Local Membership

Membership at the local level brings with it both a set of Entitlements and a set of Responsibilities.

Membership in the Knights Templar Oasis involves making a pledge to support the local body. By filling out the pledge and fulfilling that pledge one maintains the status of member in good standing. A pledge is a tool for the officers to track the status of its members and develop a workable budget. Pledges can be adjusted at anytime by submitting a new pledge form to the Treasurer.

Pledges are the single most important tool for planning and budgeting. Therefore maintaining one’s pledge will be the single most important criteria for maintaining membership. A pledge is simply a commitment one makes to support something they choose to be a part of: the amount of the pledge is secondary to fulfilling your pledge.

Categories of Affiliation and Membership

USGL Member in Good Standing

An active Initiate of the O.T.O. who chooses to pay dues to and claim membership within an Oasis or Lodge. Any Member in Good Standing is able to attend events at Knights Templar Oasis as if a local member.

Local Member in Good Standing

An active member in the O.T.O. who has chosen to pay dues to and claim membership in the Knights Templar Oasis. Initiates may choose to pledge dues to multiple bodies, but must choose one Oasis or Lodge to have their membership with.

Local Affiliate

An O.T.O. Initiate who maintains membership with another Oasis or Lodge who has chosen to pledge dues and claim affiliation with the Knights Templar Oasis or a member of the E.G.C. Laity who has chosen to pledge dues and claim affiliation.

Local Dues

The base rate of I°+ membership dues is $50, monthly. The base rate of Minerval membership, lay membership, or affiliation is $20, monthly.

Those experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to make other arrangements with the Treasurer. No one is asked to pay outside their means. All are welcome to donate additionally, at any level.

These pledges are used to support the Temple and to help pay for Gnostic Masses, Thelemic Holidays, Initiations, and equipment used therein.

Local entitlements

All active members are entitled but not limited to the following:

  • Attend all classes and Gnostics Masses for free. If you bring a friend, their first class is free as well! Also most special events are at least discounted.
  • Members will receive a free copy of the Lifted Lance, either by mail or in person.
  • You have access to the Knights Templar Oasis’s growing library, the Warburg Archive, and O.T.O. Archives on microfilm.
  • Pledged members will be included in our distribution list. This will keep you up to date on all the happenings at the Temple for classes, special events, as well as personal emails from the Master.
  • Members have a say in what the Oasis does, by attending business meetings. Yes, all active members are highly encouraged to attend our periodic meetings and have a voice in how the Knights Templar Oasis is run. SPEAK UP! This is your local body, where do you want to see it go? Should we do more classes, more masses, more fundraising, lower dues? SPEAK UP! The Oasis will be as great as YOU want it to be!
  • As a member you can sponsor an event! Would you like to see more classes or special events in some specific area? Then by all means, sponsor that event! Simply get Officer Approval and manifest your vision in the Temple.
  • As a member you can apply for Officer and Coordinator positions! Only members in good standing of the First Degree are allowed to hold positions within Knights Templar Oasis. If all positions are currently held, apply anyway, get yourself in line. If you still see a need in an area uncovered, write up a job description, come to the next officers meeting and request the job!
  • Use the temple for your private work; simply coordinate a time you would like to use your space.

Local Responsibilites

Along with the entitlements, membership brings some responsibilities; these responsibilities should not be considered burdens, rather they are natural consequences of privilege.

  • Honesty: In order to maintain a community space for performing our rituals, we need to ensure our financial viability, to that end we ask that you deliver on that to which you commit. Whatever pledge amount you arrange with the Treasurer is expected to be maintained. Please do what you can to ensure you follow through on your commitments.
  • Activity: We expect that members will attend the bi-annual business meetings and offer input and suggestions that would mold the Knights Templar Oasis into the community that its member’s desire. To that end, having a voice is important and we strongly encourage the sharing of your ideas.
  • Fraternity: We expect that all members treat each other with respect and dignity, there is no requirement or need to get along, but civility is mandatory. If you find yourself having a personal problem with any other member please use the Path of Mediation to resolve your situation.
  • Cleanliness: We expect that each member clean up after themselves after functions, our temple is a sacred space, and we owe it to ourselves to keep it clean.
  • Awareness: We expect all members to be familiar with all posted policies of the O.T.O. and Knights Templar Oasis (Minerval Guide, Local Body Policies, etc). Membership is a choice and to that end we should consider how our personal acts reflect on the group as a whole.