A Busy Couple of Weeks at RTTV
It has been a busy and very sociable couple of weeks for members of Round Table Thames Valley Lodge (RTTV 9697), with meetings and visits taking us from Henley to Abingdon and Banbury.
We started closer to home with a double meeting in Henley of Royal Ark Mariners and Mark Master Masons. Many of our RTTV members are also members of these two additional Masonic Orders, so there were plenty of familiar faces around the temple and, of course, at dinner afterwards.
We then made a return visit to Abbey Lodge in Abingdon, our second visit there, before heading north to Banbury for another double meeting of Royal Ark Mariners and Mark Master Masons.
Freemasonry doesn't stop after your first three degrees
One of the things people outside Freemasonry may not realise is just how much there is to explore.
After completing the three degrees of Craft Freemasonry and becoming a Master Mason, you have a choice. You can concentrate entirely on Craft Freemasonry – and many people happily do – or, if you are interested, you can explore some of the other Masonic Orders.
There are a number to choose from, each with its own character, traditions and ceremonies. The layout of the temple can be different, the officers and their roles can change, and you will see different regalia too.
There is certainly no requirement to rush into anything. One of the pleasures of Freemasonry is discovering these different aspects as your own Masonic journey develops.
From an historic Guildhall to a purpose-built Masonic centre
Visiting other lodges also gives us the opportunity to see some fascinating meeting places.
Abbey Lodge meets in Abingdon Guildhall, in an impressive historic room quite unlike the surroundings most people would associate with a Masonic meeting.
Being on an upper floor with large windows, the lodge meets in natural daylight – something relatively unusual in Freemasonry, where many lodge rooms have no external windows at all. It creates a very different atmosphere and makes it a particularly interesting place to visit.
Banbury, by contrast, has a purpose-built Masonic centre, rather more like our own home in Reading Road, Henley. It was the first visit there for some of us, and we found a
generously sized and very comfortable temple, followed by an equally warm welcome.
And then there's dinner…
Of course, a Masonic evening isn't only about what happens during the meeting.
Afterwards comes the Festive Board – essentially, dinner following the lodge meeting – and it is an important part of the social side of Freemasonry.
Both of our recent visits provided excellent meals, but the food is really only part of it. The Festive Board gives everyone the chance to relax, talk to people they may not have met before, catch up with old friends and simply enjoy each other's company.
For many Freemasons, those friendships are one of the things they value most about being a member.
Next up for RTTV – breakfast!
During October we are also planning to start something new: an RTTV Breakfast Club.
The idea is very simple. Once a month we'll meet somewhere around the local area for a couple of hours on a Saturday morning. No ceremony, no formality – just breakfast, coffee, conversation and probably quite a lot of laughter.
Partners and friends will be very welcome too.
By meeting in the morning, everyone still has the rest of Saturday to do whatever they want, while giving us another opportunity to get together away from formal lodge meetings.
That's important to us at RTTV.
We like to think of ourselves as a genuinely sociable lodge. Our friendships don't begin when the lodge opens and finish when it closes. We organise things outside our regular meetings and encourage partners, families and friends to be part of our social life as well.
Because ultimately, while the traditions and ceremonies are an important part of Freemasonry, the friendships you make along the way are every bit as important.
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