Shining Lakes News

A Newsletter for Shining Lakes Grove, A.D.F.

Summer Solstice 2005 - Vol. 12, No. 3

Have Druid, Will Travel

As Shining Lakes Grove's Assistant Senior Druid, I've used the position to be something of an ambassador at large. I've had the chance to visit several ADF Groves and have been to quite a few ADF Festivals - okay, a bunch of Trilliums and a couple of Wellsprings, but still. . . . I really enjoy these excursions into the ADF Wilds because you learn many things and you notice many things.

One of the things you notice is that other Groves do their rituals differently than yours. This isn't bad, just different. What really is amazing is that even though everyone has their own little tweaks to the ADF Liturgy, it is all still familiar. At different Trilliums and Wellsprings, I've seen Norse Rituals, Norse Sumbels (some even spelled funny as Symbel), installation of different Deity statues and Gods channeled so that everyone could talk with Them, and everything in between. And it's all good. (Ask me about the channeling of Deities - wow, that's really cool and awesome and something I hope we can start here.)

You also notice all the wonderful ritual outfits that people in ADF have. Some are just plain everyday clothes, and some are very elaborate and special. I myself am having special ritual garb made for me, and in our Grove, we have introduced special ritual stoles for those doing the purifications. We will soon have one for the ritual leader.

A third thing you notice is that overall the people of ADF are wonderful people. Whether they come from Canada, New York, or Arizona, the folks of ADF are friendly and helpful. They also drink a lot, but I digress. As a representative of Shining Lakes Grove, I have tried to be the good public face of our Grove. I think I've done a good job of that.

There are many things to learn if you travel around ADF. Some of these are that Ian Corrigan always seems to be drinking (but without any real side effects), that Bardd Dafydd only has one poem (but it's a hilarious poem), and how Cedar Light Grove got its name (it involved being drunk and talking like Elmer Fudd all night). Most importantly, I've learned that hot tubs should be mandatory in every Grove. Finally, I've learned that Druids drink a lot and they aren't afraid to make their own booze.

But beyond all this, one thing remains true. ADF is a growing, evolving organization and the people who make up its membership - whether they are solitary or a member of a Grove - are all striving together to make ADF something great. And it's working. ADF recently passed the 1000 member mark, which is a big milestone for us. Visiting other Groves and going to Festivals is a great way to be a part of our religion and to see this effort first hand.

Rodney Cox,
Assistant Senior Druid

An Bruane Returns! ( . . . um, what?)

I am sometimes asked, "So how exactly did you pick these Grove gods, anyway, Rob?" Or, "I don't see Ana or Aren mentioned in any of the Celtic mythology books I have." Or even, "And when did you decide to have two Samhain rituals?"

Like many aspects of our Grove liturgy and cosmology, these came about as part of our An Bruane sessions. An Bruane is an Irish Gaelic phrase that means "the Fireseed." As Fox, our founding Senior Druid, wrote nearly ten years ago:

Its meaning is rooted in our ancestors' tradition of extinguishing all of the fires in the village twice per year, on the eves of Beltaine and Samhain. At dusk on these days the druids of the village would kindle a new fire, creating the first spark using a bow drill as we do today. That tiny flame, kindled by skill in the light of the setting sun and coaxed into a roaring blaze, marked the beginning of the new season. Sacred woods were offered to consecrate the fire and it was tended through the night. The fire accepted offerings from the villagers in rites the next day and maintain the contacts between the folk and the surrounding spirits. When the celebrations came to an end each house-holder carried an ember from this sacred fire home where it was protected and sustained as a continuous spiritual presence in the hearths of the home. Eventually that first sacred fire, the source of the fires of the tribe, became known as "The Fireseed."

As the years passed, and our Grove's experience grew, we found that there wasn't as much of a need for monthly An Bruane sessions, and we only held them when we felt the Gods wanted to tell us something particular. After talking it over with Rodney and others, I think the time has come for us to do An Bruane on a regular basis again. Too few of our newer members know enough about our cosmology, as Aren told us in our Beltaine omen, and we need to change that.

I know from experience that trying to start a new Grove event in the summer is a bad idea, so I'd like to schedule our first session in September. If you'd like to take part in An Bruane, contact me and let me know what day(s) of the week you'd be able to attend. (There's no point in my scheduling a meeting now if nobody else will be available that day!) This is your chance to address whatever you think is missing from our rituals. Don't let it pass you by!

Yours in service to the Kindreds and the Grove,
Rev. Rob Henderson, Senior Druid

SLG Leadership Council

Senior Druid
Rob Henderson robh@cyberspace.org

Assistant Senior Druid
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Administrator
Jude Howison uputat@yahoo.com

Scribe
Jude Howison uputat@yahoo.com

Pursewarden
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Chronicler
Genevieve Stoyak gstoyak@hotmail.com

Public Relations Coordinator
Chuck Howison pherrixx@hotmail.com

Youth Activities Coordinator
(position open)

SLG Guild Leaders

Magicians' Guild
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Warriors' Guild
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Healers' Guild
Rodney Cox uberrod@comcast.net

Producers' Guild (unofficial)
Gen Stoyak gstoyak@hotmail.com

No e-mail access? Contact our officers at our snail-mail address or phone number.

Shining Lakes News (©2005) is published by Shining Lakes Grove, A.D.F., P.O. Box 3901, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106, (734) 262-1052. For information about SLN, contact the Chronicler at gstoyak@hotmail.com or (734) 262-1462. For information about Shining Lakes Grove, contact the Senior Druid at (734) 262-1052 or robh@cyberspace.org, or visit www.shininglakes.org.

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