Why I am involved in ADF

As a teen back in the late 1960's I dabbled in paganism but never went anywhere with it. Many long, agnostic years later a friend gave me that famous novel called "The Mists of Avalon" and I was filled with the feelings of wonder and awe I had discovered in my teens. I was finally ready to acknowledge my religious and spiritual self. I spent a couple of weeks searching the Internet and found myself coming back to the ADF web site again and again. The scholarship, the ritual, the tolerance, the devotion to the Gods all attracted me, and the fact that a Protogrove existed in Tucson where I lived clinched the deal. I joined ADF and haven't looked back since.

What I do in ADF

I am a fully Ordained Priest and take my vocation seriously. Priesthood is a great responsibility, and I enjoy helping out the People throughout ADF. I also enjoy making the sacrifices to the Kindreds and perform ritual and meditation almost daily. I have personal relationships now with several Gods and Goddesses, three or four Ancestors and one Nature Spirit (so far).

I am also the Archdruid of ADF. This amazing job makes me both the administrative and spiritual leader of our church and that is a heavy responsibility. In addition to this, I am writing articles for Oak Leaves, making podcasts for Tribeways, and teaching seminars on spiritual, liturgical and clerical topics at ADF festivals. Before this I was the Vice-Archdruid for five years, and before that the Southwest Regional Druid. As such, I made it a point to meet our members in my region whenever possible, particularly those who were solitary due to geographic isolation. As Vice-Archdruid I also visited members in all of our regions. I founded the Desert Magic Festival in conjunction with my old Grove, which is held in May, and have been the Chief of the Liturgists Guild, Preceptor of the Bardic Guild, and also belong to the Seers, Scholars and the Magicians Guilds.

On the local level, I was the Liturgist for the Sonoran Sunrise Grove in Tucson, where I wrote and staged the High Day rituals for the Grove for eight years. Now I have moved to Trout Lake, WA where I have built a new stone circle and am in the process of creating an ADF Order and seminary at Trout Lake Abbey.

My personal vision for ADF's future

One of the things that attracted me to ADF was Isaac's vision of the future - a time when ADF congregations support their own buildings and land, their own day-care centers, their own retirement homes, etc. and become visibly active and respected parts of the community. As a public religion, we reach out to the Pagan community with our open, public rituals and activities. But we need to grow. Member services need to be streamlined and made more efficient, and our clergy need to reach out beyond their own groves to those solitaries and smaller groves whose members can never make it to an ADF festival. I believe that with careful management and attention to detail our church can continue to grow and once we reach critical mass, the future will be ours. I am committed to a strong and vital ADF, and with the help of the Kindreds, we shall make Isaac's vision a reality.

For more information about me, go to my personal website.