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GROVE MISSION
( This is a draft, and is not yet an official document of the Grove )
CEDAR GROVE DRUID ORDER
PREAMBLE & MISSION
Cedar Grove Druid Order is one answer among many in response to our global environmental crisis, spiritual poverty, fragmented community, and tradition-starved modern world. Cedar Grove offers a venue for solitary Druids, and those new to the Druid Way, to practice in community. We grow richer through community, and become a potent force for Nature united as a community.
Cedar Grove Druid Order helps to preserve the beliefs and practices of our Ancestors, communes with the Spirits of the Earth, and continues to honor the Gods and Goddesses of olde through worship and ritual. With reverence to our Mother Earth, as Priests of Nature and Guardians of the Earth, we celebrate the Solstices, Equinoxes, and Fire Festivals of our tradition. We seek to create a spiritual oasis in the turmoil of the modern age, and to become a healing force in the world of both Nature and humans, conducting this healing work both esoterically and exoterically.
Why “Cedar” in Cedar Grove Druid Order?
Cedar Trees have no anchor root, relying instead on the combined energy of the whole root system.
We are a group rooted in our combined effort in mutual support.
ARTICLE I
Formerly "Cedar Grove Druid Fellowship". Founded on Samhuinn, 2003 C.E.
Cedar Grove Druid Order (herein referred to as CGDO) is a non-profit organization serving Whatcom County and surrounding region of Washington State.
a) Independent: Not affiliated with any one Druid tradition. As an independent congregation, CGDO answers to its own authority, creating basic administrative items and settling disputes via vote among the Grove's active membership (i.e.: those who chose to participate).
b) Non-Denominational: At this time, CGDO is a fellowship of Druids from many druid schools, membership is open to any who are following, or desire to follow, a Druid path.
c) Open: Transparent, democratic, respectful fellowship. CGDO is not a secret, insular society. Membership is open to all, regardless of race, political creed, disability, age, sexual orientation, etc.- see ARTICLE I:d.
d) Discrimination: Membership, Offices, attendance, and participation in Cedar Grove Druid Fellowship shall not be denied to any person on the basis of race, ancestry, age, gender, physical disability, or sexual orientation. Membership, Offices, attendance, and participation in Cedar Grove Druid Fellowship may be denied to individuals practicing creeds inimical to Pagan Druidry.
"Inimical creeds" shall include varieties of conservative monotheism, atheism, demonism, racism, sexism, Satanism. Activity of a racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-Semitic, or otherwise bigoted manner, shall be grounds for expulsion, suspension, or banning.
ARTICLE II
Membership Parameters
A) Cedar Grove Druid Order "Fellow"
Open to all who join us in good will, regardless of spiritual path, open door. All members on our cedargrovedruids Yahoo discussion group fall into this category. This is the public community extension of the Order. This is also a great way for new members to try us on for size. Yahoo group discussion, Public Grove rituals, full Membership and training program available by application, public seminars, public volunteer opportunities, etc.
In short: there is little difference between Fellow and Member memberships, as most of our activities are public anyway! Those that aren’t, aren’t. Essentially the second category of "Membership" creates an infrastructure facilitating Druidic practice and training (see II:B).
Simple requirement: Join the currently existing cedargrovedruids @yahoo.com discussion group.
Public fellowship forum
This is a public forum: no guarantee of member identity protection- that is up to the individual members to self regulate.
B) Cedar Grove Druid Order "Member"
Or “Peregrine”. Coined by Sutton and Mann, Druid Magic. A Spanish word meaning “pilgrim”, being a tribute to the Iberian Celts, for the Solitary Practitioner.
For members who wish to have access to both the public and ’closed’ grove activities.
Not a secretive fraternal inner circle (no secret dogmatic teachings or secret mysteries), but a dedicated membership into the Druid Way of this, the Cedar Grove Druid Order. A dedicated membership facilitates safety, trust, confidentiality, and discipline within our ranks and our rituals as a community of Druids, allowing for a mutually supportive learning, magic working, and worship environment within a specifically Druidic context. Membership involves an application, questionnaire regarding why Druidry is an interest to the individual, and annual dues (kept reasonable- $20.00). Council reserves the right to refuse or retract membership based on the ethical parameters set forth in our Mission/By Laws.
All Grove activities and rituals are available to the Member:
Both public and non-public activities and rituals.
Bard/Vate/Druid Training Program.
Seminary/Clergy Training.
Voting privileges at Grove meetings and online.
The right to hold office.
Training Program not required for Membership.
CGDO Member forum
There will be a separate online forum for Members, in order to facilitate communication in the environment described above.
This forum provides identity protection as it is not public.
It can be a safe place for CGDO members who wish to stay in the ‘broom closet’.
