FEATURE
Editor’s Welcome
Some might say it is great to be back meeting face to face again: this is a sentiment I certainly agree with, as it is a nice break from the incredible amount of zoom calls we were hosting during lockdown. Freemasonry is certainly back with a bang, no sooner were we meeting again, did we then hold an open day and the sportsman’s dinner, both of which took an enormous amount or organising, and both gave such tremendous pleasure.
The past eighteen months has been incredibly difficult for all of us. For me and the communications team, it has been a daily effort to keep the wheels turning and preparing for the eventual return to normality. It was such a pleasure, and indeed such a surprise, for the team to receive the field promotion at the meeting of the Leicestershire and Rutland Lodge of Installed Masters No.7896 to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden. A surprise well hidden by the Provincial Grand Master.
Apart from the usual deluge of Christmas lodge meetings in the coming days and weeks, I am also looking forward to the launch of the new Members’ Pathway, and the planned events for next year, including the 2022 Festival Party in June. The most exciting thing for me now is the number of new gentlemen we have waiting to join our lodges. I know we have a great deal to offer, and with
such enthusiasm amongst us to build up our lodges once more, the future is certainly looking bright. Leicester Square is such an excellent vehicle for communicating the successes we have, and I would encourage everyone to share your success stories with us, so they can be considered for inclusion in the next edition.
Richard Barnett, Editor Leicester Square
A Message from the Chairman We’re back… at last! It has been a long time since I last attended a lodge meeting - at the end of February 2020, although I was fortunate enough to have my lodge holding regular zoom meetings on the eleven usual meeting nights since then. Whilst many brethren will welcome committee meetings continuing on zoom, there is nothing like a real ceremony in person, and at last I have happily experienced several since the resumption of some form of normality in September, not to mention the friendship and ambience of the returning Festive Boards. Long may this now continue. It appears that interest in Freemasonry is coming in greater numbers through the internet, and hopefully this will ultimately boost our membership, provided the interested person is right for Freemasonry. Such introductions do of course come without the usual back-up knowledge of a Proposer and Seconder. My Lodge committee therefore decided that this called for a greater in-depth investigation to ensure the prospective candidate was genuinely interested in joining. Following the guidance laid down in Members’
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Pathway, the Lodge Membership Officer formed a trio with two other members and we went for a first meeting with the candidate at his home where the atmosphere was relaxed and productive. We were also able to speak with his fiancée to answer her questions and satisfy ourselves that she was happy to support his application to join. A partner’s support is of course always vital in making a masonic career happy and long-lasting. I strongly commend this style of investigation as the first step in the process recommended by the Members’ Pathway. Meanwhile, looking forward with renewed confidence, I wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and a healthy, successful, and enjoyable New Year in 2022.
Jim Williamson,
Chairman Leicester Square
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