Grand Master's Newsletter – 23 February 2024

GRAND MASTER’S

Brethren,

With everyone refreshed after the long weekend break, we again set our minds on which direction our lodge can take to ensure that

River Breeze Caravan Park for a smaller informal catch-up and to support the South Coast locals during this period. I certainly commend this group and offer them every encouragement as they collectively bring skills and resources which are truly appreciated in these communities, and they do it all in the name of Freemasonry. Perhaps there are other likeminded groups who could bring their skills to these areas through involvement with motorbikes, four-wheel driving, go-karting, wood chopping, roofing, fence mending, and landscaping. Many rural communities would love to see a Mason.

These newsletters are now an important, and vital part of our communication stream. The Grand Master’s Newsletter provides the perfect opportunity for me as Grand Master to keep you personally informed, and the accompanying video gives it a unique person to person feel.

but the results are worth waiting for and they’re revolutionary.

We were with our previous data base contractors for many years, our system was basic and required us to do much of our data input and the like by manual means. This was onerous and very costly from both a product and staffing perspective, but, back then, that’s how it was done.

There have been several newer photos on Facebook recently which do not promote social distancing, and we can only remind that the basic premise of social distancing will be with us for some time. Please consider the safety of each-other, your families and your community.

Firstly, I’m now in a position to say that your website is finally ready to begin playing its important role in how we operate leading into the future, and we cannot underestimate the impact this will have in our day-to-day education, communication and administration.

I trust that you and your family are well.

Derek Robson AM Grand Master

I know it has taken some time to get to this point and, believe me, I have felt the same frustrations as some of you have,

It is no secret that I wasn’t happy with how we were operating, and the writing was on the wall that, if we didn’t make a change, the money we were going to be spending moving forward would, over time, have a negative effect on our capitation fees and our ability to continue with new, groundbreaking, and innovative communication streams.

And finally, the Freemason Fotos competition gives us an opportunity to seriously promote the Craft, and I encourage you to become involved.

THIS ISSUE OF THE GRAND MASTER’S NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT

Enthusiasm at Eltham

Economies throughout the world have struggled of late, and we have seen other Grand Lodges raise capitations by enormous amounts in order for them to continue operating, and we don’t want that here in NSW and the ACT.

preparations to create a safe environment for members and visitors alike.

Please, log in and check your profile, let us know if there are any inconsistencies and we should now be able to easily make any corrections with little or no waiting time.

So where are we now?

Upcoming Events

“

Audio recordings transform our educational content into formats similar to audiobooks or podcasts, and offer a new, cutting-edge learning experience, making masonic education much more accessible and enjoyable.

1 st Tra cing B oard ” continuation

M asonic Educ ation N et work

Wed, 7 Oct 7pm - Reg link

When implementing technology, you can’t put the ‘Cart before the Horse’. Sure, it has taken a bit of time, but we have done this properly without promising anything that we can’t deliver, and the savings to us all moving forward are enormous.

Orchestrated by W Bro Col Myers (WM), the dias was rebuilt and new carpet laid; various other repairs were also made, and walls repainted. Thanks to RW Bro Les Hicks

“NSW and ACT seems to be way ahead of the other states with regard to a safe return to Masonic business and this didn’t happen by accident. The brethren are all thrilled to be back and we thank the Grand Master and the Board of Management for the wonderful guidance and support they have offered enabling us to have a safe, structured return to our regular meetings.”

JL Parkyn, Junior Warden

For our lodge secretaries, the new LMR has been tested and your roles and ranks have been updated. The new LMR has now been launched, giving lodge secretaries clear functionality, ease of use and many other great benefits that will assist them in their important role. Training will soon be available for those that require it; you only need to ask.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be constantly building on our educational resources’ platform, and the Grand Secretariat will keep you informed on this progress by way of blast emails. There is already some very interesting material available to you, so jump on and check it out, it’s free ... and it’s yours.

Every Wednesday a guest lodge takes the centre stage and conducts the presentation on a topic of their choosing.