This forum will help safely facilitate all communications between Members of a personal nature, Council communications (sensitive and/or confidential communications done via emails), Training communications involving the personal nature of students learning, center for online voting, etc. Pastoral counseling confidential communications between clergy are done via email, not on discussion lists.
ARTICLE III
Membership Requirements:
A) A desire to follow a Celtic Pagan Druid path.
1) A love of Nature.
a) A call to serve as a Priest of Nature and Guardian of the Earth.
B) A belief in the interconnectedness and sacredness of all life.
C) The Practice of Basic Druid Traditions, each according to one's own conscience:
1) Observance of the Eightfold Year, individually or in Fellowship.
2) Honoring the Goddesses and Gods.
3) Honoring the Spirits of Nature.
4) Honoring our Ancestors.
5) Practicing the arts of Bards, Vates, and Druids.
D) An application process is required.
E) Annual dues are required. Currently set at $20.00. Subject to change at the discretion of Grove Council.
Minors: Any person under the age of 18 years wishing to become a local member of CGDO must provide written notarized permission from a parent or legal guardian. Membership for minors is granted at the discretion of the Grove's elected Council. At least one parent must attend a CGDO public ritual with his/her minor child, at which time they will meet with at least one member of the elected Council.
ARTICLE IV
Administration, or, the Grove Council
"Why “Cedar” in Cedar Grove Druid Order?
Cedar Trees have no anchor root, relying instead on the combined energy of the whole root system.
We are a group rooted in our combined effort in mutual support." -from the Preamble.
Our Council structure is firmly rooted in the metaphor of Cedar Grove,
that no one should be Arch- anything over other fellow travelers of the Druid Way within our Membership.
Thus, we have no ‘Chief Druid’, no ‘Arch-Druid’, no 'High Priest/ess', no personality-centered leadership.
We have a Council of Chief Administrators
(ideally three, one must be CGDO Clergy for church expansion and infrastructure purposes)
and Chief Pursewarden and Chief Scribe.
While a degree, by virtue of government and functional structure, of authority is inherent in these positions,
they are positions emphasized by the notion of service- not authoritarian posturing.
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From the First Grove Council, Mission Statement, Samhuinn 2004 C.E.
Restated here for informational/Grove history purposes: Illuminating our Origins as a Grove.
6) For the sake of the Groves' initial establishment and integrity, the five offices of the Council have been automatically first filled by the first five active Founding Members, effective as soon as there were five Founding Members willing to accept Council offices, and who met the eligibility requirements mentioned below (Article III,A,7,a). The First Grove Council, of Founding Membership, was responsible for the initial establishment and structuring of CGDO (Then CGDF). This involved the initial drafting of by-laws, Mission Statement, Cedar Grove ministries, and the eventual achievement of nonprofit religious organization status.
7) A "Founding Member" was defined as one who has joined during the initial Year-and-a-Day establishment of Cedar Grove Druid Fellowship, and had actively contributed and/or actively participated in Grove activities.
a) To be eligible to serve in the Grove Council Founding Membership, in addition to the above definition, one must also have been Local- Whatcom Co., Skagit Co., Southern B.C..
8) This First Grove Council, comprised of eligible Founding Members, shall be effective officially a Year-and-a-Day after CGDF's initial establishment (that being Samhuinn, October 31st, 2003) making the official commencement of the First Grove Council effective Samhuinn, November 1st, 2004.
First Grove Council (Samhuinn, 2004 C.E.):
Chief Administrator: Rev. Kipp D. Trembley "Aspen"
Chief Administrator: Turtlemoon
Chief Administrator: Avia Wren
Chief Pursewarden: Angus
Chief Scribe: Aylish
This has been an organic process involving a fluctuating membership and many changes in Council membership. As of Samhuinn 2006, there has been little need for elections due to membership fluctuations of Cedar Grove Druid Fellowship.
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A) Any CGDO Member, within physical proximity of Whatcom County, may run for an elected Grove office.
1) Elections will be held at Lughnasadh, and will take effect at Samhuinn.
2) Voting is by written ballot, Yahoo group site, or Gorseth (Druid Gathering) at Lughnasadh.
3) There is no term limit for elected positions.
NOTE: Until further notice, by amendment and/or Council discretion, these positions are filled by application, and subject to elections as soon as this is deemed viable by the Membership.
4) The office one holds does not determine the role one plays in group ritual, such determinations will not be legislated here, at least until membership size grows to require such action.
5) For the sake of administration, this Council exists. This Council does not exist to fill the egos of Grove Members. Council positions are offices of service to the Grove, and exist also to fulfill the requirements of legal non-profit religious organization status.
