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Home > Reconstructionism > Greek/Hellenic > Kerux Index > Kerux #2 Search

The Kerux #2
1 Metageitnion 4/694 (1 August 2000)
edited by Drew Campbell

 

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THE KERUX #2

1 Metageitnion 4/694
1 August 2000

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

* Feature Article: "What I Expect from My Church" by Peter Gold
* Craft Project: Peplos for Athena
* Children's Book Review: _The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus_ by Aliki
* Announcement: New Hellenic Mailing Lists
* Poll Results: What drew you to Hellenic Reconstructionist Paganism
* New Poll: Do you have a patron or matron deity?
* How to Contribute to the Kerux * Upcoming Events

***

[Editor's Note: The following article originally appeared in _Oak Leaves_--the newsletter of ADF (a Neopagan Druid group)--and also in _PanGaia_ magazine. Although written with ADF's structure in mind, it raises important questions that relate to how our own religion will change as it grows from single people and isolated small groups to larger regional and national groups. It appears here to stimulate thought and discussion among Hellenes about the future of our religion. Many thanks to Peter Gold for giving permission to reprint his work here. Responses to this article, as it applies to Hellenic Reconstructionism, are welcome. Please send them to kerux-owner@egroups.com.]

WHAT I EXPECT FROM MY CHURCH
Peter Gold

As the Neo-Pagan community grows and matures, the expectations change. Fifty years ago, Witchcraft (Gardnerian type) was an extremely secretive religion. At present, there are numerous public contact points and a few Wiccan and other Pagan groups holding public religious services. In another fifty years the expectations will have again changed. Most likely many Neo-Pagan groups will be offering religious meetings that anybody can attend. Not only will anybody be allowed to attend, but the group will offer most of the activities and services that current mainstream churches offer. To fulfill all of these commitments, these Neo-Pagan groups are going to have to raise money and have full-time paid Neo-Pagan clergy. As an active member, fifty years from now, of my local Neo-Pagan church, I'm going to expect certain things from my now mainstream Neo-Pagan religious organization.

I'm going to expect religious meetings. I'll expect that the rituals will start on time, and happen on a regular and recurring basis. This could be every Saturday night, or every new and full moon, as long as it is regular. I should be able to predict when the ritual will be without having to get on a mailing list or call the priest each time. I'll expect a regular place to worship, not hiring a different hall each meeting, or a different person's house. The ritual could be inside or outside, but each outside ritual is on the same piece of land, and inside rituals in the same building. Nor will MY home be the expected meeting place for routine public worship, despite having the largest yard, largest living room, or a swimming pool. How the ritual is done, or its style is _very_ important. The style of the ritual is in a large part based upon the religion's cosmology. The clergy need to have been primarily trained to do the rituals of the church to which they have been assigned, hired by, or founded. If I want Wiccan ritual, I'll join a church whose focus is Wicca, like Earth-Spirit Community. If I want Druid ritual, I'll join ADF or NRDNA. I don't mind if the clergy can do other ritual, but the training program that produced them for this job should focus on the religion of the church that pays them.

I'm going to expect religious training for myself and my kids. My children need to be taught how we worship, and to a lesser extent, why we worship the way we do. The organization should provide the materials, resources, and lesson plans for the program. I have no problem paying for my kids to attend, but I shouldn't have to buy every re-usable textbook that my kids will use only once. My schedule is very busy, so my kids should be able to be attend classes without me staying with them. Adult courses should be offered so I can learn more about my religion, but not with the exclusive goal of becoming clergy.

I expect the clergy person(s) to either lead, organize, or do various rites of passage for me and my family. When a child is born, I expect a saining ritual. This might be in my house or at the local Grove. Of course I'll provide a feast or party afterwards. I expect help in doing or planning a coming of age ritual as the kids become adults. If it is appropriate, the priest might do the coming of age ceremony. When the kids get married, I expect the priest/ess to perform the marriage in the Grove (assuming the kids want it, and are members). The marriage should be legally binding as done by the clergy person(s), and not have to be re-done by a town clerk. When a member of the Grove dies, I expect the priest/ess to know and perform the appropriate funerary rites.

