Archives: Events

The Dark Moon Group is going to try a rare Saturday get together.  We will gather at the Hall at the usual 7pm time for conversation and lighting the cauldron of candles.  The cauldron is full and messy and so,  in keeping with the  rising of Persephone it will be starting over this month ready for new candles.

The Dark Moon group is usually small with a variety of people coming when it works for them but often only 5 or so people on a given month.  If you have never been to a Dark Moon Group, you are very welcome, even if it is your first Covenant activity.  It’s dark with low lighting and usually quiet.

Around 7:30 we will talk about Persephone in the Spring.  Everyone seems to identify with the darkness of Persephone in the fall as she descends into the Underworld.  But what does it mean to be the Queen of the Underworld, called back each Spring from your husband and children and your kingdom,  back to your childhood, to making flowers, to being with your mom to bring the world back to life?    Perhaps there are things to learn about dichotomies in this month of balance with the Equinox coming on the 19th.  Can you be a “dark goddess” or a person who feels dark sometimes and identifies with the darkness and still bring life or light to a dark world, including to yourself?  Let’s find out.  I’d love to hear what you think.

Northern Colorado Covenant of the River will host an open Board meeting.  The Board meetings are typically not open for folks to attend so that the work can get completed.  But we do like to have feedback from all of you about what you like or don’t like, what you want more of and things like that.  It helps us to plan our finances and activities.  We will also be sharing with anyone who attends what the financial status of our church is.    So, come on over to the Hall.  Maybe it sounds boring or too “businessy” but it’s the structure that keeps us going.  We will open at 7:00 pm. We will start the meeting at 7:30pm.

Zoom is also available. The Zoom Room will open around 7:15pm.  Instructions for Zoom is on our front/main page.  It’s only once a year and we would really like to see as many people attend as possible.

Bring snacks!

Even if you didn’t come last week, you are welcome tonight.

This will be a continuation of last weeks “How to Write a Ritual”. We will be diving a little more in depth and covering some other circumstances that we didn’t get to in the first session.

This will again be on Zoom starting at approx 6pm for those that wish to participate remotely.

Potluck begins at 5:30 so if you are able please bring a dish to share, but as always we’d rather have you there even if you can’t bring something for the potluck. Business begins about 6, and the presentation will begin around 6:20.

From 7pm to 9pm  Council will be in the Hall, hanging out, waiting to see whoever stops by.  Have some questions?  Need some face time?  Never been here and you want to check out the space on an informal, less busy night?  Open Hours is the place to be.  Council wanted to find a time where we could be available for this casual time with whoever needs it so usually, on the first Friday of the month, the three of us are in the Hall waiting for YOU to stop by.  There is nothing planned, no program or speaker, no ritual.  You can stay for five minutes or stay the full two hours, whatever you need.

Please park on Swallow at 901 E Swallow and make your way around to the far side of the garage.  Enter through the yellow door.  We look forward to seeing you and to meeting new people!

Council gets a lot of questions about “how can I write a ritual”?  This is something of interest to people on a personal level or perhaps they have a small gathering they are working with and maybe someone is thinking of leading a Covenant event.

It sounds kind of daunting like maybe there’s a certain way to do it, maybe there are expectations and you don’t know what they are and you fear doing it “wrong”.  Good news!  Most personal rituals and Covenant of the River rituals don’t follow set rules or even guidelines.  Some traditions that follow a set path may have this but at Covenant and certainly on a personal level, it’s about how you feel, what you want to say, what you want to share with the others present, what you are hoping to accomplish.

So back to the original question:  How can I write a ritual?  We have lots of ideas and years of experience.  So come by this Sunday and next Sunday to learn more.  If you are experienced and feel you don’t need to “learn” please bring you wisdom to share with the others who are seeking.

Potluck begins at 5:30.  Bring food if you can.  If you can’t there is always plenty so please join us to share in this special time with each other.  The evening begins around 6pm with announcements, yahoos, and prayer requests (help us build community!).  Please park on Swallow and follow the sidewalk to the far side of the garage.  Push the yellow door and you’re here.

We plan to have this event available on ZOOM for those of you who want to listen or participate remotely.   There’s a clickable link on the main page or copy this:   http://bit.ly/2LM7ata (it is case sensitive) to get to our Zoom room.  We don’t turn it on at 5:30 because no one wants to stream eating dinner but start checking for the feed around 6pm – don’t give up sometimes it starts a little late.

The Full Moon continues to creep closer to the date of Fireside so this month, Jean has decided to combine the two.  This will be a regular Fireside event and will incorporate the celebration of the Full Moon in ways that have not yet been decided.

What is Fireside?

This event is open to anyone and will take place in the Sanctuary (hopefully) which is the outdoor space at River Hall.  If the weather is unfriendly for humans we will still meet in the hall with candles and such but we will not be able to burn things.

