Midsummer Business Meeting Notes

Meeting opened at 5:30 pm - 6/20/09

Jen Ellison brought up that over the past few years we have been having more and more services indoors.  She talked about how this led her to feel a disconnect with the land spirits and asked if anyone else was bothered by this.  Others agreed that this was a growing problem.  Skip mentioned how we kept getting rained out.  Perhaps the Kindreds are trying to tell us something.

There was a brief digression into talking about how the grove used to have more young college kids and how we might attract them again.  It was discussed that MMG used to be the only Open group in Syracuse but that that is no longer the case.  Other groups are celebrating at the same times we are.  The discussion was then re-directed into fixing the problems of the grove as it stands currently.

The current grove members present Jen E., Skip, Sharron, Robin, Willow and Jen K. agreed that the grove had become complacent.  We have been working out of our liturgy book for several years now. Willow mentioned that the grove has not had any new chants in a long time. 

The discussion then turned to how we could fix the problems within the grove.  The first thing decided was that we would make more effort to hold services outside even in poor weather.  We need to reconnect with the Earth Mother.  The service should be done off the cuff in the future with perhaps parts given to people in advance to prepare.  It was decided that we should begin by re-writing the ritual for that night.  Skip printed out the list of required items for ADF ritual and we went from there.  The following ritual is what we came up with.

Midsummer Service Outline

1. 1)      Two Power meditation to take place prior to the beginning of the service.

Musical signal given by Rhiannon.

Processional- “I am Walking”

1. 2)      Censing and asperging.

2. 3)      Instead of the normal Earth Mother poem we will be doing the song “oh-ma-ma”.

3. 4)      Statement of intent.

1-We are turning the wheel of the season at this solstice.

2-We are rekindling a spiritual fire within out grove.

3-We are opening the inner gate within ourselves.

1. 5)      Land, Sea and Sky

 Portal Song

1. 6)      Open the Gates-Robin

2. 7)      Ancestors-Robin

Nature Spirits- Jen

Shinning Ones-Melanie

1. 8)      Praise offerings

Grove Oath

            We will make a genuine effort to reconnect to the three kindreds.

            We will open ourselves to deepen our spirituality by overcoming the barriers that we have placed between ourselves and the kindreds.

Then each member was challenged to state specifically how they would live up to the oath.

10)  Omen-Skip

11)      Robin and Jen K. asked for the Blessings, Hallowed the Blessings and gave the affirmation of the Blessings.

15)    Thanked those invited. (3 kindreds etc)

16)    Close the gates-Robin

17)    Thanked the Earth Mother with a kiss.

18)    Close

The Omens were favorable so it is hoped that the kindreds approved of our sincere desire to change.