Meeting Your Neighbors

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04.19.14 04 darker

Before the first Europeans came to Texas and before the First Nations arrived, they were here. Some call them fae, some call them vaettir, some call them land spirits or just the spirits of this place. Some see them mythically and some see them mystically, but in our age of hypermaterialism most don’t see them at all.

Whatever you call them and however you conceive of them, they are our neighbors and it is polite to be neighborly towards them. It’s also wise – we share the land with them and we have a common interest in honoring and protecting the land.

This Summer, the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans will hold a short-term class titled “Meeting Your Neighbors – Interacting With the Spirits of the Land.” We’ll cover ways to introduce yourself to the land spirits, ways to listen to them, and ways to put your experiences of them into action to care for the Land, the Sky, and the Sea.

These classes will be held at Cynthia’s house in Denton. We’ll meet from 2:00 PM till 5:00 PM on three Sunday afternoons:

June 8
June 29
July 13

All are welcome who will approach our neighbors with honor and respect.

Egyptian Summer Solstice

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Saturday, June 21
gathering begins at 7:00 PM
ritual begins promptly at 7:30 PM

For the 11th consecutive year Denton CUUPS will present a Summer Solstice ritual dedicated to the Neteru, the Gods and Goddesses of ancient Egypt.  Our ritual is a modern adaptation of ancient Egyptian practices, drawn from the Pyramid Texts, the Book of the Dead, and other sacred writings. Expect a spirit of absolute reverence and awe for the Divine, and to walk away with a unique Pagan experience like no other.

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 10 and older who can participate maturely and be respectful of the sacred nature of this circle are welcome.  We will offer childcare for younger children if requested by Tuesday, June 18.

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Adopt-a-Spot Cleanup Postponed

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The weather is unfavorable for outdoor activities today.  We might be able to get the cleanup done, or we might not, or – the big concern – we might get started and then have severe weather pop up suddenly.

We’ll reschedule for 12:45 PM on Sunday, May 4.  This is the Sunday after our Beltane circle – seeing as how it’s after noon, being out late the night before shouldn’t be a problem.

Beltane – May 3

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Denton CUUPS Beltane: The Four Hallows of the Tuatha De Danann
Saturday, May 3
Gather at 7:00 PM, start promptly at 7:30

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

The Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans invites you to join us for our Beltane circle.  We will begin with our traditional Maypole dance, then explore The Four Hallows of the Tuatha De Danann.

When the Tuatha De Danann – the children of the Goddess Danu – invaded Ireland, they brought with them the Four Hallows, four items of Otherworldly origin.  They are The Sword of Nuada – no one ever escaped from it once it was drawn, and no one could resist it; The Spear of Lugh – no battle was ever sustained against it, or against the warrior who carried it; The Cauldron of the Dagda – no company ever went away from it unsatisfied; and The Lia Fail – the stone that would cry out in the presences of the true King.

Though the Hallows are represented by objects, they are more than things.  Our ritual will explore their essence and how we can work with them to learn and grow, and to do the work of the Gods in our world.

Our circle will be outdoors unless it is raining – please dress for the weather.

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.

Children 10 and older who can participate maturely and respectfully are welcome to join in.  Childcare for younger children will be available if requested by Tuesday, April 29.

Magical Theory and Practice

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Magic: the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.

The classic definition of magic has stood for a hundred years because it accurately describes what magic does.  But how does magic work?  Some say it works through the intercession of gods and spirits.  Some say it works through the manipulation of unseen forces.  And others say it works through psychological programming.

In 2014, the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans will explore the nature of magic in a series of classes.  We’ll cover the theory of magic, the laws that describe how it works, and the structure of magical workings.  We’ll cover both high magic (the refinement of the soul) and low magic (spells that get stuff done).

Our primary text will be Real Magic by Isaac Bonewits.

Classes will meet in the RE Wing on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.  Meeting dates are:

January 15
January 29
February 12
February 26
March 12
April 2

For more information, contact John Beckett at JohnFranc@aol.com.

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2014 Circle Calendar

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At our Fall Social Gathering last week, we set the circle and Adopt-a-Spot calendar for 2014.  You can always find it on the “circles and service” page under “calendar” on the main menu.

Event Day Date Time
Adopt-a-Spot cleanup Sunday December 8, 2013 12:45 PM
Winter Solstice Saturday December 21, 2013 7:00 PM
Imbolc Saturday February 1, 2014 7:00 PM
Adopt-a-Spot cleanup Sunday February 16, 2014 12:45 PM
Ostara Saturday March 22, 2014 7:00 PM
Spring Social Gathering Saturday April 5, 2014 2:00 PM
Adopt-a-Spot Cleanup Sunday April 13, 2014 12:45 PM
Beltane Saturday May 3, 2014 7:00 PM
Adopt-a-Spot cleanup Sunday June 8, 2014 8:30 AM
Summer Solstice Saturday June 21, 2014 7:00 PM
Hellenic Ritual Saturday August 2, 2014 7:00 PM
Adopt-a-Spot cleanup Sunday August 10, 2014 8:30 AM
Winter Finding Saturday September 20, 2014 7:00 PM
Adopt-a-Spot cleanup Sunday October 12, 2014 12:45 PM
Fall Social Gathering Sunday October 12, 2014 2:00 PM
Samhain Saturday November 1, 2014 7:00 PM
Adopt-a-Spot cleanup Sunday December 14, 2014 12:45 PM
Winter Solstice Saturday December 20, 2014 7:00 PM

Samhain Circle

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flaming cauldronAs we celebrate the night of the final harvest festival when Celtic lore says the old year ends, please join the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans in sharing a brief moment of time outside of time to recall those who have gone before and to embrace the Otherworld.

Our Samhain Circle will be Saturday, October 26.  Gathering begins at 7:00 PM and the ritual begins promptly at 7:30 PM.  We will be outdoors unless it is raining, so please dress appropriately.

Children 12 or older who can participate with reverence are invited to attend with parents or guardians.  This celebration contains imagery that may be frightening to younger children.  Childcare will be provided if requested by Tuesday, October 22.

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

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.