Richard Reeve’s Workshop for Seven Springs’ Lodge of Instruction
All around Gloucestershire at this time of year Freemasons are brushing the dust off ‘The Little Blue Book’ and the rust off the brain cells where the ritual is stored. The summer is over, the new Masonic season is starting and what better way to begin: not only at a Lodge of Instruction (Seven Springs in Cheltenham) but with one of the Richard Reeve Workshops.
Lodges of Instruction enable Freemasons to learn and practice not only the words but also the floor work (where to stand and what to do) for the degree ceremonies in the lodge room but without any pressure. In fact Lodges of Instruction are places where we ‘pass it forwards’: as others helped us so we in our turn help others. Working together to perform the degree ceremonies is fun, confidence building and also a good way of making friendships with people from other lodges through the shared experience. If, as many Freemasons do, they progress to the Chair of the Lodge as Master, that practice is absolutely invaluable in preparing them for the role.
Richard Reeve is our recently retired Provincial Mentor: retired he may be but he is still keen to help those who want to learn more about Freemasonry. His workshops take one of the positions in the lodge, in this case Inner Guard, and answer questions which may not even have struck you. He runs through what to do not only in the degree ceremonies but also if something unexpected happens; and how to avoid common pitfalls. Again the workshops help build understanding and confidence so are highly recommended for Freemasons at any stage of their progression.
