ELECTRIC GARTERS OF CALIFORNIA YULE 1986 Please address commments and inquiries to: NEW WICCAN CHURCH OF CALIFORNIA P.O. BOX 162046 SACRAMENTO, CA 95816 ATTN; ALLYN WOLFE ELECTRIC GARTERS an abridged version of RED GARTERS is available on various Pagan computer BBS. The RED GARTERS of California is the official voice of the New Wiccan Church of California. The Office of the California State Summoner publishes a minimum of 8 issues per year, as a function of the membership and mailing lists of the New Wiccan Church. Subscription to RED GARTERS is included among the benefits of membership in the New Wiccan Church of California. RED GARTERS of California is available non-members for a minimum donation of $8 (U.S.A. and Canada) or $12 (foreign) NOTE: SUBSCRIPTION DONATION INCREASE BEGINNING MARCH 1ST, 1987. See details following. Statements by the Grand Council of Elders of the New Wiccan Church published in any RED GARTERS delineate NWC national policy. Statements by the Council of Elders of the NWC of California published in any RED GARTERS delineate NWC state policy. Such other items as may be published in RED GARTERS are to be regarded as the views of their authors/artists; such items do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the New Wiccan Church. Items not carrying a "by line" may be presumed to be included at the discretion of the editor. Submissions to RED GARTERS/ELECTRIC GARTERS are welcomed (as are donations). Such submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Any item submitted to RED GARTERS for publication may also be published in ELECTRIC GARTERS unless otherwise specified at the time of submission. All copyrights remain with the author(s)/artist(s). We reserve the right to edit and censor material. Inflammatory or provocative submissions will be edited. Seek UNITY in the faith. The New Wiccan Church of America and its various state, area and city branches are secret, non-profit, religious organizations dedicated to promulgating English Traditional Wicca in its various traditions, rites, forms, and orders. Political and/or criminal activity by any branch of this church is absolutely prohibited. Any member engaging in either does so as an individual. ------------------------------------------------------------ NATIONAL OFFICERS Grand Queen Haragano Grand Magus Gwyddion Grand Summoner Lleu ------------------------------------------------------------ STATE OFFICERS Please note new California officers CALIFORNIA Queen Moira Magus Herne Summoner Saluna Publications: Allyn Wolfe OREGON Queen Marisha Grand Magus Gwyddion WASHINGTON Queen Haragano Magus Tiller WISCONSIN Queen Kyril Magus Enqito ------------------------------------------------------------ New Wiccan Church of California telephone: (916) 489-6147. All calls are screened through the answering machine, so you MUST identify yourself to the machine before any human will respond. ------------------------------------------------------------ New Wiccan Church, National Office, P.O. Box 162046, Sacramento, CA 95816 New Wiccan Church of California, P.O. Box 421044, Sacramento, CA 95842 Bay Area New Wiccan Church, P.O. Box 551, Pinole, CA, 94564-0551 New Wiccan Church of Wisconsin, P.O. Box 64, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 New Wiccan Church of Washington, P.O. Box 30511, Seattle, WA 98103 New Wiccan Church of Oregon, Temporary address: P.O. Box 162046, Sacramento, CA 95816 ------------------------------------------------------------ BACK ISSUES of RED GARTERS: All of the "Open Pagan Community" issues are available: Set #1 (AUG/SEPT 83, IMBOLC 83, BELTANE 84, LITHA/LUGHNASSAD 84, SAMHAIN 84, NOV 84) $3; Set #2 (MAR 85, APR 85, JUNE 85, SEPT 85, NOV 85, DEC 85) $5.50; SET #3 (FEB 86, MAR 86, BELTANE 86) $2.50; INCLUDE $1 PER ORDER FOR THE ABOVE TO COVER SHIPPING AND HANDLING. The following are available at $1 @, no handling charge: JULY 86, AUG 86, OCT 86. DEC 86 IS $2. Additional restricted issues are available exclusively to New Wiccan Church members; contact Publications Officer for listing. ------------------------------------------------------------ General Notice from the California Council of Elders: The California Council of Elders held elections recently. The office of State Queen, temporarily held by Lady Maeburn since the resignation of Lady Raven, has now been filled by Lady Moira. In addition, the duties of the office of State Summoner have so expanded in recent years, that the Council has seen fit establish a new office to handle the production of New Wiccan Church publications. Lord Allyn Wolfe is the new Publications Officer, and Lady Anea is the new Summoner. The staff of Red Garters wishes each of our new officers a prosperous and peaceful term of office. ------------------------------------------------------------ Notice to RED GARTERS Subscribers The subscription rate to RED GARTERS will be going up to $10 ($15 Foreign) per year for non-members, effective with the March issue