Note: At the summer meeting 2020 EV, the E.C. “suspended the lodge space requirement and minimum number of celebrations of the Gnostic Mass requirement until Summer 2022 EV.” At the Spring Meeting 2022 EV, the College extended his suspension of requirements to cover through December 31, 2023 EV.
At the Summer 2022 EV meeting, the Electoral College required all local bodies to update from a web presence to a website by Fall 2023 EV. Please contact tech@oto-usa.org to request a site to customize.
Financial records
Mailing address
Public website registered to a Virtual Valley email address, ideally created within the Google Workspace (request here)
Virtual Valley Workspace (provided by U.S.G.L.)
officer and administrator emails
contact email
google groups
local and regional leadership groups
member discussion group
public announcement list (optional)
shared drives
Masters’ Drive
Leadership Drive
local body calendars (optional)
public online calendar (required for participation in the Education Committee’s Public Event Calendar
public local calendar)
private member calendar
Google Meet capabilities
Mentor: All local masters are assigned a mentor.
Panelist: The National Grand Master General announced the Man of Earth Delegate Nominating Panel in April of 2012 e.v. The Electoral College strongly encourages all local bodies avail themselves of the privilege to participate in this program.
In addition, each level of local body status bears additional requirements, as detailed below.
Third Degree Master
Two First Degree members
Classes: COLMH requires Camps “to provide such membership services and activities within its local area as are appropriate to the Man of Earth Grade, and as it is capable of providing.” The EC interprets this as at least six classes, lectures, or discussion groups per year.
Masses: There is no requirement for Camps to offer celebrations of the Gnostic Mass.
Third Degree Master
Two Third Degree members
0-III initiation equipment
Mass facility: This is interpreted by the EC as necessary for the celebration of the Gnostic Mass (see below).
First Degree Deputy
First Degree Secretary
First Degree Treasurer
Classes: The COLMH states, “(Oases) should provide instruction in the form of classes and/or written material.” The EC interprets this as offering at least six classes, lectures, or discussion groups per year. Note that the same criteria is currently applied to Camps.
Masses: The COLMH states, “(Oases) should endeavor to celebrate the Gnostic Mass on a regular basis.” The EC interprets this as celebrating the Gnostic Mass at least six times per year.
Vth Degree master
Two Third Degree members
0-IV/PI initiation equipment
Mass facility: This is interpreted by the EC as a necessary criteria for the celebration of the Gnostic Mass (see below).
Initiation facility: The COLMH states, “Lodges are expected to establish, or secure the use of, a dedicated lodge facility in which to conduct local O.T.O. functions and events. Such lodge facilities should be rented, leased, owned, or otherwise controlled by the Order of the local body, and should be clearly and permanently set apart from the normal private living quarters of any lodge officer or member.” The EC interprets this to mean either 1) a dedicated, full-time facility used for no other purpose or 2) a regular by-the-day rental of a consistent commercial facility, i.e. another fraternal hall.
First Degree Deputy
First Degree Secretary
First Degree Treasurer
Classes: The COLMH Oases criteria for “instruction in the form of classes and/or written material” applies to Lodges as well. The EC interprets this to mean at least twelve classes, lectures, or discussion groups per year.
Masses: The COLMH states, “All lodges are expected to celebrate the Gnostic Mass as often as possible.” This is interpreted by the EC as at least twelve times per year.
Please note that these are minimum requirements, not ideal goals, and not suitable activities to take on the greater responsibility of an application to change the local body status level.