Brother Bates is a regular presence at Rockingham Union where he is currently serving as the Senior Warden of our Lodge. Away from the lodge, he works at Alcova Mortgage and has a wife, Megan, and two young children. It was great to ask him a few questions about his experience in Masonry as he looks towards his year in the East.
Q: How long have you been involved in Freemasonry?
A: Going on 5 years now
Q: Where were you Raised as a Master Mason?
A: Right here in Rockingham Union.
Q: What drew you to Freemasonry?
A: I’ve always been interested in history and there’s so many historical figures that were a part of it I decided to ask questions and wound up getting a petition to join pretty much immediately.
Q: Upon becoming a Brother, was it what you expected?
A: Not really. I had no idea what to expect to be honest and definitely didn’t think it would feel more like a rotary club type of organization. I’ve enjoyed getting involved and meeting so many great people!
Q: What is your favorite moment so far in Masonry?
A: Watching other mason’s get raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. It’s fun to participate in something so pivotal for other guys’ journey’s in masonry and it’s always a great reminder of the Masonic principles that I have learned. I usually pick up at least one new subtlety from the lectures too while listening.
Q: What are you looking forward to in the next few years in Masonry?
A: Trying to get my year in the East under my belt and survive. (laughs)
Q: If there is one thing you would like the public to know about Freemasonry that they might not realize, what would it be?
A: It’s nothing like what you might hear or think of. It’s not some crazy “secret” organization. It’s just good guys getting together and working on improving themselves.
Q: What makes you proud to be a Freemason?
A: The heritage of the organization is so vast and being a part of something that has been around for 100’s of years is a really neat thing to be able to participate in.