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Creating a Home for Pagans: A Vision of Roots and Community Far too often we Paganfolk end up doing our rituals, drumming, teaching, and celebrating on somebody else's land. We go to a friend's house or we find a spot in the park or we rent a hall - fleeting locations for a faith with long roots. When we want to tell others who we are we refer to books, partly because there exists few community spaces for us to use in learning from our elders. The number of those Pagan spaces, however, is growing. On a wooded lot in an urban neighborhood in Ann Arbor, Michigan powerful magick is afoot. Observe with the following components: one big old house on an acre of land in an A2's neighborhood, a new (Pagan) board of directors, and a vision of cooperative living, public education, and year-round Pagan community. Mixed carefully with the right incantations (including some legal incantations) the Pagans in Michigan just might have a new place to find community: Michigan's first Pagan Community Center. The house at 1910 Hill Street contains 7000 square feet of floor space, which includes living space for residents (six bedrooms and a third floor apartment), space for community activities, a Pagan library and other spaces for healing, rituals and whatever grows from the seeds of this vision. There's also a nice yard filled with budding plants, wild and domestic, many old and young trees, and some day, herbs, organic gardens, medicine plants, and a drum circle. Soon this land will be filled with public ritual events, drumming circles, books, classes on Pagan issues (herbalism, Wicca 101, creating renewable resources, etc), networking meetings, Reiki healing circles, potlucks, and many other wonderful activities. All that's missing, dear reader, is the final ingredient: you. The community needs volunteers, prospective community (non-live-in), and prospective house (live-in) members to help build and empower the cooperative into a functioning center for Pagan education and activities. We, the current members, intend to provide services and information to anyone of any faith interested in learning more about Paganism, environmentalism, alternative spiritualities, and community living. We hope to see classes and rituals here. We hope Elders will come and share their wisdom. We see healing circles and drum circles, herb circles and circles for many other things. We see an opportunity for the People of the Earth in Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas to grow deep roots in the community. In our community members make decisions through a currently developing model of formal consensus. It's based on empowerment, on honoring everyone's voice. There are many ways to become a part of this vision. Committees to plan events, to create rituals, to sponsor fund-raisers are all in need of energy. Maintaining the house and yard are vital to helping the vision grow. The board of directors needs help with the business aspects of interacting with the public and legal entities. It is also possible, when rooms are available, to live in the house and create a good environment on a daily basis (as our house residents do). Please join us in helping the magickal potential of this Vision grow into something good and strong for the Pagan community. If you've ever been to a Pagan gathering and wondered why that community feeling can't last all through the year - well it can!! For more information, contact Ian Springer at itspring@voyager.net or call 734-547-6962. [You can also contact me at dvoid@comcast.net.]
24 responses total.
Is this the old White Panther/Sidda Yoga/UM Cooperative Housing site?
Hi! Good to see you here, Void. Been missing you. Have you sent this notice to the Seeker? In time, perhaps to the Observer? I'd know the location as "Corntree", yes? Been around a while, then. Anyway, I sure hope that it works out, it's a great idea. I'll help as best I can.
re #1: No, it used to be a child-care coop. As far as I know, the house has never been an ICC or UM coop. re #2: No, I don't think Ian has sent this to the Seeker yet. I've been around, I just haven't been posting much. Thanks for the welcome back. :)
Best of luck with the new site, Pagans. (I've asked Pan to pay you a visit, so don't be surprised if a strange wind comes through and then everyone feels a little weird and then things start to go amazingly well for you.) I worry about the drumming circles in the yard. How close are your neighbors?
Void, can the Seeker use this as written?!?! We have a deadline on Sunday, so I'd like to include this ASAP...
Hmmm, maybe we can come out and get photos to run next issue ... ?
Given how many commitments I have to my Grove and our parent organization, I don't know how much time I could personally commit to this, but we'd certainly be interested in renting the space for some of our meetings, and I could probably do a class or two.
