Category: announcements

Twin City Pagans needed for Documentary and Survey

Author Diana Rajchel is asking Pagans who have experienced a divorce, and it has been one year or more since the dissolution, to participate in a survey.  She has already had 115 Pagans respond to the survey, but would like to have at least 230 respondents to capture the spectrum of Pagan diversity.  Diana said she is just starting to see threads of common experience. The survey results will be released as part of a book she is writing on Divorce and Neo-Paganism.  Diana requests that you pass along the link  to the survey – http://survey.dianarajchel.com –  on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

Along with the book, she is directing a documentary on the same subject.  She would like to interview on camera Pagans in the Twin Cities area about the spiritual aspects of their divorce experiences.   If you would be interested in talking to Diana about this project, please email her at di@dianarajchel.com

For further information about the book, the survey, and background on Diana, please see this Witchvox article – Divorce, An Initiatory Path.

 

PNC-Minnesota – a year of growth – Editorial

From cocyeabroomstick.blogspot.com

PNC-Minnesota began about five months ago (we had five initial posts in July). We believe we have had a substantial impact within our community, region, and nationally.  Our readership is mainly Pagan, but our audience ranges the whole spectrum based on subject. We have had just over 99,000 page views since we began on July 28th, 2010

Our top viewed post with 12, 542 views in one day on Nov. 9th, (   Rape Survivor Devastated by TSA Enhanced Pat Down by Cara Schulz ), has completely skewed our stats, but that is the nature of the internet.   Cara saw an emerging issue, and knew the additional impact it could have for victims of assault and jumped on the story. National blogs (including mainstream news like ‘Newsweek‘ and even Wikipedia ) linked to her article and resulted in that one post generating 84% of our page views this year!  Cara’s past media experience and her  ‘nose for news’ that she brought to PNC-Minnesota has been invaluable. Cara also writes for PNC’s Pagans and Politics.

Continue reading →

Deep Clean the SPC

Sacred Paths Center is looking for volunteers to help them ‘Deep Clean the SPC’ this Sunday.  Carol H. says that it’s “probably not the most popular event of the year but your community center is in need of a deep clean. If you have an hour or so on Sunday morning we would greatly appreciate the help! Many hands make light work.”

The Sacred Paths Center is the only Pagan community center of its kind in the USA. Their mission is to strengthen the Twin Cities alternative religious community by nurturing the physical, intellectual, educational, social and spiritual growth in an inclusive environment defined by earth-reverent values and culture.

If you can assist them for an hour or two, come to the SPC Sunday anytime between 10am and 1pm.  According to the group’s Facebook page, seven people are planning to assist.  The SPC would like to have more people assisting so the cleaning goes quickly.  The SPC is located at 777 Raymond Ave in St Paul.


Give Christmas Back to Christians (and perform good deeds)

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In a recent essay Pagan author, T. Thorn Coyle, asks: 

“anyone who is not a Christian and who celebrates Christmas: what exactly do you think you are doing? Why are you contributing to this beast, this monster, this creature that not only feeds on the sweat of poor people around the world but simultaneously takes more and more money to just maintain its caloric requirements? Why have you – atheist, Pagan, Christian, or Jew – been taken in?”

That’s an interesting question to ponder and her entire essay is worth a read.

If you are not celebrating Christmas on Saturday, what could you be doing instead?  You could be living out your religious ethics of service to the community by volunteering for Meals on Broomsticks this Saturday.  Spend a few hours helping others – and bring your family and older children along.

UMPA, the Upper Midwest Pagan Alliance has, for the fourth consecutive year, signed up with the Union Gospel Mission to serve meals to senior citizens and low income families residing in two high rises in the Twin Cities. This service commitment requires 8-15 people willing to share a part of their day serving meals, chatting, and maybe even singing a carol or two.

When – This Saturday December 25, 2010 (our fourth year!!)
Where – Meet at the Union Gospel Mission- located at 435 E University Ave.
in St. Paul. It is just East of I35E and North of East Seventh.  MAP
Time – Gather at 11.15am, we load up and drive away shortly after 11:30 am so be prompt.   Contact us if you plan to attend!

UMPA says that dressing up for the occasion adds to the fun, so get out your elf, Santa, or Grinch costumes.  Nels Linde and Judy Olson say that the food is really secondary to the people they deliver meals to, it is the time and attention that the elders receive that is so greatly appreciated.    They also noted that the meal delivery is usually done by 1:30pm and the volunteers then go to Cecil’s Deli for a fun lunch.

Anubis Sighted in St Paul

Anubis at Landmark Plaza - Photo by Valerie Gallagher

An icon of Anubis, Protector of the dead and Judge of souls, was spotted at Landmark Plaza. This 26-foot, 10-ton statue was installed to advertise Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, a major exhibit opening February 18 at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Having Anubis precede King Tutankhamun makes sense on two levels. Anubis is the protector of the deceased and their tombs and one of His names is He who is in the place of embalming. As Tutankhamun is one of the few royals to survive the centuries with his body undefiled and his tomb intact, Anubis has shown him special favor and appears to be continuing His protection over the young king. Less known to all except scholars and Kemetic Pagans, Anubis marched at the head of all public processions in Egypt. It would be sacrilegious for the Pharaoh to travel across the world without Anubis leading the way.

Interesting that Anubis is honored in His traditional role by those who profess not to believe in His existence, even if the honoring is not done in a traditional manner. When Anubis arrived on November 24th, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman was on hand to greet Him and welcome Him to the city. Mayor Coleman also placed a St. Paul sticker on the suitcase which lays at Anubis’ feet. The sticker isn’t incense and the suitcase isn’t a golden vessel, but it is an offering just the same. I see this as one more sign that the Gods of old are once more fully active in our world, after receding during the rise of Christianity. Our prayers and offerings are calling to Them, and They once again walk the earth.