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The October meeting of Nutfield Preceptory was going to be a very special one. Not only were they receiving a full team visit from the RE Provincial Prior and his team, they would be Dedicating a new Preceptory Bible.
The afternoon began with a meeting of Nutfield Preceptory. The Eminent Preceptor this year was E.Kt. Colin Whitehead.
The Provincial Marshal, Em.Kt. Chris Eley, entered and advised the Eminent Preceptor that the Rt.Em.Kt. Michael J Banbury, Provincial Prior of Surrey, along with a number of Provincial Officers of the year, were in the ante-room and demanded admission to the Preceptory. The Provincial Prior of Surrey entered and was greeted by the Eminent Preceptor.
The first item on the agenda was to Install Kt. Eddie Ertan as Eminent Preceptor. This was done in a very sincere manner by the Eminent Preceptor, E.Kt. Colin Whitehead, assisted by E.Kt. Chris Reed, PProvA-de-C.
The Eminent Preceptor then invited the RE. Provincial Prior of Surrey to accept the Baton to conduct the ceremony for the Presentation and Dedication of the new Preceptory Bible. The Dedication Officer invited the Provincial Prelate, VE. Kt. Rev. David Allonby, and the Provincial Marshal, E.Kt. Chris Eley, to assist him in the Dedication Ceremony.
The Provincial Marshal formed an Escort of Knights of the Preceptory to escort the Bible into the Preceptory. The Ceremony of the Dedication of the Bible was conducted by the RE. Provincial Prior. The Provincial Prelate gave a most interesting and informative oration on the Bible with specific references to Masonic Ritual in general and our Order in particular. The RE. Provincial Prior then invited the Eminent Preceptor to receive the Bible on behalf of the Preceptory. The see a copy of VE. Kt. Rev. David Allonby's oration click here.
The Preceptory was closed and a Priory of Malta was opened. Kt. Eddie Ertan was Installed as Eminent Prior by E.Kt. Colin Whitehead, assisted again by E.Kt. Chris Reed.
The members of Nutfield Preceptory, their personal guests, the Provincial Officers of the year and the Provincial Prior’s Bodyguard then sat down to a splendid meal at the Nutfield Masonic Centre.
During the meal, E.Kt. Garry Lewis showed a very informative movie clip of the work done by the St John at Jerusalem Eye Hospital. The Preceptory then presented the Provincial Prior with a cheque for £500 towards the Eye Hospital. The Provincial Prior thanked the Knights of Nutfield Preceptory for their kind donation and said how much he had enjoyed conducting the Bible Dedication Ceremony, the first of its kind in Surrey.
He then thanked his Officers of the Year and his personal Bodyguard for their support in turning out to support him in such numbers.
Article and photographs by Chris Eley
Provincial Marshal
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