Autumn 2003
Lammas Games Cook in Hopkinton!
by Jennifer
After some uncertain weather on Sunday, August
10, the twelfth (?) annual Lammas Games were enacted at a new site for the SEF, the
MetroWest YMCA Camp in Hopkinton, MA. Around sixty participants, adults and children,
offered up their sweat and sportsmanship to Lugh, the Celtic God of All Skills, on
a sizeable playing field in the scorching sunshine. The ample dimensions of the site
proved both a blessing and a challenge, and we ended up congregating as close to
the shady grove of trees as possible. After the opening ritual, games played this year
included the Priestess's Cat, Celtic Croquet, sack races and the Pagan Partners'
Piggyback, the Drag Races for men and women, and several new games. We were able to
book a lifeguard so that people could use the Y's swimming pool, and from what I hear
it was a welcome relief from the heat. Since space was available, we were also able to
re-establish an Arts & Crafts display.Thank you to everyone who came and helped us
continue the Lammas Games tradition by participating. You helped us road-test the site,
several new games, and the Arts & Crafts show. With all the feedback we've received
so far, we have some improvements in mind for the future. We hope you'll come back
next year, and bring more friends and family.
Thank you also to those who made cash
donations to help the SEF keep its programs going; and last but not least, we could
not have provided the Games without the generous help of many volunteers who helped
with donating and bringing supplies and equipment to the site, set-up and clean-up,
signage, and more. Those I know by name were: Ann, Cameron, Charlene, Debbie,
Donna S, Elizabeth, Jen, Jim, Lori, Marin, Morwynna, Peg, Roger, and Shawn.
Photos courtesy of Michele and Peter. Above left, Lammas Games players (including Laura,
David, Bob, and Peter) vie for the coveted Celtic Croquet Title. At right, contestants
for the Women’s Drag Race (including Lori, Jenna, and Jennifer). #2 (Jenna) was the
winner!
If you live in western or central Massachusetts, circle October 5th on your calendar!
That’s the day the Pioneer Valley Network of Pagans will be holding its 4th annual
Pagan Pride Day at beautiful Strathmore Park in Russell. From 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.,
come join your fellow Pagans in a celebration of Unity and Community in a beautiful
outdoor setting, complete with vendors, workshops, book signings, a ritual and more!
This year, we are pleased to announce that we will be joined by Pagan author Patricia
Telesco, who will be holding a workshop and signing copies of her books. Trish is
joining us courtesy of Gayle’s Thyme in Enfield, CT, who will be hosting their annual
Fall Festival that same weekend. In addition, we will be graced with the presence of
several local authors, including Morven Westfield, Tamarin Laurel, Ellen Evert Hopman,
Tanin Schwatzstein, and Lauren Grover. We are welcoming back musician Scott Helland for
the third time, and we’ll also be entertained by the Asphodel Choir. Members of the
Society of Elder Faiths will be participating in the intrafaith panel, and distributing
our fine glossy literature.There will be many Pagan vendors setting up their wares, so
here’s your chance to support local Pagan businesses while picking up some great magickal
items! Admission to the event is free, but we do ask that you bring a non-perishable
food donation for the Western MA Food Bank, or crocheted items or yarn for the Hearthfire
Guild, plus a dish for the potluck. We will also be holding a cooking contest, complete
with prizes! Bring your best apple dish, be creative! There will also be a raffle, with
prizes donated by the participating vendors, to help cover the cost of renting the park
for the day. For more information, including directions, see the Pagan Pride Day website
at http://www.sismoon.com/paganpride.htm. If you have any questions, you can email us at
paganpride@sismoon.com. We hope to see you there!
Samhain -- October 31st, Halloween,
November Eve, Summer's End, the Feast of the Dead, the time when the Veil between the
Worlds is thin. This is one of the Major Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year, and certainly
the one most clearly associated with Witches and Witchcraft. In reality, Samhain is not
just a single day, but a Season -- a time of remembrance, a period of repose.
At Samhain we pause for a bit, and we take stock. For Neo-Pagans, Samhain is both
joyful and somber. This is a time to deal honestly with Death, a chance for each of us
to face the inevitable end of Life. Yet it is also a time to celebrate.
Traditionally it's said that the Veil between the Worlds is thinnest at Samhain.
