Cherry Hill Spring Commencement
COLUMBIA, South Carolina — Cherry Hill Seminary honored eleven new graduates on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Spring Commencement.
Selina Rifkin received her Master of Divinity in Ministry, Advocacy, and Leadership. Selina began her Seminary journey in 2008, took a several-year break, and then returned to complete the degree. Her thesis is entitled, “Seeking alternative religion: Leaving the culturally dominant religion for a Pagan, earth-based practice.”
Board of Directors member Vanessa Hurst announced Meagan Fischer and Skyelar Peterson have received their Community Ministry Certificate (CMC). She also recognized Gabriel “Cap” Nix, an outstanding student who died this spring while working towards his CMC. Nix’s family and friends were present as Hurst shared about Cap’s talent and enthusiasm for serving others.
Rev. Amy Beltaine recognized four individuals who have received their Spiritual Direction Certificate: Brenda Cole, Tamara Van Jacobs, Lawrence Lerner, and Matthew Ricke. The certification is earned through two years of immersive learning and praxis. To date, twenty-one students have earned their Spiritual Direction Certificate.
Professor Diane Cacciato presented the Writing as a Spiritual Practice Certificate to Mena Strong, Christopher Rothbauer, Diane Sontum, and (posthumously) Linda Slack, CoG. A collection of the class members’ writings (including Slack’s) will be published this year as Hypatia Dreaming: Volume II.
Keynote speaker Robert Patrick, PhD, noted in his remarks that we have “good trouble and good magic to work in this world . . . in this moment of human history, that is calling forth in this spot a powerful presence, the will to take up the challenges of change, and courageous imagination.”
Holli Emore, Executive Director, closed with an admonition to the graduates: “In such uncertain times, there is a critical need for those trained to weave connection and bring forth healing. All of us present charge each of our graduates to tend your light carefully, and to shine it fearlessly for those who might look to you.”
Congratulations!
The National Secular Society (NSS) has urged members of Kent County Council to reject proposals to begin council meetings with the Lord’s Prayer, warning that the move could deepen social and religious divisions. The NSS is a UK-based advocacy organization that promotes secularism, equal treatment regardless of religion or belief, and the separation of religion from government institutions. Founded in 1866, the organization campaigns for freedom of thought, inclusive public policy, and a society in which individuals are neither privileged nor disadvantaged because of their religious or non-religious beliefs.
The debate emerged after a council committee voted to consider introducing Christian prayers before formal meetings under the county’s Reform UK-led administration.
The NSS argued that prayers at council meetings would be “inherently exclusionary” and inappropriate in a county where fewer than half of residents identify as Christian. In a letter sent to councillors, the organization said the proposal risked alienating non-Christian residents and people with no religious affiliation at a time when social cohesion is increasingly important.
Opposition to the proposal crossed party lines. Conservative councillor Andrew Kennedy stated that he was elected to represent constituents rather than religion, while Green and Liberal Democrat councillors argued that local government should remain secular and inclusive of all beliefs. Some councillors also raised concerns about privacy and legal issues tied to broadcasting prayers during livestreamed meetings, potentially revealing individuals’ religious beliefs.
Supporters of the measure, including Reform UK councillors, defended the proposal by asserting that Britain is historically a Christian nation and noting that other councils permit prayers before meetings. The matter will now move to a future full council vote.
For the seventh year, Thor’s Oak Kindred has a team walking in the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate. We invite you to join us or donate to the fundraiser.
Founded in 2016, Thor’s Oak Kindred is a diverse organization dedicated to the practice of the Ásatrú religion in Chicago. Our members are kindred by choice, and we stand against all discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender, orientation, identity, origin, ancestry, age, or ability.
With the poison of white nationalism spreading worldwide and using Ásatrú as a propaganda vehicle, it is no longer enough to issue declarations and denunciations. We must join with other people of positive intent, push back on resurgent hate, and promote productive change.
On June 21 in Evanston, the YWCA hosts the 27th annual event in memory of Ricky Byrdsong, the Northwestern basketball coach murdered by a white supremacist in 1999 while walking with his young children. The shooter also wounded six Orthodox Jews, killed a Korean-American graduate student, and wounded an African-American minister before taking his own life.
All proceeds are used to further the YWCA’s mission regarding racial justice and violence prevention via programs that assist children to challenge their own prejudices and foster healthy, violence-free relationships among their peers; support teenagers in examining their own relationships and practicing constructive ways to handle conflict and differences; and encourage adults to engage in constructive dialogue, interactive activities, and meaningful action related to racial justice.
Help make a real difference in the real world. Register today and join us on the walk. If you don’t live in the area, you can donate – any amount is appreciated! Sign up to join our walking team or donate by clicking here.
Learn more about Thor’s Oak Kindred at https://www.thorsoak.info/ and about Ásatrú at https://www.thorsoak.info/p/asatru.html
Crossing of the Veil
What is remembered lives.
