Annual Reports/2008 ev/Ecclesiastical Activity
From Sekhet-Maat Lodge
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- See also: Ecclesiastical Activity 2007 ev · EGC Committee
The following information is not included in the Annual Report Form submitted to the Electoral College but is supplemental data that we have gathered.
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Lodge Members officiating in the Gnostic Mass
The level of ecclesiastical activity by our members expressed as a percentage of total membership.
- Ordained Priest/Priestesses
- 16% in 2008 ev (8 total, 1 performing only as Priest/Priestess)
- 20% in 2007 ev
- Total Priest/Priestesses (Ordained+Novice)
- 24% in 2008 ev (12 total, 2 performing only as Priest/Priestess)
- 27% in 2007 ev
- Ordained Deacons
- 14% in 2008 ev (7 total, 0 performing only as Deacon)
- 16% in 2007 ev
- Deacons (Ordained+Novice)
- 24% in 2008 ev (12 total, 0 performing only as Deacon)
- 27% in 2007 ev
- Children
- 50% in 2008 ev (25 total, 13 performing only as Child)
- 33% in 2007 ev
- Total members involved in the mass in any ritual role in the last year
- 58% in 2008 ev
- 53% in 2007 ev
Although "musician" is not an office in the Gnostic Mass, it is our local custom to have live music for our celebrations. We have begun scheduling and tracking this participation in 2008 ev.
- Musicians (Approximately)
- 26% in 2008 ev (Approximately 12 total, 3 performing only as musicians)
- Total members involved in the mass in any role in the last year including musicians
- 64% in 2008 ev
End-of-Year Summary
In 2008 ev
- We had 7 unique officers as Priest, 5 of whom are ordained
- We had 6 local unique officers as Priest, 5 of whom are ordained
- We had 10 unique officers as Priestess, 5 of whom are ordained, 1 of whom are new
- We had 6 local unique officers as Priestess, 3 of whom are ordained
- We had 12 unique local officers as Deacon (Down 1), 7 of whom are ordained deacons, 5 of whom are ordained Clergy.
- We had 25 unique local officers as Child (Up 8), 9 of whom are new
- We had 1 ordinations for Deacon
- We had 11 baptisms and 6 confirmations
Attendance in 2008 ev
- We had 63 celebrations of the Gnostic Mass scheduled and 62 occurred.
- Total Communions offered for the year was 818 (adjusted); which is an average of 13 at each Mass.
- This year we had 89 (adjusted) new people attend our celebrations; which is an average of 1 new person at each Mass.
- Largest attendance was 39 (after Symposium), and smallest was 4.
Compared to 2007 ev
- Total Communions offered was 153 greater this year and the average was up 3.
- Total new attendance was 12 greater this year and the average was the same. However, the median was slightly greater this year, so there were more new people throughout the year in general.
- Total number of celebrations was 2 less this year.
- Largest attendance was 2 less this year (both after Symposium), but the smallest was up 2 this year.
- The number of ordained deacons increased by 1.
Year-to-Year Trending
These trending graphs represent naive data. These comparisons are fresh to the Lodge and therefore do not represent any responses to previous trending done in this form. Therefore, it will be informative to compare trending at the end of the coming year to see if the trending can be transformed by more self-conscious efforts to both increase overall numbers and to address patterns of decline.
Total By Year
A simple comparison of year-to-year suggests an increase of 156 in total communions offered. If the pattern holds, total communions offered in 2009 ev are projected to be 977. This number represents, in large part, the commitment of attendees in the Valley to the celebration of the Gnostic Mass.
Total new attendance year-to-year suggests an increase of 12 in the new year. This projects 101 new attendance in 2009 ev. This number represents, in large part, a sign of promulgation efforts.
Total By Quarter
There is a very clear pattern year-to-year of significant attendance drop in Q4. This is both a relief and a surprise. In Q4 2008 ev, there was a massive regional snowstorm which caused disruption to just about every aspect of life in the Valley, however, there appears to be a comparable drop in attendance during Q4 the previous year. So, it was a surprise and relief to find that the regional snowstorm actually did not seem to affect the trending. However, one has no choice but wonder if the trend would have held so consistently year-to-year in Q4 had there been no storm.
Either way, it appears that Q4 is where attention could most effectively be given. While seasonal inertia may be difficult to overcome, the greatest potential for total attendance growth may be in Q4 by encouraging existing participants to continue attending.
Q1 and Q2 appear to be roughly equivalent within a year, but with significant increase year-to-year.
Q3 seems to be the outperform of each year. A focus on new initiatives that encourage continued participation in other quarters is suggested, especially in Q4.
New By Quarter
Whereas much of our other attendance numbers show the commitment of the Valley to continued participation, the number of new attendees is a snapshot of actually how many people appear through the year for the first time. This trend is shallower, but still shows significant growth year-to-year.
