The Grand Chapter of Washington
Order of the Eastern Star
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The Grand Chapter of Washington |
A Grand Chapter is the governing body for Eastern Star in a state, province or country. The Grand Chapter of Washington is, in turn, governed by the General Grand Chapter which is international in scope. Other Grand Chapters may fall under GGC jurisdiction or may be independent.
We share the jurisdiction of Washington with our Sisters and Brothers in the Prince Hall Grand Chapter of Washington and Jurisdiction, and we are proud to have enjoyed fraternal recognition and intervisitation with them since 2002.
In some regions, subordinate Chapters operate directly under the governance of the GGC, without a Grand Chapter. These regions may be represented by an appointed Deputy or Deputies on behalf of the Most Worthy Grand Matron and Patron.
Nine elected and nine appointed Grand Offices make up the Grand Chapter of Washington and serve one-year terms. These correspond to the officers of a subordinate Chapter as outlined in the Ritual. For more information about the elected Grand Officers, see What is a Line Officer? below.
In the Grand Chapter of Washington, these eighteen Grand Officers and their Escorts (see What is an Escort? below) are referred to as the "Grand Family" and will have a thematic name (e.g., Evergreen Grand Family, Heritage Grand Family) and official dress chosen by their Worthy Grand Matron.
Similar offices exist at the General Grand Chapter level.
Each Grand Officer in the Grand Chapter of Washington may, at his or her option, designate another Eastern Star member as an official Escort to accompany him or her as a member of the Grand Family. This is most often the Grand Officer's spouse, but may be another relative or close friend and may be either a Sister or a Brother.
Escorts are recognized and honored for the support they give their partner throughout the year, and also wear official dress as selected by their Worthy Grand Matron.
Leadership in a subordinate Eastern Star Chapter traditionally begins, for a Sister, with the elective office of Associate Conductress and proceeds each year through the elective "line offices" of Conductress and Associate Matron, in preparation for assuming the highest office in a Chapter, that of Worthy Matron. Brothers traditionally are elected as Associate Patron for one year prior to serving as Worthy Patron.
In the Grand Chapter of Washington, Sisters are elected to a "Grand Line" in the same manner, beginning with Associate Grand Conductress. For Brothers, the office of Grand Sentinel is also elective and precedes Associate Grand Patron.
Officers in the General Grand Chapter serve three-year terms, and Sisters are elected to serve as Right Worthy Grand Trustee prior to their election as Right Worthy Associate Grand Conductress. A Brother is traditionally invited to stand for election as Right Worthy Grand Sentinel at the discretion of the incoming Right Worthy Grand Conductress.
Two Grand Chapters together may form an agreement to exchange official representatives from among their membership. Two- or three-year terms are common and vary by Grand Jurisdiction. Each Worthy Grand Matron then selects a member from her own Grand Jurisdiction to serve as a representative to the other, subject to the corresponding Worthy Grand Matron's approval.
The duties of a Grand Representative include corresponding with his or her "counterpart" in the other Grand Jurisdiction and, when possible, visiting the other Grand Jurisdiction's Grand Chapter Session.
In the Grand Chapter of Washington, the Worthy Grand Matron appoints two chairmen (Eastside and Westside) and a group of Deputy Instructors to assist the Chapters in the conduct of their Ritualistic work and to communicate any special instructions on her behalf.
Deputy Instructors are assigned Chapters to instruct and may also assist regional officer clubs.
This page last updated: April 29, 2008