John Carpenter Lodge

RW Bro Julian R Soper, PJGW, Deputy Metropolitan Grand Master

I am fortunate enough to attend many interesting Masonic events – not just limited to Lodge meetings. However, many of these events are open to most Masons; and I lament that many Masons either are not aware of them or do not realise that it would be appropriate for them to attend.

This is a great pity as such events widen one’s experience and enjoyment of Freemasonry as, although your Lodge is obviously the core of your Freemasonry, there is a wider Masonic world.

I would like Lodge members to think of their Lodge as a portal to a wider Masonic world and to take advantage of that!

I would divide Masonic events into three categories for the purpose of this foreword. The first is made up of what I think of as the big “set-piece” meetings such as Metropolitan Grand Lodge, Metropolitan Grand Chapter and the Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Chapter equivalents. The MetGL (next meeting is the late afternoon of Wednesday 5^th March) and MetGC (late afternoon of Wednesday 13^th May) events are open to all Master Masons or Companions respectively; and admit Masons below MM and indeed non-Masons once the formal business has been conducted.  Similarly, Master Masons can currently attend all meetings of Grand Lodge’s Quarterly Communications. All these meetings showcase the pomp and circumstance of a Metropolitan or Grand Lodge meeting with all active officers processing in and out, as well as covering key topics and announcements of interest to all Masons. Ask your Secretary or Mentor for details, look on Rosetta or, failing that, contact the Metropolitan Grand Lodge office.

In addition, for the first time this year, there was a meeting of Grand Lodge on a Saturday morning specifically aimed at Light Blue Masons. It was a great success and will be repeated on Saturday 30^th May.

The next category of Masonic events to attend are meetings of other Lodges: this could be a visit to an ordinary meeting, but it is also worth visiting one of the very large Lodges such as Jubilee Masters or Euclid Installed Masters (you do not, in fact, have to be an IM for this) or Met Grand Stewards Lodge (look out for someone wearing a red apron and ask them for details!).

The third category is Masonic events that are not linked to a Lodge or Chapter meeting. The Kent Club, which is open to all members of Metropolitan Grand Lodge, has a very active social events calendar. This includes visits to places that are not normally open to the general public, such as the House of Lords. Details can be found on their website – https://londonfreemasons.club/. Please note that the Kent Club also organises visits to Lodges for special events, so can also help with the second category of events.  Those under 35 can also join the Connaught Club which also holds regular events. https://connaughtclub.org/.

I would encourage all members to consider attending the events mentioned above and, more importantly, to encourage newer members to do so and maybe to accompany them. If you are intrigued, ask your Secretary, your Mentor and/or your Lodge/Chapter Visiting Officer, and I look forward to meeting you at one of them.

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 59 – Christmas 2025.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Read more articles in Arena Issue 59 here.

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