The effect of Symposium in Q1 and special events in Q4 are the star performers year-to-year. This suggests that the continued focus on Symposium and special events, specifically an open house followed by Mass, in Q4 are well worth the effort.
Interestingly, the trend also appears to be toward more volatility, so this may continue to increase in the coming year. Initiatives to smooth the curve and address this volatility are suggested. This also means that there may be greater potential to increase overall new attendance through new promulgation initiatives in Q2 and Q4.
Mass End-of-Quarter Summaries
Summaries by quarter beginning in Q2 through Q4.
In the Second Quarter 2008 ev
- We had 6 unique officers as Priest, all of whom are ordained.
- We had 6 unique officers as Priestess, 3 of whom are ordained.
- We had 7 unique officers as Deacon, one of whom was clergy.
- We had 16 unique officers as Child, 2 of whom were new.
- We had one ordination of an officer for Deacon.
- We had 7 people take baptism.
Attendance in Second Quarter
- We had 14 celebrations of the Gnostic Mass scheduled and 14 occurred.
- Total Communions for the quarter was 183; which is an average of 13 at each Mass.
- This quarter we had 12 new people attend our celebrations; which is an average of 1 new person at each Mass.
- Largest attendance was 32 (after A.I.T.), and smallest was 4.
Compared to First Quarter
- Total Communions was 3 greater last quarter.
- Total new attendance was 13 greater last quarter.
- Total number of celebrations was 2 greater, even without counting the 1 cancelled Mass last quarter.
- Last quarter had both an Open House and the Symposium, compared to this quarter's Mass after A.I.T. and an extra guest Mass.
- Largest attendance was 39 (after Symposium), and smallest was 4.
In the Third Quarter 2008 ev
- We had 4 unique officers as Priest, all of whom are ordained (Down 2 total).
- We had 7 unique officers as Priestess, 3 of whom are ordained, 1 guest and 1 new Priestess (Up 1 total).
- We had 7 unique officers as Deacon, two of whom were clergy (Same total, one more clergy).
- We had 16 unique officers as Child, 5 of whom were new (Same total, but 3 more new).
- We had 1 person take Baptism and 4 Confirmations (Compared to 7 Baptisms last quarter).
- This quarter we had two long-time Mass officers, Sr. Mackay and Sr. MRTH, leave the valley, and one, Sr. Sophia, begin a hiatus after her 93rd Mass celebration; but, we had also a great number of new people as Child, and a brand new Priestess, Sr. Beth, is in the house!
Attendance in Third Quarter
- We had 17 celebrations of the Gnostic Mass scheduled and 17 occurred (Up 3).
- Total Communions for the quarter was 226; which is an average of 13 at each Mass (Up 43 total, same average).
- This quarter we had 33 new people attend our celebrations; which is an average of 2 new people at each Mass (Up 11 total, average up from 1 to 2).
- Largest attendance was 19 (at ROTOCAMP), and smallest was 4; compared to largest attendance in second quarter was 32 (after AIT), and smallest was 4.
- Third quarter had an Open House, an extra Mass celebrated at ROTOCAMP, the Annual Forum and one member-only Mass; compared to second quarter had AIT and an extra guest Mass team.
In the Fourth Quarter 2008 ev
- We had 5 unique officers as Priest (Up 1 total), 4 of whom are ordained.
- We had 6 unique officers as Priestess (Down 2 total), 4 of whom are ordained, 3 guests and 1 new Priestess.
- We had 5 unique officers as Deacon (Down 2 total), 3 of whom are ordained, one of whom was clergy.
- We had 13 unique officers as Child (Down 3 total), 2 of whom were new (3 less new).
- We had 2 people take Baptism and 2 Confirmations (Compared to 1 Baptism and 4 Confirmations last quarter).
- This quarter we had USGL weekend, Babalon weekend and 4/PI initiations and a Snowpocalypse. Sr. Beth had her first public Mass as Priestess this quarter!
Attendance in Fourth Quarter
- We had 14 celebrations of the Gnostic Mass scheduled and 14 occurred (Down 3).
- Total attendance for the quarter was 184; which is an average of 13 at each Mass (Down 42 total, average was the same but median was down 2 so attendance sizes were generally smaller this quarter). Our average was edging past 14, but took a hit during the last month of the quarter. BTW, I notice a similar drop in the final month of Q4 '07 even without the same Snowpocalypse.
- This quarter we had 16 new people attend our celebrations; which is an average of 1 new person at each Mass (Down 18 total, average down 1).
- Largest attendance was 35 (for USGL), and smallest was 5; compared to largest attendance in third quarter was 19 (at ROTOCAMP), and smallest was 4.
- Fourth quarter had USGL weekend, Babalon weekend and 4/PI initiations and a Snowpocalypse; compared to third quarter had an Open House, an extra Mass celebrated at ROTOCAMP, the Annual Forum and one member-only Mass.
