19th Annual Thanksgiving Eve Service and Homeless Persons Memorial Day

19^th Annual Thanksgiving Eve Service

For the past several years I’ve participated in an annual Thanksgiving service sponsored by the Marin Interfaith Street Chaplaincy.

Each ‘clergy’ -- I don’t use that appellation for myself but the interfaith communities do – is asked to bring a teaching, reflection, or other offering to the gathering.  For the first few years, I briefly told the story of Demeter and Persephone, reminding attendees that they’ve likely heard this tale or some version of it before.  Then my sweetie Corby, who’s a good singer, and I sang “Demeter’s Song in harmony.  I think it’s a beautiful song and one that contains imagery that is timeless and easy to identify with, i.e., “the lover’s smile and the workers arm” and “the heart that cries and the hand that heals.”

Last year, given the situation in the Middle East, I found myself thinking of Inanna, who arose in those lands.  I debated with myself just what I might bring to the service that was relevant and new.  What I decided to do was to speak about Inanna and the troubles in her ancient lands, and then have us do a spell together using a call-and-response; it went well.

Since last year went well using Pagan concepts (Inanna and spells) that are less familiar and less accessible to mainstream religions, this year I decided to add another Pagan notion, that of entheogens (wine, mescaline, et al.) and the change of consciousness that accompanies their ingestion.  In my mind was John Barleycorn, except that many homeless folks struggle with alcohol abuse and my presenting him as a harvest god who lives in the barley would have been insensitive to their situations.  So I skipped talking about entheogens and simply introduced the idea of the the divine spirits who inhabit different plants, specifically grain crops.  Then we sang “John Barleycorn,” with everyone singing the refrain together.  “All among the barley, who would not be blithe, when the ripe and bearded barley is hanging on the scythe.”  I love this song.  I love the feeling I experience when we sing these words together.  I can practically see waving golden grains.

So that’s what we did.  Corby and I sang the verses and everyone joined in the refrain.

I searched the Internet for this song so I could provide a link for the reader to hear it.  Alas, in the folk tradition both lyrics and melodies of many songs morph in various ways, and all the versions of this song I could find on YouTube were slightly different from the way I learned it.  I learned the song in the early 1980s from singer and folklorist Holly Tannen.  She learned it from the singing of Mike James and Mick Tems, of the Welsh singing group “Swansea Jack.”  Having been written or created in the late 19^th Century, “All Among the Barley” is no ancient song.  That makes is nonetheless appropriate and effective, and my former community and I, within community or on my own, sing it at Harvest Home (Autumn Equinox).  For the past three years the inmates at San Quentin where I volunteer have sung it when our circle celebrates autumn.  For the reader’s pleasure I offer it here:

Now is come September, the hunter’s Moon begun

And through the wheaten stubble is heard the frequent gun.

The leaves are pale and yellow, and kindling into red,

And the ripe and bearded barley is hanging down its head.

            Chorus:

All among the barley, who would not be blithe

When the ripe and bearded barley is smiling on the scythe.

The spring is like a young man who does not know his mind.

The summer is a tyrant of a most ungracious kind.

The autumn’s like and old friend who loves one all she can.

And she brings the bearded barley to glad the heart of man.

            Chorus

The wheat is like a rich man; it’s sleek and well-to-do.

The oats are like a pack of girls, laughing and dancing too.

The rye is like a miser; it’s sulky, lean and small.

And the ripe and bearded barley is monarch of them all.

            Chorus

(Repeat first verse.)

At this Thanksgiving Eve service new sleeping bags, packages of socks, and such array the harvest altar along with pumpkins, ears of corn, and other harvest.  They are distributed at the conclusion of the ceremony.

I reluctantly must say that the other chants offered at this service were, to me and Corby at least, pretty lifeless, except for the music of the Lighthouse Gospel Choir of Marin.  Singing “All Among the Barley” together livened everything up.

We concluded with a chant lead by a woman from San Francisco Theological Seminary.  It’s one we all probably know, “All Shall Be Well.”  However, the folk tradition being what it is, we sang it as one single note instead of with the melody I’m used to.  Nevertheless, it proved to be an effective seal for the spell.

Homeless Persons Memorial Day

I’ve reported in the past about memorials for those in our county who’ve died without a roof over their heads.  They’ve taken place in summertime and have begun with a procession through the streets.  This year was different.   The National Healthcare for the Homeless Council has designated December 21 (on or around the date) as Homeless Persons' Memorial Day.  This year we joined others all over the country in memorializing those unfortunate and often premature passings.

