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Eons ago, humans dwelled in tribes for survival, spiritual enlightenment,mating, camaraderie and community. Today, we use these tribal social groupsfor spiritual guidance, congregating in the presence of the Divine, andto unravel the mysteries of life, death and rebirth.
Today, the United States is home to the most diverse spiritual communityon the planet. The Order of the Red Grail serves as a framework to celebratediversity and promote dialog among the spiritual paths which exist is thiscountry and throughout the world. To affirm belief in Deity and positive,life-affirming spirituality is a mission of the Order of the Red Grail.
The Order of the Red Grail is without a hierarchy between the Membersand The Divine. Nobody can judge another's level of enlightenment. Theclergy structure is designed to facilitate spiritual growth as well as criticalthinking skills among members. Commitment to the clergy comprises bothsecular and spiritual commitments. The qualifications for clergy explainwhat is expected of the clergy within the Order of the Red Grail.
Brother & Sister
In the Order, we are called simply Brother or Sister. This is because weare all equal siblings in the eyes and soul of the Divine. This also reflectsthe belief that we are all brothers and sisters in the Great Family of humankindand other life.
Brothers and Sisters are the backbone of the Order. They attend eventsand assist in projects as their interests and time allow. They are encouragedto attend Grail teachings and educational opportunities available withinthe community. Active Brothers and Sisters may hold any office in the Orderexcept for the office of Steward.
Initiates
Initiation is a rite of passage which serves as an outward show of commitmentto the Order of the Red Grail and to the path of Positive Earth Spirituality. This is the first step towards the clergy. Not all members need to gothrough the Rite of Initiation, only those who wish ordination as Priestor Priestess. The Criteria that one must meet for ordination is strictand outlined in Chapter Eight, Qualifications for Clergy.
Initiates, like Brothers and Sisters, may hold office in the Order, savefor the office of Steward. They must pick a current Priest or Priestessto act as their Mentor. The Mentor will oversee their education and trainingfor the clergy. Again, see chapter eight for a full explanation of whatis expected of the Initiate on his or her path towards the Clergy.
Initiates are expected to attend Grail functions with more regularity thanis expected from Brothers or Sisters. Initiates may be asked to assistin preparing or conducting rituals as a part of their education.
The gathered body of Initiates must unanimously agree upon candidates forinitiation. Disseminating votes will block Initiation unless a compromisecan be found (trial Initiations of a year and a day are encouraged in caseswhere there is a negative vote due to unfamiliarity with the candidate).
There is a year and a day requirement for Brothers and Sisters requestingInitiation. This means that the candidate must have worked with the orderas a Brother or Sister for at least that length of time. The reason istwo fold: a) it shows that the candidate is sincere in his or her desireto become a member of the clergy and b), it gives the existing clergy achance to observe the candidate in practice to effectively determine thecandidate's development into the role.
Priest & Priestess
Clergy. These are the people who design and conduct rituals, act as Mentorsand teachers, and may be called upon to act as spiritual counselors. Becominga member of the clergy does not indicate a greater relationship with thedivine than Initiates, Brothers, or Sisters. It must be stressed that theclergy is an educated body and that their position in the Order is bothspiritual and secular. Spiritual because they are expected to have a positiveand active relationship with the Divine in what ever form suits them. Secularbecause they are expected to handle the day to day operations of the Orderand to perform Secular Rites and Rituals as required. These include marriages,hand-fastings, wiccanings, passages, and other rites of passage.
The clergy may be called upon to act for the High Priest/High Priestessor to attend events in their proxy. Other duties may be handed down tothem as needed (see chapter nine for examples of the types of duties whichmight be handed down). They may hold any office, save for Steward.
Elder
The Elders of the Order of the Red Grail can come from various sources. Some are recognized as High Priests and Priestesses of other organizations. Others are recognized for long years of dedication to the path of positivespirituality. When an Order's High Priest or High Priestess steps down,they are automatically Elders.
Elders are like the clergy in that they may act as teachers, Mentors, andcounselors. They may also perform rituals and hold offices, including Steward. They are also expected to be advisors for the High Priest, High Priestess,and Steward of the Order of the Red Grail, Nebraska. They are bound bythe same qualifications and responsibilities as any other member of theOrder's clergy. Note that Elder is not a step between Priest/ess and HighPriest/ess, it is a title of recognition and honor for those who have servedthe Divine or the Order.
