The Order Of the Secret Monitor
Supera Moras "The Internet" Conclave No49
The Province of East Lancashire
Order of the Secret Monitor
Province of East Lancashire.
Wy.Bro.Christian Alexander Givvons PAGDC
Deputy Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler
16th June 2021
Good evening brethren
Well, it looks like the 19th July 2021 is the date when freedom to meet fully will be allowed following the announcement by the Prime Minister. With that date in mind, I am looking at confirming that the Masonic Hall in which each Conclave meets is COVID compliant in readiness, and would it be possible for each Conclave Secretary make the relevant enquiries in preparation. I understand that some Masonic Halls host more than one Conclave, but at least by knowing, some form of planning can be made.
The facility to meet by Virtual Business Meeting (VBM) is still available, and could I ask that Keystone Online be updated accordingly after that date in relation to the Installation return, albeit by Suspension / Abandonment or VBM, and the Installation date will be moved automatically to your next due meeting date as per the Conclave By-Laws.
If the Conclave decides to hold an actual physical meeting and that it is the first held since lockdown 1/2/3, then the first and main item of business is to hold an Installation Ceremony. Several options are open to the Conclave in relation to the Installation and they are as follows......
Don`t forget that ballots over 12 months old are considered stale and will have to be done again, hence why MMH have allowed a ballot and Install on the same night with no Dispensation due to the Pandemic, and to allow Conclaves to get back on track. This will also apply to Candidates.
Option 1.... To ballot for and to Proclaim the current Supreme Ruler to carry on for the ensuing year (no Dispensation is required for this because MMH have waived that ruling of Ballot and Proclaim on the same night for time being due to the Pandemic). The Officers can then be invested for the current year. Then at your proper Installation meeting, either Install a new S.R or Proclaim because the Masonic year runs from Installation to Installation. Please update Keystone Online.
Option 2 ..... To Ballot for and to Install properly the Supreme Ruler for the ensuing Masonic year, no matter on how long that is because a Masonic year runs from Installation to Installation (no Dispensation is required as mentioned above). The Officers are invested
accordingly... You can then either Install a new S.R at your actual Installation meeting (and Officers) or Proclaim the current S,R to carry on for a full year. This option is useful if the S.R is in agreement for a short year and gets the Conclave back on track. or if he wants to do a year and a bit... Please update Keystone Online.
For example... our Conclave (Supera Moras 49) meets in November, which is our first meeting since the relaxation of lockdown restrictions, and we could ballot and Install the S.R Elect at that meeting and invest the Officers, and then Install his successor at our February Installation meeting and invest Officers. That is with his agreement because he has been in Chair of his current Conclave for 3 years due to the Pandemic and he is due to go into another Conclave Chair. That also allows the progression to get back on track for those waiting to go into the Chair of S.R... This will also apply to those brethren in the office of either Counsellor / Guide to fulfil the requirement of being in that office for a Masonic Year (Installation to Installation) prior to going into the Chair.,,,, bizarre yes, but needs must at times.
These are unprecedented times and Conclaves haven`t met since March 2020, the S.R`s will have been in office for several years, some 3 years, and if the system is used correctly then we can hopefully get back on track pretty quickly...
Similarly, there will be brethren who will require Commissioning, brethren who will need to be Inducted and Admitted and some planning will have to be done, hence the request for awareness of the availability of Masonic Halls to allow us to meet. This will allow those involved in the Commissioning to attend and also to be present at the Induction and Admitting of candidates with advance warning ....
I am aware that as Secretaries, we will be filling in the Installation return on Keystone Online slightly more frequently until we can get back to some form of normality, but MMH will want the up-to-date information on the Conclave Officers for their records, A cup of tea and half an hour will get that sorted......
The East Lancashire Provincial Grand Conclave meeting will be going ahead on Saturday 30th October 2021 at Rochdale Masonic Hall at 11.00am (details to follow).
Grand Conclave will be meeting at Great Queen Street, London on Thursday 11th November 2021 (details to follow).
If you wish to make this information available to your Conclave membership and think it will help in the dissemination of information and the running of the Conclave in order to get back on track, please do so.
Yours in the Friendship of the Order
C A Givvons
Christian A Givvons
Deputy Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler