I have been giving serious thought as to the reasons that Brethren resign from their Lodge, often after having been a member for several years. Is it because they no longer wish to be away from home in an evening, especially during the dark evenings of winter? Is the expense of membership becoming too high? Or is the Lodge not providing the enjoyment that it once did. These are some of the reasons I have come up with. The question we must therefore ask is “what are we doing about it?” I applaud the action of one Lodge in the Preston Group, who have taken the initiative and produced a questionnaire and sent it to all the Lodge members to complete. They are asking some very interesting questions and these are a few: - is cost of the annual subscription acceptable, is the starting time and/or the day of meeting acceptable, would you consider the ritual being split? I am sure that this initiative will prove to be successful and ultimately lead to providing what their members want from their Freemasonry. I can only encourage Lodges to consider carrying out a similar exercise. Freemasonry is currently competing with many other activities and we must constantly be reviewing what our members require if we are to retain their interest and ultimately their membership.

During March United Grand Lodge has confirmed a further Amalgamation, when Olympia and Ingol Lodge of St.Margaret Amalgamated, with Ingol Lodge of St.Margaret becoming the prevailing lodge.

During the month another amalgamation ceremony took place, following the Amalgamation of Royal Preston Lodge and Preston Temple Lodge. Again the ceremony was a quite splendid occasion, with the Deputy Provincial Grand Master officiating.

It is anticipated that at the June meeting of United Grand Lodge, the Amalgamation of Priory Lodge and Ribbleton Lodge will be confirmed. This should conclude, for the present time, the number of Amalgamations in the Preston Group when the Group will consist of 24 Lodges, which I am sure is a more practical number that can be sustained with the current level of applications to join.

I was privileged recently to attend a rather unique Initiation ceremony in the Lodge of Endeavour, when the Worshipful Master, Bro.Ted Campbell initiated his son, Mr James Alexander Campbell. James is only 19 years of age and naturally a dispensation had been obtained to allow him to be Initiated. James is following in his fathers footsteps in the Army and several of the Worshipful Masters army colleagues participated in what proved to be an excellent and quite moving Initiation ceremony. I wish James a long an enjoyable membership of the Craft.

 

Ian Greenwood
Chairman

 

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