High Priest & High Priestess
The Order leaders. All decisions and squabbles are finalized with them. They are responsible for gathering all members together for festivals andmeetings. They may hold any offices and are required to fill any vacantoffices.
One job that the High Priest & High Priestess must perform is to ethicallyinterpret Order Rights and Order Law to the best of their abilities whilebeing non-judgmental. When situations arise in which they must interveneor make difficult decisions, they must enter a complete description ofthe problem in the Journal of the Grail (a book of shadows) along with therationale of how they came upon their decision. While consensus is desired,all decisions end with the High Priest and/or High Priestess and shouldbe honored. It should be stated that they are required to seek the councilof others within and without the Order when difficult decisions need tobe made. The Steward, Elders, clergy and other Circle leaders should allbe consulted in matters of a serious nature.
The Grail is not and should not become a cult of personality. The HighPriest's and High Priestess's words are not the words of the Divine, theyare the words of people who are in a leadership position. Their qualificationsand responsibilities are outlined in great detail in Chapters Eight andNine.
These Laws are limited, for it would be impossible to write rules ofconduct for all of the "situations" that can occur. However,you will find guidelines below for conduct for ALL members of the Order. The Order of the Red Grail has no sacred cows. The Order recognizes thatwe all make mistakes. There are times, however, when people act in horribleways., against the Rede. If these horrible situations are not managed withthe highest degree of ethics and spiritual reflection, the outcome couldbe very destructive to the community. While adults sometimes act like childrenand need guidance, a few scream for stern guidance.
It is the responsibility of the High Priest/ess to decide how to managesuch situations, but the counsel of Clergy, Elders, Initiates, and trustedBrothers and Sisters in the Order is encouraged. Consultation with HighPriest/esses in other cities, and to discuss it with other's in similarpositions (such as the High Priest/ess in a traditional Coven).
Otherwise, review the 5 articles of this charter and do use best to servethe Community as a whole, this includes the good and the bad.
Responsibility
We are all responsible for ourselves. If we act irresponsibly, then wemust also accept responsibility for our actions along with the consequences. A person with extreme views must be honored, but the Order cannot bendto extreme views of singular opinions or we would become another dysfunctionalfamily.
The Order has no Sacrificial King. We are responsible for all our actionsand for the consequences there of. We honor the laws of Karma and the Three-foldLaw.
Central to this is the Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do what youwill." These eight words refer to others, as well as yourself. Theyrefer to your actions, and your inactions. This does not mean to sit passivelyand let people abuse you, self defense is valid for lack of self defensewould cause you harm. Contemplation of the Rede is vital to the instructiongiven by the teachers and Mentors of the Order.
Perfect Love
This phrase summarizes a rich philosophical framework. For the communityto flourish we must express this Perfect Love. If we are being treatedbadly by a member then we must express that with as much love as we canmuster without being condescending, impolite and insulting to their lineage.
It is also a commitment to each other that if either one of us needs helpthen we can receive it without guilt or fear. We should also give it without pressure or greed.
Perfect Trust
This phrase is rich in philosophy. Community success depends upon mutualtrust and respect. The fear of trust is a huge barrier for our cultureto overcome, but to grow we must scale that wall and declare victory.
Commitment
Entrance into The Order of the Red Grail should not be taken lightly. Onemust also be committed to the Divine in whatever manner rings true for theindividual member. The Order is not a passive, coffee table, theocraticdiscussion group, but an active, growth oriented religious order.
The Community is the centerpiece of Order. Only through healthy fellowshipcan a Community come together. The Membership should feel a connectionwith each other. A group of unconnected people sinks into the realms ofa dysfunctional family.
Obligations
You are obligated to treat EVERYONE according to the Rede - "As itharm none, do what you will." Members that become abusive must becounseled lovingly and firmly, as dictated by the spiritual needs of themember. If all else fails, the Member may be asked to leave for a periodof time or, as a last resort, permanently.
All members are required to communicate regularly with the High Priest/ess. If no communication is made for a period of one year and one day, membershipis ended. Membership can be renewed on a new moon after one complete lunarcycle.
The Order of the Red Grail is a democratic organization. On or aboutthe new moon after Samhain, officers are elected for a one year cycle. A simple majority vote amongst the gathered Brothers and Sisters is allthat is required. There is no campaigning, no endorsing of "candidates".
