Annual Reports/2008 ev

From Sekhet-Maat Lodge

Arf_2008_ev.jpg
Main Report
The main report submitted to the Electoral College for review.
Goals 2008 ev | 2009 ev
Review the status of 2008 ev goals and find out our plans for 2009 ev.
Financial Supplement
See our December 2008 ev financial report, which includes links to annual statements, dues spectrum and budget analysis for 2008 ev.
Initiation Activity
View our supplemental report on Initiation Activity for 2008 ev.
Ecclesiastical Activity
View our supplemental report on Ecclesiastical Activity for 2008 ev.
Internet Activity
View our supplemental report on Internet Activity for 2008 ev.
All pages related to 2008 ev
See all the pages on this site which are categorized in the year 2008 ev, including monthly financial statements, event registration pages, and more.

Each common year, Sekhet-Maat Lodge prepares an annual report to the Electoral College. Below is the main substance of that report. Personal and initiatory information has been redacted, supplemental reports have been added, and goals have been consolidated and organized in separate pages. See the navigation bar at right for the supplemental reports.

Contents

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General Information

Does your local body have these?
(Yes) Financial records
(Yes) EIN
(Yes) Bank account in body’s name
(Yes) Additional savings or other kind of account
(Yes) Inventory of body equipment
Were these offices filled for all of last year?
(Yes) Master
(Yes) Deputy Master
(Yes) Treasurer
(Yes) Secretary
Do you (the Master) have a successor for Mastership in mind? If so, please indicate that person's name and degree.
Yes. (Name and degree redacted for privacy)
Is this person aware?
Yes.
Did you hold regular business meetings?
Yes.
If yes, how often?
  • Monthly meeting of Executive Committee
  • Quarterly meeting of Initiation Committee
  • Semi-annual membership meeting
  • Other misc. meetings occasionally
Does the body collect local dues and/or fees in addition to standard initiation fees?
Yes.
If yes, how much?
$420
How often?
Annual
Total funds collected last year
$16,482.54
Does the body hold fundraisers?
No.
If yes, please describe
See notes below.
How much money did you raise in fundraisers last year?
$0
How much money did you receive in donations last year?
$2,665.75
Please describe the facility or facilities you have used for Mass in the last year. Was the venue rented or donated? Please be as detailed as possible.
We rent our facility for $1200 per month. Our Lodge has six rooms: temple, sacristy, classroom, office, kitchen and bathroom. In addition there are two closets, one locking for initiation equipment and one open for general use. The temple (~800 sq. ft.) is used for Mass and Initiations as well as large events where extra seating is needed. The sacristy (~200 sq. ft.) is used for storage and for dressing prior to rituals. The classroom (~750 sq. ft.) is used for teaching classes, facilitating discussion groups, repose for initiation, pre/post socializing at Mass. The office (~150 sq. ft.) is used primarily for computer use, communication and for research at the microfilm collection, but also contains all office supplies and a locked box for donations.
Please describe the facility or facilities you have used for [Man of Earth Triad] initiations in the last year. Was the venue rented or donated? Please be as detailed as possible.
See above.
Were there other venues used for local body functions? What were they?
Regular use of the home of two members for business meetings and informal meet-and-greet receptions.
Which of the above venues are covered by liability insurance?
The Lodge is covered; private residence is not.
Please indicate approximately what percentage of local body events took place at each venue you have named.
More than 99% at Lodge
Less than 1% at private residence
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Outreach

Does your local body have a website link on the USGL website?
Yes.
Does the body have a contact email that is easily located?
Yes.
Please indicate the approximate date on which that email was last tested for functionality.
☉ in ♑ : ☽ in ♓ : dies ♀ : Anno IVxvi (Friday, Jan 2, 2008 e.v.)
Does the local body publish a journal or newsletter?
Yes.
If yes, name of publication
Lion & Serpent
Frequency of publication
Occasional
Means of distribution
Paper copies to local shops and mailed to members and subscribers; electronic copies to Internet
Is it available at any commercial venues? If so, what are they?
Yes, at Moonshadow, a local occult shop which carries books, statuary, etc.
Was a copy of each print publication sent to the USGL Publications Secretary?
Yes.
Does the body have a library?
Yes.
If yes, where is it located?
At the Lodge.
Who owns the books?
The Lodge.
How many books are in the library?
About 375
Is there a protocol for allowing the public access to the body's library? Explain, if so.
Members of the public are welcome to browse our library in person and to make special arrangements to view the microfilm archive. Only Lodge members and initiate library cardholders are entitled to check out titles in circulation. Our complete Library Policies are available at Library/Policies.
How do you ensure that all members of the body are informed about local events?
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EGC Activity