of RED GARTERS . This change was directed by the California Council of Elders, and is the first subscription increase in the four years RG has been offered outside of the New Wiccan Church membership. However, as a way of thanking you for your support, if we receive a renewal or new subscription postmarked prior to March 1, you will continue to receive RED GARTERS at the old rate. ------------------------------------------------------------ SUMMONER'S CALLING By Lord Lleu Grand Summoner of the New Wiccan Church I always hate writing against a deadline, especially when I still haven't come up with a topic. This time around I think I will focus on last time. To those of you who panicked at the last Summoner's Calling. I can assure you that I was not spying on you. I did not even use clairvoyance. However, if you have been Summoner as long as I have (8 years), you begin to know the kind of things that cause trouble, and for me misrepresentation has headed the list, while jumping to conclusions comes next. Misrepresentation, be it well intentioned (I thought I was protecting my oath), accidental (gosh, I am sorry, my brains were in the Bahamas), or due to sociopathic tendencies (its the gospel truth! I swear on my mother's grave [of course she's not dead yet]) always causes the same problems. Someone hears and believes and pretty soon a flock of foos are nesting in everyone's hair. No one is happy to wear the end product. There are two inexcusable parts of such a problem: deliberate misrepresentation, and the failure of Craft Elders to do more than scream and yell. I think that the problem with the first is self evident. There is no injunction in the Craft against lying, but there is a demand that Sisters and Brothers of the Art be treated with honor and respect. They are our's, not outsiders, even if they do move in different circles (pun intended). The second inexcusable, in my book, is in some ways even worse. Elders determine the quality of the Craft. An Elder who flies into a fury, or panics, and never even asks how such a rumor got started, hurts himself, hurts the Craft's image, and achieves nothing positive. Curiosity, and a desire to reveal the truth, to get things straight, and a gentle approach to these goals will always serve better, and they provide a better example. ------------------------------------------------------------ KALISHA'S CAULDRON Congratulations to Priestess Marissa, who received her first initiation into the Kingstone Tradition at Sagitarius Full Moon (December 14). It is a pleasure to welcome you, Marissa, newly made Priestess and Witch! The Sacramento New Wiccan Church held its annual Yule Gathering on December 20, 1986. Attendance was down a bit from previous years, but there were still four local New Wiccan Church covens represented, and also several guests from other groups in Sacramento and the San Francisco bay area. The well-written Rebirth of the Sun ritual was conducted by students of two Sacramento New Wiccan Church covens. They deserve our praise and thanks for their efforts, which also included a gift cauldron, potluck, and clean-up before and after the event. A lot of work goes into organizing these events to insure that all runs smoothly. Three cheers! And thanks to all who attended for making this a memorable holiday celebration. The California branch of the New Wiccan Church is sponsoring a prize drawing to benefit the Covenant of the Goddess. Tickets are $1 each and are available from the Publications Officer, Lord Allyn Wolfe, c/o Red Garters. There are some nifty prizes to be raffled off once we have 100 tickets in the till. So far, we have 58 entries, and are waiting to hear from you! The prizes include: a Hindu statue of the Goddess (donated by a Sacramento Hindu), a sequined dragon sculpture (donated by Tina of "Dragons by Tina"), a turquoise and silver necklace of Amerindian manufacture bearing Pagan designs (donated by Coven of the Hawk, NWC #2), four oil fueled hurricane lanterns suitable for the four quarters (donated by Coven Winged Horse, NWC #25), and a one year subscription to RED GARTERS. Among the inquiry letters that RED GARTERS gets, we have begun to receive letters from prisoners interested in Wicca. Prison libraries do not routinely stock books or magazines on the Craft. However, direct mailings to inmates are apparently received. Those incarcerated have little funds for books or magazine subscriptions, and ask for donations of either. If you or your coven is interested in sponsoring any of these prisoners for a subscription to RED GARTERS or can donate any new or used books, contact me in care of the California State Office. A few more words to conclude this issue's Cauldron - I'd like to wish you all a happy 1987, and may you find in the abundance given by Our Lady, Perfect Peace! - Kalisha ----------------------------------------------------------------- Grand Queen needs help. Lady Lydea, formerly Queen of Coven Isis the Ibis in