WK News Summer 2023 - Magazine - Page 16
ISSUE NO.10 SUMMER 2023 | WEST KENT NEWS 16
ASSISTANT PROVINCIAL GRAND
MASTER: ANDREW WADDINGTON
I am sure that like many, you are looking
forward to the summer break. During
the summer you will be pleased to know
that the Provincial Craft and Royal Arch
Executive Teams and the many heads of
key departments within West Kent, will
be continuing to work hard on your
behalf. With membership of Craft and
Royal Arch being at the forefront of our
activities you may be sure that we are
continuing to focus on this issue as a
priority.
I would urge you all to spend some of
your time over the summer looking
towards growing your Lodges, take the
time to reconnect with those who have
been less engaged throughout the past
season, or seasons and to encourage
their return to your Lodges.
Perhaps look at organising a social
event or two over the coming few
months and keep the fun side of your
Lodge life alive whilst at the same time
showing that side to non-Masons or
potential candidates. In this way we can
return to our Freemasonry next season
with renewed vigour and perhaps new
Brethren.
Look inwardly at your Lodges,
particularly over the past five or ten
years. Look at the number of Initiates,
Joiners and Re-Joiners you have had;
now look at those that are left. It may
surprise you to see how many of your
fellows and Brethren have been lost
through resignations, exclusions and
cessations. Now look at how you, and I
mean every one of you, can take steps
to prevent these losses in the future.
From the newest Initiate to the
Provincial Grand Master and above, we
are all equally responsible for keeping
the Fraternity going. We can only do
that if we all pull together and look at
how we can attract new members,
retrieve past members and most
definitely retain existing members by
careful mentoring, almoner interaction
and by joining in our meetings and
visiting other Lodges too.
The Lodges that meet at Welling and
Wrotham, Group 2, are all extremely
dear to me and many, over that past
few months have enjoyed some
outstanding meetings. From double
initiations, passings, raisings, milestone
anniversaries
and
personal
anniversaries in the form of 50th 40th
and 30th Citations and Grand Lodge
Certificates.
Many of you have also received
preferment in Provincial Grand Lodge
and Chapter. Congratulations to you all.
With that preferment however comes
great responsibility. Take the message
of the Membership Challenge back to
your Lodges. Increasing our new
members in the Craft by 76% and 20%
in the Royal Arch, are required in our
Province to stabilise the decline in
Membership. I cannot stress how
important it is for us to do all we can to
halt the decline and to grow our
membership.
For those of you in ‘Light Blue’ please
seek out the Light Blues Club on our
Provincial Website, there are many
activities planned and you will be
amongst friends and likeminded
individuals where fun, friendship and
camaraderie are the watchwords.
For those of you in ‘Dark Blue’ please
encourage your newer brethren to engage
with the Light Blues Club, there is no age
limit and it is free to join.
Lodges in Group 2 that have not yet
appointed a Lodge Royal Arch Liaison
Officer (RALO) please do so sooner rather
than later. All Lodges would have been sent
names of those suggested by the Provincial
Grand Master. You do not have to wait until
installation.
On a lighter side I have just turned 60. For
those who will be celebrating 50 years in
Freemasonry this year I salute you.
I hope you all have a fantastic summer with
your friends and families and enjoy your
time. I look forward to seeing you all when
we return to Masonic labour.