Chapter Almoners: Your Important Role
As we are now regularly reminded, membership trends of late have caused considerable concern and in order to understand fully the extent of the problems and to consider ways of urgently addressing them, the Membership Focus Group (MFG) came into being a couple of years ago. Many of us will have participated in the on-line surveys that have been circulated. From a senior level at Great Queen Street, we are now close to publishing a number of initiatives and strong recommendations by which we can, and must, assist further.
Against a backdrop that up to 20% of our Initiates never progressing to the stage when they receive their Grand Lodge Certificate, then one can appreciate the longer term implications not only for the Craft itself but also for the Royal Arch.
Key to the strategies currently under consideration will be the selection and appointment of a Craft Provincial Membership Officer (PMO) whose primary responsibility, as we currently see it, will be the well-being of newly raised Master Masons and to ensure that they have a better understanding of Freemasonry in general and what it stands for. From an early stage, assisted by Lodge Membership Officers in due course, they will need immediate space to “mentor” a newly raised Brother and to ensure that he is not inundated with other distractions at too early a stage, which might lead to confusion, disillusionment and ultimately, resignation. Believe me, it happens.
Other MFG initiatives will follow, not least a thorough review of the role of the Almoner within our Lodges and Chapters. The “pastoral” duties of both will remain as before – the well-being of our Companions in particular is so important - but considerably more emphasis will be needed on issues relating to membership retention and retrieval, central to the role of a good Almoner.
Our record in this Province, both in the Craft and the Royal Arch, is the envy of many but we cannot afford to be complacent. From the Royal Arch perspective, the Provincial Year Book confirms the quality, seniority and experience of the vast majority of our Chapter Almoners and to whom I am so grateful. I have no doubt at all that already their role is being implemented as it should and that, within their individual Chapters, membership trends and attendance levels are being carefully monitored. Where need be, immediate action and referral can then be taken to ascertain the well-being of an absent and missing Companion.
As Grand Superintendent, therefore, I merely need to ensure that we all share the same understanding, that we are all “singing off the same hymn sheet” and that monitoring systems are in place, so that when we are instructed further by Great Queen Street, we will have pre-empted their requirements.
To this end, therefore, we have recently written to individual Chapters in advisory mode to set out our thoughts and suggestions. At the same time we have also briefed Chapter Almoners separately.
It need not be an onerous task – a simple Attendance spreadsheet, access to the Chapter Attendance Register, a sympathetic enquiry here, a telephone call there but, come what may, this Province will continue to take every opportunity to strengthen our membership and enhance the Companionship we share together by attracting new Royal Arch Masons to the Supreme Degree and becoming more adept at retaining existing ones.
Everyone will be needed to play his part.
E Comp Wayne E Williams
ME Grand Superintendent