Sacramento, and Grand Queen to most of the Kingstone tradition, is desperate. She is now residing in the mid-west on limited retirement income. Harsh weather, failing health, and rising energy costs are taking their toll; she needs to come to California in the Spring. At the present time, she plans on a visit, but hopes to eventually relocate to the west coast. Needed: a driver to fly or bus to the midwest and drive the Grand Queen and her gear back to California (in her car); a rent free place to stay (she can pay for her own board); and of course $ ! This Lady is deserving of our help; please seriously consider what YOU can do to help. ------------------------------------------------------------ IN THE BIG ROCK CANDY COVEN by Dana Corley You may not have noticed it, but the Craft is in trouble. Like many another esoteric group, the Craft sowed the seeds of its own ruin when it began deliberately to appeal to a broader range of people, not all of them, perhaps, truly suited to the life and beliefs of Witchcraft. When initiation ceased to be a requirement in all traditions, when people began to accept each other as "in the Craft" on the basis of attendance at a few festivals - in short, when the Craft ceased to require work - our numbers increased dramatically. This delighted everyone, at first; going to a Summer Solstice rituals with several hundred fellow Witches in the countryside is vastly more exciting than timidly conducting one in your basement with the half-dozen members of your own Coven. After a while, though, some of us began to be alarmed The "Craft" many of these new folks were practicing bore only a casual likeness to the Craft we'd been taught. It bore a striking resemblance, however, to both the transcendentalism of Christianity and other Oriental religions and the jargon-loaded hipness of EST and the whole "New Age" grab bag - and it was spreading fast. It's a truism in the social sciences that a society which allows no cross-fertilization from outside soon dries up. There's a difference, though, between eclectic open- mindedness and bastardization. The Craft is a Western magical tradition, not an Eastern mystical path. To impose the transcendentalism of the East on the Craft creates only an emasculated hodge-podge. For example: More and more, we hear the Craft spoken of as "of the light", meaning, one supposes, that we're "the good guys". It is clearly contrary to Craft teaching to identify the good, the positive, with the concept of light. That is an oriental and wholly patriarchal concept, associated also with the triumph of the spiritual (i.e., non-material) over the physical, of the intellect over the senses. It leaves no room for the Craft ideal of dynamic balance, and it certainly excludes that aspect of Our Lady which is the Dark Mother, the Primal Chaos from which all else arises. I feel that this concept has crept into our belief system partly due to the incompleteness of many people's Craft education, and partly out of pandering to the beliefs of others. Because they are afraid of the Dark, we begin to exclude it from our consciousness, lest we scare the poor dears! And if they aren't afraid of us, they won't persecute us, and they might even invite us to their swell interfaith breakfasts down at the Elks Hall. Again, seemingly out of a combination of shallowness and too muh respect for other people's idea of what's holy, our concept of the Gods has undergone a radical change. Rarely, now, is the Goddess invoked as the Mor Rigan, the Great Queen. Even more rarely is the God invoked as in any but His mildest aspects. We call upon the protector in Him, the shining youth, the gentle lover, but we refuse to face the fact that He has other aspects - Pan Pangenetor; Panphage; Ares; Apophis; even Dianus in His grove - which are worthy of our honor. Violence, too, can be sacred. We deny those aspects of the Goddess which can be uncomfortable or "dangerous", as well. We may call on the Dark Goddess as Hecate when the rite calls for it at Hallows, but we're afraid too put any conviction into the summoning and we banish as soon as decency allows. If I were She (and as Diane Duane has so eloquently observed, each of us is), I'd be insulted. We conveniently forget that Persephone is more than just the Kore; as Queen of the Underworld, She too is a Dark Goddess, wielding great power. But power is another topic not discussed much in the "New Craft". Most under-forty adults in the U.S. today came into their first awareness of politics - of power and its applications in shaping the lives of ourselves and those around us - during the Presidencies of such sterling types as Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Jimmi Cahtuh. We continue to be royally screwed over by Ronnie Ray Gun and his Christi Republicans. We "know" about power, and we don't want any part of it! We don't want to exercise control over others, that's not nice. We even try to conduct Circle with no leader, to avoid