Companions I am humbled to find myself in that narrow band of being elected to represent you all to Grand Chapter while at the same time being accepted by the Grand Council to represent them in making certain the Chapters in the district are taken care of and living up to the standards expected of them.
My thanks to you all for having more confidence in me than I have in myself
Many of the Chairs agreed to carry their charge forward under my stewardship and I am so thank full to them and those in chairs for the first time. Just as I represent the Grand First, the Chairs represent you and I in our
Charitable support for
o Medical Research
Release A Miracle Did you know if you make a contribution of $100 you get a certificate and a pin that identify you as a member of the Million Dollar Club
o Bursary Funding
o Benevolence
Education and Resources (Masonic)
Public Relations.
My predecessors have set a high standard and it will be a challenge as we go through the ensuing year to keep the bar high because it is a pivotal time for Masonry in general and the Royal Arch in particular.
Details of our Divine Service will be published later as the Alberton administration has undergone, and is continuing to undergo, changes which may cause us to decide on a different house of worship for this event.
R. Ex. Companion Stinson will likewise advise us of the arrangements for a Ladies night early in the last quarter of the year.
The twin focus this year is survival and growth. Survival is built around, and upon, being financially robust. Setting a realistic budget framed on a calendar year, and that is not a deficit budget, is the way to set about becoming financially robust. Income must exceed output. The main source of revenue income is membership dues. This takes us to the growth component of our focus.
To increase our membership we have to harvest the fields of Craft Masonry but Craft Masonry is not being bountifully seeded because Craft Masonry cannot openly solicit for members. This is where we have to help ourselves and solicit for the craft. We have to make the Royal Arch so visible that non masons want to join us-the Royal Arch, and we can tell them how; join the craft.
At the April Convocation The Grand First Principal M. Ex. Companion Brian Van Sickle announced that our membership receded by 10% through the 2014 – 2015 year and unless we can draw new members in it will only take ten years before we will not be able to function. The challenge that was
then handed out was for us to turn the boat around starting with a 10% increase our membership over the next year.
I look forward to working with all of you through the 2015 – 2016 year and I am confident if we put our shoulder to the wheel we will be proud of what we will have achieved.
S & F
R. Ex. Comp. Michael Wood
Grand Superintendent
District 6
Royal Arch Masons of Canada