I expect the clergy to be well trained to help me in time of spiritual or emotional crisis. When a family member, friend or Grove member dies, I expect help in working through my grief. I expect help in dealing with other short term emotional problems. If it is going to be a long term therapy commitment I'll see a full time therapist, or pay extra to the priest/ess (who hopefully also accepts insurance). If my Pagan brother-in-law is in jail, I expect that the local Druid clergy person will visit them and help them, just like any other mainstream clergyman.

The priest/ess has to be able to supervise volunteers. The volunteers can do most of the work, but it is up to the clergy person to ensure that projects get completed. They might reasonable delegate specific projects to members, but the priest/ess still has to check on them.

I expect the clergy person to be a decent administrator, or the Grove to have a non-clergy office manager/treasurer. This person needs to be able to present a budget to the Grove and then stick to the budget. They have to be able to balance a checkbook and pay the bills in a timely fashion. Their other jobs might include printing the newsletter and ordering supplies.

Me and my fellow Grove members expect to be kept informed about what is happening. This means regular communications. This means open records, both financial and of meetings. As Grove members, we might or might not have a vote or say in how the Grove is run. We do have an expectation of knowing about decisions made, and why they were made.

How much input at the Grove level depends upon the choice of church government chosen. There are three types of government (that I'm aware of). The first is episcopal. Episcopal government is where the clergy person is in charge of the Grove. The clergy may be hired by the Grove or be appointed by a higher national body. The second type is presbyterian. Here, a small group of elders from the congregation run the Grove. The elders can be elected regularly, or can be appointed by any other means. They hire the minister, and can fire him or her. The third method is congregationalism. In this form, the church is run by the members of the congregation. They often form committees to research specific topics (like a minister search committee), or to handle regular activities (such as present the budget for approval). The first form, episcopal, requires a national body to recognize local groups. The other two forms can either have a national body who approves local groups, or can have totally independent groups. Most Neo-pagan groups run towards the presbyterian model, with the Elders being selected for life by the other elders, or having founded the group.

WHAT I OFFER TO MY CHURCH

As a very busy employee, I don't have a lot of time. I work long hours during the week, and have to spend at least one day during the weekend doing things around the house. I have a couple of hours most nights to do things, but can't commit to meetings in the evening. I have time to read newsletters, and write replies to my e-mail. On the other hand, I earn decent money.

I attend worship services every week, and on the High Holidays. When I attend, I like to sing. I'd be in the choir, but I can't make rehearsals unless they are right before, or right after, worship services. If the clergy person thinks I'm good enough, I'll sing or play a solo, or be lead or backup with other people. I doubt I'll ever write any songs, but if I do, I'd be honored to have them used. I won't demand that my works be used, but only if it is good enough.

I willing and joyfully participate in ritual as a member of the congregation. I consider it to be an honor to help in running a ritual. If asked or nudged, I'll occasionally lead a standard ritual. I doubt I'll have the time or knowledge to write rituals. Since our tradition encourages people to volunteer praise offerings within ritual, I'll usually have something I can recite, sing, or read.

After the ritual, I'll volunteer to help with the social by providing food, prepping it, and helping with the cleanup. If something has to be done around the Grove, and won't take more than a hour or so, I'll help after the service. I would volunteer to teach the children if the Grove supplied the materials and lesson plans. Given sufficient lead time, I'll assist with field trips occasionally.

Since the Grove has a paid clergy person, I'll donate that crucial ingredient to overall success, money. I'll donate from $200 to $1,000 per year to the local and/or national organization. I could do this as a regular (weekly, monthly), annual or one-time fee. I could make offerings at the ritual or discretely through the mail.