the so-called "authority trap", and then we wonder why the Rite is chaotic and energy-less. Most of us (myself emphatically included) long resist the knowledge that there are other kinds of power besides abused power; some never do figure it out, so repelled are they by the mess they see made of power all around them. Thanks in great part to "Dreaming the Dark", Starhawk's marvelous latest book, personal power is beginning again to be understood and sought after among us. But external power, or as she calls it, "power-over", is still so abhorred that I see people refusing to teach or to accept instruction; refusing to act to stop wrong action on the part of others or to do (or stop doing) what they're asked, because to do any of these things would be to acknowledge power-over. Crowley defined power as "possession of control". I have yet to see a clearer description. It does not define the object of that control, only the ability to do so. In those terms, then, I fell it is time for power to be exercised over the path the Craft is taking, for it is clearly out of control. We seem to be forgetting - or worse, abandoning - the very basis of our uniqueness as a religion: that we aspire not only to the heights but to the depths. That we worship not only that which fills us with joy but that which terrifies us, and that Life, to us, is precious and lovely precisely because Death is equally so. Our beloved Goddess and God cease to be the Queen of the Universe and the Lord of Life and Death, and start to resemble Herself the Elf and Papa Smurf. I will not attempt to deny anyone their Lord and Lady of Joy; in these difficult times we need Them desperately. But we also need Their darker side, and the recognition that good and evil abide in both. We need to go back to what Witches have always been - passionate, involved, whole humans. We need to stop apologizing for our differences, and revel in them. But most of all, if the Craft is to survive as something more valuable (to us and perhaps to the Earth) than just another bunch of fringies, we must stop defining ourselves in terms of other people's second-hand illuminism. ------------------------------------------------------------ PATHWORKING is the term for a particular sort of visualization exercise in which the mind is projected into a set of situations and/or landscapes which may be viewed as if on a screen. Once the imagination is trained, they may be entered into and experienced as an alternate reality. I am a Wiccan Elder who has used the techniques of Pathworking within the framework of Coven training. I would like to see these techniques used by more individuals and groups in the Sacramento area. I am available to do a series of Pathworkings, if the interest is there. The only cost will be your time, and the cost of photocopying if you want copies of the workings. If interested, please contact Magus Gwion, c/o New Wiccan Church National. ------------------------------------------------------------ SEARCH FOR CELTIC TRADITIONALISTS Scarecrow is attempting to locate all groups or individuals who have a lineage that originates from either the Hollywood, FL covens or Lady Kitty Lessing or Lady Gwen Thompsen, including groups known "Celtic Tradition", "Tuatha de Danaan", an Irish branch, a Bretonic branch, as well as Welsh and Pan-Celtic groups who celebrate the Mysteries of the Cauldron and the Three Mothers. . The "Welsh Tradition" of New York is also derived from the Celtic. Any functioning covens or groups of these lineages (or, for that matter, folks who suspect that they are of this tradition, or people who want to be Celts) are encouraged to write. Sufficient interest might result in a Celtic newsletter. Contact: Scarecrow, c/o Forest Arts and Crafts, POB 60897, Los Angeles, CA 90060-0297. ------------------------------------------------------------ BLOOD OFFERING By Ealasaid He lay back and forced himself to relax, trying not to think about what was to come. A movement at his side caught his attention and he turned to watch the approach of the white garbed woman. Her smile was calm and reassuring as her practiced hands quickly bound the ligature. His gaze recoiled from the gleam of sharp metal in her hand. A sudden pain, a subsidence, the sullen ache of violated flesh. He hadn't thought he would be able to look but a perverse fascination drew his gaze to the spectacle of his own blood draining into the waiting container. How odd, he had expected a crimson gush but instead there was a steady accumulation of purplish-red, like blackberry jam. He remembered the words which had brought him here. An inspiring recruitment speech by the leader of his order. "Remember, blood is life. For some purposes substitutes may suffice but there comes a time and a cause when only human blood is acceptable. And years of experience has shown that the freely given blood of healthy men and women in their prime is far more efficacious than the purchased life fluids of the desperate, destitute, and degenerate.