Street chaplain Rev. Paul Gaffney asked me to offer the prayer and lead the gathering in a chant I’ve done before.  I had something better and more seasonal to share because the service, and the named day, was scheduled for December 21, the first day of the returning sun.  So instead I delivered a brief reflection on the return of the light.  Then, at the conclusion of the ceremony, after we’d all lit candles from a single flame and assembled on the terrace in front of 1^st Presbyterian Church of San Rafael.  It’s lively. It’s fun.  It’s affirming and encouraging.  And it keeps the legacy of Pagan songwriter Charlie Murphy alive.  This one I was able to find on YouTube (albeit we didn’t have the enhancement of a gospel choir).

Happy Holidays!

CoG statement on Standing Rock

Covenant of the Goddess, one of the oldest American Wiccan and Witchcraft organizations, has at its very roots, the spiritual assumption that all of nature is sacred, from humanity to the waters of life.  While the members of CoG are diverse in practice, this fundamental spiritual ideal lives at the core of the organization's heart.

In 2014, CoG published a national statement on the environment:

 We, members of the Covenant of the Goddess, honor the sacredness of Planet Earth and Mother Nature. We honor the powers of Air and we rejoice in breathing fresh air and in all the creatures of air. We support efforts to protect the atmosphere that shields our planet and to ensure that our air is clean and refreshing.

 We honor the fire of the Sun above and the fire within our Earth -- the fires that warm us and transform us. We support efforts to provide sustainable energy to fuel our future without further damaging our ecosystem.

We honor the Waters of Life – springs, rivers, lakes and oceans – and the waters of our bodies – blood, sweat and tears --the waters that keep our bodies and our dreams fluid and ever-changing. We cherish all the creatures of water. We believe that access to clean water is a basic right, and thus we oppose privatization of water sources and efforts to deny anyone access to those sources. We support efforts to prevent and reverse pollution of our waters, to preserve groundwater, marshlands and the oceans that embrace our world.

We honor the Earth, our bodies, trees and plants, animals and rocks, and all that is manifest on this plane of existence. We support efforts to remediate damage, to conserve natural resources, to preserve ecosystems and biodiversity, and to maintain wilderness areas.

We stand at the Center, mindful of our interdependence as part of the Web of Life. We commit to support efforts to rebalance our wondrous world for future generations. We know that climate change presents an imminent threat to humanity and other life on Earth. Since this imbalance is caused by human activity, we humans must accept responsibility for our actions and seek to reverse the damage and restore the balance.

We support local, regional, national, and global efforts to conserve natural resources, to seek clean, sustainable sources of energy, and to rebalance our world.

And as such, as a group of many, the Covenant of the Goddess stands together with the Great Standing Rock Sioux Nation, the Lakota, all Indigenous Peoples and their allies in the protection of the Waters of Life and ask for the blessing and support for the Water Protectors in their work to keep the water safe and free for us, our future generations, and in honor of our ancestors.

Jack Prewett
CoG National First Officer

California CoG Coven working with active duty military Pagans

Annual Report, Dragon’s Weyr Circle

National Coven member,

Covenant of the Goddess

dragonsweyrcircle@gmail.com

www.dragonsweyrcircle.org

 Sarah “Stone” Hentges & Lisa Morganstern 

"Dragon’s Weyr Circle members have done a number of things for many years but we have not reported them to Grand Council.  Dragon’s Weyr is a traditional BTW coven, practicing Wicca, with some members who are “out” and others who are not. We respect the traditional secrecy of our faith. We are involved in our community leading public rituals as well as blots and a number of us are involved in Antelope Valley Pagan Pride Day, which Lisa Morgenstern our HPS founded. Lisa has been doing prison ministry as a volunteer Chaplain at California State Prison-Los Angeles County since 2005. She has taken the past year off but continues to advise on the internet via The Troth’s In-Reach program, which supports Heathens in prison and seeks to provide an alternative to the racist Heathenry which is rampant within many prisons. In-Reach has helped a lot of Heathens be permitted to have services in prison that normally would have been told no by the administration because of ignorance of Asatru, Heathenry, and other forms of Germanic Paganism. Lisa also serves as a member of the Antelope Valley Interfaith Council and offers prayers at the two annual services held, the Thanksgiving Eve Service and the National Day of Prayer event.

