There is still time to register for the 2014 Summer Intensive, "Entering the Sacred Grove." The sacred grove is a place where we may explore the interfaces where what is mundane and domesticated in us confronts the wild divine within and the transformation that results. 

 

Candace Kant

Wendy Griffin

To apply for a scholarship, email us providing the following information: Name (no craft names, please); Address; Phone; Email; Program: (the CHS degree or certificate you are pursuing, or "no program" if you simply wish to attend without enrolling in a program. Preference will be given to current CHS students, though all are welcome to apply.); and answer these questions: Have you attended a previous CHS intensive or other conference? and

Without a scholarship, registration before or on June 10 is $265. For an additional $150, Master's students can also register for an online pre-intensive class to receive intensive credit. A non-refundable $100 registration any time before June 10 will hold your registration. Registration includes lunches Friday and Saturday and all materials. Click here to register now!

 

We recently asked our CHS students to let us know what's new with them. Following are just some of the updates and accomplishments that our student community shared. We'll be sharing more news in future newsletters. If you have updates, send them to cswalina (at) cherryhillseminary (dot) org.

 

CHS board member Byron Ballard spoke on Earth Day at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.  While there she preached at the Hattiesburg UU Fellowship and presented a workshop on grounding.  More recently, she served as Ritual Coordinator for the Pagan Unity Festival in Burns, TN, and was among a stellar group of "VIP" presenters including Judika Illes, Shauna Aura Knight and Joyce and River Higginbotham, as well as presenting three workshops and facilitating the Main Ritual.    

  

Student Tom Gordon is now working as a special assistant to the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry to provide strategic planning for soil and water conservation. Starting this summer, he will also be serving as Vice-President for Public Policy for the Maine Lakes Society -- which aligns nicely with his writing at CHS on water spirituality and stewardship.

   

Professor Angela Farmer is the Har-Gydia of Nine Worlds Kindred in Auburn, Alabama, which just ordained its first three priests: Godsmen and Godswomen. Angela is leaving the academy this year, after 16 years, to teach religious studies and write full time.

  

On May 6th, student Hugh Eckert was guest lecturer on Paganism for a world religions class at University of Maryland, Baltimore College, Shady Grove.  It was the second time Hugh served in this role; the first time was in Spring 2012.  

 

Soon to be Master of Divinity graduate Lark (Carol Kirk) shared: "Other than finish my thesis and with it my requirements for graduation, I haven't done much.  In addition, I have become a minister with Sacred Well Congregation as of the end of April. My husband and I flew out to Wyoming to celebrate and the picture I've attached is of the two of us at Rocky Mountain National Park.  I am now getting ready to try to condense my thesis to the requirements for journal publication and will see whether I can in fact get it published."

 

Professor Tracy Wharton will be moving to Orlando, FL, in July to join the faculty in the School of Social Work, College of Health & Public Affairs, at the University of Central Florida. She continues to work on several large research projects investigating challenging behaviors in dementia and investigating an equine facilitated intervention for PTSD in veterans. Once again, her family has members deployed with the military overseas. (Tracy notes that she is so proud to have had the privilege of knowing Lark, and of seeing her graduate.) 

 

Professor Vivianne Crowley was invited for the second time to speak at the Bohemian-Moravian Witches' Conference - the main annual Pagan event in the Czech Republic. Although it has the word 'witch' in the title, BMWC is a pan-Pagan event with input from across the Pagan community. It attracts people from Austria, Slovakia, Poland and Russia, as well as Czechs.  This year was the 18th BMWC of the small strong and integrated Pagan community of the Czech Republic. For anyone with Czech ancestry who  would like to visit their homeland, May when BMWC is held is a beautiful month in this part of Europe.