Around Circle Sanctuary
This year's Beltane Festival, held April 29-May 1, was our largest festival at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, with over 200 adults and children attending. Pagan author Ann Moura from Florida was this year's special guest. Other presenters included the Oak Apple Morris Dancers, Helen Bond, Drake, Angie, Reed, and me. Beltane also included dancing around our new Maypole, a candlelight labryinth, the handfasting of Vic and Beth of Kentucky, and Windwalker's priestess ordination. This year's other festivals have gone well and include Imbolc on January 29, Welcome Spring on March 19, and Earth Day on April 16.  

We are already preparing for the Green Spirit Festival which will be held here July 29-31. Guest presenters will be Pagan author Kerr Cuhulain and his Priestess wife Phoenix McFarland from Canada. Fellowship of Isis founder Lady Olivia Robertson of Ireland will be visiting and doing special presentations here September 20-21.  

We have added another monthly study group, Shamanic Circle, which emerged out of Shamanism classes I taught last Fall. We also are continuing with other monthly study groups, Craftway Circle and Goddess Circle, and are considering adding additional events. If you are interested in getting notices and updates about events, sign up for the Circle Times email bulletin at the Circle website and contact the Circle office.  

Office Transitions  

Our office staff has continued to grow and change. At the beginning of March, Nancie (Morningstar) shifted from her job as Center Assistant to Office Manager and Events Coordinator. In mid-March, Skye joined our office staff as the Registrar for the Pagan Spirit Gathering. Also in March, David began doing volunteer Copy Editor work for CIRCLE Magazine and helping with events. Kitka, who is leaving her full time CIRCLE magazine Managing Editor job at the end of May, plans to continue her participation in the Community and to volunteer as her schedule permits. Windwalker, who has moved with her family to Wisconsin, plans to help with interim magazine editing work as we quest for additional editing help.  

Gardens & Grounds  

The Garden Circle has been busy with planning, garden renovation, and plantings. A new culinary herb garden was created next to the house kitchen and was planted in mid-May. Also in May, four new apple trees were planted in the orchard near the house. Whitewolf and Willow purchased additional garden tools and equipment as well as obtained additional plants. Skye has been working on a variety of projects, including working with Cat on a guide to plants at Circle. Cougar is doing mowing this year.

Environmental Projects  

Reed, our volunteer naturalist, has continued coordinating a variety of environmental projects at Circle Sanctuary Nature Preserve, including wild birds research, removal of invasive plant species, and prairie restoration. At this year's Earth Day Festival, we had our largest prairie burn ever, and this has given our restored prairie a boost. This year's Earth Day also included a presentation on White-tailed Deer by Bill and Kerry, the showing of a Tall Grass Prairie documentary, and a Mother Earth Meditation, which I facilitated (see page 44). On May 15, Reed, Dennis, and I attended the grand opening of the Aldo Leopold Nature Center in nearby Black Earth, Wisconsin and networked with environmentalists from Dane County. I also networked with local environmentalists in early March when I hosted them at my home and at Circle Nature Sanctuary as part of a Barneveld area tour guided by David Lowe.  

Interfaith Endeavors  

In January, I was elected President of the Greater Madison Interreligious Association, a networking and educational organization that brings together leaders and practitioners of diverse religions in and around Madison, Wisconsin. Through GMIA, I helped sponsor a program by Omie Baldwin on Native American Religious Freedom issues which was held at the Quaker Meeting House in Madison, Wisconsin in May. Chip, Nancie, Dennis, Carol, Bob, and Ryel of the Circle Sanctuary Community were among those who were part of this public interfaith event.  

On February 27, we hosted a group of two dozen students and faculty from Beloit College at Circle Land. I facilitated an outdoor ritual experience in the Mugwort Circle, and Windwalker, John, Nancie, and I presented a panel on contemporary Paganism. On March 1, Nancie and I spoke on Wiccan/Pagan culture at the nearby Oregon High School as part of the Diversity Week program. On April 22, Nancie and Skye represented Circle Sanctuary at the interfaith gathering celebrating the groundbreaking for a new Buddhist temple in Oregon, Wisconsin.  

Circle ministers also have been part of interfaith events in Illinois. On February 13, Shel led a prayer for peace at an interfaith event hosted by the Baha'i Temple in Wilmette. On March 13, Drake participated in an interfaith panel at Pathways to Peace held by the Glenview New Church in Glenview.  

Angie is continuing to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions and has attended meetings in Mundelein and elsewhere. Angie also is continuing her interreligious women's spirituality work as director of Gaia's Womb.  

I continue to work with state and federal chaplains on Pagan religious freedom issues in various institutions. I also continue to serve on the Religious Practices Advisory Board, a government appointed committee that makes recommendations on religious accommodation issues to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.  

Pagan Spirit Gathering  

This year's Pagan Spirit Gathering will be held June 19-26 at Wisteria Campground near Athens, Ohio. We will be celebrating PSG's twenty-fifth anniversary with a variety of special activities, including presentations by a variety of Pagan elders, authors, musicians, and others. See the PSG website: www.circlesanctuary.org/psg for more information about rituals, workshops, performances, presenters, merchants, what to bring, how to register, and other details. Pre-registration is required.  

Circle Staff Opening: Publications Editor & Designer  

We are looking for someone with excellent desktop publishing and office skills to join our staff. This is a full time, salaried position with benefits, including health insurance. Job duties include writing, editing, layout, design, and production of brochures, flyers, newsletters, program books, directories, and CIRCLE magazine. Job duties also including assisting with other office work, staffing events, center upkeep, Temple cat care, and other tasks. Must have prior publications experience and be skilled in the use of Photoshop, Pagemaker or InDesign, and Microsoft Word software. Web page design experience a plus. Skills with both PC and Mac computers preferred. Must like cats and be able to work with people of diverse backgrounds and personality styles. Must have reliable transportation and preferably live or be willing to relocate to within a half-hour commute. Email your resume, references contact information, and a cover letter describing your interest in the job, your skills, and your Pagan background to: nancie@circlesanctuary.org . Send samples of your writing and publications design work to Nancie Clark, Circle, PO Box 9, Barneveld, WI 53507.