The Officers of Avalon began as an online e-group in 1999 for Pagan Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters and other Pagan professionals in public safety and emergency service careers. Though the group started out as a forum for communication between Pagan professionals they became incorporated on September 11th 2003 in the state of Nevada as a non-profit association with bylaws and a purpose. The men and women in the Officers of Avalon association are the people that work everyday to protect, serve and save the lives of those in their communities and beyond.

One of the goals for the Officers of Avalon is to prove that there is a valid place for Pagan professionals in today’s communities. They lead by example for others holding to a Code of Honor that extends beyond their job requirements. By being apart of this organization, members can foster a greater understanding and tolerance for those who are not apart of the Pagan Community.

An area where the Officers of Avalon has excelled is in that of working to stop the promotion of lies publicized by so called “occult experts” and religious fundamentalists who try to spread misinformation about Pagans in an inflammatory way. Their work in investigating such issues has shut down websites like the short lived “Encyclopedia of Satanic Wicca”. The Officers of Avalon, as well as their Preceptor General Kerr Cuhulain, continue to investigate questionable websites and other media as a part of their service while educating the public and the authorities about the Pagan Community.

The Avalon Cares Relief Project, created in 2005, is the Officers of Avalon charity that raises funds for disaster relief. When Hurricane Katrina struck Mississippi and Louisiana the Relief Project raised over $28,000 and supplied replacement uniforms for police officers in New Orleans. Since the group is entirely made of volunteers none of the donated funds raised ever go to the group for overhead costs, as those are covered by membership dues, so 100% of funds raised goes to the people who need it. If you would like to donate to The Avalon Cares Relief Project you can do so by clicking here.

Pagans who are Police Officers and Firefighters isn’t something new; for many years people have been protected and saved by others who follow various religious paths. It has only been in the past few years, as more tolerance of the Pagan Community has been fostered that Pagan professionals have been able to come out of the “broom closet” without the risk of losing their jobs. The many people who look to these Pagan professionals in their times of need don’t considered religious affiliation in the heat of the moment but for some having it be known that they were saved by a Pagan would have caused a stir. Fortunately as our society progresses and with the help of organizations such as the Officers of Avalon, Pagans have a better opportunity of not only being accepted as professionals in their chosen fields but as outstanding members in their local communities.

If you would like more information about the Officers of Avalon you can visit their website at www.officersofavalon.com or you can request information by snail mail at:
Officers of Avalon, P.O. BOX 22 Baraboo, WI 53913-0022

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Within mainstream religions there is a history of educational support and pastoral leadership that has become a foundation for those who wish to develop to a higher religious calling by becoming ministers. So, where does one go who wishes to attain the same educational level though being apart of the Pagan religious families? Well, one option is Cherry Hill Seminary in Bethel, Vermont.

Cherry Hill Seminary was established to offer educational opportunities and support for those seeking to become apart of the growing Pagan clergy movement. Through their Public Ministry programs students can learn about community ritual, interfaith development, leadership, administration and pastoral care. The seminary also offers other learning opportunities through its Cultural Studies department.

Cherry Hill Seminary is a privately owned Pagan seminary program based on the Communitarian philosophy of the sacredness of connections and community building. They strive for building a connection between all faiths of the world and are dedicated to train and ordain qualified ministers who are committed to the philosophy of building a sense of community within their chosen Pagan path. Since the popularity of Paganism has become more mainstream there is a call for legitimate and established Pagan teachers and clergy to help foster the educational needs of those who are new to the Pagan families of religion. Cherry Hill Seminary’s goal is to help fulfill this growing need not only in the local Pagan communities but in the larger more established Pagan communities as well.

In June of 2003 Cherry Hill Seminary held its first graduation and has built upon that first year with an ever growing student population at its campus in Bethel. Students can either attend classes at the main campus or chose to start with some online courses, though attendance on campus is required to fulfill certain groups of study. Requirements for admissions include a personal essay and though a baccalaureate degree is preferred, a student’s relevant religious training and background will also be taken into consideration. Some units from other educational outlets may also be transferred for credit at the seminary.

Registrations for the 2008 Spring classes are now closed but registration is still open for the 2008 Winter Intensive.

If you would like to learn more about the Cherry Hill Seminary and the Pagan educational programs that they offer you can contact Barbara J. Graham, the schools Public Information Officer at thistle@cherryhillseminary.org or you can visit their main website www.cherryhillseminary.org for more information.

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Pagan parents have an alternative choice when it comes to children’s scouting programs and that choice is Spiral Scouts.

Spiral Scouts International began in 1999 when the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, based in Washington, decided that they wanted to provide an alternative to the Christian based Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts programs. The philosophy of the scouting program is intended to bring parents and children together with activities that are drawn from under the umbrella of Paganism.

The growing popularity of Spiral Scouts reflects the need in the Pagan community for more mainstream programs geared toward parenting issues. For years the standards of Christian based programs for children loomed exclusive towards parents of minority faiths that wanted to take part. Many Pagan parents dealt with the dilemma of either entering their children into programs that would mock their faith or keeping their children at home to create activities in a solitary manner. In some areas of the country this problem still exists but for many Pagan parents within a larger Pagan community it is a problem of the past.

