Hello Church of the Earth Newsletter Readers,

I am writing to you today, not as Whimsical Writer of the Weird and Wacky (my usual newsletter shenanigans), but as the Council Chair for Church of the Earth. I want to update you on what we are doing to keep us safe and connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. As I write this, the Governor of North Carolina has issued a Stay-At-Home Order. About two weeks prior to this, Church of the Earth had already decided to postpone all gatherings in person, as many of our attendees fall into the categories of highest susceptibility to the virus.

BUT fear not, because we have been experimenting with ways to keep our community together virtually. The first thing we did, starting about two weeks ago, was to post discussion questions in the Church of the Earth Facebook group. We have talked about books, blogs, music, daily practices, and many other fun topics that bring joy, knowledge, and experience to our lives while we walk down this Pagan path. If you have not already, I invite you to join us and share your ideas, or discover new ideas that spark you!

Also, on Tuesday March 31st, we had our first church event via Zoom! I had never been able to go to a Book Club meeting before, and it was quite fun and highly recommended! Since this was a success, we are now working on scheduling other events virtually. Keep an eye on our Meetup for details as they become available. We are THIS CLOSE to figuring out the timing on all this. Hopefully in the near future, more events will be available for member participation, so go check Meetup and get the latest scoop!

This outbreak is something none of us expected to experience. In these times of uncertainty, I would humbly suggest you be extra kind to yourself. As a practicing Pagan, no matter where you are on your journey, you have tools available to help you get through this. I know that when I am stressed, I forget that. I am hoping that reading this will remind you. Also, when you interact with the world, whether going on a quest for fresh food or participating online, be kind to others. We are all under stress these days. It is easy to get sucked into chaos, fear, and anger…but I challenge you to do the opposite if you can. Try spreading hope, peace, and understanding.

And reach out to each other! We are stronger together, even when we cannot gather in person.

All my best to you and your loved ones!

Dodde

Council Chairperson, Church of the Earth of N.C.