The North Carolina Mason

January/February 2021 The North Carolina Mason Page 9 Bucknor, Jerome Omar ...................... 8 .......................... Phoenix Bare, Scotty Sawyer ......................... 45 ............................ Liberty Bockhorn, Darren Richard ............... 45 ............................ Liberty Alverson, Brendan Arthur .............. 112 .............................Wayne Wright, Alan Michael ..................... 114 .......................St. Alban's Ashe, Jared Shawn ........................ 118 .................... Mt. Hermon Hamilton, Houston Allen ............... 147 .......................... Palmyra Drum, Joshua Donovan ................. 202 ........................Cleveland McNeilly, Paul Grayson .................. 202 ........................Cleveland Manning, Aaron Patrick ................. 230 .......................Corinthian Odeh, Tarick ................................... 230 .......................Corinthian Cadwell, Joseph Kenneth Lee ........ 237 ........................ Mystic Tie Price, James Randolph .................. 244 ........................... Monroe Shepperd, Samuel Allen ................ 244 ........................... Monroe Evans, Christian Scott ..................... 249 ..................... Pythagoras Knuth, John Matthew ..................... 249 ..................... Pythagoras Whitfield, Kyle Ellis ........................ 249 ..................... Pythagoras Grimes, Derric Andrew .................. 258 ............................Fuquay Perry, Dylan Forest ........................ 258 ............................Fuquay Moore, Stephen Mark .................... 277 .................... Green Level Worley, Tyler Devin ........................ 301 .................................Clay Grady, Kenneth Skyler ................... 304 ................... Pleasant Hill Tipton, Lucas Chase ....................... 357 ...................... Bakersville Kilpatrick, Jessie O'Conner ............ 391 ......................... Lebanon Galloway, Leslie Scott .................... 407 ................. N. Wilkesboro Ferguson, Matthew Rhea ............... 429 ........................... Seaside Sauter, Geoffrey Cecil..................... 429 ........................... Seaside Godwin, Joshua Ethan ................... 431 .............................. Relief Hanks Jr, Alexander Hamilton ....... 446 ..........................Biltmore Pritchard, Justin Kyle ..................... 446 ..........................Biltmore Everhart, Ricky Thomas ................. 473 ....... Lexington Memorial Shepherd, Harrison Hugh .............. 473 ....... Lexington Memorial Tillman, Curtis ............................... 479 ..........................Rainbow Hayes, William Anthony ................ 499 ......................Creedmoor Reinhart, Seth Richard ................... 499 ......................Creedmoor Barrett, Charles Christopher .......... 515 .......................Whetstone Hester, Christopher David .............. 515 .......................Whetstone Kahlig, Joshua Scott ....................... 515 .......................Whetstone O'Neal, Patrick Sean ...................... 542 .......................Corinthian McNeilly, Noah Andrew.................. 579 ...............................Casar Rhyne, Michael Costner ................. 590 ............................. Lowell Moretz, Daniel Casey ..................... 593 ..................... Stony Point Sheppard, Jonathan Stanley ......... 598 ........................Cranberry Scardo, Patrick ............................... 663 ...............Black Mountain Naylor, Michael Wade .................... 679 .................Creasy Proctor Kelley II, Charles Edward ............... 680 ................Semper Fidelis Hinson, James Adam ..................... 695 ................ Allen-Graham Thompson, Jimmy Franklin ........... 705 .............. Richard Caswell Morton, Steve Theodore ................ 725 ....................... Grantham Boya, Thomas Jose ........................ 735 .............. James B. Green Tench, Andrew Madison ................. 738 ....................... West Gate Hall, Michael Tyler ......................... 759 ................. James K. Polk Phares, Michael Christopher .......... 759 ................. James K. Polk Welcome our new Brothers By Beth Grace Mason Editor It's an honor to be appointed to the Grand Line. Ask anyone who has been called upon to take his place on the line of chairs that ends with a purple apron in the East. It's also a Masonic challenge unlike any other, says the newest appointee. Philip Ray Johnson of Perqui- mans #106 didn't hesitate when then-Grand Master-Elect R. David Wicker Jr. asked him to join the line as Grand Steward. e Grand Master had planned a more elabo- rate scene for the ask – taking the Johnsons out for dinner near their home in Roanoke Rapids and surprising him with the invitation – but COVID intervened. "So he just called and asked me." Johnson said. "He said, 'Hey, this isn't how I wanted to do this but here we are. Would you take on the role and responsibility for entering the line?' I was certainly humbled." Brother Johnson, sales manager for McPherson Beverages in Roanoke Rapids, was raised as a Master Mason in 1996. He is a past District Deputy Grand Master, former member of the Masonic Home for Children Board of Directors and the Board of General Purposes. He is married to his wife Kathy and they have two sons, one of whom is a Mason. "I don't think anybody appointed to that line feels anything but surprise, humbled and honored," he said. "What an honor. I didn't think it was in the cards for me." Johnson says he's not sure why he was selected but says his passion for the fraternity and his brothers is strong. Among the many projects Johnson has headed or partici- pated in, one of his favorites came when he was DDGM for the First District. "We had a brother who had a bad heart problem and no insur- ance. Some brothers approached me as new DDGM and that started our work. We held a fundraiser – a community effort, with everyone – churches, lodges, businesses – all worked together. We had a huge turnout and raised enough money to pay his monthly expenses for many months," he said. "at's when I knew that if we come together as brothers like we should be doing, we can truly help somebody in need. Like the closing charge says, 'Every human being has a claim upon your kind offices.'" More projects and fundraisers followed in that district, which won a reputation for its good deeds and hard philanthropic work. Later, when he was appointed to the MHCO board, he found himself on the marketing committee. "I'm not a marketing guy at all," he said with a laugh. It didn't take long for him to invite brothers to come visit the home. "e guys embraced it and loved it. ey fell in love with the home," he said. ey jumped at the chance to keep helping as part of what would eventually become the MHCO Ambassadors program. Brothers in all districts volunteer to be ambas- sadors for the home, speaking on behalf of MHCO and the kids at lodge and district meetings, and offering related education programs. Johnson is the son of a 70-year Mason and believes strongly that Masons should be the backbone of their communities. "We need to be out there in our communities," he said. "Let people know who we are. Let's stand up. Let's do some stuff. "I don't wear a ring, but I can always tell you who the people are at a meeting who are Masons, or who ought to be a Mason. I try to carry my Masonry in what I do and how I do it." New Grand Steward welcomes the challenge

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