Offices and Titles within Asphodel

Asphodel is a fairly structured organization, and even long time members may be unfamiliar with all of the official positions. We hope that this document helps both members and outsiders understand how Asphodel is run.

General Membership

Members of Asphodel are those who have officially requested membership and had it granted. Membership is generally granted to anyone who has attended three official Asphodel events, and is at least 18 years of age (or 14 with permission of parent or guardian). Non-Asphodel classes and events held at Cauldron Farm do not count towards this number, nor do events attended before the age of 14. Asphodel sponsored classes held at Cauldron Farm or the home of one of our members generally count, but those held at other locations generally do not. Members may vote on Church policy at any Meeting of the General Membership, and are represented in the Asphodel Church Council by the Representative of the General Membership (also known as the Head of the House of Commons). Members are sometimes referred to as "citizens" or "subjects" of Asphodel.

There is no membership fee or dues. Membership is not required to attend general events, nor are members required to attend any events or participate in any way. Attending any number of events does not obligate you to become a member. Membership is required to hold office within Asphodel, and may be required to participate in the activities of some sub-groups. Non-members who attend events are sometimes referred to as "outlanders". "Honored outlanders" are non-members who are active participants in any group or activity within Asphodel. Officially, that is interpreted as at least three events in the past five years, but in practice it is an informal designation.

Membership may be revoked or denied to anyone who has demonstrated their inability or unwillingness to comply with basic rules of polite and responsible conduct. The Asphodel Council will hear cases of this nature, as well as mediate any reasonable disputes between members, at their request.

Administration

Asphodel is run by Raven Kaldera. He is the legal Head of Church, as well as King of Asphodel. You can learn more about why he has the title of "King" by reading his essay "Things I've Learned About The Sacred Kingship Path." Asphodel strives for honorable and accountable leadership in all circumstances, but is not run on consensus or democracy. The Church Council, lead by Raven, is the central decision-making body of Asphodel. Membership in the Council is by appointment, and the Council currently consists of Raven, Tannin (Head of the KOB), Vinnie (Treasurer), Jess R. (Head of Embassy Corps), Corwin (Head of the House of Lords), Fireheart (Representative of Tashlin), and Brenda (Head of the House of Commons). As Clerk, Joshua attends Council meetings, but does not vote. Anyone may ask to attend a Council Meeting, but only Council Members may actively participate. The Council may insist spectators temporarily leave the room while sensitive issues are discussed, in order to protect the privacy of those involved. If any member of Asphodel has an issue they would like to bring before the Council, they are asked make this request before the meeting, not after it has begun.

The Heads of Houses and Orders (sometimes referred to as Chatelaines) within Asphodel are:

• Members of the Brigantian Council, which consists of the official (not acting) Heads of each of the Orders of the College of Brigantia, our religious educational organization. By the unanimous decision of its members and the approval of the King, Deanship of Brigantia will now be rotated evenly among the members of the Brigantian Council.
• The Head of the House of Commons, also called the Speaker of the House of Commons, or the Representative of the General Membership. This officer speaks on behalf of the common members at the Asphodel Council. This position is held by Brenda.
• Corwin, Head of the House of Lords, also called the Representative of Elders. This officer speaks on behalf of those members who have been granted patents of nobility, whose conduct is held to a higher standard than that of the general membership.
• Natalie, Senior Armsmistress of the Orders of Masters of Arms, our pagan martial arts group. (Senior Member, not a Chatelaine)
• Tannin, Senior Knight of the Knightly Order of Blutwasser, our community service organization. (Senior Member, not a Chatelaine)
• Jess R, Head of the Embassy Corp, our outreach organization.
• The Head of the Order of the Horae, our newly formed group for the study of monasticism within a pagan worldview. The position is currently vacant, and is anticipated to remain vacant for some time, but Joshua has taken on some of the duties.

Nobility

Raven's wife, Bella Kaldera is Queen, his "little" brother Corwin is Prince, and his daughter Jess R. is in every way a Princess. As royalty, they each have a variety of ceremonial functions, and are charged with embodying the sacred archetype of their role. In addition, the King and Queen have invested a number of individuals with a patent of nobility for great service and consistently noble behavior. No distinction in rank is made between the nobles, and the titles vary from one person to the next. Knights, those who have completed the course of training in the Order of Blutwasser, are considered minor nobility. In some of our paperwork, nobles are listed as church elders.

Priests & Ministers

There are no particular qualifications required to lead ritual in Asphodel, other than the skill and willingness to pull it off. We do not have a special group of individuals who lead all our rituals, and we encourage all members to volunteer to run holiday rituals if they feel called to do so.

The roles of a priest or priestess in Asphodel are formally defined only in reference to a specified path, the service of one or more specified deities, or running a specific ritual space. There is no generalized all-purpose priest of priestess role, only specific ones. (We don't have High Priests/Priestesses, as in Wicca.) Being a priest or priestess is a matter of having a personal calling to serve the divine in a particular way, and thus needs no formal recognition. Being the Priest or Priestess for a ritual doesn't require you take on any kind of long term commitment or title. That said, if someone wishes to have their role as "Priest/Priestess of _________" formally recognized within Asphodel they may do so by completing a year-long course of study, largely of their own design but approved by the church council, and agreeing to create and run at least one group ritual per year.

A minister is someone officially ordained through Asphodel, and who has specific duties to the church and the congregation, not just to the divine. It is a position both of service and leadership. A minister is expected to provide basic pastoral counseling, teach the fundamentals of Asphodelian theology and worship, fulfill basic administrative duties, and officiate seasonal rituals and rites of passage such as weddings, funerals, births, coming of age, etc. Getting a Degree in Ministry from the College of Brigantia is part of the ordination process, but ministry candidates must also demonstrate a genuine calling to ministry, a commitment to the people of Asphodel, and devout belief in our spiritual tenets to receive ordination.

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