---Give of your selves that other may live." "There we're all done." His reverie was broken. The technician slipped the needle out of his vein and taped a cotton ball in place over the puncture, and elevated his arm. "Hold it up for at least a minute to sure the bleeding has stopped. Here's a cup of juice to start replenishing your fluids. Help yourself to juice and cookies. Thank you for donating blood. You may donate again in 8 weeks." "Witches Heal" is a favorite button at large Pagan gatherings and it is true that healings constitute the major magical work of most Covens. The necessity for secrecy restricts most of us to family and close friends. Giving blood is a way that many of us can make a healing contribution to the larger community. The AIDS scare has caused blood donations to drop off because of uninformed fears in the community. A little time and a small amount of pain on your part might save a life. Call your blood bank today. ------------------------------------------------------------ PUBLICATION REVIEWS CONVERGING PATHS, published quarterly, is the communication channel of BRANCHES, a Traditional Wiccan Interest Group "focusing on the Traditional Ways of Wicca, its roots and current directions." Annual membership/subscription is $13. Single issues are $4, (The premiere issue went for $3; they may have a few left you send for it NOW!). Production is dot matrix typeset, printed on white paper, with a wrap around heavy paper stock cover. The magazine features articles, rituals, poetry, columns (including "Children's Corner Arc", "Shifting Perceptions", "Oak Leaves", etc.), and sidelights on other magical paths. The second issue, Winter Solstice, includes an analysis of American Gardnerianism, "Priest/ess Craft", "Alcoholism", a brief intro to the NWC, "Future of Paganism", "Hierarchy", "The Physics of Magic Part II" and "Community Conflicts". All in all it is a good blend of humor and commentary. This is the English traditional Journal we have been hoping for. Let's support it. Converging Paths, P.O. Box 63, Mt. Horeb WI 53572. Telephone:(608)924-6981 (10 AM to 5 PM Central Time, Tuesday though Friday.) ROWAN EXCHANGE is a sister publication of Converging Paths. The magazine serves to meet the networking needs of those Pagans and Wiccans who want contacts but need to maintain their privacy. Each Rowan Exchange member submits a listing describing their interests. To contact another member, one writes in care of the code number associated with the listing. The Rowan Exchange staff, in turn, forwards the sealed letter to the listing member. This system gives correspondents a chance to double-blind screen each other BEFORE exchanging names and addresses. All in all, for those having need of such a service, this is the place to do it. Membership:$9/yr, updated quarterly. Each listing $5 per issue (75 words or less). 50% discount on first listing for members. Address: ROWAN EXCHANGE, P .O. Box 63, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572. ------------------------------------------------------------ Wiccan Research on personal experiences with the mental health system, positive or negative. (Did they prepare a hypo when you mentioned you are a Witch?); Confidentiality guaranteed; Contact : Myriad, P.O. Box 161362, Sacramento, CA 95816. ------------------------------------------------------------ New mail order book service. Steven McNallen (of Asatru fame) & Madeline Hutter have opened Nineworlds Publications specializing in Nordic and Celtic subjects. Send for catalog: Nineworlds Publications, P.O. Box 1792, Breckenridge, TX 76024, (817)559-2117. ------------------------------------------------------------ Support the Pygmy Fund: "Self Reliance with dignity", USA headquarters P.O. Box 277, Malibu, CA 90265. The Pygmy fund offers various handcrafted items for sale. Proceeds go to benefit our Pagan cousins in Africa. ------------------------------------------------------------ WAND AD: A kingstone Priest needs sleep-over space in the Sacramento area on Thursdays, through January 1987. Anyone able to provide accommodations should contact Allyn Wolfe. ------------------------------------------------------------ NWC PAGAN OUTREACH. The Sacramento area NWC is forming a Pagan Outreach for seekers. Watch this space for details in the near future. Elders interested in helping with this project should contact Lady Kalisha at NWC, P.O. Box 162046, Sacramento, CA 95816 ------------------------------------------------------------ PAGAN PARENTS' LEAGUE: Membership in the PPL is open to anyone of positive Pagan persuasion. Membership is not limited to parents, but most of the articles in the newsletter are child/parent oriented. Belinda publishes the monthly PPL newsletter at her own expense, so your editor recommends that you supply an S.A.S.E. when corresponding with the PPL, and that you make at least a token donation. PAGAN PARENTS' LEAGUE, C/O