Our People
Many, many dedicated people support the Temple through donations of their time and energy, as well as giving their financial support. People volunteer their time as Temple Melissas, holding the Temple open each day to the public, offering their skills in service to the Temple as Priestesses, Priests, ceremonialists, healers, teachers, gardeners, candle-makers, musicians, poets and singers.
The Temple also has employees who hold specific positions of responsibility within the organisation.
At the heart of our Temple are our Priestesses and Priests of Avalon, those who have dedicated their lives in service to Goddess and the Lady of Avalon who is Her expression here on this sacred Isle. Priestesses and Priests of Avalon and those in training are our Temple ceremonialists, performing sacred ceremony in the Temple and Goddess House, and may also take on many other roles including as Temple weavers and Melissas.
The legal directors of the Goddess Temple, and the Temple secretary, are a circle of Priest/esses of Avalon who have all committed to greater responsibility in the Temple’s future. They direct the Temple vision and are responsible for the financial and management structures in place for the Temple. They are supported by the staff members in the Temple office, as well as the wider Temple community.
The Temple office is located in the Glastonbury Experience Courtyard and is open most weekdays. The office staff oversee the day-to-day running of all Temple activities, organise all of the room bookings in Temple venues, coordinate the online presence of the Temple, and support the Creative Directors in furthering the Temple’s work.
Temple Weavers are a group of volunteers that meet bi-weekly to discuss the day-to-day running of the Temple, and who make collective decisions regarding the spiritual direction of the Temple’s work. Temple directors and staff members attend these meetings, that are open to all members of the Temple community to attend.
Melissa is a Greek word meaning “worker bee”. The Goddess Temple is open every day of the year to the general public, thanks to our Melissas, who regularly volunteer their time to keep our beautiful Temple open. Melissas receive special training from the Temple Melissa Mother, Anna-Saqqara Price, to enable them to hold sacred space in the Temple.
Certain individuals hold voluntary roles of responsibility in the Temple community. We are very grateful to them for their support and creative gifts.
Katie Player makes beautiful candles for the Temple and Hall.
June Somerville arranges lovely flowers for the Temple and Hall and also helps care for our lovely gardens.
Stephanie Jones makes our fantastic Temple incense blends that are for sale in the Goddess Temple and in the Goddess House.
Trevor Nuthall cares for the beautiful gardens in the House and Hall. We’d also like to thank Dancan Howell for all his help with the garden in the past.
The wider collective of the Temple community includes many Goddess-loving people who live in Glastonbury and support the Temple’s work, as well as Priestesses and Priests who have been through Temple trainings and live further afield than Glastonbury, and are sharing the love of Goddess around the world.
Madrons are those individuals who generously donate monthly to the Temple. Goddess Temple Madrons are crucial to the continuation of the Temple’s work. Every year, Madrons are invited to the Madron day in Glastonbury, a day of talks, workshops and performances in gratitude for all that they give to the Temple.