United Services Chapter is Consecrated.
Finally, after many months of planning, by our hard-working Scribe E, Ralph Howard, and the Provincial Team, the big day was upon us. It was an early start for many of the companions at the Bridgwater Masonic Hall, to set up, attend to the final flourishes, all to ensure that those attending would have a great and memorable day.
The Provincial team carried out a superlative consecration ceremony, led by the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, Ray Guthrie, the 2nd Provincial Grand Principial Mark Golding, and 3rd Provincial Grand Principal Andy Wade, directed by the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, Angus Ross who was in imperious form.
Andy Wade gave a most thoughtful and heartfelt Oration “The Birth of a Chapter” – see below
Following the Constitution of the Chapter, the three Principals designate – Tony Guthrie, Z, David Madden, H and Ray Conneely, J were inducted.
Over 90 companions witnessed a faultless consecration and installation meeting, both that will live long in the memories of those attending. The festive board was a joy, and we must thank the bar staff and catering team at Bridgwater who ensured we were all looked after.
Membership of the United Services Chapter No.10021 is open to all those who are serving or have served in the Emergency Services or Armed Forces.
If you would like to find out more about this unique chapter, please contact E Comp Scott Gibbons, Membership Officer skiracer58@icloud.com or 07947486171
Oration – from Andy Wade 3rd Principal
Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, Your Excellencies Elect, Excellent Companions, Companions all.
We meet here today on a sacred threshold, to consecrate a new Chapter in the Royal Arch here in the Province of Somerset. This is an act of dedication, a celebration of lineage, and a profound declaration of faith in the enduring principles of our Order. Today, as we formally consecrate Somerset United Services Chapter No. 10021, sponsored with immense pride by the Somerset Military Lodge No 10021, we do not merely establish a new meeting place; we erect a spiritual fortress grounded in service, duty, and of course companionship.
It is fitting that we pause to reflect on the foundational pillars of this historic occasion. A Chapter, much like the great structures of antiquity, does not rise by chance, it is founded on hard work and dedication, and with this in mind I would particularly like to thank from the founders, excellent companions Ralph Howard, Scott Gibbons and Tony Rash, and from the Province, excellent companions Angus Ross, Charlie Barker, and David Weatherill. We would simply not be here today without the exceptional efforts of these excellent companions.
A new chapter also requires vision, leadership, and a steadfast dedication to the Ancient Landmarks. In the appointment of your Primus First Principal, we see these qualities personified, as excellent companion Guthrie also served as the Primus Master of the Somerset Military Lodge, and therefore laid the very foundations upon which this new Chapter now rests.
We further acknowledge his distinguished station as the Provincial Grand Master for Somerset in the Degree of Mark Master Masons.
Companions, the connection between the Craft, the Mark, and the Royal Arch is far from coincidental; it is a perfect convergence of Masonic allegory.
In the tradition of our Orders, very few symbols possess the weight and resonance of the Keystone.
In the degree of Mark Master Mason, the Keystone is the paramount symbol; the uniquely crafted block, once rejected by the builders, which ultimately proved to be the essential piece needed to complete the arch. It represents individual effort, hidden worth, and divine providence.
As we step into the vault of the Royal Arch, the very same Keystone assumes a new and pivotal role. It becomes the literal key to revelation. It is the removal of the Keystone that opens the subterranean vault, allowing the light of truth to flood into the darkness, revealing those sacred secrets that had been lost for generations.
Having your Primus First Principal, also a ruler in Mark Masonry we weave these sacred allegories together in beautiful, and seamless way.
This unity is mirrored in the composition of this Chapter as sponsored by the Somerset Military Lodge this Chapter inherits a proud legacy of service. The connection between Freemasonry and the Armed Forces is ancient and deeply cherished. For centuries, military Lodges carried warrants across distant battlefields, maintaining a standard of brotherhood, honour, and duty amidst the utter chaos of conflict.
Today, that military tradition extends its hand to encompass a broader, yet equally noble family: our emergency services. To name just some, the police officers, firefighters, paramedics, search and rescue personnel, healthcare workers, and blood bike riders who safeguard our communities, share the exact same DNA of selflessness as those who bear arms in defence of the realm.
Both the armed forces and the emergency services are bound by a common obligation, to move toward danger when others retreat, to serve without expectation of reward, and to put the safety and well-being of their fellow citizens above their own.
From today they can also share this Somerset United Services Chapter (the clue Companions is in the name)
There is also a profound Masonic parallel here. In our ritual, we are taught to practice relief, to act on the square, and to extend the hand of fellowship to a brother in distress.
Our service personnel, whether wearing military uniform or the high-vis gear of the first responder live out these Masonic principles every single day. They are the living embodiment of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.
To the Companions who will officer and sustain this new Chapter, remember the responsibility that now rests upon your shoulders. You are the custodians of a new flame. Let the standard of your working be impeccable. Let your companionships be genuine, warm, and welcoming. Let this Chapter be a place where the veteran of foreign campaigns and the first responder can sit side-by-side, united in a shared dedication to the Great Architect of the Universe, and of course to one another.
May the legacy of your military sponsors remind you of your duty to stand firm in the face of adversity, and may the spirit of unity between our armed forces and emergency services serve as a beacon of hope and strength throughout the Province of Somerset.
On behalf of all companions here present, I extend our most enthusiastic congratulations to the Primus First Principal, his officers, and every founder of Somerset United Services Chapter No10021. You have built a goodly structure on a sure foundation.
May the Great Architect of the Universe bless this Chapter abundantly. May He guide your deliberations, prosper your labours, and preserve your fellowship in peace and harmony.
And finally, I wish the Somerset United Services Chapter long life, robust health, and boundless enjoyment for all the years and generations yet to come.
