Earth-Centered Traditions: The Ritual Community
Many members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover celebrate earth-centered traditions and pagan-inspired spirituality and the significant days of the pagan calendar often find us calling our own circle to the universe.
The "Earth Religions" share many truths with the Jewish and Christian traditions, as well as other world religions.
But they are unique in their degree of emphasis on experience over doctrine, immanence over transcendence, and the idea that there can and indeed should be multiple pathways to the divine.
The term pagan itself derives from the Latin paganus, which literally means country dweller. In the early Christian times, when Christianity was predominantly a religion of the cities, the not-yet-Christian country folk were called pagans. These country folk retained their old ways of worship, emphasizing the major cycles of the seasons.
Dates for which we will hold special celebrations:- Mabon/ Fall Equinox Samhain Vigil
- Moon Circle Ritual - a monthly recurring event on the eve of the full moon for those who are interested in Earth Based Spirituality to come together and learn traditions and rites.
- Yule/Winter Solstice
- Moon Circle Ritual in January
- Moon Circle Ritual in February
- Moon Circle Ritual in March
- Spring Equinox
- Moon Circle Ritual in April
- Beltane in May
- Solstice in June
Affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover is the Earth Circle CUUPS chapter. Earth Circle's mission is to gather together to promote the practice and understanding of earth-based spirituality for members, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover, and the larger community by providing opportunities for the study of a variety of earth-based traditions and ritual celebrations of the turning of the wheel of the year on sabbats. You can find out more about Earth Circle at http://www.earthcirclecuups.org.