City Grand dedicate new banner and regalia

Current City of Londonderry Grand Master, James Hetherington, left, presents former City Grand Master, Victor Wray with his UK City of Culture commemorative regalia at St Columb's Cathedral on Sunday.

A special feature of the service was the dedication of a new banner and regalia for the officers of the various District Lodges and the City Grand officers, as well as the City Grand Master and his Deputy, James Hetherington and Maurice Devenney, respectively.

The service was conducted by the Dean of Derry, Very Rev Dr William Morton, who led the prayer and officially welcomed the Brethren and Sisters of the four Districts and City Grand Lodge. The Dean was invited to formally unfurl the new banner and dedicate it and the new regalia (collarettes) commemorating the UK City of Culture.

Hymns for the occasion were @Be Still, for the presence of The Lord,’ ‘The Lord is my Shepherd,’ ‘There is a green hill,’ ‘Love Devine, all loves excelling’ and ‘The Church’s one foundation’ were sung, and the readines were Micah 6:1-8 by Sister Hilary Steele and Luke 10: 25-37, by Wor Bro James Hetherington.

In his welcome and in his sermon, the Dean reflected on the significance of the imagery on the new banner, the Cathedral building on one side and the Peace bridge on the other, and said it was significant in the year of the 400th anniverary of the links between the city of Londonderry with London that the City Grand Lodge had chosen to span the 400 years by choosing the oldest building in Londonderry and the most recent construction, thereby joining together historic moments in time both past and present.

The collection was taken up in aid of the City of Londonderry Orange Widows Fund.

To read more about the service and dedication buy this week’s Londonderry Sentinel, which is on sale on Wednesday, July 10.