Royal Arch Provincial Team 2021 - 2022

An additional Provincial Grand Chapter meeting was held on Saturday 11th September 2021 at University of Wales, Trinity St David's Lampeter. The Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, Excellent Companion James Ross was delighted to welcome distinguished guests from many neighbouring Provinces for the first time for 2 years. There was also a large turnout from the Companions of West Wales and the meeting was held under the banner of Teifi Chapter no 4648.

Companions, I have already thanked and welcomed our distinguished guests, but I would like to start by thanking you all for being here today. Freemasons tend to be very sociable people and I know that we have all missed being together in person. I have enjoyed socialising on Zoom, but there is no substitute for face-to-face meetings. I hope that you all enjoy both the Provincial Grand Chapter Meeting and the Provincial Grand Lodge Meeting which follows a little later.

Companions, I don’t want to dwell on the challenges we have all faced during the last two years. The difficulties which the Pandemic has presented to freemasonry pale into insignificance compared with the adversity many of our members have had to endure in the real world. It is a testament to our organisation that we have had the agility to find new ways of working together to support both the masonic and our wider communities. We have all had our part to play in supporting those who have faced hardship in its various guises during the last 18 months and I think we can all be justly proud of our efforts in West Wales.

I would like to pay a special tribute to our outgoing Provincial Grand Almoner, Companion John Watson. Companions John has put in a huge amount of work during the pandemic. He and I have been in almost daily contact for the last 18 months and on your behalf, I would like to publicly thank him for all his efforts, both recently and over the last decade. I would also like to thank him for staying on as Assistant Almoner to help our new Provincial Grand Almoner Companion Chris Buckley settle into the role.

Today I have invested my third Provincial Team, but I have only attended Installation meetings with those Companions who I appointed and invested at my Installation in Parc y Scarlets in 2019. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have held acting provincial offices since 2019. I thank you all for accepting your offices and for your ongoing support, especially the officers from 2020 who were particularly affected by the lack of meetings during their term of office.

I congratulate everyone who I have invested this morning. I know I can rely on your support in your chapters and around the province. Perhaps most importantly I look forward to your company at Installation meetings during the season.

I would also like to congratulate E Comps Mike Eckley and Ryland James for their appointments to the rank of Past Grand Standard Bearer in Supreme Grand Chapter. Both Companions have served the province for many years in both the Craft and the Royal Arch, and I very much look forward to working with them for many years to come.

Companions, here in West Wales we are fortunate to have a thriving Community of Royal Arch Masons. We are our own best advertisement and I know that I can rely on you all to sing the praises of Royal Arch Masonry at every opportunity. On behalf of the Deputy Grand Superintendent and myself, I thank you for your continued support. I am sure that our combined efforts, coupled with the Royal Arch Representative scheme can get the number of Craft Masons who are also Royal Arch Masons up to 60% and beyond.

Companions, in normal times, Provincial meetings take a lot of organising. Organising two Provincial meetings in three months is a mammoth task. I would like to thank the Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra, E Comp Tony Trumper, and the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, E Comp Phil Jones, for all the work they have put in which has made these meetings possible.

In addition, I would like to thank the brethren and companions of Frenni Lodge and Teifi Chapter who have provided the equipment and manpower, ably assisted by brethren and companions from the Mackworth Club. Finally, I would also like to thank Aled and his team here in Lampeter for providing us with a wonderful new venue for our meetings, both in June and today.

In conclusion companions, I would like to thank you once again for attending today and I thank you in advance for your support and enthusiasm, as freemasonry and the Royal Arch heads towards a bright and exciting future.

Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi i gyd