Thoughts on Community

Happy September, all!

Well, here we go again. The unofficial end of summer, the return of Hallowe’en, Thanksgiving, and Christmas materiel to the store shelves, kids back in school, and a bunch of adults turning around to say, “What now?”

Like many of you, I was disappointed when plans for Calgary Pagan Pride Day fell through again this year. The good news is that it has now been taken over by people with a proven track record, and a Pride Day or similar event next year is highly probable. Kudos to MaryBeth for initiating its rebirth.

It seems to me that the local pagan community suffered a major setback with the closing of the Witchery a few short years ago. Lacking the informal “pagan central” of supplies and info clearing house that Mimi had hosted so well, organizers like myself have had to fend for our own groups without a lot to hold us together. Pagan Pride has been part of the glue that kept us a community, but its loss has been felt, to the point where even I have begun to wonder whether the term “community” still applies here.

And we don’t exist in isolation. Calgary is about the only major city in Canada that hasn’t hosted the Canadian National Pagan Conference, Gaia Gathering, a fact that hasn’t been overlooked by pagans elsewhere in Canada.  I understand it’s a less imposing task than it sounds, involving handling only the local component with support from the national board. Hopefully we will be able to host one sooner rather than later, and to paraphrase John F. Kennedy, I believe this community should commit itself to doing so. It’s just a matter of finding enough of us who respect and trust each other enough to do the work that needs to be done.

Congratulations to Nicky M., who received her Evergreen initiation on August 26!

“Bon Voyage” blessings to Christina S., on her new adventures in Saskatchewan.

September Birthdays: Lee G., Anne W., TigerLily, Cat B., and some of my Facebook friends. Let me know if I’ve missed yours.

September Events:

Note these events are listed for information purposes only.  Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details.  If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

To Sep. 8: Evil Dead – The Musical, at Pumphouse Theatre. http://www.pumphousetheatre.ca

Sep. 1, 7:30 p.m.: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info at cogcoa dot ab dot ca.

Sep. 2, 12:00 p.m.: Calgary Pride Parade, beginning at Olympic Plaza. Info: http://www.pridecalgary.ca

Sep. 3: Labour Day.

Sep. 5, 7:00 p.m.: Beyond the Book of Shadows Meetup Social Moot.  Info: http://www.meetup.com/Beyond-the-book-of-Shadows/

Sep. 15, 7:30: COGCOA Mabon Ritual.

Sep. 15, 8:11 p.m. New Moon. Celtic Tree Month of Muin (Vine) begins.

Sep. 18, 7:30 p.m.: Calgary Witches’ Meetup, in south Calgary. Info:  http://www.meetup.com/Calgary-Witches

Sep. 21, 8:00 p.m.: Take Back the Night Calgary, at Connaught Park, 11 St. and 14 Ave. SW. Info: http://www.tbtncalgary.com

Sep. 22, 8:49 a.m.: Autumnal Equinox.

Sep. 22-23: Calgary Horror Con at Wyckham House, MRU. Info: http://www.horror-con.ca

Sep. 28-30: Ritual Leadership Workshop. Contact me for details.

Sep. 29, 9:19 p.m.:  Full (Harvest) Moon.

Blessings,

Hergest

Two Steps Forward...

Happy Lughnasadh, everyone!

I have to keep this short this month.  As some of you know, Margarian had a fall in our backyard a couple of weeks ago, tried to break her fall by grabbing a fencepost, but wound up dislocating her shoulder.  As I result, I’ve had to be her left arm since then, living at the house, and adding to my caregiver duties. I’ve been visiting our cats regularly, but they’re starting to wonder if I still live there anymore.

Mar is doing better; she’s graduated from an immobilizing sling to a foamrubber strap, but it’ll be a while before she’s properly back in circulation.

In other news, her mother’s house in Toronto sold in less than a week, after I spent two weeks there last month completing the task of emptying it out. It sold for slightly over the asking price, and closing is scheduled for the end of this month. The new owner is apparently expert at performing the extensive renovations the place needs.

August Birthdays: Cathie M., Moksha, Raine, and some of my Facebook friends. Let me know if I’ve missed yours.

Congratulations to Andrea and Ian on their upcoming wedding on August 4!

Candles in the window for Jennifer-Lynn and Samantha.

August Events:

Note these events are listed for information purposes only.  Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details.  If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Aug. 1, 12:52 p.m.:  Full (Sturgeon) Moon. 

Aug. 1, 7:00 p.m.: Beyond the Book of Shadows Meetup Social Moot.  Info: http://www.meetup.com/Beyond-the-book-of-Shadows/

Aug. 3-6:  Panfest at Pigeon Lake near Edmonton. “Alberta’s Premier Pagan Festival”. Info: http://www.panfest.ca.

Aug. 3-11: Calgary Fringe Festival. Info: http://www.calgaryfringe.ca

Aug. 4, 8:00 p.m.:  Femme Fatale 6 - Cabaret Noir -- fundraiser for Marsha Ellen Meidow Foundation, at Dickens Pub. Tickets (while they last) $25 at the door.

Aug. 4, 7:30 p.m.: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info at cogcoa dot ab dot ca.

Aug. 5, 11:30 p.m.: Curiosity Rover scheduled to land on Mars.

Aug. 6: Civic Holiday.

Aug. 10-12: When Words Collide, at Village Park Inn, with Kevin J. Anderson, Kelley Armstrong, Anthony Bidulka, Vanessa Cardui, and Rebecca Moestra.  Info: http://www.whenwordscollide.org

Aug. 11-12: Brooks Medieval Faire, in Brooks.  Info: http://brooksfaire.x10.mx/

Aug. 14 –Sep. 8: Evil Dead – The Musical at Pumphouse Theatre. http://www.pumphousetheatre.ca

Aug. 17, 9:54 p.m.: New Moon. CelticTree Month of Coll (Hazel) begins.

Aug. 21, 7:30 p.m.:  Calgary Witches’ Meetup in south Calgary. Info:  http://www.meetup.com/Calgary-Witches

Aug. 31, 7:58 a.m.:  Full (Red) Moon.  Also Blue Moon.

Blessings,

Hergest