue to sponsor new units within our own boundaries and help with Consecrations abroad.
Your charitable donations continue to be an aspect of London activity for you to take great pride in and satisfaction from, and long may that continue. Towards this year’s MBF Festival, for which the Province of Cheshire raised the magnificent sum of £1,158,000, London brethren contributed £52,591 through donations and the purchase of Festival Steward breast jewels. I’m pleased to see some Oxfordshire Stewards’ jewels in evidence today and I wish its PGM, R. W. Bro. Ian Wright, great success for his Festival which climaxes next July.
So far as our coming year’s events are concerned, it’s all on the website and the Facebook group. If you are not reading and following those, Brethren, then you are missing out on our activities and denying yourselves the pleasure of joining in or taking pride in a huge element of what London Mark Masonry is all about.
R.W. Brethren. you can all put away your stopwatches, as this Address will have lasted a mere 3 minutes and I am now finished!
Brethren, I wish you all a restful and contented summer. A brief respite before we begin our new season again in September. Until then may the Great Overseer Of The Universe keep you all safe, healthy and happy.“