Does the local body have all of the Mass equipment needed for performance of Mass?
Yes
If not, please explain what is missing
N/A
To whom does the Mass equipment belong?
The Lodge
Number of EGC Masses performed last year
62
Number of Baptisms
11
Number of Confirmations
6
How many body members acted in the following Mass roles last year?
  • Priest: 6
  • Priestess: 6
  • Deacon: 12
  • Children: 25
Of these, how many are ordained?
  • Priest: 5
  • Priestess: 3
  • Deacon: 7
Please describe any other functions fulfilled by the local Clergy in the last year (ex. Consecration of Oil, Last Rites, Feast for Fire/Water, etc.)
  • 1 ordained priestess performed a wedding for non-initiates
  • 2 ordained clergy and 1 confirmed member consecrated Abramelin oil in a group ritual.
  • See also "Other Activity" below, where our holy days and rituals for the elements are listed. Many of these were led by ordained clergy.
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Initiation Activity

Number of active initiators in the body
5
Are there initiators from other local bodies who regularly initiate for your body?
No.
If yes, how many?
N/A
Please list the names and local body affiliations of your chartered initiators.
[Redacted]
How much of the requisite equipment do you have in order to perform each of these degrees?
[All needed equipment for all Man of Earth Triad Degrees]
Is there any initiation equipment that the local body uses that does not belong to the body? Explain.
N
How many initiations were performed last year?
  • Minerval: 9
  • First: 9
  • Second: 9
  • Third: 1
  • Fourth: 3
  • Perfect Initiate: 3
  • Total initiations: 34
Were any of these performed cooperatively with another local body? Explain.
None of these were. At the Pacific Northwest Regional O.T.O. Campout (ROTOCAMP), however, we did work cooperatively with Horizon Oasis to perform outdoor Minerval initiations. The ritual team was composed of officers from both bodies, and 2 candidates from each valley were initiated. The paperwork was filed by Horizon Oasis and the initiation was officially under their auspices for the sake of simplicity, and is counted in their Annual Report. Therefore we have not counted these candidates in our totals.
How many people traveled to take initiation with the body last year?
2
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Other Activity

