Annual Convocation – Thursday 9th January 2025
Most Excellent Second Grand Principal, Distinguished Companions and Companions all:
ME Second Grand Principal, Sir David, I thank you and your team for your attendance here today and for the excellent way you installed me as Grand Superintendent in and over the Province of Hertfordshire. I am very much looking forward to the challenges ahead and you have my assurance that I and my team will do our utmost to ensure that the Province will flourish and prosper in the years to come.
I have already welcomed our Distinguished Guests to the meeting, but you are ALL most welcome at this our deferred Annual Convocation. I thank you ALL for your support, not only for me and the Provincial Executive, but more importantly, for ALL the Companions that I have had the pleasure of investing in Provincial Grand Chapter, the recipients of my Certificate of Service to Royal Arch Masonry and to welcoming the new Exaltees into the Province, as this is very much their day.
I have previously said much about our retiring Grand Superintendent, E Comp James William Sharpley, but it would be remiss of me not to say anything at this our Annual Convocation. The Province has come a long way since he was installed as Grand Superintendent in 2014, and under his leadership we have seen the implementation of many initiatives which have helped us ensure that our Chapters have thrived, and our membership has continued to enjoy their Royal Arch Masonry. In 2023, after 9 years of sometimes challenging and intensive work, including the transference of four ailing Hertfordshire Chapters to Denmark, E Comp James headed a team of Hertfordshire Royal Arch Masons to journey to Copenhagen to witness the inauguration of the SGCoD by the Pro First Grand Principal, Jonathan Spence and his team from the Supreme Grand Chapter of England. I can report that the SGCoD continues to thrive and grow their membership which bodes well for its’ continued success, it being born from the Province of Hertfordshire. E Comp James’ legacy and influence will continue throughout the Province for many years to come and on a previous occasion, I thanked him for his friendship, companionship, leadership and dedication to Royal Arch Masonry in general and the Province of Hertfordshire in particular.
In 2022, the Pro First Grand Principal, Comp Jonathan Spence, launched the “Future of Freemasonry Strategy and in November 2023, the “Archway” Resource Tool was launched as a companion tool to the “Pathway”, previously launched in the Craft. Since its’ introduction, the Archway has been utilised by many Chapters to help them develop a membership strategy for the future success of their Chapter. The Archway is designed for Chapters to help shape their own future, grow their membership and enhance the member’s experience. It is essential that we all have an open-minded approach to new innovations to help us all get the best out of our Craft and Royal Arch Masonry. It is therefore helpful that we adopt the four principles of the Archway: SHAPE – GROW – INVOLVE – ENJOY. If you haven’t as yet visited the Archway website, I can commend it to you. – the resource is there for you to use as best suits your Chapter and the flexibility of the programme allows you to “cherry pick” those parts that you think are relevant to your Chapter. If anyone wants any further information or help, our membership Officer, E Comp Peter Young would be more than willing to assist you.
Later this year, we will see the harmonisation of the “Pathway” and “Archway” resource tools as they are brought together to benefit ALL freemasons in both the Craft and the Royal Arch, a single entity of an educational tool that will stimulate those on their journey through Pure Antient Freemasonry.
Over the last two years, Grand Lodge & Supreme Grand Chapter have embarked on bringing the Craft and the Royal Arch closer together and as part of that strategy, from 1st January this year, the registration fee for any new initiate into freemasonry, includes both the Craft and Royal Arch registrations, which becomes an even stronger opportunity for us all to promote the Royal Arch with this Unique Selling Point (USP) in place.
I am pleased to report that the success of our membership and mentoring strategies have recently started to come to fruition, with more Brethren signing up to join the Royal Arch and more joining & re-joining members, leading to a stabilisation in our membership numbers. Currently, there are 48 prospective candidates already signed up on Hermes to be exalted in the coming months. However, we cannot rest on our past glories, and it is up to ALL of us to go back to our Lodges and talk to those Brethren who have yet to complete their journey into Pure Antient Freemasonry. We are all committed Royal Arch Masons and we ALL have a responsibility to ensure that we do our part in educating potential members about the Royal Arch, so that they in turn can make an informed decision as to when and where they join.
I have already given my assurance to the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Neil Connolly that the Royal Arch Executive will work even more closely and in conjunction with the Craft Executive, to ensure that we continue to develop mutually beneficial strategies that will help us all achieve our common goals of a stronger membership throughout the Province, whilst continuing to enjoy our masonry. I must thank our Provincial Grand Master for his support of the Royal Arch and our joint and collaborative efforts will ensure that the overriding mantra ‘One Journey, One Organisation’ becomes even stronger in Hertfordshire.
Last year, we saw the soft launch of the 2030 Hertfordshire Festival Appeal, which this year steps up to full throttle, and I have given the Provincial Grand Master my assurance that the Royal Arch Province will support this worthwhile cause. I know that the Chapters will rally to help us achieve a target we can all be proud of but I also want you to continue to support your own chosen Charities, particularly those that benefit our Hertfordshire communities.
Companions, with the postponement of our Annual Convocation last November owing to the anticipated tube strikes, extra hours of work & negotiations went into moving the date of the meeting here in Great Queen Street. It would therefore be remiss of me not to thank our ProvGScE, David Broomer, the ProvAGScE, Iain Green, the ProvGTreasurer, Cameron Mackenzie alongside our colleagues at Supreme Grand Chapter, for all their efforts in bringing the postponed meeting to a successful conclusion.
Companions, as we near the completion of this our Provincial Installation and Annual Convocation, many hours have gone into the preparation of today’s meeting, and my grateful thanks go again to E. Comp David Broomer, E Comp. Iain Green and their team in the secretariat for their tireless work over the past few weeks spent putting this Convocation together. To the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, E. Comp James Angus and his team for their escorting duties today and over the past year, supporting the Representative Officers at Chapter Installations and Special Celebratory meetings. And to you ALL for your attendance here today, your past and more importantly your anticipated future support of the Province and your Chapters is all very much appreciated.
Companions, masonry is our hobby and one to be enjoyed not endured. It is an organisation made up of like-minded men, with FUN and FELLOWSHIP at its’ heart, who have a mutual understanding of its’ benefits to us, our families and the wider community which we serve. It is the responsibility of each member to ensure that we all enjoy the experience and have fun at our meetings, leaving us all wanting more!
SUPPORT FOR US ALL, BY US ALL, a statement well founded but in order to fulfil that mantra, we ALL should take on the responsibility for its’ effective implementation but at the same time, have some FUN!
Companions, continue to enjoy your Royal Arch Masonry and l Iook forward to your company at the reception and dinner following this Convocation.
May the True and Living God Most High, keep you well and bless you all.
David J Hampton
Most Excellent Grand Superintendent
Royal Arch Province of Hertfordshire