Though we did not host the All Night Yule Vigil on the church campus this year due to pandemic, some of us did stay up to watch over the community Yule log while it burned from home and had the poem and song to greet the dawn.
Special shout out to Rainbow CUUPs at First Unitarian Church of Honolulu. It was a pleasure to contribute out labyrinth lighting visuals for your first Winter Solstice celebration!
Come celebrate Mystic Grove CUUPs 20th Anniversary over a whole weekend of activities!
Friday Nov 26, 7 PM ZOOM “Circle of Sacred Song and Sound” with Abigail Spinner Mcbride Together, we will create a sacred, safe space, to explore our breath and sing like we’ve never sung before. When our voices have opened to sounds we didn’t know we could make, to heights and depths of harmony and dissonance we didn’t know existed? We will make sweet memories to remember through the season of the coming dark of winter. Cost is suggested sliding scale $15-$30 donation. Nobody turned away for lack of funds. Pay online at www.orlandouu.organd click on DONATE. Please put “Circle of Sacred Song” in the memo line.
Gather around the virtual bonfire with your stories, songs, and memories. We’ll take a look back in the Mystic Grove photo album, share our favorite memories, and listen/sing to some of our fav songs.
Come celebrate 20 years of learning, worshipping, playing, and sharing together!
Sunday, Nov 28 10:30 AM EST Sanctuary “Origin Stories” Sunday Morning Worship
We celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mystic Grove CUUPs by reflecting on how the various threads of our origin stories weave together. How will you add your story to the colorful, ever unfolding tapestry at First Unitarian Church of Orlando?
Sunday, Nov 28, 12 PM EST in Classroom A and over Zoom “Ask Me Anything” Did you enjoy the music in today’s service? Come meet our special musical guest, pagan artist Abigail Spinner McBride and “ask her anything” about her work. pagan music, and experiences! We will Zoom from Classroom A in person, or you can join from your device anywhere.
That is the main “hub” for all the class stuff. You can use the LESSONS tab at the top to get to the ones available so far. Both Lesson 1 and Lesson 2 materials are posted.
You can talk to classmates in between sessions on the matching Facebook group if you wish.
Homework is “pick your level.” Suggested minimum is from the red square area of the study hall 2 sheet.
These are the main items
Read Article #2 “What is Ritual?”
Practice #2 “A Solo Hour in Nature”
Think about what “sacred space” means to you.
As willing and able, you can explore other ideas on the sheet if you wish. We do NOT expect you to try to do it all! It’s just for ideas. You can also pick your own activity or idea to explore for your spiritual practice this month.
NEXT TIME
Next time we talk about creating “sacred space.” We add a few more components to mini ritual — practicing casting the circle, calling elements, calling the lord and lady, raising energy in a simple way, and cakes and ale. Then we practice releasing all the things and opening the circle back up as we leave sacred space.
Our new tool is the pentacle plate. You can use any plate to serve your “cakes” at the home altar.
Minimal supplies are your
UU chalice/candle/finger chalice
a small plate with bread, cookies, or other treat for “cake”
a glass with a beverage for “ale.”
You can set up your student altar with extra items if you wish.
You can bring a drum if you have one or you can drum on your lap or table.
We enjoyed seeing you today and look forward to seeing you next month!
Are you curious about Paganism and/or Unitarian Universalism? Is this the path for you? Take this class to find out what it is all about. Both newbies and long term UU’s and Pagans gather to share their questions and experiences in lively discussion in this 90 minute class.
Come celebrate the longest night of the year and the returning light with us on through special readings, songs, and reflections.
SPIRAL DANCE
Email mysticgrove@orlandouu.orgto register and help film a masked and socially distance Spiral Dance at 6 PM on Sunday Dec 13, 2020 in the labyrinth. Guest list is limited to 15 persons.
SHARE PHOTOS
Are you decorating the house? Baking cookies? Setting up home altars? Doing other holiday activities? You can share your pix by emailing them to mysticgrove@orlandouu.org.
If you do stay up all night to greet the sun, here’s a reading and song as you extinguish your candles.
READING:
“A Pagan Awakening” by Jeff A. Bordeaux
A new life is there,
You hear Her now,
She was always there,
and You’re forever changed.
So listen to Diana, and accept Her love.
Hoard not Her gifts : feeling, renewal, music.
A new life is there,
You see Him now,
He was always there,
and you’re forever changed.
So look to Apollo, and receive His light.
Hoard not His gifts : healing, growth, joy.
A new life is there,
Your hands reach it now,
It was always there,
and You’re forever changed.
So touch the earth, and partake of it’s sustenance.
Hoard not it’s gifts : body, green, silence.
A new life is there,
You soar with it now,
It was always there,
and You’re forever changed.
So breathe in the air and gather the wind.
Hoard not it’s gifts : mind, dreams, empathy.
A new life is there,
You’re warmed by it now,
It was always there,
and You’re forever changed.
So build the flame and brave it’s heat.
Hoard not it’s gifts : spirit, will, energy.
A new life is there,
You flow with it now,
It was always there,
and You’re forever changed.
So study the ocean and follow it’s tides.
Hoard not it’s gifts : self, courage, sorrow.
A new life is there,
You’re one with them now,
They were always there,
and You’re forever changed.
So take Their gifts and return them threefold.
Share this magic : friendship, love, trust.
Come as you are or dressed in colors of the season: brown, orange, yellow, red, etc. Ritual starts at 7 PM, but we gather at 6:45 for “Meet and Greet” orientation.
Mabon is our annual canned/box food drive. This year we invite you to share the bounty by making an online donation to Second Harvest Food Bank as willing and able.
This 6 session book group meets on 3rd Sundays. We will be reading and discussing selections from “Pagan and Earth-Centered Voices in Unitarian Universalism.” It is drop-in friendly and free of cost. Donations always welcome toward the MG scholarship fund. This benefits students who wish to take our tuition classes but need financial assistance.
Each month on 3rd Sunday we gather in Room 1 after coffee hour and read the selection of the month out loud and discuss. While you don’t need a book to drop-in and check it out, your experience will be enriched if you do get your own text.
TOPICS
Volunteer teachers takes turns facilitating a session where 2 selections are read and discussed. Email us if you would like to co-host and share your two favorite selections from the book.
“Cultural Sharing and Misappropriation” by Carol Bodeau
“Designing Ritual for All” by Maggie Beaumont
HOW THE BOOK CAME TO BE
In early 2014, the board of CUUPS shared about a potential book project with Skinner House Press on Pagan Voices within the Unitarian Universalist Association. After much conversation, and weighing the options, Rev. Shirley Ranck and Jerrie Hilderbrand agreed to take it on and work on it together.
The result is a compilation of essays from people who followed Pagan and Earth-Centered traditions and/or thinking of many kinds.
“Similar to the other theologies honored in UU sources and principles, Paganism and Earth-Centered voices were as diverse as humanity. We are not a once size fits all. There is no dogma or one way being the right way. We challenge the Pagan who comes to us with a fixed way of thinking.”
(Book published by Skinner House Press. Image © Kishgraphics)
The Mystic Grove 