Shining Lakes News

A Newsletter for Shining Lakes Grove, A.D.F.

Spring Equinox 2001 - Vol. 8, No. 4

Sowing the Seeds of Knowledge

[seed packets]Spring has arrived! Traditionally, spring is a time for new beginnings. This particular spring sees my first class series on Druidry. "Modern Druidry" will be held on the first three Tuesdays in April. (For times and locations, check the calendar in this newsletter.) This will provide both Grove members and non-members a chance to learn more about how we've developed our local cosmology, what we do in our rituals, and suggestions for home worship.

If you can't make it to the Modern Druidry classes, but would still like to learn more about our form of Druidry, I recommend the ADF Dedicant Program. The DP covers topics like the Nine Virtues, ritual, meditation, and that favorite pastime of ADF, research and study! For more info on the Dedicant Program, visit the URL listed below, or contact the Grove.

And I will remind everyone of the oath I made at last year's Summer Solstice ritual-I will giver a silver acorn pin to the next nine full members of Shining Lakes Grove who complete the DP and earn the title "ADF Dedicant." No one's claimed their acorn yet-you might just be the first!

[tulip]There's one last thing I'd like to mention here, not for the folks who will be attending our classes or participating in the Dedicant Program, but for you folks out there who won't be doing either. Once in a while, I get an e-mail or phone call from someone who would like to attend a Grove ritual, but feel that they can't because they "don't know anything about Druids." These folks ask me where they can take a class on Druids, so they'll be able to attend a High Day rite.

I'd like to remind everyone that one of ADF's stated goals is to provide worship services that anyone can attend! Isaac Bonewits, ADF's founder and ArchDruid Emeritus, wrote in "The Vision of ADF": "Membership in the Neopagan community is quietly growing at a geometric rate . . . All these Neopagans are going to need publicly accessible (emphasis Rob's) worship, teaching, counseling, and healing." You don't need to know a blessed thing (so to speak) to participate in our rites. We are committed to designing rituals that anyone can enjoy, regardless of their experience level. So don't let that stop you-come join us in our celebrations!

Here are some useful URLs:

Yours in service to the Kindreds and the Grove,
Rob Henderson, Senior Druid

Wanted: A PSC

One of the requirements for any ADF Grove is a quarterly public service project. We've been doing work with the Huron River Watershed Council, of course, which does count as public service. (And I hope to see many SLuG faces at the River Roundup on April 7th!) I'd like to see us branch out into other forms of public service. While I love doing work for the river and the Nature Spirits, doing work for people is important too.

So I'm asking for volunteers for the position of Public Service Coordinator. The PSC would be responsible for organizing a public service project for us each quarter, and making sure the Grove membership was informed about it in a timely fashion. Public service projects could include a food drive, a clothing drive, working at a recycling station, or something similar.

This would not be a Leadership Council position, so you wouldn't be able to vote on motions at the business meetings. (This may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your tastes.) If you're interested, please contact me at 734-487-4931 or robh@cyberspace.org.

Spring Hunt Coming Up

On April 20th, SLG will continue its twice-a-year tradition of the Sacred Hunt, spending two nights in the wilds of western Washtenaw County.

Below, two folks have kindly shared some of their thoughts on the Hunt:

"When we drive on a freeway at 70 mph, going through a rural area, we rush past trees that we barely get to see. Riding a bike through a forest, we get to pay more attention to the trees, and maybe see or hear a few animals. But hiking through the woods, away from the paths which have been laid out for us, that is where the trees loom large and impressive, animals large and small are all around, even the individual blades of grass stand out as significant. And the next time you're driving down that freeway, even at 70 mph, you will remember." -Rob

[stag]"Last year was my first Spring Hunt. One of the most important things, for me, was time spent with the Nature Spirits and to share with fellow grove members. If memory serves me (it doesn't always obey), Toad and I arrived at the initial camping spot hours before the others and began to set up our makeshift barriers to the elements. The Gods decided that rain and 40 degrees would be a good way to begin our adventure. (I had just returned from Florida that afternoon.) "We then hunkered down and waited to hear the others creeping up on us. After they arrived (Rob, Annette, and Kirn), we set up yet more barriers and were quite cozy. Saturday morning we began roaming the area and the sun decided to show up and give us kisses on our weary brows. (Okay, I'm just trying to sound poetic so the rest of you will get your buns out there and join us next time!) There were lots of things happening in between but I'm not going to go into those . . . you've got to be there and feel the pulse of the Mother beating beneath you as you sleep." -Laurel

For more information on this year's Spring Hunt, including a list of what to pack, contact Annette at (313) 882-4293 or tuathadeana@mindspring.com.

Tax Time is Coming!

Yep, April 15th (or 16th for this year) is coming up soon. Did you know that your donations to Shining Lakes Grove are tax deductible? Yes, we have the coveted 501(c)3 status. It's too late for your 2000 tax returns, of course, but keep us in mind for next year. Contact us for more info.

SLG Leadership Council

Senior Druid
Rob Henderson robh@cyberspace.org

Assistant Senior Druid
Rodney Cox UberRod@aol.com

Administrator
Don Clayton wittke@home.net

Scribe
Jan Henderson mulelady@earthlink.net

Pursewarden
Patrick Monagin pmonagin@ameritech.net

Chronicler
Genevieve Stoyak gstoyak@hotmail.com

Outreach Coordinator
Matthew Blair

Youth Activities Coordinator
Kirn Greymalkin servespirit@voyager.net

SLG Guild Leaders

Magicians' Guild
Rodney Cox UberRod@aol.com

Warriors' Guild
Rodney Cox UberRod@aol.com

Healers' Guild
Rodney Cox UberRod@aol.com

Seers' Guild
Maria Valayil mvalayil@voyager.net

Naturalists' Guild
Fred Wark fllwark@htonline.com

Producers' Guild (unofficial)
Gen Stoyak gstoyak@hotmail.com

Those without e-mail access can contact our officers at our snail-mail address or phone number.

Shining Lakes News (©2001) is published eight times a year by Shining Lakes Grove, A.D.F., P.O. Box 1732, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106, (734) 487-4931. For information about SLN, contact the Chronicler at (734) 662-5639 or gstoyak@hotmail.com. For information about Shining Lakes Grove, contact the Senior Druid at (734) 487-4931 or robh@cyberspace.org.

Rob Henderson, SLG Webmaster

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