Steward
This is the secular leader of the Order. The Steward is either the HighPriest/ess or one of the Order's Elders. The duties of the Steward aresimilar to that of the High Priest/ess's Administrative duties as outlinedin chapter nine.
When there is conflict, it is the Steward who will act as negotiator betweenthe various parties. The Steward should assist the High Priest/ess in theinterpretation of the Orders Rights and Laws and seek independent view pointsas well.
The Steward is the administrative leader of the Order and should be electedas such. In secular matters, she or he has the same authority that theHigh Priest and High Priestess do over Circle Law.
Scribe
The Scribe keeps the Journal of the Grail for the Order, notes on meetings,outlines and scripts for rituals, the Order registry, and other assortedbits of data. They also publish and print the Order newsletter, if oneexists. The Journal of the Grail is open to review by any member of theOrder at any time save that Initiatory rituals are only open to review afterone has been initiated.
Treasurer
This person keeps track of all donations and keeps a stock of ritual supplies. Also, they distribute funds to members for reimbursement. Quarterly reportswill be distributed at Holidays (Beltane, Samhain, Imbolc and Lammas). These records are open to review by any member of the Order at any time.
Public Relations
This person is the contact with media and other organizations. They areexpected to be articulate in both writing and speech. This is one the mostimportant offices of the Grail, for this is the person who interfaces withthe community as a whole.
Education Coordinator
The Education Coordinator is in required to quarterly review the progressStudents in the Order are making by meeting with the Students and Mentors.
Some paths of personal growth involve a serious commitment to the pathand also require a safe place to work. The Lodge of the White Stag is aclosed group, created to allow deeper Magickal workings than open meetingsallow. Separate Initiation is required for membership into the Lodge. The Lodge is both a Mystery School and a working circle. Entering intothe Lodge does not involve anything other than intent, but requires theunanimous ratification of all current member of the Lodge. This is becauseof the closeness between members which is required. When in the Lodge,one is expected to take the work seriously. It is not required that anychapter of the Order have a Lodge of any kind unless the interest is there. The work the Lodge does is determined by the members in the Lodge, thoughit must be positive and growth oriented.
The following outlines the qualifications for entering into the clergyof the Order of the Red Grail, Nebraska Community as Priest or Priestess. The same criteria apply for High Priest and High Priestess.
Above all else, the High Priest and High Priestess ultimately responsiblein the Order of the Red Grail, Nebraska. They are the final word in timesof conflict. They are the leaders of the coven and are responsible formaking available the opportunities for spiritual growth and transformation,the individual initiates and clergy are responsible for taking those opportunities.
Administrative
The HP/S is expected to have the basic management skills needed to:
For those new to circle work, and those who have not worked within agroup for a while, the following is presented as a guideline of do's anddon'ts for when in circle.
Do
Contacts
The Order of the Red Grail can be reached via the following means:
Via Computer:
mcdeavitt@iglide.net - Steward, Nebraska
Via Mail:
Order of the Red Grail, PO Box 30020, Lincoln, NE 68503
Via Phone:
(402) 476-7178 (Lincoln, NE)
Biographies
Cindy, High Priestess & Education Coordinator
Order of the Red Grail, NE
Cindy Blodgett-McDeavitt is an adult educator who firmly believes that theholistic growth of adults reaches a point when matters of the soul cry outfor attention. It is in response to this cry that she offers guidance. Cindy is connected with the Nature and seeks to serve all who dwell onand within the Earth.
Jason, High Priest & Steward
Order of the Red Grail, NE
Jason "Fireseed" Blodgett-McDeavitt has been trained in differentschools of magick, from Wiccan to Ceremonial. A student of philosophy andpsychology as well, Jason is constantly seeking new information to add tohis understanding of the world around him, seen and unseen. It is throughthis training and knowledge that he seeks to assist others to find theirpaths.
Storm Bear, High Priest & Steward
Order of the Red Grail, NC
Stormbear works with movie production and special effects through his studio,Green Monk. Jef is a talented Mage who has a strong tie with the Earthand all who walk upon her. He is drawn to the diversity of magick and iscomfortable in High Magickal acts as well as traditional Sweat Lodges.
This text has been reviewed and accepted by the Initiated Body of theOrder of the Red Grail, Nebraska Community. The Qualifications and Responsibilitiesof the Clergy have been reviewed and accepted by the Elders and High Priest/Stewardof the Order of the Red Grail, North Carolina Community.
This, the Fifth Version, was finished on 30 June, 1995.