The Temple
Community
The Gods do not discriminate and neither do we. No one will ever be turned away from our temple because of who they are. We treat all newcomers with welcome and respect first.
Sacred Rules
Rules for Clergy & Temples
Most of the rules for clergy and temples will and should be made by the communities that they represent and support. However, there are some basic rules that all clergy and temples must adhere to:
Clergy members must study and complete the courses deemed important for the knowledge and duties of the priesthood at each level. There is no specified time limit to complete your studies, but you will be tested to see how well you have retained the information.
Any monetary donations received by the Temple will be meticulously recorded. These donations will only be used for their intended purpose and no other. Any misuse of these funds by any member, including Clergy, will result in their immediate dismissal.
No Clergy members will administer tithes of any kind. Money cannot buy salvation or absolution. Only deeds can do this. Confessions are neither mandatory nor required, however should a congregant choose to make a confession, clergy may take the confession in good faith.
No Clergy will promote any literature or media of their own creation for congregants to buy for their "salvation" or well being. Spiritual knowledge should be shared freely.
By becoming members of the clergy, you have taken it upon yourself to be a representative of our faith and community. You must handle yourself and the situations you find yourself in with dignity and grace at all times.
Clergy have a responsibility to help the less fortunate and the oppressed. Temples should operate as an official Safe Space for people trying to escape abuse, domestic violence and unjust prosecution based on race, gender, sexuality, or immigration status.
The Gods DO NOT discriminate and neither do we. No one will ever be turned away from our temple because of their race, ethnicity, nation of origin, immigration status, age, disease/disorder/disability, religion or spiritual practice, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, level of education, military or veteran status, or political affiliation.
Roles
Clergy & Congregation
Congregant
Anyone attending our services, festivals, or learning about our faith who has chosen not to be a devotee. They are afforded the same respect and advantages as our full members and may speak, offer prayer, or address the congregation, so long as they do so with respect.
Devotee
Someone who has chosen to follow our faith and its tenets. They may or may not attend temple and might prefer solitary prayer and worship — but we still consider them members. They may address the congregation, offer and lead prayer.
Dedicant
A devotee who has chosen to dedicate their worship or perhaps even their life to a particular deity or select few deities within the pantheon. Study is shorter than that of an initiate, but more focused for each deity. May offer special insight on their dedicated deity.
Initiate
A devotee or dedicant who has chosen to make the faith part of their life's path. They will learn, be tested and eventually become a priest or priestess of their respective Shrine, Temple or Grove.
Priest / Priestess
Has completed their learning and tests as an initiate and is now primed to lead the congregation or start their own. May also perform weddings, funerals or other life rites. Responsible for the well being of their communities as well as outreach.
Guardian
Guardians have been a priest for at least 20 years. They step aside from the main role of leading the congregation and begin their duties as the primary warden of their Shrine, Temple or Grove. Daily cleaning, planning of improvements, training of Dedicants and Initiates.
Sacred Spaces
Types of Worship Spaces
Home Altar
A small altar in the home. May be as simple as a single candle for meditation and prayer or as elaborate as a dedicated area with drawings, idols or other items.
Shrine
The first buildings built for a congregation. Depending on the needs of the community, can have space for 10 to 50 and may be as simple as a shed or structure similar to a polebarn.
Temple
The next buildings in line for larger congregations. With space for 50 to 100 people, it can vary in size and function. Should have the ability to be used as an emergency shelter if and when needed. Design should remain simple and functional.
Grove
Designed as a grove with basic shelters, simple shrines and an open air amphitheater for congregants to gather. Ability to have 200 in the amphitheater. Plenty of groves of native plants and shade trees for meditation as well as an area for fruit trees and vegetables for the community.
Sacred Calendar
Holidays & Festivals
Day of the Wheel
Winter Solstice — December 21st or 22ndA feast of Thanksgiving, exchanging of gifts and storytelling, mostly remembering ancestors and cherished memories. The family gathers with the setting sun, setting a place for all members as well as a "Ghost seat" where pictures of loved ones who have departed are offered a symbolic place. A general prayer to Zani and their death as well as the ancestors. In the morning, praise to Zani's rebirth and the continuation of the eternal cycle.