How many classes, lectures, or discussion groups did the body host last year?
111
Please list up to 15 of the topics covered
The larger workshops offered at the Lodge included Thelemic Symposium and "The Heresy of Babalon" seminar and ritual with Cindy Weinstein. Our weekly Tuesday class topics included a series on the Major Arcana of the Tarot, a series of workshops on memorizing the tables in 777, "Center of Pestilence" forums, Liber Resh, Goetic evocation, the formula of IAO, the Cosmology of the Unicursal Hexagram, how to use 777, Calligraphy of the Hebrew alphabet, and Qabalah 101. Other classes included recurrent sessions of the magickal peer review group, yoga, and degree knowledge & symbolism lectures from 0° to PI°.
How many seasonal rituals, holy day celebrations, Rites of Eleusis, or other rituals did the body celebrate last year?
11
Please briefly describe some of these other rituals
  • Ritual for the Equinox in Aries - Fr. Khabs Kaos led us in a ritual of Liber 963 and a Pathworking of Aries to start our wheel of the year turning.
  • Feast for the Supreme Ritual - Fr. Khabs Kaos presented us with a history of the Supreme Ritual, what it is and why we celebrate it. This was followed by a ritual reading of the ritual itself with a toast to ring in the Thelemic year IV:xvi.
  • Three Days of the Writing of the Book of the Law - Three days of ritual that were written and produced by three separate members. Each day consisted of a dramatic and or ritualistic reading of the chapter. A feast was held at each and the event was open to the public with many new folks attending.
  • Mass of Dionysus Zagreus - Ritual for the Solstice in Cancer, a Eucharistic rite invoking the young God.
  • Birth of Maat 888 - Since 06/06/2006 our membership has enjoyed writing original ritual each year. This year Sr. Lola Daydream wrote an original ritual for 08/08/2008. This ritual involved an invocation of Maat, along with many other spiritual traditions, as an interplay between truth and lies, order and chaos, harmony and cacophany, melding together to show the form and beyond the form of evolutionary consciousness.
  • Feast for the First Night of the Prophet and His Bride - Fr. Khabs Kaos gave a short lecture on the history and meaning of the First Night of the Prophet and His Bride and a reading from Crowley's Confessions. Afterward we celebrated with a Feast.
  • Ritual for the Equinox in Libra - Fr. Khabs Kaos invoked Libra with recitations from Liber LXV.
  • Abramelin Consecration: Group ritual as written by Sr. ARGM
  • Heresy of Babalon - Soror Magdalena visited and offered an invocation of Babalon in conjunction with her workshop.
  • Ritual for the Solstice in Capricorn - A candle-light Gnostic Mass was celebrated, followed by Soror Διοτιμα celebrating the Office of Daimonic Vespers as written by T Polyphilus.
What element of the body's activity do you take particular pride in?
We solicited feedback from the members and affiliates of the Lodge on this question. Below are a few of their answers, followed by a list of some of the accomplishments from the Christian year 2008 that we are most proud of.
Fr. אין סוף אור:
The organization and discipline of our body is especially appealing. I also think that our Initiation Ceremonies and Gnostic Mass are all celebrated with extreme grace and beauty. In addition, I believe that the existence of our Lodge and the manner in which it is kept up is very beneficial to everyone including The Order itself.
Sr. Theodora:
... our continued dedication and support of each others' artistic works, however they manifest. The beauty of the people and the clear prioritization of this is great. It manifests in the physical structure as well as the people. ...
I believe our commitment to ... consistent celebrations gives us a presence that draws energy to the Lodge.
Sr. Διοτιμα:
Our Lodge has a culture of setting goals, working together to achieve them and doing so in a way that is beneficial and mutually satisfying to all of us. I enjoy that our members have such close relationships and that we, as officers spend a minimum of our time having to mediate disputes and deal with general drama. Our members strive to take the O.T.O into its next incarnation and to promulgate the Law of Thelema with pride! Lastly, I am deeply proud of the fact that our Lodge Master has made it a personal goal to have sexism in the Lodge a thing of the past by bringing this issue to light, using the lens of Thelema. I am always proud to walk through our doors into a space that is tangibly magical and full of thriving activity.
We are also very proud of:
  • our journal, Lion & Serpent, which has an avid worldwide readership
  • our annual event, Thelemic Symposium, which has drawn significant interest from academia
  • our growing sales through CafePress, Powell's, and our own shelves
A sampling of our specific accomplishments for 2008 ev follows:
  • [Redacted I° equipment upgrade.]
  • [Redacted III° equipment upgrade.]
  • [Redacted IV° equipment upgrade.]
  • We now have over $2000 in our Rainy Day fund.
  • E.G.C. basic training was offered on a quarterly basis.
  • New E.G.C. training modules were developed and implemented for all of the roles in the Mass.
  • We refurbished the office & bathroom by painting the walls and replacing the carpet.
  • We added a new rack to store lances.
  • We improved our sound system so that audio can be controlled in both the temple and the classroom from a single mixer. This also provides a central location where we can connect media devices such as projectors or MP3 players.
  • The Kitchen has been greatly improved with addition of shelving, cooking utensils and supplies, and a stock of many typical cooking ingredients.
  • We appointed a Green Inspector who is specifically tasked with looking for ways that we can reduce our carbon footprint by improving efficiency and sustainability.
  • We implemented a formal method of offering feedback on initiation work by regularly sending out emails requesting that attendees email any feedback to the initiators, and by including a recurring feedback section in the quarterly meeting of the Initiation Committee.
  • We moved all our e-mail lists to our own server.
  • We have started providing personalized, one-on-one training for basic computer skills (such as using email, editing the wiki, and using word processing software) to assist our officers with their duties.
  • Several occasions of the Sisters of Babalon devotional practice were held this year, after being newly formed in 2007 ev. This event has become an important part of our culture and serves as a venue for women members and guests of the Lodge to get to know each other and work together in devotional practice.
  • We formed a men's group, "Brothers of Chaos" for fraternity and fellowship among the men of the community and provide a place for men who are new to the community to make social connections. Not to mention, to provide a place for men to hang out when Sisters of Babalon is taking place.
  • We are hosting and maintaining the NOTOCON VII website.
  • The Lodge contributed $735 to the O.T.O. Thoth Tarot Conservation Project.
  • We have begun active and organized monthly study groups for degrees, beginning with 0° and I°, as part of an effort to "uphold the highest standards of excellence and effectiveness in the practice and dissemination of our religious, spiritual, magical, and ethical teachings."
Is there something that this body does that other bodies may benefit from learning about? If so, please describe
Our dues and benefits structure is sophisticated and flexible, and has proven to be successful; not only in raising the needed funds, but also in bringing a greater sense of fraternity and harmony among membership, helping to instill an ethos of karma yoga, and ensuring the steady growth of the Lodge.
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Membership

