On Thursday 1st November, Arkscroll Lodge welcomed Officers from Provincial Grand Chapter to Manchester Hall to give a rendition of their ‘Talking Heads’ presentation. Part instructive and educational, always fun, this ensemble offers a taster for those not (yet) in the Holy Royal Arch (Chapter), and a reminder to those lapsed Companions just what they have been missing.
With a full Lodge Room, Arkscroll 6594 opened their Meeting, welcomed WBro John Christopher Welton, APGM for the Manchester City Area, with salutations, EComp Harvey Basger, 2nd Provincial Grand Principal, and AProvGPs, EComps Paul Bowen and David Basger. The Lodge was then called-off, and the Talking Heads’ Team Introduced.
Our Narrator for the presentation was EComp Len Hayes, PAProvGP, who has done an admirable job making arrangements for the Show touring the whole of the Province, and we would like to express thanks to him from the Manchester Area.
EComp Len Hayes, PAProvGP, narrates.Not wishing to create a spoiler for those who have not yet had the opportunity to see it, suffice it to say that what follows is a witty but informative and enlightening account of the reasons why Chapter is an essential part of any Craft Freemason’s journey. The scenario is a Mason who is not yet a Companion (member of the Holy Royal Arch) ‘ear-wigging’ on two other members who are. By way of a Q&A, interrogated by WBro Thomson, WBros Cunliffe and Berg enthusiastically answer his many questions, helping him to realise what he is missing from his Masonic passage. ECommp Len Hayes filled in with the historical and technical information.
WBro Thomson ‘earwigging’ on WBro Berg.
There followed a Q&A session, which, given the high standard of questions asked to the Team, spoke volumes of the impression the whole evening had made on those attending. EComp Harvey Basger was especially impressive when he responded to the origin and meanings of the Banners of the 12 Tribes of Israel; there were many very experienced Companions sat with a look of their faces which said ‘Well, I never knew that!’.
EComp Harvey Basger, 2nd ProvGP explains ‘the Banners’.
Our Companions, with grateful thanks from the WM, WBro Elliott Moss, then bade us Goodbye (at least until the Social Board), and Arkscroll Lodge called on again, and finished the Lodge Meeting.
The Social Board was of the high standard one expects from Arkscroll Lodge; excellent food and beverage, witty Toasts and Responses, and, dare one say it, a mutual feeling of Companionship – but that was really what the whole night was about, wasn’t it?
Report by Chris Prax