My children have more time than me. I'll encourage them to participate in Grove organized activities. These activities could include litter pickup, tree planting, or other community service. If the Grove puts on a play, they'll help if they are capable.

ADDENDUM: PLEASE READ THIS SECTION, CAREFULLY

I'm adding this after posting the above article to ADF-DISCUSS and ADF-RELIGION. About 100 messages were generated, almost all of them talking about paid clergy, or paid clergy vs. spending money on something else. The remaining messages were mostly humor.

One, this takes place 50+ years in the future. So issues of should we build up the organization vs. paying clergy vs. buying land should be considered to be moot -- all of them have or could be done. There is plenty of money, but not an unlimited amount. By definition of being mainstream, the organization is in place, and if the membership wants real estate, they have a mortgage.

Two, there is no mention of HOW the clergy will be chosen or WHO (local or Mother Grove) will control the money or where it will specifically come from. I did point out the various possibilities. It is stated that the clergy will be well trained to carry out the jobs expected of them as per the article. It doesn't say HOW they will get the training. We could continue as we are (Study Plan), attach to an existing college, or start our own. Which one is done is _irrelevant_ to the article.

Three, most importantly, it is written from the viewpoint of a parishioner, somebody who has neither the time nor desire to be clergy. They are active in the local Grove though, and are religious. This person works a 40+ hour week, 5+ days a week, year-round.

***

Craft Project for the Panathenaia: A Knitted Peplos for a Statue of Athena

This pattern makes a peplos to fit a 10" statue of the goddess. The statue I have is in one of the common poses--the goddess holds her spear in her right hand, arm bent, and balances her shield against her leg with her left hand. The position of the arms makes it impossible to fit a garment over the head. Instead, the front and back pieces must be tied together over the shoulders; the sides remain open.

The design is knit in stockinette with a seed stitch border to prevent the fabric from rolling. I used one 50 g ball Katia Gatsby in color #20 (metallic gold) on #7 (4.5mm) needles. Since the piece is so small, you may want to use short needles--either double points with one end capped or circulars. The front and back pieces are knitted separately and each measures 11" long by 3" wide when done.

Instructions: Loosely cast on 15 stitches. (Gauge: 5 stitches per inch.)

Bottom hem

Knit 6 rows in seed stitch: p1, k1 across row, ending with p1.

Body

Row 7: p1, k1, p1, k9, p1, k1, p1
Row 8: p1, k1, p11, k1, p1
Repeat rows 7 and 8 until piece measures 8".

Shoulder

k3, yo, k2, k2tog, k1, ssk, k2, yo, k3
Knit next five rows in stockinette (k all stitches on right side, p all on wrong side)
k3, yo, k2, k2tog, k1, ssk, k2, yo, k3 p all in row

"Bib" Overhang

Knit in seed stitch (p1, k1 across row) until bib section measures 2". Cast off in seed stitch.

Now create another identical piece.

To fit the garment on the statue, fold the bib sections down so the holes match up. Hold the back piece, wrong side in, up to the back of the statue, and the front, also wrong side in, up to the front. Run a piece of yarn through the holes over the shoulders and tie, so that garment is suspended from the goddess's shoulders. Arrange the skirt so that it hangs nicely.

***

Children's Book Review: Aliki, _The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus_ (NY: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1994). 48 pp. ISBN 0-06-446189-0 (paperback). Retail price: $6.95

Hellenic parents and teachers who want to introduce children to the stories of our gods are faced with an embarrassment of riches. The challenge is not to find books, but to choose among the many wonderful titles on the bookstore and library shelves. Aliki's colorful illustrated volume deserves to be counted among the very best.

The large-format book features engaging colored ink and pencil drawings of the gods, based, a note tells us, on "Greek vase paintings and sculpture, with all due respect." The gods are easily identifiable, even in large group scenes.

