From the Director

 

It's no secret that pretty much every college and university out there is struggling with dropping enrollments and loss of tuition income.  CHS has seen its own share of dropping enrollments, usually due to students having lost a job; either they can no longer afford tuition or they go into retraining for a new profession, or both.  Thus it is that I'm happy to say we are slowly making our way back from a recession which affected Pagans and our seminary as much as it did the rest of the American society.  Our numbers continue to very slowly climb, though we are not yet self-sustaining. 

Our leadership is continually working to respond to the rapidly changing Pagan environment.  No rocket science is needed to understand that we have different needs that we did 25 or even 10 years ago.  Pagans are increasingly out of the proverbial broom closet, challenging our friends, families, coworkers and colleagues to get used to the fact that we are probably religiously-different.  Many Pagan groups need something different from the classic coven model.  Individuals are visibly involved with many aspects of society, from social justice activism to human services to politics, interfaith, PTAs and more. 

If you are paying attention you will have noticed that CHS continues to adapt and adopt programming that meets these changing needs.  We developed the Rhizomes package of short courses to build the skills of small-group leaders.  Pagan Life Academy has been well-received by incarcerated Pagans who need beginner-level print courses which also offer depth for the more experienced practitioner.  In January we launch our first Stackables courses - 6-week master's-level courses in a specific topic which earn one credit hour towards a degree (see right).  Mix and match the topics with which you would like some knowledge but don't wish to spend a 14-week semester studying. We've updated our certificate offerings. And students now enjoy the option of paying their tuition by installment over several months of the semester.

None of this comes for free, of course, and that's why we are grateful to those of you who chose to make a contribution to our Fall Drive - especially those who had already given in the spring, but felt it was important to go above and beyond.

As we continue to provide the best Pagan education available, we will be listening carefully to what you need, to the forces which are shaping your world. It is what a seminary is for, after all, helping us all make our way in this life.
- Holli Emore

Important Dates
 
For Students
Spring registration now open
Nov 4 Insights 3 classes begin
Dec 1 Insights 3 classes end
Dec 15 Fall semester ends
Jan 19 Spring classes begin
Jan 26 Drop/Add deadline midnight tonight
Feb 15 Insights 1 classes end
Feb 23 Insights 2 classes begin
 
For Faculty
Nov 18 Insights Fall 2 grades due 
Dec 16 Insights Fall 3 grades due 
Dec 30 Fall semester grades due 
Jan 19 Spring classes begin 

Jan 26 Summer 2015 course proposals due

Mar 1 Insights 1 grades due to office 

He's A Winner!

Thank you to everyone who made a contribution to our Fall Drive, raising nearly $2000!

We turned over the drawing to someone unrelated to CHS who used a random number generator to pick our winner -
Huch Eckert of Arlington, Virginia! 

Hugh earned his Certificate of Pagan Ministry from CHS in 2011 - that's a picture of him in a cap and gown at our graduation ceremony in Delaware that year. We'll be shipping the Dream Shawl to Hugh this week. (Thanks again to craftsperson extraordinaire, Wendy Griffin!)

Congratulations, Hugh, and thank you to everyone who showed their dedication to Pagan education for leadership, ministry and personal growth.

CHS Peeps In The News

Bob Patrick was on October 24 awarded the distinction of National Board Certified Teacher--Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood in World Languages for the second time
Patrick McCollum will participate in the 2015 World Peace Caravan which will start at the ancient ruins of Petra in Jordan and travel by camel for 12 days across the desert, replicating the journey taken by the Queen of Sheba to bring gifts to King Solomon. The caravan will end in Bethlehem on Christmas Day, culminating in a concert which includes Patrick's World Peace Violin, and major performers.
Ruth Barrett will perform on December 5 at the Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Montclair,California for the Spirit of the Solstice evening concert.
Holli Emore reported on the work of CHS student-led task force on Pagan sources of compassion at the November 9 annual meeting of Interfaith Partners of S.C., where she serves on the board of directors. Share your news with us 
They Weave The World
With the Stories They Tell - sculpture by CHS Artist-in-Residence Lauren Raine.  Lauren invites us to suggest ideas for new masks at her blog.

 
Visit the Cherry Hill Seminary online bookstore for this and other juicy titles. Your purchase benefits CHS! 
is based on a symposium sponsored by an old southern university & a very new seminary created to serve the communities of Pagan and Earth-based religions. Individual chapters include topics as diverse as the Glastonbury Goddess conference, Southern Witchery, the lesbian land movement, and an industrial band from Britain, among others. An Introduction by noted historian Ronald Hutton and comments by Chas Clifton serve to put this unique collaboration into context as the first book to come out of a gathering of scholars of Pagan Studies in North America.Soon available as an ebook.