Folks occasionally ask us why we utilize the Wheel of the Year. “How,” folks sometimes wonder, “can you be a pan-Pagan group if you are focusing on a ritual calendar that only applies to some Pagans?”
The short answer is that we observe a schedule around The Wheel of the Year for two reasons. One is rooted in our history as a group; the other is grounded in logistics & practicality.
When Mystic Grove was founded some 30 odd years ago, most of our founders & indeed the majority of the Pagan community at large, observed The Wheel of The Year. Setting what we call our Solar Worship calendar to The Wheel is a part of our group’s unique history & culture. On a very practical note, having an established sort of worship calendar spaced relatively evenly throughout the year means that it is much easier to schedule our classes, meetings, & worship events in the context of a very busy Congregational Campus!
The longer answer is that it has never stopped us from being welcoming & inclusive.
As a UU Pagan group we welcome members of & seek to both honor many Pagan faiths as well as our Unitarian Universalism. Pagan traditions that draw inspiration & practice from ancient faiths & cultures. Heck some of the cultures that the Wheel calendar draws inspiration from are, in fact, STILL around & still enriching the world with their influences! Other contemporary Pagan paths, or their ancient forebears observed sacred calendars & rites that looked very different from the contemporary Wheel of The Year. At the same time, one thing that all those faiths, these ancestral & living cultures have in common is that Hospitality & peaceful prosperous Community were (& are) deeply held values, whether they are explicitly uplifted in “the lore” or not. Hospitality & Community can be seen as core human values from the most ancient of times down to the present day.
As Unitarian Universalists our values, as well as the sources & principles that are a part of our culture & history, call us to seek to build what Dr. King called The Beloved Community. It is a vision of a society where all people can live in peace, justice, and love, transcending divisions and fostering understanding among individuals.
We talk with, we listen to, one another. We understand that none of us has The One True Polytheism, Animism, Unitarian Universalism, or Way. We acknowledge one another’s many sources of inspiration & tradition. We work together to move from concerns or difficulties to seek solutions & resolutions. Over the years we have found a few different ones. Mystic Grove works together as a community to find ways in which we can welcome & honor the many talents, interests, faiths, & practices that our members bring to the table.
One beloved tradition in the Mystic Grove calendar over the years has been our Wep Ronpet observances that have been held on or around August 1st for many years, hosted by a long-time Mystic Grove member who is also a Khemetic Polytheist.
Our Samhain observances have over the years have often blended with the Church’s Halloween Party, which can be a delightful & festive time for everyone.
Mystic Grove CUUPs flagship event is our Winter Solstice service which we share with our 1U (First Unitarian Church Orlando) community every year. It was the first event we shared with our larger communities over 30 years ago! For many years as a part of our observances after the Service was over (or on the night of the Winter Solstice when scheduling issues arise between the Congregational & Astronomical Calendars) we would hold a small “bonfire” vigil overnight. We have many cherished memories of Sumbel offered around the portable fire pit that served as our bonfire by some of our Heathen members from years past.
The Wheel of the Year is a starting point for our commitment to our communities spiritual growth & life-long learning, not an unshakable point of doctrine.
We hope this settles any concerns? If not, reach out to us in any of the usual ways!
The Mystic Grove 