Light Blues

World Premiere of the 2020 Prestonian Lecture

The Prestonian Lecture is the only lecture given under the authority of the United Grand Lodge of England. William Preston (1742-1818), regarded as the foremost Masonic educator of his time, left a legacy to provide for an Annual Lectureship.

On 19th May 2020 the Leicestershire & Rutland Light Blue Club we were honoured to host the very first presentation of this year’s Prestonian Lecture, given by George Boys-Stones. This was delivered live over video conference from Canada, where George is a Professor of Classics and Philosophy at the University of Toronto. The title of the lecture “A System of Morality: Aristotle and English Masonic Ritual”, describes how Freemasonry defines itself as a ‘system of morality’, tracing it back in time to the works of William Preston and then demonstrating how the rituals lead the candidate through the ethical thought of Aristotle. The lecture was very well received with almost 90 members in attendance. The premiere performance was recorded and can now be found on the Solomon education website, along with other Prestonian Lectures from previous years.

The book that accompanies this lecture is also available to purchase from Amazon online and can be found by searching for the title, “A System of Morality: Aristotle and English Masonic Ritual.” Proceeds from the sale of the book also benefit the Building Self-Belief charity, whose core aim is to build stronger communities by building self-belief in vulnerable young people.

Social with the Pro Grand Master

The Leicestershire & Rutland Light Blue Club were delighted to join with other New & Young Masons Clubs from around the country on 11th October 2020 for a Zoom video conference with the Pro Grand Master, Peter Geoffrey Lowndes.

The evening was very well attended, as the audience listened carefully to the Pro Grand Master telling stories of his Masonic journey, and candidly discussing Freemasonry during the Covid19 pandemic.

As well as being very engaging and open about his own experiences, the question of change within Freemasonry came up. The Pro Grand Master emphasised the importance of “keeping traditions and ethical standards, but that does not stop us changing with the times.” The evening was full of his stories and experiences, and for anyone wishing to see the full extent of the Pro Grand Master’s talk, it can be seen on YouTube by searching for “New & Young Masons Socials”.

If you are yet to join the Light Blue Club on one of the inter-club online socials, or any of the other virtual events which have been enjoyed, be sure to keep an eye on the Facebook Group or Teams App for upcoming events. If you do not currently have access to either of these email contactus@ lightblueclub.co.uk and help will be provided.

Raffle Raises £600 for the 2022 Festival

Earlier this year, the Light Blue Club played their part in keeping Freemasonry moving during the lockdown by organising an online raffle to raise money for the Leicestershire & Rutland 2022 Festival. As people were unable to leave their homes, the process of selling tickets and gathering prizes needed to be innovative, it was therefore agreed to acquire the prizes online, meaning they could be delivered the next day directly to the winner’s address. The draw took place over Zoom video conference, held during one of the weekly #TimetoToast events using an online spinning wheel with all the entrant’s names. With all the pomp and ceremony of a TV gameshow, the winners were drawn, and the money raised was totalled, resulting in a fantastic £600 to the 2022 Festival.

Dale Page, 2022

Festival Chairman said,

This was such a fantastic initiative by the Light Blue Club, to continue raising much needed funds for our appeal.

Limited Edition Polo Shirts Raise £200

Over the summer of 2020, the Light Blue Club expanded their range of merchandise to include polo shirts embroidered with the club logo. These proved to be very popular with the first batch being sold out very quickly, as the design and quality clearly impressed the members.

The feedback has been fantastic, and with demand far above expectations, further orders with the suppliers have been placed, bringing in a wider range of colours and sizes.

Not missing an opportunity to support the 2022 Festival, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the shirts will go towards the Light Blue Club’s continuing fundraising efforts in support of the appeal. News of the next batch of shirts will be announced on social media and through the Light Blue Club reps. Bob Reay, Chairman of the Light Blue Club said,

The quality of the shirts is excellent, offering real value for money and a great advert for the Light Blue Club and Freemasonry.

The Light Blues Poker Club

At the beginning of the national lockdown in March, the Light Blues Poker Club was formed with Brethren gathering to play cards online.

The idea of a Masonic poker tournament had been talked about for some time, and with regular social meetings not being possible, it was the perfect time to make use of the available technology and host the games online. Initially, games took place twice a week, and now continue every Friday evening at 8:30pm.

The virtual games have proved another great opportunity to check in with each other and stay connected with Brethren. The initiative has certainly proved to be very popular, with great feedback from all who have taken part.

When social distancing is relaxed, whenever that maybe, the online games are planned to take a more traditional approach to poker for an in-person evening, so the players can really see the whites of each other’s eyes!