Author Archives: John

About John

I grew up in Tennessee with the woods right outside my back door. Wandering through them gave me a sense of connection to Nature and to a certain Forest God. I'm a Druid in the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD), a member of Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF), a member of Denton CUUPS, and a former Vice President of CUUPS Continental. I've been writing, speaking, teaching, and leading public rituals since 2003. My books The Path of Paganism (2017) and Paganism In Depth (2019) are published by Llewellyn Worldwide.

Denton CUUPS Samhain Festival

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Saturday, October 29
Gather at 7:00 PM, start promptly at 7:30

Come join the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans for our 2016 Samhain Festival on Saturday October 29th. We gather at 7:00 PM and the ritual begins promptly at 7:30.

We’ll honor our ancestors and beloved dead, the Gods of our ancestors, and John Barleycorn, the embodiment of the harvest. Bring a memento of your beloved dead, a representation of a deity or several of your choice and join in the memorial ritual, as we cast the last of the harvest onto the fire and celebrate the ancient Celtic end of the year.

Please bring an item of food or drink to share after the ceremony. Donations of 2-3 dollars to help offset expenses will be appreciated but are not required.

Children who can participate maturely and respectfully are welcome to join in. We will have childcare for younger children.

For questions or information, please contact John Beckett at 972-948-9211 or JohnFranc@aol.com, or see our website at http://www.dentoncuups.org/

at the
Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
1111 Cordell Street, Denton, TX 76201

DIRECTIONS: From I-35, exit US-380 (University Drive) eastbound. Go approximately 1.8 miles east on University, then turn right (south) onto Fulton Street. Go three blocks, turn right (west) on Cordell. DUUF is on the left, on the southwest corner of Fulton and Cordell – our illuminated sign is on the corner.

samhain-2014-15-facebook-cover

Gleichentag: The Autumn Equinox

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Saturday, September 17
Gather at 7:00 PM, start promptly at 7:30

Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
1111 Cordell Street, Denton, TX 76201

Please join the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans for our celebration of the Norse festival of Gleichentag (“even day”). This is the Autumn Equinox, a time of balance when light and dark are equal. It is a celebration of the grain harvest and a time to take stock of the year, to gather together, and to share food and drink with each other, the landvettir, ancestor spirits, and the Gods of the harvest time.

We will be holding a feast as part of the ritual, or as the Norse would have commonly called their High Day rites, a symbul, where we will share food and drink among those here, and with all those who come in peace to join us for feasting and song.

The first part of the celebration will be outside (weather permitting, which it usually is this time of year) and the ritual feast will be inside in the RE wing. Please bring a dish to share, and a favorite poem, a toast, a reading or song if you want to honor you ancestors, spirits, or deities aloud.

Children 10 and older who can participate respectfully are welcome to attend with a parent/guardian. Childcare will be provided for younger children.

For questions or information, please contact John Beckett at 972-948-9211 or JohnFranc@aol.com.

Gleichentag 2015 Facebook header

Lughnasadh

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Thanks to everyone who came out for a beautiful Lughnasadh Circle last night. There are more pictures on our Facebook page.

Our next event is our Adopt-a-Spot cleanup at 8:30 AM on Sunday, August 21. Our next circle is Gleichentag: the Fall Equinox on Saturday, September 17 at 7:00.

Lughnasadh 2016 10

Egyptian Summer Solstice

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Denton CUUPS 13th Annual Egyptian Summer Solstice
Saturday, June 25
gathering begins at 7:00 PM, ritual begins promptly at 7:30 PM

“What is below is like that which is above,
and what is above is like that which is below.
They work to accomplish the wonders of Ma’at.
May offerings of every kind come forth in abundance,
Like all things which flow forth from Ma’at.”
the Emerald Stela, Liturgy of Offerings.

 

The ancient Egyptians had rituals to mark the turning of the seasons, to establish the ways of balance in life. For our 13th annual Egyptian Summer Solstice, we will adapt these rituals of Khoiak and Shura to our place and time.

We will honor the Neteru, the Gods and Goddesses of ancient Egypt. And we will commit ourselves to live in balance, to honor the land on which we live, the blessed dead, and the ways of Ma’at.

Please bring an item of food or drink to share after the ceremony. Donations of 2-3 dollars to help offset expenses will be appreciated but are not required.

At the Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
1111 Cordell Street
Denton, TX 76201

11 500 British Museum

Beltane Circle Saturday May 7

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Beltane 2015 03a

Gathering begins at 7:00 PM
Ritual begins promptly at 7:30 PM

“Inside all of us is hope. Inside all of us is fear. Inside all of us is adventure. Inside all of us is a wild thing.” – Maurice Sendak

Come and join us for our celebration of Beltane, the Celtic fire festival, as we honor the wildness of Nature, as well as the wildness in ourselves. With music, dancing, our traditional Maypole Dance, and the flame of community, we welcome you to join us in our wild rumpus!

This will be an outdoor, family-friendly circle. Due to building reconstruction, we have no nursery and are unable to provide childcare.

Please bring an item of food or drink to share after the ceremony. As always, a donation of a dollar or three to help defray costs are appreciated, but not required.

If you have any questions, please contact John Beckett at JohnFranc@aol.com or 972-948-9211.

at the Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship – 1111 Cordell Street – Denton, TX 76201

DIRECTIONS: From I-35, exit US-380 (University Drive) eastbound. Go approximately 1.8 miles east on University, then turn right (south) onto Fulton Street. Go three blocks, turn right (west) on Cordell. DUUF is on the left, on the southwest corner of Fulton and Cordell – our illuminated sign is on the corner.