GREENVILLE, N.C. – Heron Michelle reported on Facebook today that former Sojo Circle Coven priestess and founding treasurer, Lynn Caverly, pleaded guilty today to felony charges of embezzlement of over $2000 of the coven’s funds, starting in fiscal year(s) 2017-2018. Michelle attended in her capacity as the current treasurer for Sojo Circle Coven at the court proceedings of the State v. Lynn Caverly at Superior Court of Pitt County.
Caverly who is known within the Pagan, Witchcraft, and Druid communities of central and eastern North Carolina as Priestess Amethyst Oakenheart, accepted a plea deal supported by Sojo Circle that included deferred prosecution. The judge in the case called for two years supervised probation, restitution of the remaining money owed to Sojo Circle, plus 120 hours of community service.
If Caverly complies with the terms of her probation as well as the terms of her plea deal, the charges against her will be dropped on Dec 11, 2023. The case will remain open and if Caverly violates any of the terms of the agreement she will face a felony conviction and jail time.
According to Michelle, District Attorney Todd Amundson and the judge both commented on how Sojo Circle was being particularly compassionate and generous in their request that Caverly receives care and supervision rather than pushing for a felony conviction and jail time since the group has more than enough proof to pursue a conviction.
Amundson is quoted as saying, “I hope she appreciates that y’all are the least vindictive group we’ve ever worked with on a case like this.”
Michelle while asking the “larger community to help support Caverly along the path back to balance, right action and personal sovereignty,” also offered this warning, “I would advise our community NOT to trust her with access to your money, accounts, or any other position of responsibility in your groups.”
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Circle Sanctuary logo
BARNEVELD, Wis. – Circle Sanctuary will again be participating in the Wreaths Across America program this year. The program lists its mission statement as:
“… Remember, Honor and Teach lasts all year long, far beyond the single day in December when we coordinate wreath-laying ceremonies. All throughout the year, Wreaths Across America works in a number of ways to show our veterans and their families that we will not forget—we will never forget. Read on to see the many ways we Remember and Honor our veterans, and Teach the next generation to do the same.”
The program has been placing wreaths on the gravesites of veterans since 1992 when the Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine found itself with a surplus of wreaths towards the end of the season and decided to donate them to Arlington Cemetery in the nation’s capital.
Circle Sanctuary and Rev. Selena Fox have been participating in the program at Circle’s own green burial cemetery since.
Circle Sanctuary will hold their wreath placing ceremony this Saturday, at 11:00 am CST as part of their in-person Yule celebration.
Circle’s Yule festival will take place from 9:30 am – 5:30 pm on Saturday, December 18 at Circle Sanctuary and will include rituals, activities, and a gift exchange. Those interested in attending must register by Thursday.
Fox will also conduct a livestream workshop “Celebrating Winter Solstice,” at 2:00 pm during the Yule festival for those who are unable to attend the event in person.
She will also offer her annual multicultural Winter Solstice Celebration, Longest Night on December 20, at 7:00 pm via Circle’s YouTube channel and their community Facebook page. The event is free and viewable to the public.
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Thor’s Hammer [credit: Olof Sörling]
“We believe that this nation’s diversity is a source of strength, and we know that this country has a long way to go to achieve racial equity and justice. We look forward to working with the other supporters of the coalition on this and related projects,” the group states on their website.
The press statement also included key sections of the Cook County Resolution:
WHEREAS, the County of Cook in the State of Illinois occupies territory that many Sovereign Nations, including the Council of Three Fires: Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Odawa, as well as Ho Chunk, Miami, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Illini, and others consider a part of their historical and modern-day homelands; and
WHEREAS, the Indigenous peoples’ of the Americas who were the original inhabitants of the land, experienced broken promises, violence, deprivation, and disease due to the acts of European colonizers; and
WHEREAS, Native Americans in Cook County make up the ninth largest Urban Native community in the country, a community that continues to practice their cultural traditions, caretaking of the land and educating others about their history and contemporary challenges; and
WHEREAS, Cook County acknowledges a responsibility to support diversity, equity and inclusion in all communities and this effort must acknowledge that Indigenous peoples’ were systematically removed from their homelands, maligned for their values, and killed to provide economic opportunities to European colonizers; and…
WHEREAS, Cook County recognizes our many different cultural groups, races, ethncities as a source of strength, but many of these groups have faced prejudice, hate and violence, reconciliation to and for those groups is an important step towards healing, shared identity, and unity…
Now, therefore, Be It Resolved that Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Reconciliation Day will be the Second Monday in October, replacing Columbus Day. On this holiday Cook County government remembers the mistreatment and acts of violence against Indigenous peoples’ and other groups of oppressed people, committing to education and sustained efforts towards ending the ongoing harm and trauma caused by present-day oppressive systems…
Therefore, Be It Further Resolved that the Cook County Board of Commissioners shall establish the following.
