The kelvin is a unit of measure for temperature based upon an absolute scale. It is one of the seven base units in the International System of Units and is assigned the unit symbol K. The Kelvin scale is named after the Belfast-born, Glasgow University engineer and physicist William Lord Kelvin (1824–1907), who wrote of the need for an “absolute thermometric scale.” Here is what Lord Kelvin scripted about the importance of measurement that are found in his journal and are often misquoted: “I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely, in your thoughts, advanced to the stage of science, whatever the matter may be.” These words from a man of science have been applied to numerous other areas of life. An example would be a business venture. For the sake of survival and prosperity, a wise business owner measures profits and losses.
FEAR OF MEASUREMENT
Despite the wisdom of measuring progress, I’ve often struggled with acknowledging the measurement of a venture. The fear of seeing low numbers, like profit, and high numbers, like expense drove me into several states of obsession and depression. There were mountain top experiences when the numbers looked good, and then there was the crushing emotional impact of dismal outcomes. There is an old chestnut of wisdom that states it usually isn’t a good practice to lie to others, and always a bad practice to lie to yourself. For instance, you can measure a venture and later justify the outcome with values of your own making. Numbers can create a false sense of truth. I’m fond of this observation and perspective from Mark Twain, “Lies, damned lies, and statistics.” I’ve cultivated a sense of fear of measurements whenever looking at past and present ventures. Recently, Spirit directed me to this passage from Ernest Holmes, and my fear has been banished: “When the subjective state of our thought receives its images from Reality, it, in turn, reflects this Reality into all that we do. Gradually, as this process takes place, the outer man becomes changed, and as his concepts become enlarged, so his conditions and physique take on a newness of life. And this change in the outer is brought about by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God—being the One and Only Presence in the Universe—brings about events and re-molds conditions after Its own likeness.” The concept that the Kingdom of God is within and outside and is Reality-and-that looking at measurement of what I’m thinking subjectively and manifesting outwardly are images of Spirit working and is all good and has newness of life-WOW! This liberated my fear of viewer ratings and made it possible to look at USBN server-host statistics.
EYEBALLING USBN MEASUREMENT
I have reviewed the statistics from our host website regarding activity with videos that have been posted since January 1, 2016. Basically, statistics indicate that we have increased viewership by 43.75% since 2015. The numbers are modest, however, it is encouraging that viewership is up. If the trend continues, it is possible that our viewership may rise by 100% by the end of the year. Praise God! This summer Spirit has blessed us with many fine opportunities to produce new programming as well as continuing with projects that were started last spring. “YouTube Gospel Platform Express” continues its uphill evolution and regular viewers are beginning to develop. Viewer tallies of our “Fine Arts Channel” of concerts at the world famous “Spreckels Organ Pavilion” at Balboa Park were very popular. These music videos included the United States Marine Band, and tributes to David Bowie and Prince performed on the world’s largest outdoor pipe organ. Our recent meditation video, “Merton Antiphon One” has set a new ratings record in USBN history.
FUTURE MEASUREMENT
The upcoming Advent season has promise for increased viewers. We will feature a daily series, “Electronic Advent Video Calendar” with an Advent reading and short video clip of music and/or classic movie or television. And I am delighted to report you that we will be resurrecting the USBN Worship Channel with new programming in Liturgy. USBN is making a full circle back to where we were in 2013 when we were working with the Arizona Association of Independent Catholic Clergy with monthly Liturgy productions. Beginning September 11, 2016, the Right Rev. Gregory Godsey, and the Very Rev. Kenneth Nelan will begin feeding our Worship Channel with their weekly Liturgy production, “MyOCCI Live.” The Right Reverend Mark Elliott Newman, Presiding Bishop of my jurisdiction states that the USBN broadcast of MyOCCI Live, “Underscores the ecumenical orientation of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch.”
EXPERIENCE THE MEASUREMENT
We ask for your continued prayers of support for USBN. If you haven’t seen any our programs, I invite you to visit our website or follow us on Facebook. Experience what is happening with our progressive Catholic spirituality and community by viewing one of our videos. It is a blessing and joy to engage and share with OCCI our broadcast ministries. Our shared “radical” ideas of openness, inclusivity and interfaith community are our ideas and gifts sent and given to us from Spirit. Through our broadcast ministries, Spirit will continue blessing us for sharing these gifts and experiences through Internet broadcasting. Ernest Holmes movingly wrote, “To each is given what he needs and the gifts of heaven come alike to all. How we shall use these gifts is all that matters! We need spiritual experience, a first-hand knowledge of life and Reality. There is no medium between God and man, nothing between life and living, between heaven and hell, but an idea. But an idea has no real value until it becomes an experience.”
