Pagan Community Notes: Florida Pagan Gathering, Cherry Hill Seminary, JaguarMoon coven, and more

FLORIDA —  Florida Pagan Gathering has been rescheduled again and will be held during the original dates, Nov. 7-11. As previously reported, the Florida board of directors of the Temple of Earth Gatherings had moved the dates of their popular Samhain Florida Pagan Gathering to Oct. 31 through Nov. 4 due to an unexpected need to relocate the festival.

Pagan Community Notes: Florida Pagan Alliance, Ásatrú Ibérica, Global Wicca Conference and more

FLORIDA — The Florida Pagan Alliance president has removed Florida Pagan Gathering and its host organization the Temple of Earth Gatherings from its community initiative roster. Alliance president Michele Webster wrote, “It is our determination, based solely upon facts, that Temple of Earth Gathering/Florida Pagan Gathering is in direct violation of the community not competition initiative,” created by the alliance members in 2017 unify “the community, both Pagan and non-Pagan,” and foster ways to “to work together towards common goals.” Organizational leaders sign on and agree to certain terms.

The alliance board reportedly discovered that, while the FPG organizers had signed the initiative, they had not complied. One reason cited was the changing of the dates of the organization’s big Samhain event, which now conflicts with other local events. The location of the Samhain celebration was recently changed, according to the TEG board, due to construction at the old site; this shift required a date change as the new location was booked up.

Pagan Community Notes: Martin Luther King Jr., Isaac Herrera, Wicked Grounds, and more

UNITED STATES —  On this day each year, the U.S. honors Martin Luther King Jr. Public schools, government offices, and many businesses are closed in order to recognize his work and sacrifice, as well as the staggering influence that his message has had on American society. Many Pagans, Heathens and polytheists across the country participate in local activities, both small and large, and privately in ritual to recognize Dr. King and his influence. In honor of this day, we publish these timeless words written by King in 1963 in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, which has since become the focal point of an artist’s 2018 meme: “I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.