OSM ACTING PROVINCIAL RANKS
An acting rank within the Order of the Secret Monitor means just that. Each rank comes with its own responsibilities, and successfully carrying out those responsibilities may mean an appointment isn’t just for 1 year, and may even be progressive.
The Book of Constitutions provides the limit of the number of acting Officers the Provincial Grand Supreme Ruler may appoint in any one year, so being offered an acting rank within our Province is a great honour.
All acting Officers are expected to attend at the Annual Meeting in June and support the PGSR and his Deputy at Team visits and Friendship meetings, and, where possible, support the PGSR and his Deputy at Installation meetings and other special occasions. They will also be included in invitations to attend Provincial Meetings throughout the country to represent the Province of Cheshire & North Wales.
Most first time Provincial appointments are to a past or acting Provincial Grand Steward. Stewards are expected to assist and support in all aspects of official attendances by the PGSR and his Deputy and especially at the Annual Meeting.
The Provincial Grand Sentinel and Provincial Grand Guarder hold essential duties at the Annual Meeting, with the Provincial Grand Guarder having a speaking part.
The Provincial Grand Organist tends not to be a progressive role, and his vital duty is to bring pomp and ceremony to important meetings and to entertain the Brethren with background music whenever appropriate.
The Provincial Deputy Grand Recorder again tends not to be progressive, and he is expected to provide appropriate support to the Provincial Grand Recorder.
Having shown enthusiasm in a junior role, future appointment may be to Provincial Grand Sword Bearer, Provincial Grand Standard Bearer or Provincial Grand Bow Bearer. These Brethren form the escort for the PGSR and his Deputy when entering the Annual Meeting, and on other special occasions.
The next step of progression is to Provincial Grand Visitor. These Brethren have a special duty as dictated by the Book of Constitutions. They will be allocated three or four Conclaves from the Province and will be expected to attend their allocated Conclaves on a regular basis and report to the Provincial Grand Guide on the health and well-being of those Conclaves. These Offices are a key role within the Province, as the Provincial Visitors become the visible face of the Province within every Conclave, and are a useful information conduit between the members and the Provincial Rulers.
The Provincial Grand Guide is nominally ‘in charge’ of the Provincial Grand Visitors. His role is to gather the reports and formulate them into a report at the Annual Meeting as to the overall health and well-being of the Province over the previous 12 months and the potential for the next Masonic year. This appointment is generally for 2 years.
The Provincial Grand Counsellor has the responsibility, in conjunction with the immediate past Provincial Grand Counsellor, for and over the development of recruitment strategies and the supervision of the two Provincial Membership Officers who undertake the ‘Friendship’ meetings throughout the Province.
The Provincial Grand Chancellor, in conjunction with his immediate predecessor, holds the overall responsibility for co-ordinating the organisation of the Provincial Annual Meeting in June of each year. Organising the Annual Meeting remains the joint responsibility of the Provincial Grand
Recorder and the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, who, of course, hold other demanding responsibilities.
The administrative appointments of the Province tend not to be progressive:
The Provincial Grand Chaplain attends to our spiritual needs.
The Provincial Grand Registrar is responsible for all issues relating to Constitutional matters, and controls the Provincial regalia scheme.
The Provincial Grand Treasurer is responsible for our financial health, and the financial health of our Conclaves.
The Provincial Grand Recorder has overall responsibility for the administration and efficient and effective running of the Province and the keeping and implementation of it’s diary, whilst ensuring the maintenance of the administrative records of our Conclaves.
The Provincial Grand Almoner provides pastoral support to our members and undertakes any necessary applications for support to the OSM Benevolent Fund.
The Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, in conjunction with his Deputy and Assistant, form the DC team, who hold the responsibility for all ceremonial aspects of our Province, both at the Annual Provincial Meeting and whenever the Leaders are attending officially at Conclaves within the Province.
Finally, members of the PGSR’s Arch of Steel, who though providing an important ceremonial role, are not Provincial Officers, but Princes of the Order, and must retire from the AoS in the year they are promoted to Provincial Rank, apart from the Commander and Deputy Commander, although these must also retire if they receive an acting Provincial rank. This role is for those Brethren considered as having potential for higher positions and provides the Provincial leaders with a means of assessing their future suitability at an early stage.