Lodge News

Provincial Team Visit Minehead To Raise Exmoor’s Bro. Rik.

Those Brethren lucky enough to be at Exmoor Lodge’s regular meeting, held at Minehead Masonic Hall on Thursday 17th November, were treated to a very memorable meeting……………….

Two dozen of the current active Provincial Officers, headed by APGM W. Bro Richard Winter, were in attendance as part of their current busy schedule of popular Provincial Team Visits.

The most important business of the evening was to Raise Bro. Rik Peckham to the sublime degree of a Master Mason and then to present a United Grand Lodge Certificate to Bro. Roger Thomas who was Raised in March this year.

L-R. Ray Conneely PrJGW, Bro Rik Peckham, Richard Winter APGM, Bob King WM Exmoor, Clive Dunster PrSGW.

W. Bro Richard accepted the gavel from Exmoor’s WM. W. Bro Bob King before inviting W. Bro Martin Slocombe to take the Chair in order to conduct Rik’s Third Degree Ceremony, assisted by numerous members of the Provincial Team.

And what a ceremony it was!

Rik said afterwards, “What an amazing, moving and memorable experience that was!”

If the ceremony itself wasn’t impressive enough, the Brethren were then treated to an impressive rendition of the ‘Walking Charge’ delivered by Martin Slocombe to Bro. Roger Thomas, once he had been presented with his Certificate by Richard Winter.

Many of the Brethren in attendance had not seen this particularly poignant piece of ritual performed during the course of a ceremony before and, one thing’s for sure, they won’t forget it in a hurry! Bro’s Rik and Roger realised they were both treated to something really rather special during the course of that evening, as did all the Brethren who were there to witness it.

Interestingly, Bro Rik, a retired clergyman, who relocated from Exeter to Minehead on his retirement in 2017, was one of a growing number of men who initially introduced themselves to Freemasonry by way of self-referral. In Rik’s case, it was via the UGLE website contact page.

APGM Richard Winter and Brethren of the Provincial Team at Minehead Masonic Hall.

Rik was prompted to join Freemasonry as a result of numerous discussions held with the partner of his youngest daughter, still living in Exeter, who is an active Mason. Rik soon realised that Freemasonry’s ancient tenets were in no way incompatible with his own firm-held beliefs and principles. Far from it in fact; his Initiation into Freemasonry by Exmoor Lodge in February this year and his subsequent experiences within the Craft have not only confirmed his initial realisations but, moreover, he has found that Freemasonry compliments and reinforces them in every respect.

The Worshipful Master and Brethren of Exmoor Lodge thank all those Brethren who contributed to making the evening such a memorable success.

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