Pagan Community Notes: Circle Sanctuary, solstice and appropriation, April Cotte and more

BARNEVELD, Wis. — Circle Sanctuary has officially “been accepted as a religious endorsing organization member of two important national chaplaincy groups: the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) and the Coalition on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS) network. At a Jan. 7 annual meeting, COMISS officials announced that Circle Sanctuary had been accepted into its network, joining another Pagan organization: the Sacred Congregation. One day later, Circle got word that it had been also been accepted by APC, as the first Pagan organization in that roster.

Pagan Community Notes: theoi.com, Greening of Religion, Mountain Magic, and more!

DEVENTER, Netherlands — The online resource theoi.com, a repository of information about Hellenic myth and practice derived from ancient sources, will be sold rather than shut down. That’s according to site creator and owner Aaron Atsma, who reports getting a considerable amount of email when he briefly announced its closure or sale via a banner on the site. Atsma intends on selling the site through a broker later in the year. “People have been emailing me directly about the sale of the site over the last week which has caught me a bit off guard. Most boil down to, ‘I might be interested, how much?'” he wrote.

Pagan Community Notes: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Sharon Knight, Elder Christine Tier and more!

Today, 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, Polytheists and Heathens across the country are participating in local activities, both small and large, to recognize Dr. King and his influence. Some choose to honor his work within the privacy of their practice. For example, T. Thorn Coyle noted that “Solar Cross Devotional will honor the legacy of Dr. King, focusing on economic and racial justice.” However, many others are attending larger public community events such as the second annual #96Hours action held this weekend in California’s Bay Area. Organized by the Anti Police-Terror Organization, the #96Hours event consists of a weekend of scheduled actions, including protests, interfaith vigils, rallies and other activities, culminating in a march through the city of Oakland. Groups and individuals participating in the various activities include members of Coru Cathubodua, Solar Cross Temple, Golden Gate Kindred and more.

Pagan Community Notes: Taylor Ellwood’s Open Letter, The Pagan Marketplace, The Golden Dawn and more!

Publisher and author Taylor Ellwood has posted two open letters to Pagan convention organizers asking for, at least, partial expense compensation. In the first open letter, he writes, “In my pursuit of self-respect, one of the realizations I’ve been having is that how I allow my work and myself to be treated professionally is indicative of the respect I’m giving to myself. And if I don’t set standards and boundaries for that treatment then I’ll get walked all over.” Ellwood goes on to say that he will no longer present at conferences with the exception of three already scheduled in 2016. He argues that his presence as a guest helps bring people to the conference, and that the promised exposure received in return doesn’t pay his bills.

The Spiritual Path of Wicca with Vivianne Crowley

NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS –Climbing trees. Gregorian chants. Black velvet clothes. These are elements of author and priestess Vivianne Crowley’s personal spiritual journey, as told to a room packed with attendees at A Feast of Lights on Jan. 31.