The masonic year has ended!

So the second year of a a busy Mason has come to an end, and how busy did it turn out to be? Well I went to 42 meetings of which 10 were visits across 13 Masonic Halls. I attended 16 rehearsals, 9 committee meetings, 4 AGM’s and 2 special events. I did unfortunately have to miss 2 meetings, and 5 rehearsals.  So all together 74 events, which is what happens when you get a busy year and the “It’s only 8 nights a year” goes out the window.

I now get a couple of months holiday from all things Masonic. Apart from some papers to write, and work as the Provincial Secretary that will come up.

This will probably be my last blog series on this topic because next year should be a lot quieter. I have resigned from one of my Royal Arch chapters (4 meetings, 4 rehearsals, 2 committee meetings), I will be resigning from a Lodge after the summer break (8 meetings, 8 rehearsals, 4 committee meetings) so that frees up 30 nights a year. Not to mention stepping down as the Assistant Provincial Grand Mentor in Craft and Royal Arch, Provincial Pathway Team member, and a NWAMS committee member, along with active roles like Secretary of MLIM. My next year is set to be a lot less busy.

Today was my last Masonic event of the Masonic Year.

It was the Maesgwyn Lodge of Installed Masters committee meeting, where we needed to sort out the officers for next year, and work out who is doing what for the installation meeting.

It was a nice simple thing to end the year on, getting rid of the last bit of paperwork.

I am now on my summer break.

Today was my last meeting of the year. And is a strange similarity it was Clwyd College which also happened to be the first meeting of the Masonic Year.

Tonight, was going to be the end of “The Year of a Busy Mason”, on paper it looked as if I would start and finish at Clwyd College, but also the best laid plans of mice and men, and myself often go astray. I now have a committee meeting tomorrow which will end year 2.

I must say it was a great meeting to end on. The installation of a new Celebrant, and the first time I paraded into the meeting as a member of the third order, (I skipped it at Bishop Wilkins due to being the Secretary). The meeting was all you could hope for, a large group of people were there including lots of visitors. it was that perfect level between serious, and light heartedness. At one point the outgoing celebrant had a three way conversation with himself as Celebrant, Secretary, and Chief Adept (this last year was an odd occurrence, like planets coming into alignment)

Then our new Celebrant was installed, and he then gave us his Celebrants paper “Music, the second most important Liberal Art.” which was very informative, and included some actual playing of music. You can not beat a bit of the Beatles playing loudly to make sure everyone is awake.

Afterwards we enjoyed a lovely festive board, discussing topics of various subjects whilst catching up with old friends. 

We also proved again, that while the S.R.I.A. may be the intelligent order we can not sort out seating plans any better than the other orders. 

I am now ready for my summer break (2 months)

Today was the Vault of the Adepts (Second Order) meeting for the Province of Western Counties and North Wales.

We have one Second Order meeting a year, normally in Macclesfield Masonic Hall, but due to several reasons we were unable to hold the event there this year, and so we held it at Cheshire View. Which in my opinion was a much better choice, especially since the weather for the Summer Solstice was Sunny and 1 gazillion degrees centigrade! (or 29ºC in real figures) and at least Cheshire View had air conditioning.

As well as being held in a different location, today was also special because I had NOTHING to do, I got to sit back, watch and enjoy the day.

The first time I attended a Vault of the Adepts meeting was to get my Grade Vº, the following year I got my VIº (And got to watch a Vº which up until today was the only one I ever saw), the following year I got my Grade VIIº and then acted as Conductor for grades VIº & Vº. And every year since then I have been the Provincial Conductor and conducted the ceremonies, until today!  

Now some people assumed I was busy as the Provincial Secretary organising the day, and booking things, sorting people out, doing minutes and the other endless paperwork. But NO! In the Province of Western Counties and North Wales, the Second Order meeting is organised and run in full by the Assistant Secretary. So I had absolutely nothing to do.

I really enjoyed being able to sit back and watch, but maybe next year I will volunteer to do one of the volunteer roles for the meeting to feel more useful.

But it was a great way to kickoff the summer solstice. 4 people for each grade (although one of the Vº’s could not make it), followed by a lovely festive board, with good food and great company.

This evening it was the meeting of Valle Crucis Chapter.

It was a very enjoyable evening, with two new candidates along with two joining members. Our Chapter is growing at a great speed at the moment, and I hope we can keep it up.