Belinda, P.O. Box 423-P, Bay Shore, NY 11706 ------------------------------------------------------------ METAMAR ASTROLOGICAL CONSULTATIONS: Fully delineated and progressed natal horoscope, just $45. Not a computer printout, but a friendly human astrologer who really cares! Every word is hand written! Write: P. O. Box 163784, Sacramento, CA 95816. Horary Mundane Elective Astrology. ------------------------------------------------------------ A MESSAGE FROM THE WITCHES LEAGUE FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS Dear Friends, This an official response and complaint to Warner Brothers scheduled production of the film based on John Updike's novel "The Witches of Eastwick." The Witches League for Public Awareness, is a newly formed international anti-defamation organization working to protect the civil rights, dignity, and public portrayal of the over six million Witches and Pagans in the United States and across the world. We find "THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK'S" portrayal of modern day Witches inaccurate, offensive, and a violation of our constitutionally guaranteed civil rights to practice religious freedom, free from fear of harassment, discrimination, persecution, or the incitement of the public to form adverse opinions of members of a religious group, in this case, the Witch community. In the Federal Court decision Efstathiou v. Rhodes, Apr. l977, case c44.l59, Judge Winston Arnow presiding, the Federal Government of the United States of America ruled that: "WICCA" or "WITCHCRAFT' is a legitimate religion and is subject to the protections, under law, afforded any other religious group in this country. The inaccurate and negative portrayal of "Witches" as ruthless, bloodthirsty Satan worshippers who participate in black masses and resort to murder and violence to achieve their desires is an infringement of our religious rights and is harmful, slanderous, and malicious. Witches do not now, nor have we ever in the history of the world, worshipped or recognized the existence of Satan or Devils. They are not a part of our religious belief structure. We are a group of people who live by the principle: "Do What You Will an it Harm None." We do not harm humans or animals. We do not provoke or initiate violence, revenge, or harm of any sort, nor do we advocate such actions in others. We do not use our psychic abilities to do harm. We are not a frivolous group to be made light of and ignored. There are over six million Witches and Pagans in the United States alone. We surround you in every profession and community. We are herbologists, bank presidents and astrologists, physicists and psychics, film producers and philosophers. Our numbers are large and we're uniting in the United States and abroad to fight the inaccurate and negative depiction of Witches everywhere. We hope that you will write letters of protest to the people listed, but the Witches League is also interested in any instances of media misrepresentation or negative stereotyping of Witches and Pagans that you may know about or see. Please let us know about such cases, and please write polite letters of protest to the publication or show concerned. We are interested in educating the public and the media as to the true nature of Wicca. We are tired of being constantly associated with Satanists. We need the assistance of Witches and Pagans everywhere. We are asking that you become an official member of The Witches League for Public Awareness, and that you make phone calls, and send letters of complaint concerning "The Witches of Eastwick" to the following. Neil Carter John Peters Peter Guber Producers: "The Witches of Eastwick" c/o Warner Brothers 4000 Warner Boulevard Burbank, Ca. 9l522 (8l8) 954-6290 Mary Jane McArthur, Chairperson 4 Highland Ave. Cohasset, Mass. 02025 (617) 383-0220 Rev. Edward Atkinson First Parish Universalist Unitarian Church Cohasset, Mass. 02025 (617)383-1100 Cohasset Office of Selectman Julie Wrinn 100 Cambridge St. Boston, Mass. (617) 727-3330 American Civil Liberties Union Rev. Barry Lynn 122 Maryland Ave. Washington, D. C. 20002 (202)544-1681 Mr. Robert Friedman Mass. Film Bureau Warner Brothers 4000 Warner Blvd. Burbank, Ca. 9l522 (818) 954-6290 ############################################# When making phone calls, please say: "I would like this to be a registered complaint about the movie "The Witches of Eastwick", please write it down. My name is ______________. I am a Witch/Pagan from (your address.)" When writing letters and/or talking on the phone, please be businesslike, dignified, and even tempered. Please don't send letters with mystical symbols that can be misunderstood, and be as concise as possible. We were successful with the Jesse Helms Bill, and the same conscientious and dignified effort will make us successful in freeing our name from misuse. It is not necessary to join the Witches League to write letters of protest, but we appreciate any financial help that