Page of Pentacles

Suite 1 -1428 East King Edward Avenue,Vancouver, BC V5N 2V4

C.C.C.C.C.W.W.W.W.W.A.A.A.A.A.B. C.B. C.B. C.B. C.B. C.

#3-July 2005 c.e.

CWA-BC Annual General Meeting CWA-BC Annual General Meeting CWA-BC Annual General Meeting CWA-BC Annual General Meeting CWA-BC Annual General Meeting

The next Annual General Meeting of the CWA-BCwill happen on August 14th in Port Coquitlam. It isopen to all members and friends of the church butonly Voting Members may move motions, stand foroffice or vote. Voting Members are those people whohave been involved with the church for a minimum of one year, attended at least three public events, agreedin writing with our statement of basic beliefs andethics and paid the annual fee (currently $25).

Canadian National Pagan Survey

The Canadian National Pagan Survey is beingconducted by Dr.Sian Reid of Carleton University’sDepartment of Sociology and Anthropology and it’s afollow-up to her 1995-6 survey of Canadian neo-Pagans which formed the basis for her PhDdissertation.Because neo-Paganism has been growing explosively,from 2295 in 1981 to 5530 in 1991 to 21085 in 2001in the respective census counts, it will be very usefulto Canadian pagans as well as academics and thegeneral public, to get a good idea of who we are andwhere we’re from.Ms. Reid’s survey will conclude as of April 30th,2006. Copies of the survey form can be obtained fromwww.canadianpagansurvey.ca or from her atslreid@ccs.carleton.ca or at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carelton University,1125 Colonel Bye Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6.

Temple and Congregation News Temple and Congregation News Temple and Congregation News Temple and Congregation News Temple and Congregation News

Vancouver-Burnaby Temple

The theme for July 16th will be the Goddess. The July30th meeting will be cancelled due to the attendanceof some members at a religious retreat. The theme forAugust 13th will be building community, and August27th will be endings and beginnings.The Teen Pagans meet after the ritual.Our Temple meets every second Saturday at 11 am atForum Chambers (beside the coffee shop, off of Convocation Mall at Simon Fraser) although we areactively seeking a new home in Vancouver. Contactthe Priest atsamwagar@shaw.ca.

Silver Branch Temple (Fraser Valley)

The Silver Branch Temple (located on the beautifulgrounds of the Royal Jubilee Lawn BowlingAssociation, 33680 South Fraser Way, in Abbotsford(beside the old downtown library). Due to the illnessof the Priestess, the Temple will not be meeting untilfurther notice.Priestess Aurora RoseSilver Branch Temple (silver_branch@telus.net)Abbotsford

Nanaimo Congregation

The Open Circle is set for this coming 9th of July.The site is rented and the notices have gone out. Wehave set the time for 6:00pm.Joy Halls has asked to stand as Priestess and we agree

We were a couple of minutes late arriving, so thingsgot started about 20 minutes late. (unexpected trafficissues coming from Vernon.) A photographer from

Capital News

in Kelowna was there to meet us, andhe took quite a few photos for his newspaper, whichwere to go with a small caption. He was also veryrespectful of anyone’s desire to not be photographed,I’m pleased to say (wouldn’t want anyone to be scaredaway from our rituals because they’re afraid of beingin the paper!) I was pleased that he came out.We therefore abbreviated the ritual a little, so thatSam would have time to do his talk on the NationalPagan Conference. I think it ended up flowing better.We did a webweaving as the culmination of the ritual,which was a great deal of fun, and I think everyonewent away with a good feeling, which was theimportant thing. There was chanting and good humourand laughter and power behind our work.Thank you all for coming, those who did; and we’resorry we missed you, those who couldn’t make it.Next month, in lieu of a ritual, the plan is to do apublic Witch wedding! My beloved husband and I,since we can now do it the Pagan way, are makinglegal the vows we took seven years ago. We chose theJuly 24 ritual date because it was as close to ouroriginal ceremony as we could make it (which was onLughnasadh.) We invite the general Pagan public toattend the wedding, which is to be in Polson Park inVernon, and for those who receive an invitation, therewill be a very informal potluck reception at our homeafterwards. Dress is as you like. However, do staytuned, because we are finalizing many of the detailsstill.The North Okanagan Congregation’s next OpenCircles will happen on the 23rd of July and August20th - in July at Polson Park in Vernon for a marriageand in August at the Unitarian Church, 1310 BertramStreet, Kelowna. For more information contact the layclergy person, Sable, at 250-549-4100 orSunMoonStar@planet-save.com.

