Ok, What Was So Stressful About Applying For 501(c) (3) Status Anyhow?
By Meagan

Over the past year, various members of the SEF board have mentioned the intensity of the work involved with becoming an IRS recognized church. Now, you'd think that incorporating in Massachusetts as a church would be all that the IRS would care about. Not so. Filing for 501(c)(3) status is not an exercise for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of time and thought to get through the process.

Neo-Pagan religions may make up one of the fastest growing sets of religions in the United States, but that doesn't mean that the IRS will automatically consider you a church if you incorporate as one. From what I can tell there are two main reasons for this. First, we're new, we're different, and many people really don't know much, if anything, about Neo-Paganism. The other is that once they recognize a group as a church, they have to take a hands-off attitude. Our founding fathers believed that the government had no right to meddle with a person's religion or lack of one. The first amendment in the Bill of Rights begins with, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...." (What can I say, I was a high school history teacher)

The fun part came when we had to answer questions like, "Describe the form of worship and attach a schedule of worship services." It took us an entire page and then some. After we sweated over the answers to our original application, writing, reviewing them, re-writing them again, we sent off our Form 1023 to the IRS.

We eventually got a letter back from the IRS examiner with 12 questions attached. Actually it was more like 40 questions, since many questions contained sub-questions. This is when, I think, we all realized that we had a long education process ahead of us. The IRS examiner you get is the luck of the draw. The examiner for the SEF had no knowledge of Neo-Paganism or Wicca. Some of the questions she asked after our initial application came from this lack of knowledge. For example, "Does your organization conduct worship services each Sunday and/or another day of the week during each week of the calendar year? Describe the worship service." We were asked this question even though we had explained the Sabbats and the moons. The SEF chose to see this as our chance to do some education and sat down to answer our additional questions with honesty and patience.

Neo-Paganism in general does not fit into a nice little niche. What we learned is that you cannot take the questions personally. Getting angry or insulted isn't going to help. Our IRS examiner was skeptical about us I believe, but she didn't reject us out of hand. She asked questions and we knew it was our job to be patient and be willing to educate her.

We were smart and had a lawyer help us. (Thanks Bob!) We also knew that any group seeking Church status must be willing and able to completely explain the entire workings of their church. When the examiner is challenging the church because (s)he doesn't understand the very different ways of Pagan practice, it helps to provide examples of other recognized religions that have different types of practice than the one(s) suggested by the examiner's question. In SEF's case, our examiner questioned our holidays. We pointed out that there are many recognized faiths who celebrate holidays in a manner much different than the Christian faiths - a point the examiner presumed by the manner in which she worded her question.

As Debbie has stated at meetings, answering the questions for the IRS had the effect of delaying some of the other projects and ideas we wanted to do. The time and energy involved made us all want to step back and breathe deeply before we forged onward to other projects.

Would I do it again? You bet I would. Working together answering the IRS questions gave me real hope for the SEF's future. Because we could come together, work hard, find the fortitude and patience as a group to do a difficult task, I saw that as good harbinger of future efforts.

Bob The Lawyer echoed my feelings about the process when he said: "Patience and fortitude were absolutely necessary to get through the process. It is not about getting a decision right away - that type of attitude will only hurt, if not completely destroy, one's chances. It is about attempting to answer completely and accurately the questions that are being asked, no matter how much detail and how onerous they get. That process, whether people in your group recognized it, was absolutely crucial to the group's health and capability to forge forward. The recognized status from the IRS is actually second to the quality of thought and purpose that you developed during the process. One should never lose track of the fact that the process often overshadows the goal because of the values and lessons learned from the process."

Copies of our original Form 1023 and subsequent questions and answers are available for those who want to read them. Just give us some time to Xerox all the stuff.

Beltaine Welcomes Summer
By Morwynna

All rejoice as Summer approaches! This was especially so in earlier times when most homes had only one room, and the only privacy available was in the Greenwood.

The Celts were predominantly pastoral people; Beltaine was the day when the cattle were put out to their summer grazing on the higher slopes. The cattle were driven through the sacred fires for purification. The sacred fire would also, it was believed, bring protection, good fortune and fertility to the people. Beltaine is the doorway between winter and summer, dating back to cultures where only two seasons defined the cycles of human lives. We encourage and enjoy human desire, and procreation of all kinds: animal, plant, human, and (especially in modern times) the creative fertility of the mind.

From another pastoral tradition we invoke the Goat-God of the Arcadian shepherds: Pan. He represents male desire and virility in this season of consummation.


Photo © Joel Mulkern
joelmulkern@attbi.com

SEF & Persephone's Midden Collaborate For a Successful Ostara Event in Boston
By Gwyddion

On Sunday, May 24th, local Alexandrian coven Persephone's Midden, in conjunction with the Society of Elder Faiths, hosted the first SEF public ritual in the Boston area. The ritual was held in the historic Arlington Street Church located right in the heart of Boston, and was quite a success. The ritual was a derivation of the traditional Spring Equinox ritual developed throughout the lineage of Persephone's Midden. It was a beautiful and moving way of welcoming Spring, and the rite also provided an auspicious new beginning for a more prominent presence of the SEF in the metropolitan Boston area. Twenty nine people attended the ritual, and the feedback that was received was very positive. Several participants noted that public rituals were a badly needed service in the Boston area, and hope was expressed that they would continue in the future. Although doing all eight of the holidays would be difficult for one coven to put on, perhaps other Boston area covens or individuals might consider hosting a public ritual in conjunction with the SEF. While the idea of hosting a public ritual may seem daunting to some, the vast experience and resources of the SEF are a helpful tool in planning a public event. Should you or your coven want to help "build a vibrant Pagan community in Massachusetts", please contact SEF at (508) 839-3457 for suggestions and help in organizing a public ritual. Part of our duty is ministry, and this is one way we can fulfill that duty.

News from our Members

Pam Getner, of Woman of Wands in South Lee, Massachusetts, has a website for her School of Wicca, Metaphysics and Herbalism. Visit her at: [http://www.geocities.com/womanofwands]

Lynda L. Warwick, Ph.D., licensed psychologist, has opened her office at 82 Marlborough St. in Boston, two blocks from Boston Common. The office has easy access from Arlington T stop, and on-street parking is available, though difficult. If you've been thinking about short or longer-term therapy, feel free to call Lynda at (978) 794-9996 x159 to discuss whether this might be the right time. Evening appointments, flexible payment arrangements, some insurance accepted.

Coffee Talk

On Sunday, April 7, the first SEF Members' Coffee Hour was held at Roger and Jennifer's house in Medway, with thirteen people in attendance, including both "old timers" and recently-joined. It can be the first of many opportunities for more of us to become acquainted as our church grows, if other members are interested and willing. If you don't have space at your home, how about a local park in your area during the good weather? Contact sef@elderfaiths.org or (508) 839-3457 if you'd like to host a social hour.

The following clergy are available through 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

SEF Messenger: The Community Newsletter of the Society of Elder Faiths
Beltaine 2002
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

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