The initiation team with our new EA. Welcome, Bro. Adrian.
It's Good News Week!
We will be able to resume dining in the Guildhall with effect from our March meeting.
The Membership Challenge for Berkshire
December saw the launch of ‘the Strategy for Freemasonry, 2022 and beyond’ by the Pro Grand Master at Grand Lodge. It is wholly consistent with the work that we have been doing for a number of years within the Province. As a tool to delivery, The Members' Pathway is an essential and integral part of the strategic approach and it is vital that this is consistently and effectively implemented if we are to be successful in addressing our key challenges. We are endeavouring to cement our reputation as a force for good in our communities and society at large, and as a thriving organisation that people aspire to join. Based on the strong foundations of Integrity, Friendship, Respect & Charity we are building our future on three key pillars namely Thriving Membership, Coherent Organisation and Community Engagement.
The Membership Challenge is a critical component of the Thriving Membership element of the Strategy for Freemasonry and is the difference between gains and losses of members within Lodges and must always be kept under active review. It identifies the necessary increase in initiates, joiners, re-joiners and the reduction in resignations required in order to stabilise and grow lodges. The Province will be discussing with and supporting individual lodges to meet their own specific challenge.
To close the gap and achieve sustainable growth will require us to be creative and courageous. We will not get everything right at the first attempt. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that their lodge thrives. So the two considerations, I would like you to address personally are:
• what can I contribute to Freemasonry in Berkshire to make a difference?
• what role can I play in addressing the Membership Challenge?
This is not a numbers game but rather a move to attract quality members who can actively contribute to lodges and help them thrive whilst developing their own masonic journeys. Our recent work, both nationally and within the Province, has shown that there is a significant number of people wishing to join and contribute to a community-based membership organisation such as ours. So, the Provincial challenge is to equip more members to feel comfortable acting as ‘Ambassadors for Freemasonry’ so as to attract their own candidates from their existing circle of friends and acquaintances rather than relying heavily upon the Province. We also need to show members how to get involved and engaged outside of their own lodge. Freemasonry is global and widening one’s own experience has a dramatic effect on one’s feeling of belonging and of being a real and valued contributor. Each of us has a role to play in transforming and delivering an amazing membership experience for others starting with the very first welcome.
For my part, I am keen to ensure that Provincial support is professional and laser focused on where it can make most difference. With that in mind, we will be asking you to help us see what we need to change to grow the Province across the Board. Whilst retaining its core values, over the centuries, Freemasonry has consistently evolved to address societal change. Evolution and adaption are to be welcomed not feared.
W Bro. Hugh Pryce Parry PM, PPGSW
Abbey Lodge members gathered with many other Berkshire and Oxfordshire Freemasons among the congregation at the Service to Celebrate the life and pay their final respects to this much respected member of Abbey Lodge. Bro Hugh was a joining member of Abbey in 1962 and passed to the Grand Lodge Above on 22nd July 2022 at the age of 97.
W BRO. IAIN MARNOCK TO REPLACE W BRO. ROBIN KENT AS ASSISTANT PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER
written by Brian Page 12th March 2022
Following the forthcoming retirement of W Bro. Robin Kent PGSD as Assistant Provincial Grand Master in September after five years of exemplary service to the Province of Berkshire, the RW Provincial Grand Master for Berkshire, Anthony Charles Howlett-Bolton OBE, has been pleased to announce that he will be succeeded by W Bro. Iain Marnock PAGDC, the current Provincial Grand Membership Officer. W Bro. Iain Marnock will be invested at the Provincial Annual Meeting. W Bro. Robin Kent will remain a member of the Executive for a further twelve months to spearhead through a number of pending modernisation projects to assist the smooth running of the Province.
W Bro. Iain Marnock said:
“I am honoured and humbled to be offered this appointment. I understand the challenges which lie ahead and I welcome the opportunity to serve this Special Province and to assist in its future development”.
MOST WORSHIPFUL BROTHER PETER LOWNDES ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
At today's Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge, Most Worshipful Brother Peter Lowndes announced his retirement from his role as Pro Grand Master, and that his successor, Right Worshipful Brother Jonathan Spence, will be installed in September.
Peter was initiated into Old Etonian Lodge No. 4500 on the 20th April 1972. He was passed to the degree of Fellowcraft on the 8th June 1972 and was then raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on the 19th October 1972.
Peter served as Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1984 until 1987 and was promoted to Grand Director of Ceremonies in 1995 - a role he held for eight years.
In 2004, Peter was appointed Deputy Grand Master and held the role until 2009 when he was appointed Pro Grand Master.
When the Grand Master is a member of the Royal Family, he may appoint a Pro Grand Master to be his principal Masonic advisor and to act for him on occasions when, due to Royal engagements, he is unable to be present. Brother Lowndes has performed this role with wisdom, humility and with consummate skill.
DEPUTY PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER CLOCKS UP A HALF-CENTURY!
written by Brian Page 2nd March 2022
VW Bro Peter Sands has reached another Masonic milestone; the Deputy Provincial Grandmaster for Berkshire has been a freemason for 50 years and has recently received a certificate to mark this achievement.
Peter was initiated into Berries Lodge No. 2928 in the Province of Buckinghamshire in 1971; he had lost his father whilst still in his teens. Knowing how much his father had enjoyed freemasonry, he applied to join his father’s old lodge; the rest, as people say, is history.
When asked what made being a freemason so enjoyable? The Deputy Provincial Grandmaster remarked that it is very different from other membership organisations; members from all walks of life meet and form lasting friendships, developing as individuals and serving their community and fellow human beings better.
As Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Peter is overseeing the Berkshire-wide challenge to raise £1.9M over five years for the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The MCF is one of the most significant contributors to charity in the UK, putting tens of millions of pounds into worthy causes each year.
W. Bro. Len Freeman
We regret to announce that Bro. Len passed to the Grand Lodge above on 26th December 2021. He was initiated into Abbey Lodge on 12th December 1968 and was elected an Honourary Member earlier this year, in recognition of his 53 years as a member of the lodge.