Section 1. A Native-led working group to explore the creation of a Reconciliation process, study the meaning of reconciliation, research different models of truth and reconciliation commissions, and understand the impact that such a process might have on Cook County and its residents. The objective of reconciliation is to navigate the racial healing process by documenting and addressing the harms that have perpetuated racial disparities by implementing specific solutions with a prioritized focus on healing…
The full text of the proposed resolution as well as supporting links can be found online via Google Docs.
In other news:
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- Controversy erupted last week when an equity resource guide for teachers of the Campbell Union High School District (CUHSD) was found to include an external link to information on hexing. A google document titled, Writing Prompts on Police Brutality and Racist Violence, created by The Dark Noise Collective which identifies itself on its Facebook page as “multiracial, multi-genre (art) collective” was included in the resource guide. According to an article published by Religion News Service, the link was removed after it was the subject of an article published in the magazine, The Federalist. How or why the document was included in the equity resource guide is unclear.
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- Earlier this month a find near Plaza Garibaldi in Mexico City revealed an urn containing human ashes and suggests that it was part of an altar that included thirteen intricately decorated incense burners. The urn and altar date to roughly between 1521 and 1610 the period when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés seized control of the region from the Aztecs and the battle of Tenochtitlán. Archaeologist Mara Becerra said the inhabitants of the house would have wanted to hide the altar and remains from the Spanish conquistadors, which would explain why it was found buried nearly 13ft below the surface of the large room it was discovered in.
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- Last week a 3,500-year-old cuneiform tablet that bears a portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh was formally returned to Iraq by the United States. The artifact had been looted from an Iraqi museum 30 years ago during the 1991 Gulf War, and recently recovered as part of the case against Hobby Lobby who had the tablet on display in their Museum of the Bible in Washington. Known as the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet and valued at $1.7 million, is considered to be one of the world’s oldest surviving works of literature, as well as one of the oldest religious texts. It was discovered in 1853 as part of a 12-tablet collection in the rubble of the library of Assyrian King Assur Banipal. UNESCO officials were present during the ceremony when the tablet and other artifacts were returned to Iraqi officials.
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- Anne Rice passed away over the weekend at the age of 80. While Rice was not a Pagan, her works were often much loved by many within the Pagan and Pagan-adjacent community, as John Beckett wrote yesterday, helped to stir the cauldron of exploration into Witchcraft and other magical practices for some. Hail the Traveler!
Tonight is predicted to be the peak of the Geminids meteor shower and one of the best nights for viewing the celestial display. This footage from South Africa captured a cluster of meteors entering the atmosphere and blazing a trail across the night’s sky.
Stargazers who miss the opportunity to get outside under the stars tonight, still have more chances to possibly see some of the Geminids activity through December 17. The best time for viewing is after the moon has set. The number of meteors can number between 120 to 150 per hour during the peak of the Geminids shower.
Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Tarot Mucha, artwork by Giulia F. Massaglia, text by Lunaea Weatherstone (English versions) and Massimiliano Filadoro (other language versions), published by Lo Scarabeo.Card: Four (4) of Swords
This week could hold opportunities to end contentious situations in ways that both honor the combatants and provide enduring peace.
Conversely, ongoing strife, stress, and even old quarrels can be reignited and re-engaged. Be mindful that careless words can stir up past conflicts and complicate the way forward.
Decks generously provided by Asheville Pagan Supply.
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