you can give us. A donation of any amount is appreciated. Thank you for any help you can give us. Thank You Laurie Cabot, Chairperson; Paula Forester, Vice Chairperson; Carol Reagan, Treasurer/Researcher; Christine Dumas, Officer/Researcher - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $25.00 for a one-year membership: Witches League for Public Awareness, P. O. Box 8736, Salem, Mass. 01971-8736 ------------------------------------------------------------ CALENDAR The events calendar is intended to be as complete as possible, hence it may include listings of activities which may not obviously relate to Wicca. Some of the organizations listed in this calendar might be horrified to find themsel ves advertised by Witches, but we feel we are obliged to inform our readership of publicly advertised events of interest. Jan 16-18; Esotericon in New Brunswick, NJ; Contact Esotericon '87, P.O. Box 22775, Newark, NJ 07101 Gateway - An Exploration of Alternative Religious Experience; Gateway is open to teachers & seekers of the various Pagan paths. The first meeting was held in Sherman Oaks on January 10th, & the phone number sent us for that location is 818-789-2715, therefore, we assume these are the people you should contact for further information. Feb 1 - 2pm til ? A giveaway for our brothers & sisters at Big Mountain, AZ. Bring used clothing, blankets, etc., as well as non-perishable food to be sent to Big Mtn. Moontalks Gathering (see listing elsewhere this issue.) February 8; Come celebrate the feast day of Brigid with N.R.O.O.G.D.; 7 pm to 10 pm; Unitarian Fellowship Hall at the corner of Cedar & Bonita streets, Berkeley, CA; a $3 donation is requested. June 18 - 21; Goddess Gathering in Ohio; Send SASE to Temple of Wicca, P.O. Box 1302 Findlay, OH 45839; or Charles Arnold (Publicity & Entertainment Committee), 26 Pendeen Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M6N 2P3. Summer - Toteg Tribe's 2nd annual Summer Shamanic Workshop; An introduction to natural spirituality & American neo- shamanism. At least one sweat lodge is tentatively scheduled, as well as dance, chant, & drumming workshops, etc. Write to: Toteg Shamanic Workshop, P.O. Box 4172, Sunland, CA 91040, or call 818-353-7848. Summer - Pacific Circle III; The 7th annual southern CA gathering. Write: Pacific Circle, POB 9513, North Hollywood, CA 91615. ON-GOING EVENTS Pagan Alcoholic Recovery Program; Call Darren at 818-798- 3228 for time and place of meetings. Families and friends of Pagan Alcoholics Support Group; Call Shelley at 818-892-5039 for time and place of meetings. NATIONAL: Herbal workshops. Susun S. Weed, P.O. Box 64, Woodstock, NY 12498. ARKANSAS: Sabbat festivals. Ozark Pagan Ecumenical Council, P.O. Box 605, Springdale, AR, 72764. CALIFORNIA; San Francisco Bay Area. Open Sabbats. NROOGD, P.O. Box 360607, Milpitas, CA 95035. CALIFORNIA; San Francisco Bay Area. Second Sunday of each month, with Z. Budapest. Dianic open circle with a different theme/celebration for each month. Located at The Women's Bldg., 18th & Valencia, San Francisco. For more info and inquiry about precircle workshops, call 415-444-7724. TEXAS: Monthly meetings and New Moons. Contact: E. Haskell, Houston, TX 77081. 713/271-1154 (home). WISCONSIN: New Moon rituals at Circle Farm. Circle, Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572. ------------------------------------------------------------ PAGAN CHILDREN'S GROUP Anyone in the Sacramento area interested in forming a group to share religious training of our pagan children, call Rita at 965-8275 ------------------------------------------------------------ CONTACTS Please remember that these various contacts are in routine communication with one another, so when contacting one of these organizations, please mention which of the others that you have already approached on the same matter. It saves them duplicating your work. CIRCLE NETWORK, Box 9013, Madison, WI 53715, USA. International magickal network of magickal people attuned to Neo-Paganism, Wicca, Witchcraft, Shamanism, Goddess Worship, & related paths. For more information, send $2 for the Circle Network information packet (includes introductory flyers, application form & a sample copy of the Network's quarterly newspaper, CIRCLE NETWORK NEWS). COVENANT OF THE GODDESS, Box 1226, Berkeley, CA 94704. An nation-wide association of Wiccan covens. Publishes a newsletter 8x/year, can help with tax-exempt status and ministerial credentials, sponsors annual Grand Council festival. COG Local Council Contacts CHICAGO - Ginny Brubaker, PO BOX 60151, Chicago, IL 60660 NORTHEAST - Judy Harrow, WBAI-FM, 505 - 8th Ave., New York, NY 10018 WISCONSIN - Our Lady of the Woods, PO BOX 176, Blue Mounds, WI 53517 LONE STAR - Aquarius, PO BOX 710095, Dallas, TX 75371 NORTHERN DAWN - Church of the Earth, PO BOX 13158, Minneapolis, MN 55414 OHIO - Lady Pythia, Ohio LC, CoG, PO BOX 1226, Berkeley, CA 94704 NOCAL - Valerie Voight, PO BOX 9494, San Jose, CA 