Five Hearts Day
March 20thA day for love and all its many facets. Celebrates the Five Hearts: Romantic love, Familial love, Love of Friends, Love of World and Self-love. One may celebrate by spending time with family, exchanging gifts or treats, or indulging in something you enjoy. Sephena & Janir remind us to love others as well as ourselves on this day.
Earth Day
April 22ndStarted in 1970 and observed in 192 countries, this day focuses on raising awareness of pollution, environmental conservation and renewable energy. As sentient beings it is our duty to be wardens and protectors of this world. We have chosen to mark this as a holy day of the Neo Paganus.
Barnir's Day
May 1stA day when devotees offer up some of their free time for charity or volunteer work helping their communities. Volunteering at nursing homes, picking up litter at local parks, donating goods to soup kitchens or free pantries. In the evening, devotees may gather around a communal fire and celebrate the community. At the very end, we symbolically cast bad habits or feelings that no longer serve us into the fire.
Festus Paganus
Summer Solstice — June 20th or 21stThis festival is for all the gods as well as the whole community. Festivities include dancing, music, food, various outdoor activities and fires. Prayers, burning of candles and offerings may be made to all the gods and the community joins together to celebrate.
Messis Ultimus
4th Saturday in SeptemberThe last harvest of Summer. A feast that focuses on the bounties that we have reaped — not just from the harvest, but also the accomplishments that we have made over the year. Celebrate you and your community's achievements. Make treats and spirits with the fruits that have been harvested. The final fire festival of the year.
Night of Candles
First Saturday in DecemberDay of remembrance for all those we have lost. Families decorate their homes and the walkways leading up to their homes with candles, to light the way for our ancestors' spirits, welcoming them to our homes in preparation for Day of the Wheel. A good time to spruce up the family altar and leave out offerings for ancestors and departed friends.
Sacred Milestones
Special Life Events
Coming of Age
On the 18th Birthday of a Congregant or Child of a Congregant, we hold a special ceremony inviting them into adulthood. There will be music, dancing, feasting… Everyone in the community may offer gifts or wisdom to the person coming of age. At the end, they will be praised and blessed, because who doesn't need a little of both!
Welcoming Blessing
When someone has been exploring our beliefs and participating in our community, they may decide to fully join the Temple. The Temple priest/priestess will sit down with the person and take a deep dive into what they hope to gain from joining. So long as their intentions are good and we have seen them extolling our values, then they will be welcomed into our Temple as a full congregant.
Parent's Blessing
Should you choose to be a parent, by either having one of your own or adopting, our Temple would love to offer its blessings to you! The community will gather for food and fun, gifts or wisdom will be offered to the parents and at the end, the entire community will offer blessings to you!
Blessing of the Parriarch
Old age eventually catches up with us all, but that's not always a bad thing! You have done your work and as you get to your golden years, it's your time to relax and do the things you want to do! The blessing will usually occur sometime after retirement, but can be anytime that the other elders feel like you've earned it. Family and friends will praise your accomplishments and ask for your wisdom. The other elders may tease you with starting you on whittling or knitting. Regardless, you now move into a new role as an honored Parriarch of the Temple.
Feast of Remembrance
Death is never an easy thing to deal with… Our temple offers two traditions for those left behind. The Feast of Remembrance is very much like a Wake. We gather, we feast and drink, we laugh, we cry, but more importantly we remember the one that has left us. We share stories and our grief all to honor them.
Dinner of Dignity
We believe that if someone is still of sound mind, they have the ultimate say in when and how they leave this world. A congregant that has chosen to end their life with dignity may speak to the Temple about holding a Dinner of Dignity. The Temple will host a feast in their honor, and everyone in attendance will say their goodbyes. The one being honored may choose to impart some wisdom or bequeath some of their Earthly possessions to their family and friends.
Commemoration of Temple Sonra
Every once and a while, someone comes along that has such a positive impact on the Temple and its congregants that the community may request that on their passing, we honor them as a Sonra of the Temple — a Universal Ancestor and Guardian. This is only if the person in question (or if after their passing, their family) agrees, but if they do, they will be honored at an official commemoration ceremony.
Ready to Join?
We do not actively seek to convert others, but we welcome those that choose to walk the path with us.
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