6) The Grove Council is comprised of five offices, all "Chief" of their respective responsibilities/departments:
I-III: Three Grove Chief Administrators: Share responsibility for public relations, community networking, or delegation of those activities as needed. leading and supervising the business activities of CGDO. Administration of educational activities, fund raisers, elections, liturgical activities, general Grove activities. The Grove Chief Administrators have the right to set agendas, call for and convene CGDO meetings, request reports from the Scribe, Pursewarden, and each other. Term of office shall be 3 years.
a) One representative of this office satisfies the non-profit requirement for "president".
b) One Chief Administrator must be an ordained member of CGDO Clergy.
c) Chief Administrators are expected to fill other Council roles/responsibilities as needed.
IV: Chief Scribe: Keep minutes of all grove meetings and keep proceedings of all committees. Will maintain records digitally and on paper. Term of office shall be 1 year.
This office satisfies the non-profit requirement for "Secretary".
V: Chief Pursewarden: Shall sign all checks, drafts and other financial instruments for the grove, shall have custody of all monies of the Grove received or dispersed, shall deposit all monies and valuables in the name of and to the credit of CGDO in such banks or other financial institutions as designated by the Council, and shall be responsible for keeping the Grove's financial records according to generally accepted accounting principals for nonprofit organizations. Shall be responsible for compiling and submitting to the Grove Chief Administrators quarterly and annual reports of all grove financial transactions and fund raising activities. All (dues-contributing?) Grove members are entitled to view the financial records of the Grove. Term of office shall be 1 year.
This office satisfies the non-profit requirement for "Treasurer".
VI: All sub-positions/offices created to facilitate the execution of the above Grove tasks, as well as innovative new offices, are not subject to the election process, but are filled upon application and/or invitation based on need, interest, and the creativity of Grove members.
B) Treasury: Membership donated funds, dues, fund raising (garage sales, bake sales, craft sales, Grove merchandise), etc.
1) Purposes: -pay any fees for nonprofit status.
-consumables and props, etc. at rituals & other gatherings.
-rentals, permits for sites.
-ministry donations (wildlife, nature, humanitarian, etc.).
-fees for group training.
-fund a training program.
-Grove library, books.
-fees for ordinations and related sundry.
-DISCRETIONARY FUND: Emergency aid for Grove members, at the discretion of the Council, primary discretionary privileges held by CGDO Clergy Members (in the capacity of Pastoral Counselors), though discrete/anonymous, but otherwise full, disclosure to Council for such discretionary expenditures is required.
ARTICLE V
Expulsion, Suspension, Resignation, Reprimand or Impeachment of Members or Officers and Council.
1) The Council of Cedar Grove Druid Order may, by majority vote, initiate an investigation into an officer's or a members conduct after either that member has confessed to or found guilty of committing felony crimes-with-victims, as defined by civil law and current criminological opinion, or having been presented with documented evidence of disruptive or abusive conduct which works directly against the aims, activities or welfare of CGDO, or its' members.
2) "Disruptive or abusive conduct" does not include: the temperate expression of disagreement, such as public or private written or verbal criticism of CGDO or its administration; vigorous debate over matters of scholarship, art, spirituality, or politics; the circulation of petitions to the Council; the organizing of other members into voting blocks; nor mere rudeness, thoughtlessness, or lack of social skills.
3) Disruptive or abusive conduct does include: the spreading of slander or libel against CGDO or its' administration; bigoted communication or disruptive behavior as described elsewhere in this document; or active efforts to persuade members to quit or to dissuade nonmembers from joining.
4) Suspended, expelled or resigned members may not hold office or act in any way as representatives of CGDO. Expelled or resigned members also lose consequent privileges.
5) Members who have been suspended or expelled may, at the discretion of the Council, be banned permanently or temporarily from attending CGDO activities, including public worship. Such bans may be announced in Grove publications and/or group site.
ARTICLE VI
Non-Profit Nature of the Corporation
1) No part of the net earnings of the Cedar Grove Druid Fellowship shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to, its members, directors, officers, or other private persons, except that the CGDO shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the Preamble and Article I of this document.
2) No substantial part of the activities of the CGDO shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation, and the CGDO shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
3) Not withstanding any other provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or these by-laws, CGDO shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purposes of the CGDO.
4) Upon the dissolution of this group, CGDO shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all the liabilities of the CGDO, dispose of all the assets of the CGDO exclusively for the purposes of the CGDO, in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for Pagan religious, educational or charitable purposes as shall at that time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954as revised (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as they shall determine.
5) Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principle office of the CGDO is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such Pagan organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
CURRENT CEDAR GROVE DRUID ORDER COUNCIL
Chief Scribe: Jade Tigress
Chief Pursewarden: Gryffyn position is open.
Chief Administrator: Rev. Kipp D. Trembley (aka Aspen)
Chief Administrator: Pacific Druid and Kismet are Acting Council Advisors.
Chief Administrator: Rev. D. R. (Emeritus)
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