Covid -19 Update 27th August 2021 GMM Bro William Ramsay McGhee


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The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland

William Ramsay McGhee, MStJ, D.L., Grand Master Mason

Brethren

 

I’m delighted to report that meetings are beginning to get underway and by all accounts, the first of those meetings in Lodge Oak in Fife was carried out with all precautions in place, with risk assessment completed. For their first meeting they sensibly restricted attendance to their own members and concentrated on catching up on all the business that has accrued over the past 15 months. 

Grand Lodge gets underway this Saturday with a small Deputation heading north to install the new Provincial Grand Master of Ross and Cromarty, Brother Raymond MacKeddie. It was also hoped to carry out the installation in Sutherland but due to a small, isolated outbreak of Covid cases in the Golspie area, common sense prevailed, and all Masonic activity was cancelled.

I have no doubt that this will be the pattern which will emerge over the coming months – we need to accept that like the flu, covid is with us to stay. We will need to work our way through the ups and downs, accept our booster jabs every year along with the flu jab and act accordingly wherever and whenever a spike occurs. 

It is good to get back to physical meetings but please remember that at all times the health and well-being of our members is paramount. 

We now have Grand Lodge Facemasks on sale in both our in-house and online Shop - these are priced at £5, are made of breathable, washable cotton – and very comfortable too.  Buy yours here https://www.grandlodgescotland.com/product/gl-face-mask/

 

SCFS

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Scottish.Constitution.Freemasonry.Supports/ 
 
  • With an additional 51 Brethren joining, the Group saw its membership rise to 5580 Brethren from not only the Scottish Constitution but from many of our Sister Constitutions throughout the world.
  • This week saw the total examples of charitable giving recorded within the group rise to 904, submitted by 303 of its members.
  • These updated contributions have been made on behalf of 329 Lodges, from within 55 of the Provincial Grand Lodges, District Grand Lodges, Superintendencies and Lodges abroad under the direct supervision of Grand Lodge. 
  • This week posts were submitted by group members representing the Provinces of Midlothian, Linlithgowshire and Perthshire West
  • The total identifiable monetary value of the contributions now recorded has risen to £1,407,645.
 

SCFS Overseas Report  

  • Our Overseas Membership has now risen to 1561 This is thanks to new members joining us from Lodges in the Districts of Lebanon, KwaZulu Natal, Newfoundland and Labrador, Central South Africa (RSA),and from Chile (under direct supervision of GL)
  • The largest increase in membership was from the District of Lebanon, with the most Brethren joining from an individual Lodge, this week, coming jointly from Lodge Al-Arz, No. 1853, Lebanon, and Lodge Progress, No. 812Chile
  • We welcomed our 800th ICM (International Constitution Member) this week … congratulations to Brother Amin A. DayekhMaster Elect, Abuja Lodge, No. 9866, District Grand Lodge of Nigeria under UGLE.
  • Our membership of Brethren who belong to Lodges whose Grand Lodges are in amity with GLoS continues to grow. We now have 820 Brethren spreading news of the wonderful support featured in the posts on the main SCFS page and on the increasingly popular SCFS-Showcase, throughout their constitutions.
  • During this week, the expanding reach of SCFS was seen by the fact that Brethren joined from 15 different Masonic Constitutions, including: United GL ofNew South Wales and A.C.T., GL of South Africa, United Grand Lodges of Germany, United GL of Victoria, GL of Massachusetts, GL of Indiana, GL of Quebec, GL of Tennessee, GL of Ireland (Southern Cape), GL of Nigeria, GL of Missouri, GL of Japan, GL of Texas, UGLE (England, North Wales, Nigeria), GL of 
  • A very interesting post from Brother Andrew Shaw, RWM, Lodge Lusaka, No. 1368, was published, in which Brother Mark Lüring, Secretary, Lodge of Unity, No. 1510, provided an extremely comprehensive overview of the wonderful examples of support with which our Lodges in the District of Zambia have been involved, and which received national press and TV coverage. 
  • Lodges in other Districts are encouraged to share the examples of their excellent support and we look forward to sharing them with all our Brethren. 

It is my sad duty to report that I have been notified of the death of the Past District Grand Master of India, Brother Dhunjishaw D. Karkaria who passed to the Grand Lodge Above on 17th August. Our condolences are extended to the District and to the family of Brother Karkaria.

Finally, as always, please stay safe and look after each other.

Ramsay McGhee

Grand Master Mason