Liverpool Group Lodges Meeting
 
October 2013
 
At a meeting held at Liverpool Masonic Hall, Hope Street; representatives from all the Mark Masons Lodges in the Liverpool Group met to discuss how best to improve Mark Masonry in Liverpool.  The meeting had been called by W.Bro Mike Winterbottom, PAGDC who is the Provincial Grand Master’s Special Representative, in order to find out the views of the various Lodges.   W.Bro Winterbottom had also invited the Provincial Grand Master along to the meeting put his view and to listen to the discussion.  Both The Provincial Grand Master and W.Bro. Winterbottom made it clear that it was an informal meeting to obtain the views of the lodges and brethren.  The Provincial Grand Master said that he would like to see the development of the fellowship that exists between Mark Masons.  How best to achieve this he hoped would in part come from this meeting. What followed was a lively; frank; good humoured and informative meeting.  The subjects covered ranged from recruitment to Grand Lodge fees.   From social events to lodge visits and everyone was happy to put forward a view. 
 
Derek Gaskell Local Mark Publicity Officer, Peter Connolly PGM and Mike Winterbottom. Special Rep.
At the round up of the meeting several points stood out.  One was the need to improve recruitment to the Mark Degree. It was decided that an extra effort should be put in to get Craft brethren to attend the ‘Festival’ being hosted by Corinthian Mark Lodge (No 1052) in February 2014. This is a presentation by Semper Fidelis Mark Lodge (No 880) of the “The Building of the Second Tracing Board”   This could be used as a good recruitment tool.  Another point was the need to support West Lancashire Mark Lodge’s (No 65) social evening being held to celebrate their 150 years of existence and the need for another meeting of the Mark Lodges and which is open to all Mark Master Masons later in the season.
 
 
Summing up the Provincial Grand Master said that if a just a couple of members from each Lodge attended another Lodge’s Installation or an advancement it would make all the difference.   That by the Lodges supporting each other it would strengthen the Group as whole.    W.Bro Winterbottom is going to organize a small working party to examine the points that came out of this meeting.  More on this subject at a future date.

Words and Pictures W.Bro Derek Gaskell.