At the January 2005 meeting of the Chapter GP committee, it was suggested that the Chapter might celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2006 by commissioning and dedicating a Chapter banner.
The Goffs Oak Chapter No.7169
Last Updated 23rd July 2010
The Preliminary Declaration of the General Laws and Regulations for the Government of the Craft (the Book of Constitutions) says:
"By the solemn Act of Union between the two Grand Lodges of Free-Masons of England in December 1813, it was 'declared and pronounced that pure Antient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more, viz., those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch'."
Before the union of the 'Modern' and the 'Antient' Grand Lodges in 1813, Freemasons were Exalted into the Holy Royal Arch at regular Lodge meetings but since the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England, the ceremony has only been conducted in a separate meeting of a Royal Arch Chapter.
A Royal Arch Chapter is attached to the Goffs Oak Lodge and was consecrated on 29th October 1956. Like the Lodge, it meets at the Halsey Masonic Centre, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire but on separate dates; namely the fourth Tuesdays in February and June and the third Tuesday in November, which is the Installation meeting.
Any Freemason of good standing who has been Raised "for four weeks and upwards"
is invited to contact the Goffs Oak Chapter in the first
instance for further details.
The Chapter Banner
At the January 2005 meeting of the Chapter GP committee, it
was suggested that the Chapter might celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2006 by
commissioning and dedicating a Chapter banner.
A number of designs were presented to the Chapter committee for consideration and the chosen design, shown on the left, was presented to the Companions at the convocation of the Chapter on 28th June 2005 where it was resolved that it should be forwarded to the ME First Grand Principal for approval. This approval was received on 16th December 2005
It was also resolved that, if possible, the banner should be
dedicated at a convocation as near to the
date of the anniversary as
possible.
At an especial convocation on Monday 30th October 2006, 50 years and one day after the Chapter was consecrated
(Chapters are not permitted to meet on Sundays), the ME Grand Superintendent, E.Comp. John Ilott, supported by the full executive and accompanied by
two Past Grand Superintendents of Hertfordshire, the ME Grand Superintendent of
Berkshire and his Deputy and a large retinue of
Officers of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Hertfordshire, dedicated the new Chapter banner in a splendid ceremony.
The banner (right) is now paraded into and out of the Chapter at each convocation.