Penticton Congregation

Things here in the South Okanagan have been doing alot of roller coaster type stuff. We have beenadvertising in the local media for the last couple of that she deserves the honour of this first Open Circle.Sam Wagar will act as Priest. The other Lay Clergywill call the quarters and participate in minor partssuch as the storytelling and some spell work.We just had our first business meeting on June 30th,where we elected our interim “Board of Stewards”(think Board of Deacons). The Lay Clergy have metseveral times previously and we decided that,consistent with the congregationalist model, thereshould be a separation between the theological wingof the Congregation, and the internal “business” of running the works. A clear separation between themoney and the prayers worked very well in the BaptistChurch I grew up in, and it seems to be a logical wayto operate in our environment. It also leaves theClergy to do what the Clergy should do, concentrateon the spiritual needs of the membership. To this endwe have established a “Board of Stewards” who willtake care of running the nuts and bolts such asfinances, library, membership and visit rolls etc. TheBoard of Stewards will also be responsible to conductbusiness meetings as necessary. The Clergy willattend meeting of the Board of Stewards as non-votingmembers and will provide “sober second thought” toensure that decisions are consistent with the NWC andthe CWA’s purpose and requirements. At this time theBoard has elected a Secretary, Treasurer, MembershipCoordinator, and a Librarian. All are avowedsupporters of the project and all have expressed intentto take out membership in the CWA as soon as theyhave fulfilled the requirements.In service to our Lord and LadyDaniel Van KoughnettNanaimo Wiccan Congregationwitch@telus.net

Vernon Congregation (North Okanagan)

Well, it was a really great Summer Solstice ritual! Wewere back in the Unitarian church this month, andthough we had a smaller turnout than I’d hoped forconsidering the Sabbat, people were very generouswith their donations and even with the raised churchrental cost, it was the least expensive ritual for me,personally, that we’ve done so far. Thank you somuch for that!

months. Last month, we merely had a spot in theThings To Do section in a free paper (

PentictonWestern News

)

and we were blessed with a few peoplewho saw our blurb. This month, we got the attentionof the local newspaper (

Penticton Herald

) who askedfor an interview on the morning of our monthly ritual.The reporter took about an hour to ask her questions,getting several quotes from Sam, Mike and I and thenspent about a half hour setting up the “perfect” photo.In actuality, the article was almost completely quoteswhen it printed and the picture was quite well done.We have been receiving calls from interested Pagan/ Wiccan types almost daily ever since. Those are theups...The downside to this attention is the fact that I bit thebullet and “outed” myself to the community at largewhich some of the ladies’ auxiliary of the servicegroup I belong to took exception to. Since I am anofficer of this auxiliary, they expected me to be a goodlittle Christian, regardless of the fact that I neverclaimed to be such. They, in their mistaken, Christian-centric beliefs, thought I was the perfect youngaddition to their group and never once thought that Imight believe a bit differently from them. I was goingto be called to the carpet in front of the entire officercontingent of the group (both men and women),however, I have not spent my energy in vain. Severalof the officers are very tolerant and absolutely adorethe work I put into the group. They flat refused tohave it made so public. While I will be asked toanswer some questions regarding my vows vs. mybeliefs at the next auxiliary meeting, for most, this ismerely a formality and a non-issue. The meeting isJuly 13th, thus I will let you all know how it wentnext month.In the last month, I have passed my 2nd semester of my LPN program (now on practicum), actually madehuge leaps at becoming organized (I even have adatabase on who has attended our rituals), moved myhousehold (3 adults, 2 kids and a rottie) into a hugehouse (with personal ritual space) and attempted totake our burgeoning temple into the public eye. I think I have officially gone insane!Grá is beannachtaí,Angela WheelerLay PriestessThe congregation has a workshop at 12:30, followedby a ritual at 3:00 pm on July 24th and then onAugust 21st Both workshops and rituals will happenat Leir House, 220 Manor Park Avenue, Penticton.For more information contact Mike Zult at 770-8644or Angela at prrrline@img.net.

Surrey Congregation

The Surrey congregation will be hosting Open Circleson the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month beginning at1 pm. The meetings will be in the common room of 7297 138th Street in Surrey (a block from the Newtonbus loop). This congregation is centred in the StarSapphire Tradition of Wicca.The lay clergy in the congregation are Sherryl Vergeand Jamie Field. Contact them atvergefield@hotmail.com for more information.

Financial Report Financial Report Financial Report Financial Report Financial Report

The following is an unaudited and general financialreport covering the period from March 2004 to July1st 2005.Congregational breakdown:North Okanagan : expenses $510.33 ($200transportation, $178 rental, $132.33 printing, suppliesetc); income $297.43South Okanagan: expenses $346.29 ($200 transport,$105 rental, $41.29 other); income 100.20Vancouver-Burnaby : expenses: $19.75 (printing andsupplies); income $118.82No report from Silver Branch, Surrey or Nanaimo,but their expenses and income have both been minimalso far.General Church: expenses: $271.53 ( filing fees $185,advertising $72.23, printing and postage $14.30);income $250.00Page of Pentacles: expense $187.87 (printing