201 lines
8.8 KiB
Plaintext
201 lines
8.8 KiB
Plaintext
THE COVENANT OF THE GODDESS
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PURPOSE
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The Covenant of the Goddess was founded in 1975 to increase cooperation
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among Witches, and to secure for Witches and covens the legal protec-
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tion enjoyed by members of other religions.
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FUNCTIONS
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The Covenant publishes a newsletter; issues ministerial credentials on
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request to qualified persons; sponsors a national festival each summer;
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and encourages networking nationally, as well as regionally through
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local councils.
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STRUCTURE
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The Covenant is incorporated as a non-profit religious organization in
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California, though it has grown to be a nationwide organization. It is
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a confederation of covens and solitaires of various traditions, who
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share in the worship of the Goddess and the Old Gods and subscribe to a
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common code of ethics. The Covenant holds a Grand Council annually to
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elect national officers, set a budget, and decide matters which require
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deliberation by the full membership. Decisions are usually made by
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consensus.
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CODE OF ETHICS
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* An ye harm none, do as ye will.
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* Since our religion and arts and practices peculiar to it are the gift
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of the Goddess, membership and training in a local coven or tradition
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are bestowed free, as gifts, and only on those persons who are deemed
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worthy to receive them. However, a coven may expect each of its mem-
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bers to bear a fair share of its ordinary operating expenses.
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* All persons have the right to charge reasonable fees for the services
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by which they earn a living, so long as our religion is not thereby
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exploited.
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* Every person associated with this Covenant shall respect the autonomy
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and sovereignty of each coven, as well as the right of each cove to
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oversee the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical development of
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its members and students in its own way, and shall exercise reasonable
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caution against infringing upon that right in any way.
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* Members of this Covenant shall respect the traditional secrecy of our
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religion.
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* Members of this Covenant should ever keep in mind the underlying
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unity of our religion as well as the diversity of its manifestations.
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* These ethics shall be understoond and interpreted in light of one
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another, and especially in light of the traditional laws of our reli-
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gion.
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CONFIDENTIALITY
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All information give to the Covenant of the Goddess or any of its offi-
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cials is considered strictly confidential, unless you indicate other-
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wise. No information about members is published or given out without
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explicit written permission. Direct access to the Covenant's mailing
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list is limited to the Board of Directors. Maximum privacy is assured.
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NEWSLETTER
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At every Sabbat the Covenant publishes a newsletter of Craft and Pagan
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news, original articles, poetry, humor, rituals and announcements.
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Member covens receive the newsletter automatically. Individual co-
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veners and non-members who donate a suitable tax-deductible gift will
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also be placed on the mailing list, to receive the newsletter and other
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mailings. Circulation is limited to members and friends of the
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Covenant.
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FINANCES
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An annual membership tithe is set every year by the Grand Council to
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cover bare expenses, based on the previous year's expenses and any
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projected cost increases. The annual financial statement is published
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in the newsletter. Other activities are supported by fund-raising.
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All contributions to the Covenant of the Goddess are greatly appre-
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ciated and are tax-deductible.
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APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP
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Any Goddess-supporting coven or solitaire can be eligible for member-
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ship in the Covenant of the Goddess if certain criteria and require-
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ments are met. All inquiries into membership should be sent to the
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National Credentials Officer. If the coven or solitaire is in an area
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near a local council, the National Officer will forward the inquiry to
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the local Credentials Officer, who will respond. A member can apply in
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person at a council meeting, or by filling out the appropriate form and
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sending it in with the initial membership tithe.
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GENERAL CRITERIA FOR COVEN MEMBERSHIP
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* Generally focus thealogy and ritual, etc., around worship of the God-
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dess and the Old Gods (or the Goddess alone).
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* Believe and follow a code of ethics compatible with that of the Cove-
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nant.
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* Have beem meeting monthly or oftener for at least six months.
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* Have three more more members who have been formally accepted into the
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clergy.
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* Be a cohesive, self-perpetuating group.
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REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP
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Full Membership: The applicant must be recommended without reservation
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by two active members of the Covenant.
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Provisional Membership: The applicant may be recommended by one mem-
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ber; and then within a year and a day make a viable effort to get to
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know other members, in order to achieve Full Member status.
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The appropriate Credentials Officer (National or local) shall verify
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information regarding criteria and credentials.
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COVEN-AT-LARGE
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This is the term we use to represent the many Witches who are soli-
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taires, i.e. practicing alone. Each local council may devise its own
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standards for admission of coveners-at-large, in harmony with national
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guidelines.
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LOCAL COUNCILS
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A local council is a smaller branch of the Covenant, consisting of at
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least three member covens of at least two different traditions, in
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reasonably close geographic proximity to each other. The local coun-
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cils generally meet more often than the national organization. They
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may initiate independent projects, sponsor local festivals and work-
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shops, and generally work together for common goals close to home. As
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the Covenant continues to grow, we encourage new member covens close to
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one another to form their own local councils.
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VOTING
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When a matter requiring a decision is presented before the Covenant in
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council, it is discussed by the members in attendance until a consensus
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is reached. If a consensus cannot be reached, then a vote is taken. A
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coven holding a current Full Membership is entitled to one vote. Each
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such coven also holds the power to veto, though this is exercised only
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in extreme cases. A coven with Provisional Membership is entitled to
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one vote, but does not hold veto power.
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A coven-at-large is entitled to one vote if, and only if, three indi-
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viduals are physically present at the council and unanimous in their
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choice of vote.
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MINISTERIAL CREDENTIALS
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In order to receive Ministerial Credentials as a Priestess or Priest, a
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person shall:
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1. Be an active member of a coven which is a Full Member of the Cove-
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nant.
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2. Have been "confirmed" to taking on the full commitment to the re-
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quirements of that coven's Tradition of our religion.
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3. Have undergone at least a full year of active training for the
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ministry of that Tradition.
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These credentials shall remain valid only so long as the person remains
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an active member of the coven which remains an active member of the
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Covenant.
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In order to be eligible to receive Ministerial Credentials as an Elder,
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a person shall:
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1. Satisfy (2.) and (3.) above.
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2. Have undergone an additional full year of active training for the
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ministry.
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3. Be fully able to form a coven, admit members, and train them in the
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tenets and practices of that Tradition.
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These credentials shall remain valid for life, unless specifically
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revoked, so long as the person remains in contact with the Covenant.
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THE NATIONAL FESTIVAL
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The annual Grand Council or national business meeting is held as part
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of a national festival, which is open to the whole membership as well
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as well as Pagans and Witches who are not part of the Covenant. The
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festival is usually held at a secluded campground or resort, and moves
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to a different area of the country each summer. In addition to the
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council meeting, the program includes workshops on magick and the
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Craft, concerts, a potluck feast, a talent show, and the opportunity to
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purchase (or barter for) art, crafts and ritual tools by Pagan arti-
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sans. Registration information is available in the newsletter.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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Write to: Covenant of the Goddess, P.O. Box 1226, Berkeley, CA 94704.
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