Christmas is now less than a week away and it is now time to review the year just gone and look forward to the new year.
What a busy year it has turned out to be. We have consecrated or reponed some fifteen Tabernacles from Scotland to Bolivia, from Greece to the Southern Caribbean,and erected a new District for the latter. Including Southern Caribbean, we have fourteen new Grand Superintendents.
Last year, I reported on the sad loss of M Ill Kt Pt James Turner, Past Grand High Priest. This year, we have lost my immediate predecessor, M Ill Kt Pt Ernest Peter Donnison. Amongst others, we have recently heard of the sad passing of R Em Kt Pt John Beckwith Heazlewood, our Grand Superintendent for Western Australia. They, and the others, will be sadly missed and in our thoughts.
For the New Year, we will be investing a new Grand Superintendent in Kent and we will be consecrating tabernacles in Lincolnshire, West Midlands and Malta. With the agreement of the Grand College of America, our French Tabernacles will become a sovereign body..
I said last year that it is only by the continued support of our willing members that the Order continues to grow, and, as you have seen, it does grow. I again thank all our members from the work, visible and invisible who strive work to support their Tabernacles. Without them, the Order could not flourish. My thanks and those of the Executive Committee go to you all for your efforts during the past year.
We continue to enjoy meeting many members at Annual and Especial Assemblies and in your own Tabernacles. The continued success of the Order is founded on your enthusiasm, and I look forward to your support in a similar manner in 2018.
May you all, together with your families and friends have peace, health and happiness this Christmas and in the year to come.
God bless you all.
M Ill Kt Pt Christopher G Maiden