Royal Arch News
On Thursday 3 September 2015, the Holy Royal Arch Province of Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire was honoured to extend a very warm welcome to the ME Grand Superintendent of Bristol, E Comp Alan J Vaughan, and his Demonstration Team to present a demonstration of the Antient Ceremony of the Veils. This was very kindly hosted by our own Chapter of First Principals.
Unchanged for some 200 years, this event provided a fascinating insight to the origins of the Exaltation Ceremony practised by us today, much to the appreciation of an enthusiastic audience of around 270 Companions which included the MEGS of Warwickshire, E Comp John Saint. E Comp Barry Goulding was awarded a Certificate by E Comp Vaughan following his participation in the ceremony as the Exaltee, his performance was almost worthy of an Oscar such was the gusto with which he played his part, word perfect as usual!
Towards the end of an excellent Festive Board, our MEGS, E Comp Wayne Williams, congratulated and thanked all concerned for their hard work in producing this wonderful event which clearly exceeded everyone’s expectations.
- Written by: John Fergusson
The ‘Wayne Williams Trophy’ Golf Competition 2015
This event was instigated in 2013 to foster relationships between neighbouring Royal Arch Provinces, and Orders within Northants and Hunts Province as a social event outside of the main Masonic Season. Peterborough Milton Golf Club hosts the event and we are very fortunate to have a great connection at that Club in the person of E Comp Russell Laxton who manages the event.
The Trophy is awarded to the three man team that scores the most Stableford points on the day. The 2013 and 2014 events were won by a team representing Northants, Hunts and Beds Provincial Priory in the persons of E Comp Viv Thomas, E Comp Phil Collins and E Comp Bryan Birchall.
This year's event, held on 4th August, drew 13 teams from six Provinces plus teams representing KT, Mark and Craft from our Province. The winners this year represented Northants and Hunts Royal Arch and comprised of Companions R Laxton, G Dyson and W Stocks, closely followed in second place by our Provincial Craft team captained by E Comp Barrie Goulding. The individual prize winner with a score of 43 Stableford points was Phil Lever, Past Provincial 2nd Principal of Hertfordshire.
The 2016 competition will be held again at Peterborough Milton Golf Club on Tuesday 2nd August 2016.
- Written by: John Fergusson
E Comp Keith Clayton's 95th Birthday Celebrations
E Comp Keith Clayton of Kingsley Chapter 2431 celebrated his forthcoming 95th birthday on Saturday 8 August 2015 with over 50 friends, relatives and Companions at the Cheyne Walk Club in Northampton. All enjoyed this splendid evening enormously, particularly hearing E Comp Keith’s reflections on a life lived and enjoyed to the full, spanning almost a century and still going strong.
Congratulations from all at Provincial Grand Chapter to you E Comp Keith on this very special birthday (which fell on Monday 10 August) and for which we wish you ‘Many Happy Returns’.
- Written by: John Fergusson
All organisations such as ours in the Holy Royal Arch need to have a well-structured Mentoring or Recruitment policy.
Herewith is a brief outline of the model used in Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire. The policy in use currently in our Province has been evolved over six or seven years now and thanks to the hard work of those involved over that time has proved to be successful in gently pointing newly raised Master Masons towards the completion of their journey through Pure Antient Freemasonry.
In Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire, we have identified six main Masonic Centres as the hubs of our operation, where a small group of appointed Grand Officers and/or Senior Provincial Officers are informed by the Royal Arch Provincial Office of forthcoming Raisings that are due to take place in Craft Lodges within their locality. The policy requires that one of the team in that Centre will, if possible, attend the Raising ceremony and introduce himself to the newly raised Master Mason, pass over to him the pamphlet entitled “The Next Regular Step for the Master Mason” (which is currently being revised) and invite him to progress to the last important phase in his Masonic journey when he feels that the time is right for him to do so. If our Grand Officer or Senior Provincial Officer is not able to attend “on the night”, then contact can be made by telephone. The pamphlet is a low key introduction to the Holy Royal Arch and gives information and detail to stimulate the interest of the newly raised Master Mason. The Companion making the presentation of the pamphlet somewhat informally after the ceremony will then arrange to contact the Master Mason from time to time to gently nurse him along and to constantly remind him that, as yet, his journey from “Initiation to Exaltation” is incomplete.
The newly raised Master Mason also receives in due course a cordial and personal joint letter of invitation to join the Holy Royal Arch from the Provincial Grand Master and Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, sometimes presented in Lodge or sent direct by post to his home.
Frequently, there is mention of the importance of progressing to the Holy Royal Arch when the Master Mason receives his Grand Lodge Certificate from a member of the Craft Executive or Grand Lodge Officer, all of whom are invariably enthusiastic Royal Arch Companions.
All this is to provide information and is to support and enhance the traditional stream of recruits which has “survived the wreck of mighty empires” where Royal Arch Companions reach out to their Brethren and friends within their Lodges and tell them what they are missing by not taking that final and “last step” into the happy and colourful ending which is the Holy Royal Arch.
Once recruited, the most important part is to make sure that the new Companion is settled, happy and has a clear understanding of the ceremony and its meaning. The Proposer in particular and possibly, the Seconder have an important role here to make sure that the new member attends regularly and is invited to take a small part in the ceremonial but only as and when he wishes.
A mention should be made here of the importance of the Almoner of the Chapter. His role is to monitor attendances “Like a Watchman on a Tower” and be alert to absentees and to find out the reasons for this, which may not always be due to illness. He can then make enquiries himself or prompt the Proposer and possibly the Seconder to do so.
If there is a perceived need in a particular part of the Province, the Executive organise combined Information Evenings in that area where Master Masons and newly Exalted Royal Arch Companions can meet together and explore and discover more about the Holy Royal Arch over a light finger buffet.
As with all good management strategies, the policy is reviewed regularly by the Executive and revised or “tweaked” as necessary as we strive to bring the enjoyment of our Order to as many as we can. Thus far?............it seems to be working!
E Comp Mike Coleman
Deputy Grand Superintendent
- Written by: John Fergusson