MEC Williiam (Jeff) Knight 2022 – 2023

Grand 1st Principal Address

MEC Jeff Knight

109th Grand Convocation, 13 May 2023

Most worshipful the Grand Master. Most Excellent Companions, Grand Chapter Officers, Distinguished Guests, and Companions all.  Thank-you everyone for your attendance today and for your support to Royal Arch Masonry throughout the year.  

This was a year of returning to, and rebuilding momentum in our Chapters.   It included the need to encourage and motivate our Companions to return to Masonry, and to support them as they returned to their Lodges and Chapters.  At the Grand Chapter this meant setting the conditions for success so that the Chapters were able to meet these challenges by guiding, supporting, and providing the resources they needed to do their work.  I believe that as a Grand Chapter, collectively, we were able to do just that.

Thank-you to our Grand Scribe Ezra and Grand Treasurer for ensuring our daily administration and bills are attended to promptly.  

Thank-you to the Grand H and Grand J who have supported me so well this year.  Not only during my travels, but also during their own visits.  They brought the messages, principals, and encouragement of the Grand Chapter wherever they went.  

Thank-you, to our Grand District Superintendents for all their hard work keeping Chapters informed and regular.  The Excellent Principals and Scribe Es of the Chapters with the assistance and guidance of their respective Grand District Superintendents have resolved all issues they encountered in a quick and correct manner.

Thank-you to our committees for the work they have done this year.  Many have special projects in the works and there are exciting times ahead for Capitular Masonry in Alberta.  Keep up the great work.

This year I have been pleased to attend the Grand Convocations in Saskatchewan, British Columbia & Yukon, and Manitoba, who was celebrating their 100th anniversary.  I thank them all for their kindness and hospitality.  I was honoured to bring greetings to the Grand Lodge of Alberta at their Grand Communication and the Order of the Eastern Star at their Grand Session.  

I attended the Royal Arch Mason Chinese New Year Dinner and brought greetings from Grand Chapter and was pleased to be able to attend all 4 District Meetings this year.  I have ambitiously “Officially Visited” 21 of the 22 Chapters in this jurisdiction along with several “Fraternal Visits” and have enjoyed many BBQs and Western themed events.  Unfortunately, Assiniboia Chapter did not have the numbers to open as an RAM Chapter for an Official Visit.  So many Companions have gone above and beyond to be present during many of these visits and I am humbled by your commitment.  

The decision was made hold the Grand Executive Committee meeting virtually in February this year.  There was a notable interest by those Companions who snowbird away to attend and contribute to the process and it only made sense considering the winter travel considerations for so many Companions to attend.  A great call by the Grand H, who is the Chairman of the Grand Executive Committee.   I wholeheartedly support your decision.

Chapters have been rebuilding this year with varying degrees of success.  Some of the struggles appear to correlate with the level of activity that was available to Companions from their Chapters during the pandemic.  Those who remained active and communicated with their Companions have sprung back seamlessly and others have struggled, some significantly.  I believe in the coming years Chapters will continue to rebuild and some are thinking well outside the box to encourage interest in our fraternity.  I encourage their enthusiasm and I ask that all Companions continue to support their Craft Lodges and promote Royal Arch Masonry whenever possible.  The bottom line is that Craft Lodge Masonry is the gateway to Royal Arch Masonry, and Royal Arch Masonry is the gateway to the rest of Capitular Masonry.  It is only through this cooperation and support that the whole of Masonry will continue to survive.  We can’t do it alone.

Degree work is on the rise and many Chapters have been able to clear away the backlog created by the pandemic.  I was excited to attend both the Drumheller Field Day and more recently the Mt Olivet Field Day.  Both were a resounding success and I look forward to both Field Days continuing to prosper going forward.  Everyone is working hard to give our candidates the best possible experience as they enter Capitular Masonry.  Keep up the good work.  

There is an Amalgamation Plan developing to combine Assiniboia Chapter No. 3 in Medicine Hat and Harmony Chapter No. 26 in Brooks.  This is a recent development and therefore currently a work in progress.  I believe this plan will permit those Companions who have been unable to meet due to numbers in their individual Chapters, to continue to have a place to practice Capitular Masonry in a much stronger combined Chapter.  I leave this work in the hands of the incoming Grand District Superintendent of District 4.

The education and training plan is progressing nicely.  So far, we have PowerPoint presentations and skits available on the Grand Chapter website that can be presented either to Craft Lodges at refreshment, at a Festive Board, or during a Chapter Open House to encourage interest in our fraternity.  Introductory lectures are available on the Grand Chapter Website to set the stage and timeline for all the degrees.  We are finding that the candidates are appreciative of this effort as it provides a simple correlation between the Craft Lodge degrees and the Capitular degrees.  A Chapter Walkabout Ceremony has been developed that will be given to recently exalted Companions at a Regular Convocation to the Chapter to complete their understanding of the Chapter, its officers and Chapter specifics in Masonry.  At this year’s Grand Convocation, we presented an emulation of the Virtual Past Master’s degree under the direction of MEC Boone.  By the number of participants, it is obvious that there is significant interest in this piece of ritual.  Thank-you David for your effort on this project.  The Introduction to Capitular Masonry self study package continues to be developed, and the RAM Handbook and Leadership Course is next in line.  I have indicated to the incoming Grand Z my interest in continuing to work on this project over the next year and see it completed by our next Grand Convocation.

I have had a great year!  I’ve met many new friends and have found some old friends that I haven’t seen in some 38 years.  You, Companions are what have made this year so special.  I thank-you all for your support.  To Jim, Jaime and Kurtis, I wish you all the best going forward. I know you will do a great job.   

Stay safe Companions and I look forward to seeing you all in Chapter.

Fraternally,

MEC Jeff Knight

Grand 1st Principal

Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of Alberta