Jean will be holding space for folks to discuss life and faith, to work on rituals or to be supported in releasing things/people/behaviors that no longer serve you.
Tis the season to clean out the corners and prepare ourselves to travel through the winter months. What do you need to release to move forward with grace?
What story of yourself or a relationship do you need to tell one more time for closure?
Fireside is a mostly casual gathering in the Sanctuary where we hold space for each other, enjoy respite around the sacred fire and reconnect with other Pagans and Pagan-friendly folx.
If you choose to burn something in the fire make sure it fits in a standard backyard fire pit, and is legal, safe, yours to burn.
This a great no pressure gathering for new folx. Come as you are, when you are able and leave when you need to.

Tonight we gather at 3:00pm and plan to hold space until around 7pm.   Please park on Swallow and follow the sidewalk around to the far side of the garage.  We might be in the Hall, beyond the yellow door but most likely we will be in the Sanctuary.  Enter through the gate then follow the dirt and mulch path around the house and through the archway entry of the Sanctuary.  The times continue to change with the weather and turning of the earth so always check the calendar before heading over.

The presentation will be on Zoom Link to the Zoom Room

The evening will begin at 5:30pm with our usual potluck.  Please bring something if you are able.  Plan to eat with us even if you can’t bring something.   After the potluck, probably around 6:15 or so, we will begin the evening’s activities.

Tonight Covenant will have a guest presenter, Leni Hester, speaking in the AfroDiasporic religion of Ocha or Lukumi (popularly known as Santeria).

Much like Vodou, the AfroCaribbean paths of religion and magic are subject to a lot of sensationalism, misunderstanding and racism. I would love to come speak, to dispell the myths and to give an overview of the beauties and power of Ifa-derived spirituality, a tradition of over 5000 years, that continues to grow and evolve.

Leni Hester is an Initiate into la Regla de Ocha (popularly known as Lukumi or Santeria) and into la Regla Congo ( aka Palo ). In addition to her decades of training in Wicca (3rd degree Gardnerian) , the Western Mystery tradition and Goddess Spirituality, Leni has been a devotee of the Orisas and has served the Mysteries and the Dead since the early 90s. She has presented on Orisa consciousness at several Pagan gatherings and cons, and her written work has appeared in Sagewoman, Pangaia, Witches and Pagans, and In a Witch’s Eye magazines. Leni serves her Spirits and raises her daughters in Centennial.

Ideas, please! Each month the Council, (Jean, Jordan and Chel), get together to schedule Covenant of the River events, write rituals, outline presentations and discuss general community business.

This is when we find out all the exciting new ideas that folks in the community have for us about things to do and rituals they want to share!  This community is not Council driven.  We are here to facilitate the things others in the community have ideas about, want to do, or want to help with.  You don’t have to volunteer to lead your idea, just share your idea.   SO – Email council before 7pm tonight so we can see what you have!  If you missed it, we will be doing this again next month so go ahead and send it and we will save it for then.

We are still so interested in your ideas!  Please submit them even if you don’t want to be responsible for the ritual or craft you are thinking of.  Just so you know we are currently scheduling for Spring.  We don’t just put your idea on the schedule.  We will contact you to discuss your idea and work with you to finalize the idea. This is not an open meeting.  The Zoom room will not be open.  Please contact us during Office Hours  if you need to speak with one of us

This Sunday Jean will be leading us in a rock painting caft at the Hall after the 5:30 potluck

Park Cleanup is cancelled

Before we get together for the craft, it’s park cleanup time over at Landings Park.  This has been our adopted park to take care of for well over 10 years and it feels good to be with friends while you give back to the community and the environment.  We meet at Landings Park, off Boardwalk north of Harmony at 3:30. We provide work gloves and a trash bag

The evening’s event at the Hall (901 E Swallow) begins at 5:30 with the potluck.  Bring something if you can.  The activities begin at 6pm.  Please park on Swallow, not the culdesac, and look for the yellow door on the far side of the garage.

This will be a more quiet (ruminant*) observance of Imbolg with Jean. Please dress to be outside.  The ritual will begin inside and then move outside.   Arrive at 7pm, activities begin at 7:30.  The ritual is expected to be quiet and personal allowing space for the invocation of personal gods and the possibility of doing shadow work.  It is the time when the earth is stretching and awakening,  such quiet contemplation can help you wake yourself to the coming year.  Comtemplative language appropriate for serious participants in expected.

Bring snacks if you like. Fire will play a role in the activities.

Welcome to the *Ruminant ritual explanation.   In the past we have called these celebrations “adult” to indicate the contemplative quiet nature of the ritual that might not be appropriate for children or anyone who can not adapt to the quiet atmosphere.   It never meant we engaged in activities intended only for 18+.  To that end, Jean has developed the new term “Ruminant” to describe these follow up rituals held in the days following the Sunday, family friendly rituals.