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Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Alberta

Most Excellent Companion

William Jeffrey (Jeff) Knight

Grand 1st Principal

Royal Arch Masons of Alberta

2022 – 2023

 

Biography

William Jeffrey (Jeff) Knight

MEC Jeff Knight was born in Chatham, Ontario, April 6, 1958.  He graduated from Blenheim District High School in 1976 and joined the Canadian Army in September 1977 as a Weapons Technician (Land) in the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.  In 1992 Jeff was commissioned from the ranks as an Electrical Mechanical Engineering Officer, and completed his last years of service in uniform as the Officer Commanding RCEME Squadron at 4 Wing Cold Lake; retiring in 2005 after 28 years’ service.  Jeff then accepted a position at 4 Wing Cold Lake under contract to the military.  He provided training to Canada’s fighter force through instruction and operation of the CF-18 flight simulator.  In August 2020 Jeff retired for the second time after 43 years of continuous service to the Department of National Defence.

 

MEC Knight is a third generation Mason.  His decision to commit to the Masonic lifestyle began when he was initiated in Astra lodge No. 179 in October 2003.  He was passed to a Fellowcraft and then Raised as a Master Mason in May 2004 with his father coming from Ontario to participate in the degree.  Jeff progressed through the various chairs of the Lodge and has sat in the East as Worshipful Master during the 2008-09 and 2014-15 Masonic years.  He was elected and installed as the Lakeland District Deputy Grand Master in 2018 and has sat on the Board of General Purposes, and the Jurisprudence Committee, of the Grand Lodge of Alberta.  Jeff is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of Astra Lodge and has filled that position for a total of 8 years.

 

MEC Knight sought more light in masonry by being advanced as a Mark Master Mason, received as a Most Excellent Master and in April 2005 was exalted as a Royal Arch Mason in Cold Lake Chapter No. 39.  He again progressed through the various offices and sat as the 1st Principle in the years 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2019.  In 2012 Jeff was appointed as the Grand Sword Bearer of the Grand Lodge of Alberta and in May 2015 he was installed as the Grand District Superintendent of District No. 2.  In 2017 he was appointed by the Grand 1st Principal to the Executive Committee of Grand Chapter, and in May 2019 he was elected and installed as the Grand 3rd Principal, a position he performed for two years.  In 2021 Jeff was the Grand 2nd Principal and in 2022 was elected as the Grand 1st Principal of the Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons of Alberta

Jeff has received the Past Masters (Virtual) Degree and has been anointed, consecrated and set apart in the Holy Order of the High Priesthood. 

 

MEC Knight completed the Chivalric Degrees in April 2008, being solemnly received and proclaimed a Knight of the Order of the Temple in Edmonton Preceptory No.46, Knights Templar.

 

MEC Knight completed the Cryptic Rite Degrees at Zohar Council No.4 in Edmonton and has received the Royal Arc Mariner Degree under the direction of Edmonton Chapter No. 2.

 

INAUGURAL ADDRESS 

MOST EXCELLENT COMPANION
William Jeffrey (Jeff) Knight

GRAND FIRST PRINCIPAL – GRAND CHAPTER ROYAL ARCH MASONS OF ALBERTA

CONVOCATION – MAY 14, 2022

Most Excellent Companions, Grand Chapter Officers,
Distinguished Guests and all Companions of this Grand Chapter.
On this, the 108th Convocation of this Grand Chapter, I stand before you having
just a moment ago taken upon myself a solemn Obligation relating to the faithful
performance of the duties pertaining to this office of Grand First Principal. I am
filled with a feeling of humbleness, and at the same time a feeling of great pride,
and I am deeply grateful to the Companions of this Grand Chapter for the honour
that you have bestowed on me this afternoon. I pledge to do my very best to
prove your trust in me to be well founded.
I would first like to thank M.E. Comp. Gerald Tetzloff, my Installing “Z’, for his
efforts in assembling the Team of Officers who carried out the Ceremony of
Installation and Investiture this afternoon. To those who assisted him, thank you
all for your time and effort in making this Ceremony as dignified and meaningful
as it was. I also wish to thank MEC Rod Ponech for the honour of having him
obligate and install me in the Chair of Grand “Z”. Both Gerry and Rod have been
Masons and Companions who I have looked up to over the years. They have
helped in many ways, often unbeknownst to them, to guide me to where I am
today. I am humbled to have them as part of the installation team.
To my predecessor, MEC Gerald Waldern, I extend my appreciation for your
efforts during your term of office. Your dignity and integrity will be remembered
by this Grand Chapter. Your attention to the duties of the office of Grand “Z”,
during the pandemic and your constant consideration for the health and
wellbeing of all the Companions of this Jurisdiction was unwavering. On behalf of
this Grand Chapter, we thank you for staying the course.
I now accept the Sceptre of this high office, with humbleness, and an immense
feeling of gratitude at the faith which has been placed in me to carry this Grand
Chapter forward. I shall attempt to uphold that trust during the course of my
duties by demonstrating good leadership, patience, understanding and
acceptance. I wish to congratulate, the Grand Chapter Officers who have been
Installed and Invested today. I look forward to working with every one of you
during our time in office together.
Many Challenges face our Royal Craft, today, as they have in the past. But
Companions, the work we have before us for the coming year in Capitular
Masonry is enough to keep us more than busy. In some cases, it will be a tough
hill to climb. I am not referring to just the Grand Chapter Officers, or the Officers
of our constituent Chapters. If we are going to maintain this fraternity as we
recover and move back to the quarries, it will require the effort and support of
every Royal Arch Mason within this jurisdiction. It will require patience as we pick
our way through the rubble to find the pillars again and get our Chapters back on
their feet. It will take understanding as we determine how best to meet the
challenges of today, whether they be in the way we do business going forward, or
how we maintain the fundamentals of our Royal Craft while still ensuring a safe
and a fulfilling environment for all our Companions. But most of all, it will take
acceptance. Acceptance of the fact that we are not all the same and we are not
all going to bounce back from the last two years in the same way or at the same
rate, or even perhaps, some of us may not bounce back or return to Chapter at
all. We need to reach out to each other, help each other and most of all respect
each other. Capitular Masonry has withstood the trials of the past 275+ years and
we will do it again. Masonry can still be the bulwark that is needed to move
beyond what is still unknown about our future. Let’s work together, positively
and joyfully, to ensure that this Royal Craft, that we love, this family of Masons
and Companions, is strengthened and enriched in the months and years to come.