The Spiral Scouts offers different structure options within their program. The Hearth is the smallest inclusion for single family groups who are in rural areas or in areas where there is no thriving Pagan community already in existence. The Circle is the next rung up on the totem pole and is open to including many Hearths that hold more than a single family membership. The Clan is a larger group that includes not only Hearths and Circles but encompasses an entire regional area. The Tribe is the largest group and can oversee many Hearths, Circles and Clans which can span a larger area than that of just single Clan.

The program levels offered for the children in the Spiral Scouts are as follows: FireFlies that includes ages 3 through 8 years, Spiral Scouts that includes ages 9 through 13 years and the Pathfinders that includes ages 14 through 18 years.

Pagan parents have already started registered Spiral Scouts groups in 21 states and Nevada is among them. Nevada currently has the Silver Tribe but no Tribal Coordinator for the state as of yet. Other established Spiral Scouts in the state include:

Circle of the Spirits Combined #161- Reno

Mojave Desert Spiral Scouts Circle #147- Las Vegas

If you would like more information on the above listed Spiral Scouts groups you can contact the Silver Tribe via the Spiral Scouts Headquarters. The Spiral Scouts International website www.spiralscouts.org or call their main office at (360)793-9427.

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Pagan schools are rapidly developing all over the United States in response to the growing popularity of Paganism. Some of these schools are legitimate places of education while others are based solely on profit. One should keep in mind that though the basic tenant of Paganism is the acknowledgment for an individual to find their own spiritual path there are groups out there, as is any religious grouping, that will teach based only certain spiritual paths.

There are many things that one should take into consideration when applying to a Pagan educational program. You should first do has much research and study on your own of the path in which you feel is right for you. You should research the credibility and history of the educational programs that you are looking into. Many, not all, Pagan educational programs can be learned on ones own without the expense of applying to a school. Look at all the courses that are offered and learn about the teacher’s teaching them. Think about the time line for each course taught and see if it will fit with your schedule. Also, take into consideration the difference between your need for a mentor and your need for traditional Pagan schooling. Most Pagan religions have mentors in certain circles that regularly take on apprentices, find out if there are any in your area and weigh your options for furthering your Pagan education.

In an effort to help those who are looking for a class style Pagan education I have comprised a review of some of the current Pagan schools that exist.

Avalon Center for Druidic Studies: They are both an online and off line school in the process of building a campus and gaining full accreditation. Their various courses offer a Bachelor of Druidic Arts ( B.D.A.), Master of Bardic Arts (M.B.A.), Master of Arts in Ovate Studies (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy in Druidic Studies (Ph.D.). Their admissions process is like that of your regular colleges. For more information visit www.avaloncollege.org

The College of The Sacred Mists: This is an online school that teaches Wiccan courses in the Sacred Mists tradition. Classes consist of studying to attain the three degrees offered in their own tradition and require a study commitment time of a year and a day for each degree. Some courses are only for those who are of the Sacred Mists Wiccan tradition. For more information visit www.workingwitches.com

The Pagan Online Campus: A free online school taught by teachers of various Pagan faiths who donate their time. Course schedules are run based on regular semester guidelines. The Pagan Online Campus is a legally incorporated non-profit institution. For more information visit www.thepagancampus.net

Witch School: An online Wiccan school. They teach the Correllian Wiccan tradition in three degrees and offer courses in general Pagan history. Keep in mind that all courses are taught from a Correllian Wiccan view point and that some courses are free and others are by tuition only. For more information visit:www.witchschool.com

Cherry Hill Seminary: A professional Pagan clergy institution, they offer courses in both the lay and ministry track for Pastoral Counseling and hold to a standard admissions process. This school is good for those in the Pagan community who wish to attain certification as Pagan Clergy. They teach from all Pagan faiths and the seminary is located in Bethel, VT. For more information visit www.cherryhillseminary.org

The Crossroads Lyceum College of Isis: Part of the Fellowship of Isis this is a correspondence school that teaches the Fellowship of Isis tradition and Goddess centered spirituality. They offer two programs of Priesthood training within the Fellowship of Isis tradition. For more information visit www.crlyceum.com

Goddess Moon Circles Academy: A private school for Pagan children grades K-12. Part of the surge in the home schooling movement the academy runs through the regular school year and offers a standard course curriculum in addition to faith based schooling. This is an alternative to sending Pagan kids to private Christian schools. For more information visit www.goddessmooncirclesacademy.org

It is important to understand that even though there are many groups who may call themselves schools or colleges of Witchcraft and or Paganism they mainly teach from the point of view of their own spiritual path. Most of the ongoing study needed to further a Pagan education can be done and in most cases should be done on your own. What is important to your personal spiritual path may be completely different from someone else’s so keep in mind if you do chose to join or participate in any Pagan learning program that what is taught is not what you must follow.

Another thing to take into consideration is melding of many traditions taught as one. For example if you jump into a school that claims to teach general Paganism through three degrees and you are unaware that the three degrees relates to mainly Wicca and not general Paganism as a whole then later on down the line you may run into to quite a bit of confusion.

My suggestion to anyone who wishes to choose a certain path is to educate themselves on all Pagan religions before hand that way when you are taught a discrepancy in paths you will know where it originated.

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