First Principal’s Message Page
May 2017
Companions:
Well Spring is finally upon us and we have enjoyed the beginnings of 2017 with well attended meetings, great food and fine fellowship from fellow Companions and visitors. The Official visit from the Grand Superintendent has been successfully accomplished and Tzouhalem Chapter is continuing to successfully meet its obligations and duties within the Grand Chapter. An Honourable Mention and a large Thank You to EC Art Graff and EC Rick Mellson for their efforts in providing the excellent fare for our dinners and raffles.
The May meeting will be our last before Summer and hopefully we will see a good turn out.
The details of our next Installation have been settled and this will be held on the third Tuesday of October 2017 here at the Tzouhalem Chapter, Duncan, BC, with the usual participation of our Fellow Companions from Pacific Rim.
Also to note, our Summer Picnic will be held on the Third Tuesday of August (15 August 2017), starting at 2:00PM. R.E.C. Dick Nesbitt has generously offered his Library Property on Cowichan Lake Rd. as the venue. Details and Confirmation of date and time will be announced.
Again, hopefully, we can maintain our great attendance for the May Meeting.
I look forward to seeing you all.
Best Wishes and Fidelity.
EC Paul Philcox
1st. Principal, Tzouhalem Chapter #26
March 2017
Companions:
We enjoyed another great meeting this past February. The attendance was good with twelve Tzouhalem members and 3 Visitors (EC Pat Fyffe, 1st. Time visit), a note of thanks to EC Art Graff for providing an excellent Chinese fare for our dinner.
In Education, I presented a lecture on Royal Arch Banners, their history, colours, use and placement. Some confusion arose concerning the colour of the banners as the Tzouhalem Banners differed in colour from those described in the lecture. I followed up with Grand Chapter to clarify this matter and found that what I had presented was a U.S. lecture and it naturally had differences from Canadian ritual and practices. The important point stressed by Grand Chapter however, was that it is the symbols of the Banners (Lion, OX, Man, and Eagle) which are important and not the Colours. These are generally prescribed by the Grand Chapter of any given Region. I hope that clears everything up for all companions and my thanks to MEC Norm McEvoy for his help in is matter.
The new Chapter By-Laws being adopted were issued to all Companions present and the remainder will be mailed. Scribe Ezra will have extra copies should anyone require them.
Hopefully, we can maintain our great attendance for the March Meeting (on 21 March 2017).
I look forward to seeing you all.
Best Wishes and Fidelity.
EC Paul Philcox
1st. Principal
Tzouhalem Chapter #26
December 2016
Companions:
It has been just less than a month since my installation at Pacific Rim Chapter No. 44 in Sooke. The partnership between Tzouhalem and Pacific Rim for these joint installations has proven to a great success and the excellent presentation of this last installation just proved the point. Our sincere thanks to all Companions of Pacific Rim.
Just a bit of a med update from me, as most of you already know, I am undergoing a regime of Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer (which I am assured they cut out last September), I am in the midst of my 3rd. Treatment and can only say it is akin to be struck by a small truck every two weeks. But the discomfort aside, all is going well.
I look forward to seeing all of you at the January 17th. Meeting. I have been informed that R.E.C. Alex Muir, Grand Superintendent Dist. #1, will be in attendance to Install R.E.C. Danny Dyke as Director of Ceremonies, EC John Fenmore-Collins as Scribe Nehemiah and Historian and R.E.C. Dick Nesbitt as Tyler.
It is my objective this year to carry on from our immediate Past 1st. Principal, E.C. Art Graff, and recruit at least five new companions. You can all help by lobbying any M.M. you know and exemplify the benefits and rewards of achieving a Royal Arch Degree.
It is also an objective to encourage all of you to come out to our meetings. The Chapter simply can not function with out you! Let’s do this for ourselves and at the same time show Grand Chapter we are the best on the Island.
My Best Wishes to all of you and your families for a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Prosperous and Healthy New Year.
E.C. Paul Philcox,
1st. Principal, Tzouhalem #26
2015-2016
The Holy Royal Arch degree is described as the capstone of the 3 degrees in the Masonic Lodge. It is the completion of the story started in the first three lodge degrees, about the search for secrets that were once lost and it is in essence ” the completion of the Master Mason Degree”.
It is our hope that our meetings are enjoyable and interesting for all those in attendance. We aim to build our chapter by encouraging more of our members to attend and by attracting new members.
C. Art Graff, First Principal 2015-16
Events for February 2016
February 2, 2016 – Comp. Galavan is to be advanced to the Mark Master Mason degree at Columbia #1 in Victoria.
February 16, 2016 – Regular Meeting of Tzouhalem Chapter, No.26
Our website is now on line thanks to Companion Mark Anderson at www.tzouhalemchapter26.ca and is available through Google. Companion Anderson is continuing to develop our website and would appreciate feedback from our members.
Art Graff
First Principal, Tzouhalem Chapter #26
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