Dear Arena readers,

Yes! We are back. We are back meeting with friends, we are back running full ceremonies, we are back dining together, and Arena is back in print (as well as digital). Printed copies are available in the usual locations such as Masonic centres, Mark Mason Hall and Great Queen Street. We are looking to expand the distribution further.

And it feels good to be back. This September, like many of you I am sure, I had the joy to join my first non-emergency meeting in well over a year. A very well-attended event that saw me installed as Second Principal in my Chapter (please forgive my vanity if you spot a photo of me later on). After all those months, we duly celebrated being together again. The sheer pleasure of renewing our favourite hobby was as palpable as the (many) glasses of wine we raised at the Festive Board. The emotion of the evening was heightened by the memory of our friend Barry, who sadly passed away in early 2019. For many of us, including myself, our last Chapter convocation was the last time we saw him.

This edition opens with a heartfelt personal message from the Metropolitan Grand Master, Sir Michael Snyder. Then, alongside the usual features, you will find out what various Lodges and Chapters have been doing this summer, and you will read some amazing tales of dedication to charity and social as well as family care. To inspire you on your Masonic journey, we are giving you special access to the Royal Arch, the Metropolitan Grand Stewards’ Lodge, the Museum of Freemasonry, and the Special Interest Lodges.

Finally, we are launching a reader survey with this edition. If you have any thoughts on Arena, this is your opportunity to let us know what you think. We will review every idea and submission. Arena is the magazine for London Freemasons, and we are keen it reflects the content they desire.

The survey takes about 5 minutes and is entirely anonymous. https://tinyurl.com/6us4tkrh