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Announcements
Cherry Hill Seminary Publishing Announces New Book
Cherry Hill Seminary Publishing has released The Four Talismans: Devotion, Initiation, and Magic by longtime professor Robert Patrick, PhD, MDiv.
Patrick says, “The Four Talismans: Devotion, Initiation, and Magic arose out of my ongoing conversation with a story–and not eve
n a complete story. It is a piece of a story that spoke to me and would not stop talking.
“I explore how the story of the Tuatha De Danann prepared themselves with the magic they needed to accomplish what they were destined to do as the gods and goddesses of ancient Ireland,” Patrick writes. “I found that they have become for me a paradigm for my own spiritual path, and I think they might call to others and their paths as well. The Four Talismans offers this invitation: come and see what magic might be stirred up in you.”
Residing in Lawrenceville, GA, a suburb of Atlanta, Patrick holds a BA in Biblical Literature from Oral Roberts University, a Masters of Divinity from Emory University, and a PhD in Latin and Roman Studies from the University of Florida. His dissertation focused on the presence of sacred groves in the Metamorphoses of Ovid as nonlinear events, and he has a continuing interest in sacred groves in surrounding European and Near Eastern cultures, particularly Celtic cultures.
An active member of the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett, he co-founded both the Oak Grove CUUPS and the Druid Order of Three Realms whose mother Grove, Sylvan Sanctuary, meets at UUCG.
His religious and spiritual path is labyrinthine, including ministry in the United Methodist Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and for the last twenty years, Druidry and Unitarian Universalism.
Saturday, May 9, Patrick delivered the keynote address at the Cherry Hill Seminary Commencement, “Presence, Change and Imagination: The Possibilities.” Guests are welcome (register for Zoom link). He will also sign books at a CHS reception at Mystic South conference in Atlanta, from 6-8 PM on Thursday, July 16, then present a seminar in the CHS suite called “The Power of Story: Devotion, Initiation and Magic” (same conference, date to be determined).
Cherry Hill Seminary Publishing assists authors writing on a diverse range of topics, from scholarly explorations to practical guides, all centered on Paganism, Nature-based spirituality, chaplaincy, and community service.
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Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: The Ukrainian Tarot: Flower of the Magic Fern, by Tania Andrushko, published by REDFeather Mind, Body, Spirit, an imprint of Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.
Card: Five (5) of Fire
The incoming week has the potential to be forged in fire, or include the essence of a trial by fire, as it were. There are likely to be challenges and obstacles this week, but remembering that every crisis can also offer an opportunity if one is able to shift their perspective. While it can be difficult, the ability to recognize conflict and disagreement as offering an opening for expansion and growth can be key to overcoming obstacles and really can be a gift in the end.
In contrast, avoidance of conflict or refusing to address challenges that present themselves is less likely to provide a desirable resolution. Internal turmoil may also result in being the flashpoint that inspires digging deeper into what beliefs and ideas are held and why. Again, the ability to embrace difficulties and see them as blessings can help pave the way to a more bountiful future and path forward.
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Birds and Gardens!
Sir David Attenborough receiving the Landscape Institute Medal for Lifetime Achievement and becoming an Honorary Fellow of the Landscape Institute in 2019. Photo Credit: Nick.Thirteen CCA-SA 4.0
British naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough celebrated his 100th birthday on May 8, marking a century of life devoted to bringing the wonders of the natural world into homes across the globe. Widely known as the calm and compelling “voice of nature,” Attenborough’s career has spanned more than seven decades and transformed wildlife filmmaking into a powerful tool for education and environmental advocacy.
Born in 1926, Attenborough joined the BBC in the early 1950s and eventually became one of the most recognized figures in television history.
Through landmark series such as Life on Earth, The Blue Planet, and Planet Earth, he introduced audiences to remote ecosystems, rare species, and our planet’s fragile beauty. His documentaries pioneered new filming techniques and inspired generations of scientists, conservationists, and nature lovers.
Tributes poured in from around the world to honor his milestone birthday. The BBC marked the occasion with special programming and a celebratory event at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Environmental leaders, public figures, and broadcasters praised Attenborough not only for his storytelling but also for his growing advocacy on climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution.
Among the celebrations, children from Thomas Jolyffe Primary School and Stratford Primary School in Stratford-upon-Avon released 100 Blue Morpho butterflies in honor of Attenborough.
Despite global acclaim, Attenborough has often described himself simply as a communicator passionate about the natural world. In recent decades, his work has increasingly emphasized humanity’s responsibility to protect the Earth from ecological collapse while still offering hope that change is possible.
At 100, Attenborough’s distinctive voice and lifelong dedication to nature continue to shape public understanding of the living world and humanity’s place within it.
Happy Birthday!
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