M asonic Educ ation N et work

Fellowcraf t Fre e masons Q & A

Thu, 8 Oct 7pm - Reg link

Brethren:

Q&A run every Thursday alternating between EAFs and FCFs.

“ TBA”

I mean Charity

Freemasons on the Central Coast are proud of their history of support for Central Coast Charity, Central Coast Kids in Need (CCKIN).

Along the way, we’ve encountered and overcome some serious roadblocks, and I accept that we’ve had our detractors, but I was elected to lead on a platform of setting us up for the future, and that’s what I’ve done. A less than satisfactory data hand-over meant that we had to physically update around 7,000 member profiles. It’s easy to say that we could have done things quicker if we had more people assisting, but that would have been reckless.

The charity provides moral and financial support to disadvantaged local families with children undergoing medical treatment away from their local area. The charity does not receive Government support and relies solely on the generosity of donors, including Freemasons on the Central Coast.

In the near future, each lodge will have its very own webpage and it will be visible to the public; this functionality will be available once the Lodge Secretaries are using the new LMR. The all New ‘Find a Lodge’ function will be available by the end of this month but is dependent on correct (public accessible) information being provided to the Grand Secretariat by each Lodge Secretary.

Confidentiality restricted us from having large numbers doing what needed to be done, and the process rightly required strict confidentiality agreements to be signed by the few that did help.

I want to thank those that have, over the past six months, spent hundreds of hours of their own time, at no cost to us as members, cross referencing information in order to get your profiles as close as possible to 100% accurate. We believe that we can now confidently move forward and make a real difference.

Recently, Central Coast Freemasons and the Central Coast Bulldogs, with the support of the Wyong Leagues Club group, held a charity dinner for CCKIN and Save Our Kids from Suicide (SOKS) from which each organisation received $8,300.

Thanks to the Rank/role access, all our valuable resources are available exclusively to members and, in a groundbreaking move for any Grand Lodge, most of our educational material will now include audio recordings. This approach not only honours our traditions, but it also aligns with our work to retain members, futureproof the Craft, and cater to different learning preferences and environments. Common sense tells us that the way people learn varies, so we must vary the way we present the material.

On the evening of Thursday 24 September, CCKIN representative, Mr Steve Sullivan, surprised members of Freemasons on the Central Coast with a plaque recognising their support and proclaiming that they are now Community Ambassadors for the charity.

My three terms as Grand Master will soon be up. It is my obligation as Grand Master to leave the Craft in good shape for the future, and it has taken the entire three years to make the changes that I deemed necessary for the Craft’s long term future success and sustainability.

S aturday Zoom Room

M asonic Educ ation N et work

Sat, 10 Oct 3pm Reg link

Saturday afternoon meetings run every week with a different topic of discussion.

“ TBA” continuation

M asonic Educ ation N et work

I guess history will tell us whether or not I have got it right, but, believe me, I had a ‘red hot’ go!

Wed, 14 Oct 7pm - Reg link

Every Wednesday a guest lodge takes the centre stage and conducts the presentation on a topic of their choosing.

For now, of course, it’s business as usual. Your Deputy Grand Master, Assistant Grand Master, the Grand Wardens, the Grand Ceremonial Team and I will still be getting about between now and August supporting you all, and we look forward to catching up.

M asonic Educ ation N et work

E AFs Q & A

Thu, 15 Oct 7pm - Reg link

Q&A run every Thursday alternating between EAFs and FCFs.

Until we meet, please stay safe and look after your friends and loved ones.

Mobile Masons Caravan Club

Les Hicks Grand Master

Freemason – Our official magazine

A segment on Channel 9’s A Current Affair hosted by W Bro Simon Bouda provided an insight into the outstanding work of CCKIN. The telecast resulted in a flood of monetary donations and offers of assistance.

your

VW Bro Geoff Bown, DGIW for District 21 on the Central Coast, received the plaque on behalf of the members. Geoff said in reply, “Central Coast Kids In Need has always been close in our thoughts as they truly represent charitable works.”

Steve Sullivan representing CCKIN, presenting VW Bro Geoff Bown DGIW D21 with the Community Ambassador award.