The Church of Kurt – has one member and no intentions of recruiting any more. Please note that if you attempt to join, I will quit.
Which should tell you right away that for me, spirituality is definitely not the same as religion.
Spirituality is a defining force in my life, so everything I do or say ties back to it. It’s my connection to Nature, my purpose, the roots of my soul. In the end, my spirituality is my unique path.
Religion is something I look at as a way to share parts of my spirit with my greater community. It’s much like I’d prepare a meal for a large dinner party – taking everyone’s likes and dislikes into account before deciding which items to include and which to exclude. What I show the community in terms of shared religious practices is never everything I consider to be part of my spiritual path.
Having said that, spirituality and religion are among the things I like to talk about. And if you’re interested, I’m happy to help you explore as well – because while many of us feel the need for spiritual connection when moving through life’s changes, sometimes a customized approach is needed when it comes to building an appropriate ceremony.
Anyway, below is a list of some things I’m involved in; things which resonate and make my spirit feel good:
Drum Circles – are not so much an organization as a spiritual movement. One of the hardest parts of the distancing required during the worst of the pandemic was the inability to gather together with other drummers and dancers, to find community rhythm together.
Úthellingu Kindred – Úthellingu means “outpouring” in Icelandic – an allusion to the tale of the mead of poetry pouring out from Odin’s beak, and also to our roots in Oswego (which is an Iroquois word that means the same thing). This is my local Heathen group, and together we practice ritual, pay honor to our gods and ancestors, and help one another grow in our spiritual quests.
Central New York Pagan Pride Project – Central New York PPD is an annual project, a day-long festival in September where we get together with 1500 or so of our closest friends in the local area. I may look exhausted the day of the festival, but as the local coordinator, I’m glad to be able to play a major part in this community event.
Church of the Greenwood – As an officer of the church, I’m proud of how far we’ve come toward our goals of building understanding and tolerance in the mainstream community. We’re growing in what we’re offering toward sponsoring Pagan religious and educational activities, clergy training, workshops, talks, festivals and youth programs.
The Troth – I’m recognized as official clergy for this Northern European Pagan group, and at the same time I volunteer as a steward with them. In light of too many recent events and controversies, I’m especially proud about being part of a Heathen group that has taken such strides to distance itself from the small-minded bigotry too often associated with the practice.
First Universalist Society of Central Square – I’m honored to be one of several ministers leading services on the second Sunday of each month. My services unsurprisingly tend toward Pagan themes, but I like to stress the universal aspect of those themes: we learn from nature, we learn from one another. These delightful folks provide me with a monthly opportunity for spiritual storytelling.
Please reach out if you are interested in me:
- working with you on a wedding or other rite of passage
- speaking to your spiritual group
- providing a workshop
- setting up a drum circle (or getting your drum tuned up!)
- just chatting with you on matters of spirit