How many local body members are there right now?
50
What is the average number of members over the past year?
49-51
Please describe the metric you use to define membership
Membership is defined here as all initiate members, initiate affiliates, and lay affiliates who have signed agreement to our bylaws and standing rules. For more information, see our bylaws at Bylaws and standing rules at Standing Rules.
On average, how many people attended
  • Gnostic Mass:
Avg. 13 attendees per Mass (818 communions offered total)
Avg. 1 new attendees per Mass (89 newbies total)
  • An average class: 6-8 for regular Tuesday classes, 33-37 for larger workshops
  • An average seasonal ritual: 33-37
Approximately how many OTO initiates from other areas attended local body events?
23-28
Approximately how many non-OTO EGC members attended events?
1
Approximately how many people who are neither OTO nor EGC members attended events?
160-200
Do body members regularly attend events at another local body in your area? If so, which body(ies)?
No.
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Facility and Facility Plans

Does your local body hold activities in a private residence? If so, please describe.
Business meetings and informal meet-and-greet receptions are held regularly at a private residence.
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Existing Facility

Is this facility directly connected to a residence?
No.
Is this facility on the same physical property as a private residence?
No.
Is this facility part of a commercial business or other non OTO entity?
No.
Is the facility used for purposes other than OTO events?
Yes.
If yes, describe
Occasionally, the facility is used by members for private rehearsal, ritual practice, or private group events such as weddings. On rare occasions, the facility is rented to other groups on a per diem basis.
In whose name is the facility rented, leased or owned?
Sekhet-Maat
In the event that the lessee changed residences, would the local body still have access to that space? 
N/A
Does the body have a contingency plan in the event that the body were to lose its facility? If so, please explain
Yes. In 2007 ev, we established a "Rainy Day" fund to assist with moving expenses should the need arise. In 2008 ev, we added $1000 to this fund for a total of over $2000, and we plan to add another $1000 in 2009 ev.
How is the facility paid for?
Membership dues and pledges paid 84.65% of the regular rent, utilities, and consumables expenses.
Which of the following does the facility have, independent of and separate from a residence, business, or other venue?
Please "X" all that apply:
  • (X) Entrance from the street
  • (X) Bathroom
  • (X) Temple
  • (X) Meeting or Classroom
  • (X) Initiation Repose Rooms
  • (X) Kitchen
  • (X) Other
  • If "Other", please explain: Sacristy
What is the approximate square footage of the facility?
2000
Is the facility under OTO regulations at all times, or only during OTO events?
At all times.
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Planned Facilities

Briefly describe the facility which you plan to obtain use of:

[All questions in this section]
N/A
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Achievements & Goals

See: Goals/2008 ev and Goals/2009 ev
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Order Related