Most Excellent Companion

Gerald D. R. Waldern

Grand 1st Principal

Royal Arch Masons of Alberta

2021 – 2022

Inaugural Address

click here to view

Itinerary

click here to view

A message to

Royal Arch Masons of Alberta

from

M. Ex. Comp. Rod Ponech

 Grand First Principal’s Tentative Schedule 2019 -2020
   DatesDaysLocationChapter / Event                                      #Dist.       Meeting Location
May8-9Wed-Thu.CamroseGr Council Cryptic Rite  W CA   Norsman Inn Camrose
May10-11Fri.-Sun.CamroseGrand Chapter Alberta, RAM   Norsman Inn Camrose
 15WednesdayGrand PrairieWapiti34O.V.1Grand Prairie Masonic Hall
 16ThursdayFt. McMurrayHanging Stone40O.V.2Ft McMurray Seniors’ Centre
 23ThursdayDidsburyMountain View42O.V.3Didsbury Masonic Hall
 24FridayFrankHillview15O.V.4Frank Masonic Hall
       “    “Shekinah4O.V.4    ”              ”            “
June5WednesdayHigh RiverGolden West5O.V.4High River Masonic Hall
 10MondayCalgaryAlberta1O.V.4Bowmont Masonic Hall
 13ThursdayIrricanaStrathmore21O.V.3Irricana Masonic Hall
 14-15Fri.-Sat.CalgaryGrand Lodge of Alberta    Calgary
 17MondayCalgaryCrescent24O.V.4Bowmont Masonic Hall
 19WednesdayCamroseMount Olivet17BBQ2Camrose Masonic Temple
 20ThursdayEdmontonNorth Star Mtg.1Highlands Hall
 24MondayCold LakeCold Lake39O.V.2Astra Lodge Hall
 27ThursdayEdmontonCapital City13BBQ1Highlands Hall
July11ThursdayCold LakeMemorial PG1P A Edstrom   Cold Lake
Aug9-12Sun.-ThurMontrealGrand Imperial Conclave of CA   Montreal
 13-15Fri.-Sun.MontrealSovereign Great Priory of CA   Montreal
 23-24Fri..-Sat.EdmontonAllied Masonic Degrees of CA   Edmonton
 27ThursdayCalgaryOtuskwan9O.V.3Bowmont Masonic Hall
Sept5ThursdayDrumhellerEheyeh27O.V.3Drumheller Masonic Hall
 6-7SaturdayDrumheller    Outdoor Field Day
 14SaturdayLacombeLebanon38O.V.2Lacombe Masonic Temple
 16MondayEdsonEdson30O.V.1Edson Masonic Hall
 18-22Thur.-Sun.KelownaGrand Chapter B. C. & YT, RAM   Kelowna
 23MondayEdmontonNorwood18O.V.1General Hospital
 26ThursdayEdmontonCapital City13O.V.1Highlands Hall
 28SaturdayStony PlainDistrict 1 Meeting 1 
Oct7MondayBrooks/M. HatAssiniboia3O.V.3Brooks Masonic Hall 
         
 16WednesdayCamroseMount Olivet17O.V.2Camrose Masonic Temple
 19Saturday District 4 Meeting 4 
 21MondayRed DeerKeystone12O.V.3Red Deer Masonic Hall
 24ThursdayWainwrightParklands31O.V.2Wainwright Masonic Temple
 26SaturdayCamroseDistrict 2 Meeting  2Camrose Masonic Temple
Nov9Saturday District 3 Meeting 3 
 20WednesdayStony PlainStoney41O.V.1Meridian Lodge Masonic Hall
 21ThursdayEdmontonNorth Star2O.V.1Highlands Hall
Dec8SundayCalgaryCrescent  100th Anniv. Shrine Centre Calgary
 12ThursdayEdmontonTri- Chapter Christmas Social   Highlands Hall
 15SundayEdmontonEdmonton Preceptory Christmas Observance    
 19ThursdayEdmontonNorth Star Inst.1Highlands Hall
2020        
Jan1WednesdayEdmontonGrand Master’s Levy – G L AB   Freemasons’ Hall Edmonton
Feb8SaturdayLacombeGrand Chapter Executive Meet   Lacombe Masonic Hall
 13-16Thur.-Sun.Great FallsGrand Chapter Montana RAM (Gr 2 Prin.)   Great Falls
April12SundayEdmontonA.A.S.R. Sunrise Breakfast -Speaker “Easter Message”    
 23-26Thur.-Sun.Winnipeg Grand Chapter Manitoba, RAM   Portage La Prairie
May7-10Thur.-Sun. Red DeerGrand Chapter Alberta, RAM    Cambridge Hotel