Author Archives: John

About John

I grew up in Tennessee with the woods right outside my back door. Wandering through them gave me a sense of connection to Nature and to a certain Forest God. I'm a Druid in the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD), a member of Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF), a member of Denton CUUPS, and a former Vice President of CUUPS Continental. I've been writing, speaking, teaching, and leading public rituals since 2003. My books The Path of Paganism (2017) and Paganism In Depth (2019) are published by Llewellyn Worldwide.

Summer Solstice June 17, 2017 at Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Denton

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 The Beautiful Reunion

In our time of fallowness, as Ra has reached his fullness in the sky, come join us for the Beautiful Reunion of Heru-Wer (Horus) and Hethert (Hathor). We will celebrate the joy of life with Hethert and victories of every type with Heru-Wer as they come together for their yearly nuptials. To celebrate their wedding feast, please bring a dish or beverage to share with your fellow celebrants and the deities.

Gathering is at 7:00 PM, with the ritual starting at 7:30 PM. Children who can respectfully participate are welcome to attend the ritual. Childcare will be provided for younger children during the ritual. Everyone is welcome to join us for the feast afterwards.

Donations to defray costs are welcome but not required.

For more information, visit or message us on  Facebook.

All of our rituals are held at the Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, located at      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.

Picture from http://kemetic-independent.awardspace.us/reunion-feast.htm

Beltane – The Cernunnos Ritual

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Beltane – The Cernunnos Ritual
Saturday, May 6
Gathering begins at 7:00 PM
Ritual begins promptly at 7:30 PM

Come join us for our celebration of Beltane, the Celtic fire festival which in ancient times marked the beginning of Summer. We will begin our circle with a traditional Maypole Dance.

Our main working will be a ritual to Cernunnos, the Lord of the Animals and the Lord of the Hunt, the God of the Forest and of Green Growing Things.

It is no surprise that in our era of environmental challenges he is calling to many who share his love for Nature. This ritual will feature a procession, drumming, and dancing.  We will make offerings to Cernunnos and ask for his inspiration and blessing on our work to honor and protect the Earth and all her creatures.

Our circle will be outdoors unless it is raining – please dress for the weather. Children who can participate maturely and respectfully are welcome to join in. We will have childcare available for younger children.

Please bring an item of food or drink to share after the ceremony. Donations help defray costs are appreciated but are not required.

If you have any questions, please contact John Beckett at JohnFranc@aol.com or 972-948-9211.

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

Ostara – March 25th, 2017

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Please join Denton CUUPs for our Ostara celebration to welcome Spring on Saturday March 25, 2017. Gathering begins at 7:00 PM and the ritual begins promptly at 7:30. We will be honoring the goddess Persephone and her yearly return from the Underworld. Close-toed shoes are recommended as we will be outside.

Children of all ages are welcome to attend and participate in this ritual if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

We will have a potluck dinner afterwards, so please bring food or drink to share.

Looking forward to seeing all of you on the 25th!

February’s Pagan Game Night – Thank You!

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We would like to thank everyone that came out to our first Pagan Game Night last Saturday! We had a large crowd, a total of 14 people. There was plenty of good food and lots of great fun! We look forward to seeing everyone at our next social gathering! Have a terrific Tuesday everybody!

Ritual Theory and Practice

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Sunday, February 19
1:30 PM to 4:00 PM

If you’ve been to a few Pagan circles, you’ve probably seen some really good rituals… and you’ve probably seen some not-so-good ones too. Over the years, Denton CUUPS has learned a lot about what works well and what doesn’t, common problems and ways to work through them, and a process of planning, researching, composing, rehearsing, and presenting rituals that we’ve found to be very helpful.

This workshop will cover ritual theory, the elements of modern Pagan ritual, and our process for ritual planning and composition. It will be led by John Beckett, the Coordinating Officer of Denton CUUPS, a Druid in the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, and the author of the upcoming Llewellyn book The Path of Paganism – An Experience-Based Guide to Modern Pagan Practice.

There is no charge for this class, but donations are requested. This class is family friendly and is appropriate for older children. We are unable to provide childcare for younger children at this event.

If you have any questions, please contact John Beckett at JohnFranc@aol.com

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

Yule Circle – December 17

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Please join the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans as we celebrate Yule. Gathering begins at 7:00 PM and the ritual begins promptly at 7:30. On this longest night, we turn our minds to the waning of the dark and the growing strength of the light. We will light the Yule log, tell the ancient story of Balder and the Mistletoe, and celebrate with a toast of Wassail.

Children 10 and older who can participate respectfully are welcome to attend with a parent/guardian. Childcare will be provided.

Please bring a dish to share for the potluck after the ceremony. Donations of a dollar or three to defray costs are welcome but not required

Come experience the mystery of the Winter Solstice!

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.

yule-flyer-1-2016

New CUUPS Officers and By-laws Changes

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Denton CUUPS held its Fall Social Gathering and business meeting on October 15. Our membership approved two by-laws changes, our slate of officers for 2016-17, and our 2017 circle calendar.

Bylaws Changes.  A modification to Article IV: Chapter Officers was approved that revises the duties of the Events Coordinator and creates two new positions, a Recording Officer and a Communications & Technology Officer.

A modification to Article XII: Adoption and Amendment was adopted that explicitly allows for electronic voting.

The following officers were elected:

  • Coordinating Officer: John Beckett
  • Events Coordinator: Russell Griffin
  • Membership Officer: Linda Masten
  • Education Officer: Wren Kelley and William Nutt
  • Treasurer: Debbie Griffin
  • Recording Officer: Bonnie Davidson
  • Communication & Technology Officer: Tezra O’Brien and Hannah Nutt

The 2017 calendar will be posted shortly.

Please congratulate the new officers on their election, and support them in their duties in the coming year.

Denton CUUPS Samhain Festival

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Saturday, October 29
Gather at 7:00 PM, start promptly at 7:30

Come join the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans for our 2016 Samhain Festival on Saturday October 29th. We gather at 7:00 PM and the ritual begins promptly at 7:30.

We’ll honor our ancestors and beloved dead, the Gods of our ancestors, and John Barleycorn, the embodiment of the harvest. Bring a memento of your beloved dead, a representation of a deity or several of your choice and join in the memorial ritual, as we cast the last of the harvest onto the fire and celebrate the ancient Celtic end of the year.

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 who can participate maturely and respectfully are welcome to join in. We will have childcare for younger children.

For questions or information, please contact John Beckett at 972-948-9211 or JohnFranc@aol.com, or see our website at http://www.dentoncuups.org/

at the
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.

samhain-2014-15-facebook-cover

Gleichentag: The Autumn Equinox

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Saturday, September 17
Gather at 7:00 PM, start promptly at 7:30

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

Please join the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans for our celebration of the Norse festival of Gleichentag (“even day”). This is the Autumn Equinox, a time of balance when light and dark are equal. It is a celebration of the grain harvest and a time to take stock of the year, to gather together, and to share food and drink with each other, the landvettir, ancestor spirits, and the Gods of the harvest time.

We will be holding a feast as part of the ritual, or as the Norse would have commonly called their High Day rites, a symbul, where we will share food and drink among those here, and with all those who come in peace to join us for feasting and song.

The first part of the celebration will be outside (weather permitting, which it usually is this time of year) and the ritual feast will be inside in the RE wing. Please bring a dish to share, and a favorite poem, a toast, a reading or song if you want to honor you ancestors, spirits, or deities aloud.

Children 10 and older who can participate respectfully are welcome to attend with a parent/guardian. Childcare will be provided for younger children.

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

Gleichentag 2015 Facebook header