Amy Watson (Nia-Ailey), one of our long time members, continues her ministry as a REVL (Religious Education Vocational Learning) and Non-Chaplain Worship Leader at Los Angeles Air Force Base. She is not currently leading services there like she did at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio, or at Edwards AFB in California, but she has been asked to lead some training classes for interested employees and airmen by the Chaplain. Amy was asked to man a Wiccan booth for a Diversity Workshop at the base this month. She began this work nearly 8 years ago, and has been an inspiration to other members of our coven to make similar use of their credentials. COG is one of three Pagan Organizations that the military will recognize a clergy credential from and authorize a COG credential holder to lead services.

When Amy’s family moved to a new base, Lisa Morgenstern was authorized to lead services in her absence at Edwards Air Force Base. Sadly there are few “out” pagans currently at Edwards of which we are aware, and the current Command’s Chaplains are Evangelical Christians. Lisa continues to reach out to the Chaplains at Edwards should there be a call for services, because when there are people requesting it, we can start services again. Previously we held weekly Thursday services at Edwards for a group who have mostly PCS’ed (moved away).

One of our newer members, Sarah “Stone” Hentges, has this to report: Dragon’s Weyr Circle now has a member that is the Wiccan Lay Leader at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Center in Ridgecrest California.  These are the first Wiccan services offered at this base.  Until 2016 the Navy offered no Wiccan services in the western region.  As of August 2016 there are two Naval bases that offer these services.  On Thursday May 5, 2016, the national day of prayer China Lake held its first Wiccan services with the Lay Leader and two participants, one of which had to leave early.  As of August 2016 there are six core participants and multiple occasional participants, including one retired and one active duty Sailor.  We have a room dedicated to our meetings so that we may store items there rather than take them home every time we meet.  We hold ritual for Full Moons and Sabbats and have multiple other activities such as meditations, herbs, stones, and spell crafts.  We always share a potluck meal.  Without the support and encouragement of my coven and ordination from The Covenant of The Goddess this would not have happened.  The China Lake group meets every Thursday at 1800 in the All Faith Chapel Education Building room 8. If you find yourself in the area, please join us. 

This past Memorial Day, Lisa and John Morgenstern and Sarah Hentges drove about three hours to another California base to meet with Heathen military servicemen who wanted to have a blot. John and Lisa led a ceremony to honor the Einherjar, the fallen warriors who are revered in Asatru. Her COG credential and a letter from Diana Paxson of The Troth helped that along. Because Lisa had her COG Credential and the chaplain of that unit was familiar with COG, we were permitted to hold this service in the Chapel, on a military base, which had great meaning for us and we believe, for the two servicemen who were new to Heathenry.

Dragon’s Weyr Circle members feel strongly about supporting our military and our freedom of religion as well as other social justice issues regarding minorities.   We are proud to say that we have led services for military on 4 different bases over the years and for Navy, Marines, and Air Force."

Blessings,

Lisa Morgenstern

COG Local Councils support Standing Rock Protest

COG Local Councils support Standing Rock Protest

Touchstone Local Council stand in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Nation

We of Touchstone Local Council stand in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, the Lakota people, and all Indigenous Peoples who are fighting to preserve and protect their homes and lands. We call upon our brothers and sisters of the craft to do likewise and stand in solidarity with all who declare these things sacred: clean water and air, verdant forests, meadows, prairies and wetlands, and ways of life that honor people over profit.

We believe that it is our sacred duty and responsibility that has been granted to us by deity that we must defend the Earth Mother from those that would bring harm to her for greed and profit. In the words of the defenders who have made their stand at Standing Rock, water is life. No amount of money, no profits that benefit a few, can justify a threat to the very means and sustenance of life.

We acknowledge the history of genocide of the indigenous peoples of this continent and the theft of land and resources that began hundreds of years ago and recognize the continuing actions against the Indigenous Peoples of the land whenever profit can be made. We honor the sovereignty and rights of Indigenous Peoples, and demand that no projects that affect their lands, territories, or resources be undertaken without their free, prior, and informed consent.

So Mote it Be

Touchstone Local Council

Covenant of the Goddess

NCLC Statement of Support for the Standing Rock Protests

We of the Northern California Local Council of the Covenant of the Goddess stand in solidarity with the people of Standing Rock, the Great Sioux Nation, and all Indigenous Peoples who are struggling to preserve and protect their homes, lands, and sacred places.  We ask our brothers and sisters of the Craft and of other Pagan, Neopagan, and Indigenous traditions to support the Standing Rock protests.  Clean water, pure air, and unpolluted lands are the sacred basis of all Life, without which none of us may live.  Aquifers, wetlands, and waterways must remain uncontaminated, for water is essential to life. We must preserve wild lands, and protect the plants and animals native to each place.  We must defend our Mother the Earth, the Provider for us all.

