Communication from the Most Worshipful Grand Master Kerry P. Grills - February 17th, 2009

Hello Brethren.

Earlier this evening the Deputy Grand Master and I, along with a number of our Past Grand Masters and Past Deputy Grand Masters, had the pleasure of extending a welcome over a cuppa and a biscuit to many of our country brethren who have taken the trouble to drive, in many instances, a long way to be with us.

We also had the great pleasure of welcoming a number of Mark Master Masons who were advanced into our lovely degree over the past 12 months.

So, to our country brethren and to our new members in Mark Masonry here tonight, I extend to each of you again a special welcome, and a sincere thankyou for attending.

And just to make sure I do not leave our metropolitan brethren out, let me also give each of you a very warm welcome to our February, 2010 Communication.

Thank you to each of you for supporting what is, after all, your Grand Lodge.

And again, a very warm welcome to MWBro Garry Sebo, Grand Master, to RWBro Vaughan Werner Deputy Grand Master, Grand Master Elect, to the Senior and Junior Grand Wardens, and to all of the members of the Grand Craft delegation.

It is great to have you all with us tonight.

Over the past three months on behalf of this Grand Lodge we have carried out just 10 Mark Lodge installations and 3 Royal Ark Mariner Enthronement ceremonies.

Now, I know that that is a small number of installations and enthronements.

In fact, it is usually more like 30 installations and 10 enthronements which our hardworking Mark and Ark teams attend and perform each quarter.

But, what that small number of installations and enthronements has meant, of course, is that the Christmas / New Year break has given the members of our two teams, the Mark and Ark teams, a chance to take a short break from their regular tasks, and to recharge their batteries, so to speak, so that they can perform to their very best as we head into the final quarter of this Grand Mark year.

But, one of the installations we did carry out during those three months was at the South Gippsland Mark Lodge on 28th November in Korumburra.

Now, I am mentioning South Gippsland Mark in particular because, as well as the installation, I was very pleased to be able to also perform, along with the Deputy Grand Master and our small team, the re-enactment of the ceremony of consecration of the Lodge as part of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the original Consecration in November, 1909.

It was a wonderful day of Mark Masonry in Korumburra, and I would like to congratulate the Brethren of South Gippsland Mark on achieving such a significant milestone.

Also in November, over the weekend of 20th to 23rd November, a wonderfully successful Mark Festival was held in Warrnambool.

It consisted of a very interesting and informative boat cruise on the Hopkins River on the Friday afternoon, a reception that evening at the Maritime Museum at Flagstaff Hill which, incidentally, included an excellent sound and light show, two first class speakers at our Speakers Forum on the Saturday morning, and a wonderful cabaret on the Saturday night.

It all came to a conclusion on the Sunday with a tour of the Shipwreck Coast and a farewell lunch at the Warrnambool Racing Club.

In every sense, it really was a wonderful weekend of fellowship and fun with around 170 of our Mark brethren and ladies in attendance.

I would therefore like to publicly record my congratulations, and indeed my sincere thanks, to RWBro Ted Webster, PDGM and his wife, Vivien, for their superb efforts in organising the whole of the activities for that weekend for us.

Brethren, if you have not been able to get to one of our Mark Festivals before now, make sure you get yourself included in the next Mark Festival which will be held again in about two years time.

I am sure you will not be disappointed.

Now, you might not be aware of this, Brethren, but it was discovered some 12 months or so ago that the headstone on the grave of our first Grand Master, MWBro Edward Coulson, had had its symbolic keystone removed by, presumably, some souvenir or trophy hunter.

I was told of this by RWBro John Liesegang, PSGW, and President of our Board of General Purposes.

But, how long ago the keystone was removed is not known. It could have been recently or many years previously.

However, what you might recall though, Brethren, is that on the night I was first installed, in May 2008, I made a presentation on behalf of our Degree to the top stonemason for the four year apprenticeship course at the Holmesglen college of TAFE.

His name is Christian Waugh, and I am delighted to say that he has since joined Freemasonry.

On learning of the theft of the keystone, Bro Christian offered to make a replacement and to fit it in its proper place for us.

The replacement has now been completed.

So, I am pleased to announce that on Saturday, 1st May, at 11am, a ceremony of re-dedication in honour of our first Grand Master, and to celebrate the restoration of his gravesite, will take place at the Warringal Cemetery in Heidelberg.

Details will shortly be distributed to all Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Lodges inviting interested brethren and their ladies to this special occasion.

The suggested attire for the men attending will be suit and tie, but this is by no means compulsory.

As the ceremony will take place in a public cemetery, no Masonic regalia is to be worn on this occasion. I look forward to seeing as many of you there as can make it.

I have mentioned at previous Quarterly Communications, brethren, the work which our Mark Marketing Committee has been doing.

Well, tonight I am pleased to be able to say that their work continues to attract candidates to the Mark Degree.

You have no doubt already seen the posters displayed around the lodges, and of course, the series of advertisements placed in the Freemasonry Victoria magazine over the past several editions.

So, I would like to again congratulate the marketing team on the work they have done already, and for the work which they continue to do for us.

I would also like to congratulate the team of Grand Officers who give much of their time in the organisation of the Mark Man ceremony around the State.

The performance of that ceremony continues to be an excellent source for encouraging our Craft brethren to join us in Mark Masonry.

Mind you, Brethren, I would like to remind everyone here that it behoves all of us to let our Craft Brethren in on the advantages of also belonging to the Mark Degree.

It is not just the work of the presenters of the Mark Man ceremony or the Marketing Committee to do that for us.

I am aware that the night is getting on, Brethren.

But, I do want to revisit an announcement I made 12 months ago.

