The Minutes of the Regular Convocation of 14 November 2007 were confirmed.



Petitions for New Chapters

The following new Chapters were approved: To be attached to Godolphin Lodge No. 7790, to be called Scillonian Chapter No. 7790, Isles of Scilly (Cornwall); attached to Oakwood Lodge No. 8299 to be called Oakwood Chapter No. 8299 (Bromley, West Kent); Belmont Lodge No. 9623, to be called Belmont Chapter No. 9623 Chingford (Essex); and Metropolitan Grand Stewards’ Lodge No. 9812, to be called Metropolitan Grand Stewards’ Chapter No. 9812 (Freemasons’ Hall, London).

Centenary Charters

The following centenary Charters were approved: Ellington Chapter No. 1566 (Berkshire); Roll Call Chapter No. 2523 (Middlesex), Junior Engineers’ Chapter No. 2913 (London), John George Gibson Chapter No. 2929 (Durham), Sinai Chapter No. 3164 (Sussex), Anglo-Colonial Chapter No. 3175 (London), and Forest Gate Chapter No. 4153 (London).

Transfer

The following transfer was agreed: That Invicta Chapter No. 2912 (London) be detached from Onward and Invicta Lodge and attached to Remus Lodge No. 4760 (London), to be known as Remus Chapter No. 4760.

Amalgamations

The following amalgamations were approved: Prince Alfred Chapter No. 956 and Skelmersdale Chapter No. 1729, in order to amalgamate with Natalia Chapter No. 1665 (Natal); Inns of Court Chapter No. 1610 with Gray’s Inn Chapter No. 4938 (London); Savile Chapter No. 1231 with Heatherstone Chapter No. 1302 (Yorkshire, West Riding); Francis Columbine Chapter No. 5849 with Assheton Egerton Chapter No. 2793 (Cheshire); Turton Chapter No. 6232 with Goulburn Chapter No. 3478 (East Lancashire); and Deane Chapter No. 6521 with Concord Chapter No. 37 (East Lancashire).

Erasures

The following erasures were approved: Chapter of Charity No. 323 (Cheshire), Crescent Chapter No. 788 (Middlesex), Chorlton Chapter No. 1387 (West Lancashire), Beach Chapter No. 2622 (London), Semper Vigilans Chapter No. 3040 (London), Misbourne Chapter No. 3375 (Buckinghamshire), Cornwall Legh Chapter No. 3382 (Cheshire), Constitution Chapter No. 3392 (East Lancashire), Fellowship Chapter No. 3650 (East Lancashire), Palmers Green Chapter No. 4023 (London), Temple Fortune Chapter No. 4378 (London), Ansgar Chapter No. 5304 (Middlesex), Berrylands Chapter No. 5695 (Surrey) and Good Samaritan Chapter No. 7654 (Northumberland).

Accounts

The Committee presented the audited Accounts of Supreme Grand Chapter for the year ending 31 December 2007.

Fees

A resolution that the fees for Registration, Replacement Certificates, Certificates for Serving Companions, and Dispensations for 2009 should be increased by approximately 3% was approved.

Charges for Patents and Charters

A recommendation that charges for Patents and Charters (exclusive of VAT) for the year commencing 1 May 2008 was approved as follows: Charter for a new Chapter £210, a Charter of Confirmation £650, Charter for a Centenary Jewel £395, Charter of Confirmation for a Centenary Jewel £615, Charter for a Bi-Centenary Bar £650, Charter of Confirmation for a Bi-Centenary Bar £650, Certificate of Amalgamation £70 and Enfacement (Alterations) Fee £95.

Contributions to Grand Chapter

A recommendation, that the contributions (exclusive of VAT) payable annually to Grand Chapter for each member of a Chapter in a Metropolitan Area or a Province for 2009 shall remain unchanged at £3.15 was approved. The Committee believed that it will be able to recommend next year that contributions remain unchanged in 2010.

Metropolitan, Provincial, District and Overseas Grand Ranks

At the Convocation of Grand Chapter in November 2007, the President gave notice of motion to amend the Royal Arch Regulations to vary the basis on which appointments to Metropolitan, Provincial, District and Overseas Grand Ranks would be made from 1 May 2008. An amendment to the motion would be necessary to take account of one of the final recommendations of the Committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Grand Master, in the light of comments received. While the overall number of first appointments to acting and past ranks would be calculated on the basis of the number of Chapters, as envisaged in the original notice of motion, the current table of acting Provincial or District Grand Officers, based on the number of Royal Arch Masons, would be retained.

Future Convocations

12 November 2008, 30 April 2009 and 11 November 2009 .