We acknowledge the history of genocide against Indigenous peoples worldwide, the theft of Indigenous lands and resources, and actions against their cultures, religions, and languages.  We honor the rights and sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples.  We support ways of life that honor people over profits.

So Mote it Be!

Northern California Local Council of the Covenant of the Goddess

Passed September 10, 2016

Everglades Moon Local Council Statement of Solidarity regarding the Orlando Pulse Nightclub Shootings:

On behalf of the Witches and Wiccans of Florida, Everglades Moon Local Council extends our deepest condolences to all those affected by the recent horrific violence against the LGBTQ+ community at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL .

That such an  act of hate could happen in our own back yard has shaken us to our core.

We stand with everyone responding to this violence,  Queer, Questioning and Straight, in solidarity and with love. We offer our prayers and deepest condolences to all the victims of this senseless act, and to their families, friends, and communities.

As a community, we call on our fellow Floridians to step up and help build bridges. Make an appointment to donate blood. Volunteer with interfaith workings. Let the lasting impact of this event be one of positive change – starting in Florida and rippling out throughout the US and the world.  Do whatever you can to bring peace into this world.

As Witches, we will be holding space on the Full Moon on Monday, June 20^th at 9pm.  During this time, we ask that people of all faiths join us to remember the victims and send loving, healing energies to their families and friends, and for our nation as a whole. We invite you to participate no matter where you are.

We Witches and Wiccans of EMLC will continue to assist in any way we can –lending our ministerial services to those in need, and by reaching out to Faith Leaders to build bridges of respect and understanding among the many religions that create the tapestry of our community.

Today, We are CoG. We are EMLC. We Are Orlando.

Signed,

Everglades Moon Local Council

Covenant of the Goddess

Covenant of the Goddess statement on the tragedy in Orlando

The Covenant of the Goddess would like to express its shock and extreme sorrow at the violence and death in Orlando Florida this last week. Our heartfelt sympathy and energy go out to the LGBT community and all those so tragically affected by this event.

To quote a friend, Rev. Victor Kazanjian Jr, of the United Religions Initiative,

If we do not allow ourselves to feel this sadness, to really grieve, then our fears and pain turn instead to grievance. Who is to blame? How can I get my revenge? The world seems locked in an endless cycle of grievance. Grievance is the fuel of terrorists. One act of violence fuels another act of violence and the cycle continues, day after day, generation after generation.

We stand beside all of our brothers and sisters of all spiritual paths who abhor and denounce the atrocities perpetrated upon humanity in the name of bigotry, hatred, and fear of those who believe differently, and we support the sentiments in the following links.

Circle Sanctuary – Selena Fox

United Religions Initiative

The Interfaith Center of New York

Muslim Advocates

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)

The Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity (MASGD)

COVENANT OF THE GODDESS – Social Justice Committee met on MAY 22, 2016

Even though many CoG members had signed up for our Social Justice Committee only three members attended this first meeting on May 22, 2016.  They were Glenn, Michelle,and Morgana RavenTree.   Here are some highlights of what happened at this meeting:    

"Committee Leadership Discussion: 
·         Morgana raised the question of exactly how are we defining “social justice”.  It was decided to table that discussion for the next meeting. 
·         Morgana agreed to be the Committee Chair.  Duties include:     
     o Organizing meetings     
     o Keeping the committee on track     
     o Additional duties to be reviewed at a later time

The Committee discussed whether the BLM statement approved at the last Grand Council is on the website and agreed to ask the Webweaver where to find it.  Making sure the statement is posted on the website with the past environmental statement should be a priority.

Privilege/Diversity/How to be an Ally Walk
·         Glenn expressed the hope that we will have a more diverse Merrymeet this year with more local witches (in the Bay Area?) invited to present workshops
·         Michelle suggested a Privilege/Diversity/How to Be an All Walk would be a good idea. It was suggested by a committee member who is not present, but who may know someone who can present such a workshop.  It would be apropos for the theme “Future of the Witch”, and
·         The committee will send an email to the SJC lists asking who wants to work on this project for Merrymeet.

