The Saint Margaret Rainham Chapter Rose Croix No 1029 were delighted to have the honour of receiving the Travelling Rose at their May meeting.
The Travelling Rose had been in the safe keeping of the Ethelbert Chapter No 82 and, in the customary form, the Travelling Rose was successfully passed on to the Saint Margaret Rainham Chapter by representatives of the Ethelbert Chapter who travelled to Gillingham from their Canterbury base .
The Most Wise Sovereign, III. Bro Trevor Howard 30° received the Travelling Rose from III, Bro Steven Read 31°. Our District Recorder III. Bro Trevor Youens 32° witnessed the presentation.
Often included as part of the presentation is some wording which is found within the Travelling Rose Box. Shown below for your information;
“Appointed as Inspector General of the District of East Kent on 1st August 2018 and formally Installed as such on 22nd January 2019, Roger Waltham 33° was presented with this special decorative circular box with the unmistakeable double spread eagle of the Order by the Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Commander, Alan Englefield 33°. Into the box has subsequently been placed a Red Rose.
The box and rose it contains have collectively become known as the Travelling Rose, the purpose of which is to support the happy and beneficial effect of good fellowship within the Order, by encouraging inter-Chapter visiting around the District of East Kent. It is important that the Travelling Rose remains within the District of East Kent at all times.
The Travelling Rose shall be presented by the visiting Most Wise Sovereign of a Chapter to the Most Wise Sovereign of the Chapter being visited. In like manner, it shall be passed on when that Most Wise Sovereign visits another Chapter. It shall be thus passed from one Chapter to another at least twice every year, but preferably more often. It shall not be passed back and forth from one Chapter to another but shall be passed only to a Chapter that has not received it for a minimum of two years. Thus, it is hoped that the Travelling Rose will be passed regularly all around the District.
The District Recorder shall be informed of the whereabouts of the Travelling Rose at all times.
It is hoped that much joy and happiness is promoted and encouraged by the regular passing-on of the Travelling Rose.”
As one of the visiting representatives of the Ethelbert Chapter I had a an extremely joyful and happy evening in the company of the members of the Saint Margaret Rainham Chapter.
Where will the Rose bloom next ? It could be you! There are still a number of Chapters who have not yet held The Travelling Rose and if you would like to have the honour of being custodians, please contact the District Recorder III. Bro Trevor Youens. It is expected that the Chapter passing the Rose is accompanied by as many members along as possible to the receiving Chapter.