You will perhaps recall that at the February Quarterly Communication last year I announced a major decision which had been made by the members of our Board of General Purposes.

I announced then that "“After careful consideration, and after much debate . . . . . . ,” the decision was made to . . . phase out the wearing of tails by our serving Grand Mark Officers and by our serving Royal Ark Mariner Enthronement Officers."

I added that the Board had decided, together with a number of other reasons, . . . "that the cost for a newly appointed Grand Officer to buy a full suite of evening dress (currently nudging towards $2,000.00) had reached the point where it was difficult to justify."

I also added that, and perhaps more importantly, . . . . "the wearing of full evening dress does nothing to enhance the image of an organisation which claims to be a place for young men in the 21st century."

Therefore, brethren, and in line with the decision of the Board of General Purposes made in January of last year, the Grand Installation to be held on 15th May this year will be conducted with all of the participating Grand Officers wearing dinner suits.

I would like to reiterate, brethren, that the Deputy Grand Master and I both continue to support that ground-breaking decision made by the Board.

I would therefore again like to congratulate the members of the Board for having the courage to vote in favour of such a significant change.

Finally, I thank each of you again for your attendance here tonight in these unaccustomed surrounds for a Grand Mark Quarterly Communication.

Thank you.

Kerry P. Grills
Grand Master

Speech by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Kerry P. Grills at his Installation on May 16th, 2009

Distinguished Guests, Ladies, Gentlemen and Brethren

Please let me again welcome everyone here to our Grand Installation for 2009.

Although it is now 12 months since I had the great honour to be installed for the first time as Grand Master, the year has seemingly flashed by in the blink of an eye.

I really cannot believe how quickly it has all sped past.

But, notwithstanding the speed with which it seems to have gone, both our Grand Mark and Royal Ark Mariner teams have worked very hard during the year in the carrying out of some 93 Mark Installations and 37 Ark Enthronements right around Victoria and in Hobart as well.

I have also been very pleased to lead official delegations representing this Grand Lodge, your Grand Lodge, during the year at Grand Installations and other activities of related jurisdictions twice in Adelaide, and also in Launceston and Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Now, the reason I mention this travelogue is that I would like to thank publicly, and in this forum, all of the members of our two teams for their great support, and for the work they did in their attendance at those many functions over the past 12 months.

Also, I would particularly like to thank the Deputy Grand Master, RWBro Robert Paroissien, for his support and assistance, and for the wise counsel I have received from our Past Grand Masters during that time.

I would also like to publicly thank our Assistant Grand Secretary, VWBro Reg Begent and Ms Ellie Bronkhorst for their great efforts, particularly during the past four weeks, in looking after the administration for us following the resignation of the Grand Secretary, VWBro John Glover.

Of course, there are also many behind-the-scenes committees which also work tirelessly for the benefit of Mark Masonry and of Royal Ark Mariner Masonry.

Now, there are many men involved in these committees, too many to name individually, so I shall simply say to each of you, please know that your work is greatly appreciated, and I thank you too for your active support.

You will perhaps recall at my installation in May last year, I said that my prime policy initiative for the year would be to seek funding from our Board of General Purposes to establish a marketing program.

That funding would be for the active marketing of Mark Masonry to our Craft brothers who have not yet discovered the benefits of joining us in this wonderful degree of ours.

I am pleased to say that the excellent material produced by our Marketing Committee is now being progressively distributed according to the Marketing Plan formulated by the committee.

And, as well as that material, you will also be able to see our new advertisements in the latest issue of the Freemasonry Victoria magazine.

And as I now commence my second year of office, I would like to re-state to you my intention to continue the marketing program over the coming year.

After all, Brethren, Mark Masonry in Victoria currently has a membership which consists of around 20 per cent of all eligible Freemasons, and I am sure you would like to join with me in welcoming many more Mark Master Masons to our ranks.

Besides, does not Rule 86 of our Craft Constitution tell us all that there are five degrees in Freemasonry?

And on that point, I would again like to thank our Grand Master in the Craft, MWBro Gary Sebo, and the Deputy Grand Master, RWBro Vaughan Werner, for their efforts in continuing to spread the word about Rule 86 as often as they do.

Now, it is probably self evident, but I shall say it anyway, we cannot only rely on our own internal marketing to bring us a supply of new members to Mark Masonry, however good that marketing might be.

On the contrary, it behoves each and every one of us as Mark Master Masons, regardless of our rank, to encourage our brothers in the Craft to join us, and to see for themselves the benefits they will enjoy as members of the fourth step in Freemasonry.

Finally, Brethren, I would like to bring you up to date with the We Care Bushfire Appeal.

The Board of Directors of Chamar Pty Ltd met in its capacity as Trustee of the We Care Charitable Trust on the Wednesday following the horrific fires of Black Saturday, and I subsequently made an announcement of the appeal a week later at our February Quarterly Communication.

I am pleased to report that, since that announcement, we have received donations totalling some $22,000 from the members of our constituent lodges, from the Mark Masters Association, as well as receiving a number of donations from our friends in New Zealand and in England.

That amount of $22,000 is also yet to be supplemented by a large donation from the We Care Charitable Trust itself.

And I am hoping that I shall soon be able to make an announcement to you regarding the distribution of the funds raised once that decision is made by the Trustees.

To everyone who donated to the We Care Bushfire Appeal, let me say on behalf of the Board of Chamar our sincere thanks for your generosity to fellow Australians in their time of need.

If, however, you have not been able to make a donation to the appeal yet, I am sure the Assistant Grand Secretary, VWBro Reg Begent would be delighted to see you at the conclusion of the ceremony this afternoon.

I thank you very much.

Kerry P. Grills
Grand Master