The text is based on Hesiod's _Theogony_, and traces the origins of the gods back to Chaos and Gaia. Aliki recognizes that certain incidents in these early stories may be frightening for children (not to mention their parents!) and takes care to present them gently. Particularly sensitive is the author's treatment of the castration of Ouranos; the sickle is shown, but the act is not illustrated or directly named. Likewise, the sequence in which Kronos swallows and then disengorges his children makes the story clear without being overly graphic.

Most of the book consists of two-page spreads on the individual Olympians--both Hestia and Dionysos are included--that refer to their main myths and areas of concern. The illustrations contain a wealth of mythical allusions, which adult readers may want to elaborate on for curious children.

But what makes this book the most valuable to pagans is the overall positive attitude toward the gods. Their stories are presented without apology and without trying to place them in the context of later religions. In fact, the final page of the book asks readers to think about the continuing presence of the gods in phenomena such as Zeus's lightning, Demeter's grain, or Apollo's music. "They are still with us," Aliki writes, helping assure that another generation of children will take the first steps toward both cultural literacy and religious understanding.

***

New Mailing Lists for Hellenic Parents

In the past month, two new lists for Hellenic parents, and others interested in children's religious education, have been formed. Hellenist_Parents@egroups.com is a general mailing list about raising children in Hellenic homes. To subscribe, go to http://www.egroups.com/subscribe/Hellenist_Parents .

Hellenion_Parents@egroups.com is for members of Hellenion who have children or who are interested in working on the group's children's religious education program. To subscribe, go to http://www.egroups.com/subscribe/Hellenion_Parents .

***

Poll Results

POLL QUESTION: What drew you to Hellenic Reconstructionist Paganism? Choose as many answers as apply.

CHOICES AND RESULTS

- Felt a call from one or more of the gods, 17 votes, 19.54%
- Interested in Greek language, 7 votes, 8.05%
- Interested in mythology, 18 votes, 20.69%
- Interested in Greek history, 13 votes, 14.94%
- Interested in Greek philosophy, 9 votes, 10.34%
- Of Greek ethnic heritage, 1 vote, 1.15%
- Dissatisfied with birth religion, 11 votes, 12.64%
- Dissatisfied with other pagan religion(s), 11 votes, 12.64%
- Raised in the religion, 0 votes, 0.00%
- I am not a Hellenic Reconstructionist Pagan, 1 vote, 1.15%

***

New Poll: Do you have a patron or matron deity?

To vote, go to http://www.egroups.com/polls/kerux

***

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, September 5, 2000: Mystery Circle, Thiasos tes Glaukos, and the Fellowship of the Spiral Path present an Eleusinian ritual for the Two Goddesses. Offerings and meditation on the Greater Mysteries. 7:30 p.m., Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists.

Saturday, September 23, 2000: Bay Area Hellenic Pagan Get-Together at the "Taste of Greece" Festival, Annunciation Cathedral, 245 Valencia St., San Francisco. Great food and dancing. Time and place of meeting TBA.

Saturday, December 2, 2000: "History of Paganism" class for Collegium, the clergy training program of Fellowship of the Spiral Path. 2 p.m., private East Bay location. For more information on any of these events, contact Drew at brightwave@y...

***

Sound Off!

The Kerux is always looking for articles, reviews, and announcements of interest to the Hellenic Reconstructionist community. We're particularly interested in items that support home-based religious practice and eusebeia (piety). Paste your contribution into an email and send to kerux-owner@egroups.com.

***

The Kerux is a project of Nomos Arkhaios, an educational resource center promoting the study and practice of traditional Hellenic religion. For more information, visit the website at Individual authors appearing in the Kerux retain all rights to their work. If you'd like to reprint something you see here, please write directly to the author of the piece for permission.


This article originally appeared on Andrew Campbell's Nomos Arkhaios site which is currently on hiatus.
This article is copyright © 2000-2003 by Andrew Campbell and is reprinted here with permission.


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