Labyrinth Prep

Posted on October 3, 2015 by John

We build our spiral labyrinth with tea candles and baby food jars. All but a few of the jars haven’t been used since the last labyrinth four years ago, and they’ve been sitting in old cardboard boxes in a not-too-secure storage shed all that time. They were dirty.

So we brought them home, cleaned them out, and washed them. They’re not clean enough to put food in, but they’ll be bright and clear with a new candle in them, and there are no dry leaves or dead bugs to catch on fire when we light them.

There was an unintended blood sacrifice. The metal base of the old tea candles is sharp if you catch it at the right angle… and I did.

See you all at Samhain on Saturday, October 31!

Samhain – The Spiral Labyrinth

Posted on September 26, 2015 by John

Saturday, October 31
gathering begins at 7:00 PM
ritual begins promptly at 7:30 PM

Please join the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans on Saturday, October 31 as we celebrate Samhain, the final harvest festival of the year. We will gather at DUUF at 7:00 pm and begin promptly at 7:30 pm.

This is Samhain, the season of the Thinning of the Veil, when the ordinary world and the world of the Gods and Ancestors draw close, and perhaps, overlap. As you walk the Spiral Labyrinth, we encourage you to listen. Listen for your beloved ancestors and listen for the Gods and Goddesses of our ancestors.

In case of inclement weather, the Spiral Labyrinth will be set up in Miller Hall.

Please bring a picture or other memento for our Altar of the Ancestors. Please bring an item of food or drink to share after the ceremony. Donations of a dollar or three to help defray 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 more information, please contact John Beckett at JohnFranc@aol.com or 972-948-9211

Hermaea: A Rite of Hermes

Posted on July 26, 2015 by John

Saturday, August 8
at the Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
1111 Cordell Street – Denton, TX 76201
gathering begins at 7:00 PM, ritual begins promptly at 7:30 PM

Please join us for our celebration of the Hermaea, our reimagining of an ancient Hellenic festival in honor of Hermes, God of Travelers and Messenger of the Gods. We will tell a story of Hermes, make offerings, draw omens, and contemplate our own travels through life.

Please bring an item of food or drink for the social hour afterwards. This ritual is suitable for children 10 and up. We will have childcare available for younger children.

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

Beltane – Saturday May 2

Posted on April 19, 2015 by John

Denton CUUPS Beltane Circle

Saturday, May 2
Gathering begins at 7:00 PM
Ritual begins promptly at 7:30 PM

In the ancient Celtic lands, Beltane marked the end of Winter and the beginning of Summer. Here in North Texas, it’s our celebration of Spring in all its lusty fullness.

Please join us as we celebrate the season and honor the Gods, ancestors, and spirits of the land. We’ll dance the Maypole to weave good fortune for the coming season, and we’ll dance the Spiral Dance to energize our intentions and work our Will, as we work to protect the Land from those who would exploit it.

This will be an outdoor, family-friendly circle.

Gathering begins at 7:00 PM and the ritual begins promptly at 7:30. We’ll be outdoors for the entire ritual unless it’s raining.

Please bring an item of food or drink to share after the ceremony. As always, a donation of a dollar or three to help defray costs are appreciated, but not required.

See you there!

Communicating With Your Neighbors

Posted on December 21, 2014 by John

Communicating With Your Neighbors – Land Spirits and UU Pagans
at the Denton UU Fellowship
three class meetings:
- Saturday, January 10
- Saturday, January 24
- Sunday February 15
2:00 to 5:00 PM

Before Europeans came to Texas and before the First Nations arrived, they were here. Some call them fae, some call them vaettir, some call them land spirits or just the spirits of this place. Some see them mythically and some see them mystically, but in our age of hypermaterialism most don’t see them at all.

Whatever you call them, they are our neighbors and it is polite to be neighborly towards them. It’s also wise – we share the land with them and we have a common interest in honoring and protecting the land. This will be a three-session experience-oriented class in communicating with the land spirits.

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.

An Introduction to Modern Pagan Religion

Posted on December 21, 2014 by John

Introduction to Modern Pagan Religion
Saturday, January 17, 1:00 to 5:00
at the Denton UU Fellowship

Are you curious about modern Pagan religion? Would you like to hear about it from people who’ve been practicing it for years? Are you on a Wiccan, Druid, or another Pagan spiritual path and would like some live instruction to complement your reading and other solitary practice? Have you outgrown the many Wicca 101 books but are unsure how to move on?

This will be our 5th time holding this popular class. We’ll cover the beliefs and practices of our ancient ancestors, the origins of Wicca and other modern Pagan religions, basic spiritual concepts and how different Pagans understand them, the role of Nature in our beliefs and practices, and the essentials of personal spiritual practice.

Yule – The Winter Solstice

Posted on December 10, 2014 by John

Denton CUUPS Yule Circle
Saturday, December 20
Gathering begins at 7:00 PM – Ritual begins promptly at 7:30

Please join the Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans as we celebrate Yule, the Winter Solstice. 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 rebirth of the Sun. As we celebrate this season of tradition with new beginnings, new hopes and new dreams, take a moment out of the cold and dreary winter to embrace the possibilities of the year to come.

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

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

For questions or information, please contact John Beckett at JohnFranc@aol.com.

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.

2015 CUUPS Calendar

Posted on October 18, 2014 by John

Last Sunday we held our annual planning meeting and set the calendar for 2015. Most of our events will be held at DUUF and they’ve now been loaded on the DUUF building usage calendar, meaning they’re firm.

Our calendar is now available on this website. Rituals and service projects are here:

http://www.dentoncuups.org/calendar/

Classes and special events are here:

http://www.dentoncuups.org/classes-and-special-events/

We do our best to keep you informed via our e-mail list and on Facebook, but please remember you can always find the current calendar on the website.

thanks,

John Beckett
Coordinating Officer
Denton CUUPS

Denton CUUPS

The Denton Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans

Tag Archives: Denton