The day of the Masonic Carol Service held in the historic Church of St. Mary's Plympton, near Plymouth, started many hours before the advertised time of three o'clock.
Fifty+ Freemason's widows were picked up by bus from various locations around Devon, some starting out as early as ten o'clock and arriving at the Plympton Conservative Club at midday for a fine buffet lunch with wine and Christmas crackers to start the festivities off with a bang. Chris and Jane Oliver had organised the day for all the ladies to meet prior to the service beginning, and they were joined by the Head of the Province, Nicholas Ball, together with his wife, Gill.
To ensure absolutely nothing went to waste, Chris had also arranged for any surplus food to be delivered to St. Petroc's in Exeter, a charity for the homeless.
When we arrived at the Church, we were greeted by an impromptu School Choir singing Carol; they had arrived at the same time as us, expecting to enter a carol-singing competition which had sadly taken place a week earlier in the same venue.
The Church was soon filled to capacity with a congregation of Freemasons and their families totalling almost four hundred. They were all made to feel very welcome by the Reverend Lizzi Green, who conducted the service; it was a sight not only to behold but also to be heard as the total congregation, which included at least 40 children, raised the roof when singing.
In between the singing of Carols, the members of the Craft and Chapter Executive gave nine readings, all of which were very well received by all those present, especially the eighth, which was read by Richard Ebury, our newly appointed Deputy Provincial Grand Master, who's reading was entitled the Journey of the Magi continued, but in this case, they travelled not in the middle east but in central London, very amusing.
But one of the main reasons for the afternoon took place after Chris Roach, Most Excellent Grand Superintendent of the Royal Arch, had given the third reading when Reverend Lizzi invited all the children to the front to receive a small Christmas gift from The Provincial Grand Master and his little helpers.
The Reverend Lizzi Green then invited all those in attendance to join her and the members of the Executive in the Church Hall for tea, mince pies and biscuits before setting out on their journeys home.