How do you keep up with Order regulations and policy changes?
Kaaba yahoogroup and direct communication
Do you proactively contact the EC, Grand Lodge Officers, or other responsible officers if you have questions regarding policy?
Yes.
Please indicate the revision year of the following documents in your possession, or write "Don't have" if you don't have them
  • The Camp, Oasis and Lodge Master's Handbook: October, 2001 ev
  • The EGC Manual: August 15, 2004 ev
  • Bylaws of OTO USA: April 19, 2003 ev
Do you have a Mentor?
No.
If no, would you like one?
No.
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Additional Information

  • For a complete Profit & Loss report, including comparisons to last year's financial data, see also: Financial Supplement
  • Regarding dues amount: Reported dues amount is a baseline. Pledgers contribute more and some undergoing temporary financial hardship contribute less.
  • Regarding "total funds collected," this is ambiguous, but from context we assume the College is asking about the total dues and pledge gross income. This is how we have answered the question.
  • Regarding "fundraisers" (a term that is not defined herein): we have in the past treated any event which incidentally raised funds as a "fundraiser," but in reality none of our events this year have been held with the explicit purpose of raising funds. In all the events that have raised funds through event fees, vending, and alcohol sales, fundraising was only a side-benefit and an expendable one since our regular expenses are paid with dues and pledges alone. The primary purpose of events has in all cases been either educational or celebratory, or both. Therefore we have reported here that we do not hold "fundraisers" and that we have not raised any money at "fundraisers," but we did raise a substantial amount of money incidentally through sales and fees at our educational and celebratory events. After expenses, this amount is $3,208.60. Furthermore, the funds raised in this manner are prohibited (by the Master) from being used to pay rent, monthly bills, or consumables expenses; all these are covered by dues and pledge income (about 14% were paid with misc. donations).
  • Regarding average number of members through the year: the question seems to imply that membership is opted into on a monthly basis, thereby yielding significant fluctuations. This may be how it is done in many local bodies, even most, and certainly at one time it was practically ubiquitous practice among bodies with dues programs. It's not the case here, however, and we don't experience fluctuations of any significant degree on a month-to-month basis. We therefore do not track the number of members every month. Every member is a member indefinitely, until they terminate their membership or it is terminated for lack of payment. Most choose to pay on a monthly basis but many choose to pay quarterly, semi-annually, or annually, and sometimes people fall behind for a time. We do not consider such fluctuations to have any effect on our total number of members. Instead, membership numbers change when someone terminates, or we have a new initiate. So our "average" is simply calculated taking the membership total at the beginning and end of the year.
  • Feedback: We would prefer to set goals and track our various statistics for the Thelemic year rather than the Christian year. This would bring greater unification of our clerk-house activities and our holy calendar. Please consider switching the reporting season to the Thelemic calendar in support of promulgating the Law of Freedom.
  • Feedback: The section on goals seems incoherent to us. For example, we are to mark "G" for ongoing tasks as well as thus-far-unachieved goals, thereby creating significant ambiguity about whether a given goal is a new project, or if it is something we have done for years. Additionally, many goals suggested by the ARF do not have objectively measurable outcomes. Finally, many of our actual goals do not really fit into the question set provided by the College. We have answered the questions to the best of our abilities, but to see our real strategy for the Christian year 2009, please see: Goals/2009 ev
  • Feedback: With respect to the term "outreach," this suggests to us community activities which are outside the mission of the organization. We use the term "promulgation," which we feel more appropriately reflects and upholds the mission of O.T.O. to disseminate and establish the Law of Thelema.
  • Feedback: The section on E.G.C. activity does not ask about ordination activity. Ordinations are a reflection of the continued development of E.G.C. at Sekhet-Maat Lodge. In the Christian year 2008, we hosted one ordination of a deacon officiated by T Pelagius.
  • Feedback: The word "traveled" is misspelled in the question, "How many people travelled to take initiation with the body last year?"
  • Feedback: In the question, "Please describe any other functions fulfilled by the local Clergy in the last year..." the word "Clergy" should not be capitalized.
  • We are disappointed to have received no response whatsoever, not even to confirm receipt, to our timely and extensive submission of our Annual Report for the Christian year 2007.
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