The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland
William Ramsay McGhee, MStJ, D.L., Grand Master Mason
Brethren,
I am aware that over the past three weeks or so there have been problems with the database. I can only apologise for any inconvenience caused but I can give you all an assurance that our IT staff have been doing everything possible to rectify the situation and I am happy to report that the issues have more or less been resolved. Please have patience, we are doing all we can to resolve matters and make life as easy as possible for Lodge Secretaries in the long term.
SCFS
- The charitable activities which have been published within the group have demonstrated that, even in these most challenging circumstances during the last 20 months, Brethren, Lodges, Districts and Provinces have stepped up to the plate in exercising that noblest of virtues … Charity.
- This has been comprehensively illustrated by the provision of wide and varied support, large and small, financial and practical, to local / national charities, community groups and individuals.
- In addition, we have witnessed ongoing support such as the various initiatives by Lodge Buchan St. John, No. 636, which have resulted in a huge amount of food, clothes, toiletries and other goods being distributed to numerous Lodges and Provinces throughout the country. The overall securing of goods and distribution has been facilitated by Bro. Kevin Taggart, IPM, with the assistance of Brother Tommy Walker, DPGM of Linlithgowshire, and Brother Willie Innes, PM, The Caledonian Lodge, No. 392. This has enabled onward donations to be made to various organisations within local communities.
- The Group saw its membership rise to 5954 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 991, submitted by 325 of its members.
- These updated contributions can now be attributed as to being made on behalf of 340 Lodges, from within 55 of its 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 Fife & Kinross, Inverness-shire, Lanarkshire Middle Ward and Linlithgowshire.
- The total identifiable monetary value of the contributions now recorded has risen to £1,776,451.
SCFS Overseas Report
A number of outstanding posts were published this week …
- Brother Pédro Turnquest, Secretary of Lodge San Andreas, No. 1835, in the Bahamas, shared news of how Lodge Eleutheran Adventurers, No. 1816, is supporting a family of 22 which has lost everything due to its house being completely destroyed by fire.
- Brother Joe Lum-On, WSW of Lodge Polynesia, No. 562, Fiji, shared press coverage in ‘The Fiji Times’ of the lodge’s support for children suffering from cancer and also a post about the lodge’s donation of over £1750 to the Children’s Cancer Foundation in Fiji.
- Our Overseas Membership is now 1650 with the most brethren joining from an individual Lodge coming this week from Lodge Montrose, No. 722, in the District of North Island New Zealand.
- We now have 1053 brethren from Lodges whose Grand Lodges are in amity with the GLoS. New members joined from the Symbolic GL of Paraguay, GL of India, UGLE (England, Zimbabwe and Malawi, Bahamas and Turks), GL of Alberta, GL of Greece, GL of Mauritius, G and L of Mississippi, GL of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
My sincere thanks to Brothers Dougie Fergie and Jim Ellis for their tremendous effort with the SCFS Facebook and collation of data – we all appreciate getting the breakdown on activity each week – well done both and to those who assist you in the background.
Finally, as always, please stay safe and look after each other.
Ramsay McGhee
Grand Master Mason