Grand Council and Merrymeet:
·         Glenn will consider whether there should be a workshop on social justice at Merrymeet.  She would like to make social justice activities more prominent
·          Morgana will prepare a brief statement (progress report) about the committee
·         Committee members agreed to consult with the social justice elists and our local councils about topics they would like to see us address at Grand Council or at future committee meetings, and
·         Glenn also suggested finding out what local councils and covens are doing for community safety net.  For example, she plans to invite CAYA to do a workshop on their training which includes helping at food banks. Next meeting: Morgana will send a call for another meeting in late June or July to the elists.  Hopefully more people will attend and we can discuss the discussion lists we put together with our covens."

Everglades Moon Local Council Podcast now has 22 Episodes

Everglades Moon Local Council located in Florida now has 22 episodes of their popular Podcast - Reaching for the Moon

In the latest episode #22 

"we feature a workshop which was recorded at Equinox in the Oaks 2016, presented by Canu which is all about Herne. If you’ve ever thought about working with this God of the Wild Hunt, you’ll want to give this workshop a listen. Also in this episode is a collection of songs by Emerald Rose including “Castle of Arianrhod”, “Johnnie Cope”, and “Lucky Man”. These are all from their album Bending Tradition. Follow this link to add Bending Tradition to your pagan music collection, and check out the other albums by Emerald Rose. They’re the Bee’s Knees!"

In April CoG's National Co-First Officer - Yvonne Conway Williams attended a National Faith Leaders Conference.

In April our National Co-First Officer - Yvonne Conway Williams attended the National Faith Leaders Conference. 

"The second day of the conference hosted a plenary - Social Impact Lecture: Reverend Dr. King's Legacy and the Church's Role featuring keynote speaker Dr. Cornel West.

 Because Yvonne was a member of clergy she along with a colleague, Pastor Stephanie Lape of St. Paul Lutheran Church, were seated front row center for the plenary. After an incredibly inspiring presentation both ladies had the opportunity for a meet and greet with Dr. West.  He was very pleased to meet Yvonne. After learning she was a Wiccan High Priestess Dr. West told her he could learn much from her and thanked her for attending." 

CoG's MerryMeet 2016

MerryMeet 2016  
Leadership Institute Thursday August 11
 MerryMeet Friday, August 12-14, 2016
Fairfield Inn & Suites, San Jose Airport in CA.

MerryMeet is the annual gathering for Covenant of the Goddess (CoG) and includes two days of workshops, rituals, lectures, local vendors and entertainment. Concurrently, during MerryMeet, the Covenant conducts its annual business meeting known as Grand Council (GC). GC is the forum for its members (covens and solitaries) to engage in a consensus process to discuss issues relevant to the operations of CoG, review national bylaw changes necessary in a changing world, decide matters which require deliberation by the full membership, and elect the national board of officers. Grand Council provides a unique opportunity to observe the process of decision making utilizing the consensus process. 
Web site -  http://www.cogmerrymeet.org/ 

Fairfield Inn & Suites, San Jose Airport
There is a free shuttle to and from the airport and free parking. Guest rooms range from $114 - 149 - as a business hotel their rates for Wed & Th. are higher than the weekend rate. They will give us a room reservation link to a website for our group to use in getting hotel rooms. A complimentary full breakfast comes with a room along with a frig and microwave in each room. For lunch and dinner, there is a Chipotle, Vietnamese and Chinese places, a Subway along with a Starbucks and a Chevron mini-mart (open 24h.) - all within a half block. The light rail across the street can take people toward downtown San Jose for other food options.

ALERT! -Deadline July 10 for room reservations.  The sooner people reserve a room the sooner our room block can be expanded.  

The hotel Breakfast room will be great for vendors and classes. This comfy place can be used for an evening reception and ritual; there is a possibility for an outdoor ritual around the pool adjacent to the area. We have exclusive use of the Palm Terrace room after noon and share the pool area with other hotel guests.

For members who cannot be in San Jose in person they can keep track of proceedings via CoG's Adobe Connect chat room. There should be a schedule of registration for the chat room and sessions to test out equipment and settings coming out soon.

Northern California Local Council has already started sharing ideas for the Leadership Institute on Thursday, "The Future of Witchcraft" with a panel and discussion groups on the direction of Witchcraft in general along with specific areas of interest. Other ideas are welcome. Email second@cog.org with your ideas and thoughts. 