95157 SOCAL - Our Lady of the Hills, PO BOX 4801, Diamond Bar, CA 91765 FELLOWSHIP OF ISIS, Huntington Castle, Clonegal, Enniscorthy, ERIE. An international association devoted to the Goddess in Her many forms. Includes people from many different religious and spiritual paths. Membership application and more information available upon request (please include a dollar bill to cover air mail postage & handling). Publishes newsletter, directory, and Goddess books. NEW WICCAN CHURCH, P.O. Box 162046, Sacramento, CA 95816. New Wiccan Church has openings in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. Placement in other states may be better facilitated by one of the other organizations on this page PAGAN SPIRIT ALLIANCE, c/o Circle, Box 9013, Madison, WI 53715, USA. International friendship network of individuals & groups attuned to totally positive paths of Pagan spirituality. Includes people from many different traditions. Membership application & more information available upon request (please include $1 to cover postage & printing). Publishes newsletter & directory. Sponsors annual Festival. "PAGANA"; P.O. Box 9494, San Jose, CA 95157. PALLAS SOCIETY; PO BOX 2015, Los Angeles, CA 90035 SEEKERS' CIRCLE c/o Pacific Circle; P.O. Box 9513, North Hollywood, CA 91609 TEMPLE STARDUST; PO BOX 341383, Memphis, TN 38184 ------------------------------------------------------------ OPENINGS GARDNERIAN Gardnerian Coven in Concord, CA has openings. Contact: Tobar Bhride, P.O. Box 27484, Concord, CA 94527. Wiccan Training Group. Study directed toward initiation into traditional Gardnerian coven. Oakwind. P.O. Box 64, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 KINGSTONE FOUR Kingstone Covens in Sacramento, and ONE in the San Francisco East Bay area have openings. Interested persons may contact New Wiccan Church Sacramento. There is a special need of men in the Bay Area. ORDER OF THE SILVER CRESCENT Has openings in the Modesto and Porterville areas of California. Send to the attention of "M.G. for the Silver Crescent", at the New Wiccan Church of Sacto address. ------------------------------------------------------------ DO YOU HAVE ROOM IN YOUR COVEN? We need contact with competent, fully trained, Elders of ALL traditions. Elders please contact the New Wiccan Church about utilizing our referral system. There is NO fee, of course. ------------------------------------------------------------ KOMPUTER KABBALA Pagan Computer Bulletin Boards "Camelot" Pagan BBS; P.O. Box 1193, Colton, CA 92324, (714) 370-0834. "Communitree" BBS; Santa Cruz; 300 BAUD; (408)475-7101; Pagan Oriented BBS with diverse topics of interest; Operates intermittently as the mood hits them. "Crescent Moon" BBS; Virginia Beach, VA; (804)491-1482 "Earth-Rite" BBS; San Jose, CA; 300/1200 BAUD, (415)651- 9496; A non-profit BBS specializing in "philosophical, Earth Religion, Occult, Pagan and Witchcraft". No parity, one stop bit, full duplex with a Bell 103a or 212a compatible modem, 0 nulls are needed unless you're using a teletype. The system is on line 24 hours a day. Contributions to EARTH- RITE are welcome, please make checks payable to AVALON PRODUCTS and indicate that it is for Earth-Rite BBS networking. (it is the only way the bank will let them cash the checks.) "High Tower" BBS; 300/1200/2400 BAUD; (714)889-6079; 20 MEGS online; 24 Hrs a day! "Midgard" Pagan BBS; Sacramento; 300/1200 BAUD; (916)338- 4214; Odinism/Norse Paganism; 20:00 to 06:00 hrs/7 days/week; available to the Pagan public; SPECIAL ACCESS CODES are necessary to upload copy; the parameters are: 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity at 300 baud; use an alias to sign on; Membership is available; No fee for access. "Pagan Broadcasting Service"; 300 BAUD; 818/982-0751; PO BOX 16025, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6025; $3 lifetime membership. "Thelema Net"; Berkeley; 300/1200/2400 BAUD; 415/548-0163; OTO BBS-Crowley style Ritual Magic. "Weird Base Discordian" BBS; St. Louis, MO; 300 BAUD/1200 BAUD; 314/232-1780 SiFi fandom/Neopagan/Witchcraft/Gaming (Fidonet Net100 Node 523). The following are some BBS PRESUMED to be in area code (714). We have not checked these out, so caveat emptor: "THE REALM", 781-5943; "A.F.A.C.", 781-8774; "APPLES-R-US", 883-6348; "COMMNET-80", 359-3189; "THE FORUM", 874-9731; "COMPUTER STUFF", 780-2409; "DBBS", 882-1559; "TELE-MATE", 822-2718; "KANDY SHACK #1", 354-8004; "SBCBBS", 883-8130; "MICROLINK", 884-4922; ;"THE BUSINESS CENTER", 798-4921; "TIBBS", 350-8583; "VALLEY COLLEGE", 888-6541; "THE NAUTILUS", 793-9614; "CPR II", 883-1428, "THE ENCHANTED ATTIC", 881-1216; "THE DUNGEON", 877-3044. ------------------------------------------------------------ TO ALL YOU WHO ENJOYED THE PRECEEDING, BLESSED BE. ..... AND TO THE REST OF YOU, BLESSED BE, AS WELL. SysInop, Lord Allyn Wolfe 12/31/86 P.S. For News Year's eve: Don't drink AND drive; you are liable to hit a bump, and spill the whole thing. Be safe.