So at this time we reach to the Beloved Dead through that Veil, to remember them,
commune with them and honor them. In this way we celebrate Death as the culmination of
Life.This year, the SEF offers a wide variety of events for preparation and observance of
Samhain! First, two very different events on Sunday October 19 for those getting ready to
celebrate the season. At the Brigham Hill Community Farm in Grafton, the new
Crafty-Crafts series kicks off with an Ancestor Ale Brewing Workshop, from 1 - 4
PM. Learn traditional brewing techniques, explore the history of ritual libation
pouring, and leave the class with three bottles of Ancestor's Ale, suitable for serving
to your Beloved Dead at All Hallows. To pre-register, send $20.00 to: Society of Elder
Faiths, PO Box 30, Marlborough MA 01752. A $5.00 materials fee can be paid in cash on
the day of the workshop. Also on Sunday October 19, at the Taproot Bookstore in
Worcester, Morwynna and Seth will lead a seasonal workshop called
Celebrating Samhain: the Coming of Winter from 2 - 4:30 PM. Designed for newcomers
and seasoned worshippers alike, the workshop covers Samhain’s origins, related practices
of other paths, surviving folkloric customs, and personal work with the Sabbat energies.
We’ll have a presentation on the history of incense offertory and making incense, and
finish with a guided meditation on the inner and outer transformations of the season.
Then on Saturday, October 25, join us for Journey into Darkness: a Samhain Circle and
Celebration at the Barn in Grafton! Gathering time is 6:00 PM. This is the first
in our new series of large community observances in honor of the four Major Sabbats.
The suggested donation will be on a sliding scale from $10 - $15. Please bring a
fully-prepared dish to share at the Feast following the ritual! Note that this event
is a serious Samhain working, so come prepared for physical and spiritual travel through
uneven terrain. Finally, when the Samhain season is over and winter begins to set in,
the Grove of the Mists Coven will once again be hosting our annual Fallow Time Social
on Saturday November 15 from 6 - 9 PM at the covenstead in Marlborough. The “Fallow Time”
refers to the season after Samhain and before Yule, when harvest work was completed for
the year and more time was available for rest, introspection, planning, and just
catching up with folk; how we survived the past year, and our plans for next year.
Bring snacks to share! For directions, email news@elderfaiths.org.
On Friday, July 25, 2003, Janus and I led a SEF-sponsored open Lammas ritual at Taproot Bookstore
in Worcester. Several guests turned out – some familiar faces, and one new person accompanied
by my old friend, Bran. We honoured the Sun and acknowledged the God having some into the Grain:
“Oh Ancient and Abundant One, God of the Harvest, Friend and Helper of All Living Creatures,
Crowned with the Mighty Horns of Power . . .” We considered what cluttered our lives (our “weeds”) and also contemplated our bounty for the year (our “harvests”). We achieved a major trance vibe while chanting during the processional portion of the rite. Finally, while sitting in a circle, we shared experiences over rustic bread and grape juice. All who attended and presided over the ritual had a meaningful and enjoyable time.
It's easy to turn junk mail and other discarded paper into handcrafted paper using only a blender and a few other common kitchen supplies. No chemicals, no cooking, no fumes! In this class we will spend the first few hours learning to make handcrafted paper. In the second half of the class we will discuss and demonstrate ways to use handmade paper in your spellwork, and to create special items for gifts or magickal work. Cost for the workshop is $40.00 ($20.00 course fee, payable to the SEF and a $20.00 materials fee, payable to the instructor.) Please bring a newspaper and a bath towel to the class; all other supplies will be provided.Pre-registration is required, and the class is limited to 10 participants. To pre-register, send $20.00 to: Society of Elder Faiths, PO Box 30, Marlborough MA 01752. The $20.00 materials fee can be paid in cash on the day of the workshop. This workshop will be held in at Brigham Hill Community Farm in Grafton. For directions to the farm online, please see
The following clergy are available through the Society of Elder Faiths:
SEF Messenger: The Community Newsletter of the Society of Elder Faiths
A licensed Wiccan Elder, with ministerial credentials from the Covenant of the Goddess and the Society of Elder Faiths (SEF), authorized to perform legal weddings and handfastings. Also available for other religious services and Rites of Passage. Debbie Fields-Berry P.O. Box 335, B.U. Station Boston MA 02215 dberry@bu.edu 508 839-3457
I hold legal credentials through the Covenant of the Goddess and am ordained though the Society of Elder Faiths. I am willing to travel within New England and will work with people of any Neo-Pagan tradition or non-Pagans with an earth centered focus. I require an initial face to face meeting with a couple at least 2 months before a wedding. I have also performed Wiccanings and am available for other rites of passage. Peg P.O. Box 485 Upton, MA 01568-0485 meagan@control.com 508 839-3457
Autumn 2003
Editor : Jennifer
Staff: Morwynna
© 2003 Society of Elder Faiths
SEF Members may submit news to:
news@elderfaiths.org
;
or
PO Box 30, Marlboro, MA 01752;
or
508 839-3457