The meeting itself went well, even though we did have new people in all the roles, and we were doing a double perfection. Twice the Candidates, twice the work. But the Officers of the Chapter all pulled together (we even had two on the nigh substitutions, which is getting easier to do with our new membership numbers) .

I will admit it was one of the best meetings I have been to in a while, and it is a shame the year is now over apart from two final meetings.

Oh, the title came from my telling a friend I had to pop back to the Maesgwyn Hall to put stuff away because we had left Swords, Wine and Roses all over the place.

This evening it was the Rehearsals of Valle Crucis Chapter.

It was also a glorious evening, with the sun shining. I mention this as it is an important point, since we had to wait outside the Maesgwyn hall for 30 minutes as we tried to call some Director to turn up and let us into the building we had booked. I am sorry, but if the Directors make a rule that a Director needs to be there to open the building, then one should be there on the nights it is booked.  Eventually one drove out to open up for us, and then had to drive back later to lock up.

The rehearsals went well for the few who were down doing bits, we did not have the Most Wise Sovereign down because it is a 2 hour drive for him to get there, and we were also missing the person who volunteered to do the intermediate degrees. But of those who were there, we went through it all. It was enjoyable and productive.

And yes, you guessed it! After the rehearsals we relocated to the pub for a couple of drinks. 

This is now the last rehearsals I have this year. All I have left is Fridays meeting, then the S.R.I.A. Second Oder meeting, and finally to close the year out. Clwyd College (Which I believe I also started this year on)

Today was the Installation meeting of Wynnstay Chapter, it was also my final meeting at Wynnstay Chapter.

I have been a member of Wynnstay for just over 18 years, and in that time I have only ever missed one meeting. And that once was due to the chapter moving the date of the meeting, and it clashing with an official visit of the PGM to Bala Lodge where I was booked to give a talk.

Unfortunately, someone who I do not get along with, and who does not get along with me either (you can say there is animosity between us) was proposed as a joining member. I mentioned to the Committee at a meeting where they informed us of his balloting because he had not been proposed in open chapter about the issue, but I guess when you have one member who is a past Zerubbabel and has only missed one meeting in over 18 years, and another none member who only joined Royal arch to get into KT’s and has not attended his own chapter in almost a decade, the person in KT with several members of the chapter is preferred. 

It was very sad to put in my resignation, Wynnstay was currently my longest membership of any Masonic entity.

I guess on the bright side, I have just freed up eight evenings a year. 

Today was the meeting of Rhodri Fawr Rose Croix Chapter.

Rhodri Fawr moves around for its May meeting, and this year we were in the Hawarden Masonic Hall. Hawarden has to be one of my favourite halls because two of its rooms are a museum of Freemasonry, with thousands of items on display. It is well worth a visit, even if you are not a Freemason, They have open days all the time.

Today, I went along with two visitors, it was a lovely sunny day so an enjoyable trip. I even got to fill in as the Captain of the Guard for the meeting.

After the meeting there was an an Address to the members on the subject of ‘The Origins of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and its Importance in American Freemasonry’. Presented by Lt Cdr Kai Hughes, 30°, District Recorder of South East Lancashire. This was oddly significant since May 31st was the date in 1801 that the Ancient and Accepted rite was founded. It was a very enjoyable talk.

The meal afterwards was lovely, and the beer choice at the hall was the best I’ve seen in a long time. It was a really enjoyable day.

Today is the Wynnstay Chapter Installation rehearsals.

For some unknown reason, the rehearsals got moved from 7pm to 2pm at short notice. It does free up my Friday evening, but on the downside all of us who work can not make it.

Hopefully enough turn up to make it work, but as long as the Principles make it there, then it should be ok.

This evening was Bishop Wilkins College’s Meeting.

 It was the first outing of our New Chief Adept, and as such we decided to march him in with the Provincial Officers, to make it a big deal. Because of this we had a load of visitors, and the room was full. We even had the New Chief Adept, the Past Chief Adept, and the Past-Past Chief Adept.

It was a great evening, lots of people, celebrating the new Chief Adept, we had 4 candidates for the Grade of Theoricus, and 2 for the Grade of Zelator.

The festive board was also very enjoyable due to the number of people in attendance. With fun toasts, great conversations, and nice food.