The Church of the Sacred Circle
Rev. Heron had long felt the call to service. She had worked with other groups in the past and had been teaching a beginner's course in Paganism and Wicca since 1996. She had also worked with a group called the WRCF in Orlando Florida. After moving back to Utah in 2001, she began teaching this course once again, but felt that something was missing, namely, a way for her students to progress and a safe, sane and democratically organized group to join. She began considering the idea of starting a group in Utah that would be able to incorporate some of the ideals that she espoused, such as non-hierarchical organizational structure and egalitarian, collaborative spirituality. She dreamed of being able to offer a group to the Utah community which would be able to grow and thrive, and also to support families and children in their quest for growth together. As a new parent, this was a critical issue!
Although her time with the WRCF was very educational and productive, she longed to bring the idea of a pagan organization to a place that needed it! Finally, at Beltane of 2003, the wheels were put into motion for the dream to become a reality. She enlisted the help of her friend, Raven and Raven's husband Scott as the original three incorporators. Over six months of preparation and planning went into the formation of the new organization prior to the formal launch in September of 2003. The new group's bylaws were loosely based on the bylaws of the WRCF (with permission), however they were modified by Rev. Heron to incorporate ideas behind non-hierarchical group structure and egalitarian non-traditional organization. In this way, the traditional roles present in most groups, such as President, Vice President, Treasurer etc. were done away with, and in their place, the Elemental Offices were created. In the new group's structure, no one Elemental Office has precedence over another, and balance can be in place. This has created an atmosphere in which all of the Offices are able to work together in harmony.
The planning stages of The Church of the Sacred Circle included formal incorporation of the group in the State of Utah, creation of bank accounts,creation of the logo and website, the writing/amendments of the Bylaws and the planning of the structure and the goals of the Church. Rev. Heron also created the paperwork for the IRS, and Sacred Circle was granted 501 (c) 3 nonprofit recognition in April 2004, retroactive to the start of the organization in May 2003, so that donors could be assured of the tax status of any donations. (Check with your tax preparer).
On Sept. 26th, 2003, the formal announcement of the new group was sent out to the world. The first MoonCraft was held on Saturday, Oct. 11th 2003, and we were off and running! The first fund-raising event was held in December, 2003.
We moved to first the South Valley Unitarian Church in January - March 2004 and then shortly after that, we began holding MoonCraft events at the downtown First Unitarian church in the small chapel.
Starting in January, 2005, we moved our celebrations to the beautiful space at Anderson Commons in downtown Salt Lake City. We grew and thrived for two years at this space before it was sold in March of 2007. We had had enough notice of the sale in order to make some plans, and so it was that in April of 2007, our Temple was born.
Since the beginnings of the group, we have been blessed with many new friends and our Board has more than tripled in size. We have gone through growing pains and joyful reunions, difficult decisions and wonderful times of peace and harmony. As with any new venture, it was hard to say at the begininning whether it would fail or succeed, but succeed it has, beyond even the founders' wildest dreams. Thank you to everyone that has helped in the past and will help in the future!
Rev. Heron had long felt the call to service. She had worked with other groups in the past and had been teaching a beginner's course in Paganism and Wicca since 1996. She had also worked with a group called the WRCF in Orlando Florida. After moving back to Utah in 2001, she began teaching this course once again, but felt that something was missing, namely, a way for her students to progress and a safe, sane and democratically organized group to join. She began considering the idea of starting a group in Utah that would be able to incorporate some of the ideals that she espoused, such as non-hierarchical organizational structure and egalitarian, collaborative spirituality. She dreamed of being able to offer a group to the Utah community which would be able to grow and thrive, and also to support families and children in their quest for growth together. As a new parent, this was a critical issue!
Although her time with the WRCF was very educational and productive, she longed to bring the idea of a pagan organization to a place that needed it! Finally, at Beltane of 2003, the wheels were put into motion for the dream to become a reality. She enlisted the help of her friend, Raven and Raven's husband Scott as the original three incorporators. Over six months of preparation and planning went into the formation of the new organization prior to the formal launch in September of 2003. The new group's bylaws were loosely based on the bylaws of the WRCF (with permission), however they were modified by Rev. Heron to incorporate ideas behind non-hierarchical group structure and egalitarian non-traditional organization. In this way, the traditional roles present in most groups, such as President, Vice President, Treasurer etc. were done away with, and in their place, the Elemental Offices were created. In the new group's structure, no one Elemental Office has precedence over another, and balance can be in place. This has created an atmosphere in which all of the Offices are able to work together in harmony.
The planning stages of The Church of the Sacred Circle included formal incorporation of the group in the State of Utah, creation of bank accounts,creation of the logo and website, the writing/amendments of the Bylaws and the planning of the structure and the goals of the Church. Rev. Heron also created the paperwork for the IRS, and Sacred Circle was granted 501 (c) 3 nonprofit recognition in April 2004, retroactive to the start of the organization in May 2003, so that donors could be assured of the tax status of any donations. (Check with your tax preparer).
On Sept. 26th, 2003, the formal announcement of the new group was sent out to the world. The first MoonCraft was held on Saturday, Oct. 11th 2003, and we were off and running! The first fund-raising event was held in December, 2003.
We moved to first the South Valley Unitarian Church in January - March 2004 and then shortly after that, we began holding MoonCraft events at the downtown First Unitarian church in the small chapel.
Starting in January, 2005, we moved our celebrations to the beautiful space at Anderson Commons in downtown Salt Lake City. We grew and thrived for two years at this space before it was sold in March of 2007. We had had enough notice of the sale in order to make some plans, and so it was that in April of 2007, our Temple was born.
Since the beginnings of the group, we have been blessed with many new friends and our Board has more than tripled in size. We have gone through growing pains and joyful reunions, difficult decisions and wonderful times of peace and harmony. As with any new venture, it was hard to say at the begininning whether it would fail or succeed, but succeed it has, beyond even the founders' wildest dreams. Thank you to everyone that has helped in the past and will help in the future!
