GSE Notes

Grand Scribe's Notes for May, 2009

(To be read at your next meeting, and where necessary, circulated to Companions)

This is only my second issue of Grand Scribe's Notes for 2009, and here we are getting on for half way through the year. I wonder more and more these days where the time goes to. I dare say that it is part of my aging process.  

Royal Arch Ties and Lapel Pins:       I take this opportunity to thank you all for your strong support for the sale of these two items. They are proving to be a resounding success as we are currently waiting for our third order of ties to arrive, and we have just received our second order of 500 Lapel Pins. The ties have proven so popular that Interstate Jurisdictions have ordered them as they believed them to be better than their own tie.

A thought for some of you to consider is that some Chapters have taken the opportunity to add the cost of a Lapel Pin and Tie into the Joining Costs and are presenting their new members with these items. Alternatively, you could give all new members the opportunity of buying these items when they join the Chapter. It is important that we impress upon all members of our Order that we need to be constantly promoting ourselves, and these two items are excellent catalysts for self promotion.

2.   May Grand Convocation:       The half yearly Grand Convocation is now over and to say that attendance was disappointing is an understatement. The total attendance was 78 which, when we take away the Grand Chapter Officers, is a very paltry level of support for this Order at its second most important Convocation of the year. There are 32 Chapters within the area bounded by Gympie in the North, Toowoomba, Oakey and Warwick to the West and the Gold Coast to the South, which gives us a potential 96 active Chapter Principals who would be expected to attend (as laid down in the Royal Arch Installation Ritual). There were only 5 current First Principals, 4 current Second Principals and 3 current Third Principals in attendance. This is a total of 12 Principals representing 12.5% of the 96. A copy of the attendance statistics is appended below.

ATTENDANCE AT CONVOCATION

Grand Chapter Officers                                                                     20

PGZ                                                                                                       5

PDGZ                                                                                                  10

PGH                                                                                                      9

PGJ                                                                                                       3

DGE                                                                                                      5

Past Grand Chapter Officers                                                            10

Chapter First Principals                                                                       5

Chapter Second Principals                                                                  4

Chapter Third Principals                                                                     3

Past Chapter First Principals                                                              1

Other Chapter Members                                                                     3

                                                TOTAL ATTENDANCE                               78

Chapters within 200 km radius                                                          32

Possible Principals to attend                           96

Actual Attendee Principals                                                                12

Percentage Principals in Attendance                                                                                                12.5%

Actual Attendee Principals

Z          Brisbane QLD#3, Dayboro#127, Indooroopilly#109, Kedron Daylight#152, Stephens#78

H         Beenleigh#125, Dayboro#127, Indooroopilly#109, Kedron Daylight#152

J          Beenleigh#125, Chermside#131, Stephens#78

CHAPTERS WITH REPRESENTATION AT GRAND CONVOCATION

Acacia 126                            3           

Beenleigh 125                      11     

Brisbane Qld 3                      7

Burleigh 148                         2           

Caboolture 68                       1                    

Chermside 131                      3

Corinthian 26                        1           

Dayboro 127                         3       

East Brisbane 43                  2

Gloucester 110                     3           

Grant 121                              1       

Gympie 14                             1

Indooroopilly 109                 4           

Kedron Daylight 152           6       

Laidley 139                           2

Limestone Caledonian 4     6             

Noosa 92                              2       

Oakey 97                             2

Prince of Wales 1                 6           

Stephens 78                          7       

St. Mungo 46                       1

Transition 150                     1           

Waratah-Tyrian                  1       

Wynnum 58                         1

We only have two Grand Convocations per year, so we are not asking too much of your time and, as such, we are certainly hopeful that you will all be prepared to commit to ensuring that attendances at future Grand Convocations show a marked improvement on the May event   .

3.   New Cryptic Rituals:  I am pleased to advise that we have received stock of the Cryptic Ritual - May 2009 Print. We recommend that all members look at purchasing a copy of this Ritual as it now has the degrees in the correct order in which they are to be worked, and all the cross outs and amendments which were accumulated as a result of the new Constitution in 2007 have been incorporated into the latest version. It is certainly an easier document to work with and we recommend it to you. I am fairly confident that all errors and amendments have been addressed, but as I was totally responsible for the update, I would welcome any advice from the "eagle eyes" of errors or omissions. The price of the ritual remains at $6.00 each.

4.   Active Grand Chapter Office:            Applications will shortly be called for District Grand Educators. There is currently one vacancy for the District of North Brisbane, and expressions of interest are also called for the Wide Bay. Application Forms are available from the Grand Chapter Office and will close on 1^st August, 2009.

5.   Grand Installation, N.S.W:     The Grand Installation of the United Supreme Grand Chapter of Mark and Royal Arch Masons of N.S.W. and A.C.T. will be held in Sydney from 18^th to 20^th September, 2009. Your Most Excellent First Grand Principal will be heading up a delegation to this important event and extends an invitation to all who might wish to consider attending to do so and become part of the team. He is looking forward to leading a very strong team to support our nearest Jurisdiction, and he asks all members to seriously consider joining the delegation.

      Brochures and Registration Forms are available from the Grand Chapter Office. Each attendee is required to make their own travel arrangements to N.S.W, and to organize and submit their Registration booking direct to the Supreme Grand Chapter of N.S.W. Each attendee is also required to make their own accommodation bookings as per the details included in the brochure.

      Please Note:   Registrations close on 7^th August, 2009, but it is strongly recommended that you make bookings as soon as possible to ensure that you get accommodation, etc. 

6.   New Grand Honours Sign:     By now you have received the letter regarding the introduction of the new Grand Honours Sign which has been approved and adopted by Grand Committee. It will be known as the Catenarian Arch and Triangle Sign, and was used for the first time at the May Convocation. It is asked that your Directors of Ceremonies are made aware of the requirement for the use of this sign at all times when a Grand Chapter Delegation is in attendance at your Chapter. The details of how the Sign is to be given is included I my letter previously sent to you, and it is requested that you pass that on to your Directors of Ceremonies. If you have any queries, please contact your D.G.E. of myself.

Please do not hesitate to contact Jody or myself if there is anything that we can do to be of assistance to you.

Yours fraternally

John F. France PGJ

Grand Scribe Ezra