Covenant of the Goddess Shares "Merry Part" via Web

As Samhain approaches, Covenant of the Goddess is pleased to announce the integration of funerary materials into our main website.  Inspired by The Pagan Book of Living and Dying, the author of Merry Part has spent over a decade reading about funeral rites.  She has created materials that cover how we view death, expressing your wishes, outlines and examples for a modern rite, rites based on ancient Pagan cultures, and inspirational readings.  

You can find the materials on the main CoG website (www.cog.org).  It has a direct link called “Merry Part”.  Alternately you can directly access it by using the following link:
    http://www.cog.org/merry-part-a-collection-of-neo-pagan-funeral-rites

The author has requested to remain anonymous so that this remains about the work, and not about her.  She hopes that this work will provide comfort when you have to wish someone ‘Merry Part.’

The Covenant of the Goddess is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that has represented Witches and Wiccans for 40 years.  Beginning in 1975, the Covenant of the Goddess has worked diligently to secure legal protection for Witches and Wiccans, provide minister credentials, offer education through interfaith outreach or collaboration, and foster community within its membership.  For more information go to www.cog.org.

CoG Membership Reaches Consensus on Black Lives Matter Statement

At Grand Council for Covenant of the Goddess this year, a breakout committee of members volunteered to work on refining a statement on Black Lives Matter offered in a proposal to the membership.  This is the official statement which was adopted by consensus of the membership.

The Covenant of the Goddess supports efforts to speak out for social justice. Black Lives Matter.

CoG is appalled at the mistreatment and killings of Black, Brown and other minorities in extrajudicial actions. Racism is systemic in American society – in everyday life and in our judicial and penal systems.

People of Color deserve due process under the law that the white majority takes for granted. Law enforcement officers who breach the public trust must be held accountable. More effective communication between communities of color and every part of our justice system is overdue and necessary for real changes to manifest.

The Covenant has formed a committee for Social Justice to explore actions that will lead to equity and justice in the Covenant and beyond. We invite People of Color who are Witches, Wiccans, Pagans, and other allies, to share with us your concerns about social injustices and the disparity of privilege because we care and Black Lives Matter. Info at cog.org.

The Covenant of the Goddess is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that has represented Witches and Wiccans for 40 years.  Beginning in 1975, the Covenant of the Goddess has worked diligently to secure legal protection for Witches and Wiccans, provide minister credentials, offer education through interfaith outreach or collaboration, and foster community within its membership.  For more information go to www.cog.org.

Covenant of the Goddess Forms Social Justice Committee

During Grand Council, Covenant of the Goddess’s annual meeting, the membership reached consensus on forming a new Social Justice Committee.  Grand Council was held in Ontario, California over the weekend of August 14th through August 16th, 2015.

The new committee was formed based upon a proposal from longtime Covenant of the Goddess member M. Macha NightMare, and is designed to provide advice and guidance to the National Board on how to address social justice matters.

The Covenant of the Goddess is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that has represented Witches and Wiccans for 40 years.  Beginning in 1975, the Covenant of the Goddess has worked diligently to secure legal protection for Witches and Wiccans, provide minister credentials, offer education through interfaith outreach or collaboration, and foster community within its membership.  For more information go to www.cog.org.

Covenant of the Goddess Award of Honor

At Grand Council 2014 in Atlanta, GA, Covenant of the Goddess (CoG) adopted a proposal to present the CoG Award of Honor.  The 2014 recipients were Margot Adler, Selena Fox, Don Frew, Katherine Fuller, Alison Harlow, Judy Harrow, Deborah Ann Light, and Peter Bruner Soderberg/Sparky T Rabbit.

Designs for the medallion were submitted at Grand Council that year, and a design submitted by Amber K was selected for production.

An image of the CoG Award of Honor Medallion

At Grand Council 2015 in Ontario, CA, the medallions were presented to the 2014 winners with an award certificate also designed by Amber K.

The CoG Award of Honor was presented to Amber K, Azrael Arynn K, Anna Korn, M. Macha NightMare, and Michael Thorn at Grand Council 2015.

M. Macha NightMare, Azrael Arynn K, Amber K, and Anna Korn after receiving the CoG Award of Honor.

Covenant of the Goddess wishes to congratulate the award recipients, who have been noted for their service to the Wiccan, Pagan, and/or Interfaith communities.

*  *  *  *  *  *

The Covenant of the Goddess is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that has represented Witches and Wiccans for 40 years.  Beginning in 1975, the Covenant of the Goddess has worked diligently to secure legal protection for Witches and Wiccans, provide minister credentials, offer education through interfaith outreach or collaboration, and foster community within its membership.  For more information go to www.cog.org.