Speaking of Seeker deadlines, Misti- I keep meaning to email and tell you that my class is on hiatus 'til Fall, so please remove the calendar notice for it. Thanks. It sure would be nice to see a central home for the local pagan communities.
Kami, please e-mail; I'm very likely to forget, what with the excitement of the wedding and the grandbaby and all...
Sure, Misti, please add #0 to the Seeker as written. There will be people there doing some fix-up work tomorrow between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM if you want to come out and take pictures. The place needs some work and we're planning an open house for July 13th, so be prepared for a little untidiness if you come tomorrow. Just wander around calling "hello" till someone answers, then ask for Dru. :) re #4: Thanks, md. We'll look forward to Pan's visit. There were bimonthly drum circles in the yard or basement at 1910 for the better part of last year and no neighbors ever complained, though we always stopped well before the noise ordinance became a problem. The only time we did have a complaint was the evening of 9/11, when I organized some impromptu drumming in the living room kind of late and the next door neighbor asked us to quiet down.
Ah, Corntree. Started out as a living coop before it became a childcare coop.
Right. It has lost its childcare license (a story which probably isn't appropriate for this item, but I will discuss it in e-mail), so now we're attempting to do something else.
I would think that a childcare license went with the person, not the place, although the location would have to be approved. Ultimately, I'd love to see pagan-oriented options for daycare, day camp, maybe even a school. what about offering the space for the "spiral scouts" group? I know- all this is down the road a piece.
Having Spiral Scouts meet there is a great idea.
Um. Due to some recent events, the open house which had been scheduled for July 13th at 1910 Hill Street has been postponed until August, though no firm date has been set yet. I just got back from PSG on Sunday, which is why things have been a little quiet in this item lately.
so- how was PSG? who was there? what did you do? Need help with house stuff?
PSG was fantastic, for the most part. If you're asking if 1910 Hill needs more people, the answer is yes. When I have a calendar handy, I can post meeting and community work day dates and times.
That would be great! Last I heard, Rod was interested in helping out...
If I've the time, I'd love to be able to help out with making the place
livable and workable. Let me know if you're still looking for people.
We certainly are. Community meetings are on the first Tuesday of every month, community work days on the third Saturday. Oh...I have something else which was e-mailed to the michigan_pagans list to post here: Greetings! Most folks probably read the post from a few weeks ago about 1910 Hill Street.... (see message 10225 "Creating a Home for Pagans (fwd) Posted by: Aldous Tyler Thu 5/23/2002") More information is also available in the form of meeting agendas, minutes, and other documents related to this effort found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Corntree/files/ Rooms For Rent ============== Three new pagan residents are moving into 1910 Hill Street and two rooms are left! Spirit has again brought some wonderful folk and energies to this sacred stewardship! If anyone is interested in becoming part of this intentional pagan community/community center, please feel free to contact me off list! The two rooms that are left rent in the $350.00 to $400.00 range, which includes all utilities, phone, free washer and dryer and use of this spacious 7000 square foot home, and a heavily wooden acre of land. It's a clean and sober house, and about five blocks from the University of Michigan's Central Campus and just three blocks from the bus stop!! Ample parking and opportunity to commune with trees, pagans, fairies and what ever else is about the place! We will soon be adding a cable modem network, building a drum/dance circle in the yard as well as major re-modeling of the house, inside and out. A truly unique opportunity within our pagan community to connect, network and live the pagan life while creating community! Druids Needed For Land Blessing =============================== We're going to have to remove some trees that are too close to the house and some other trees that aren't so healthy from the land. We'd really appreciate any and all Druids willing to commune with the nature spirits and tree folk living on the land to insure things are done in a good way. Also, we'd like a Land Blessing at our Open House in August. Any interested Druids or other folk, please contact us! Free To Good Home: ================== There are several items in the yard that we must remove that may be of use to others: a canoe, an in-board motor, lots of fire wood, a trailer, various things in two sheds, and a tractor that runs without a mower carriage. In the house we have to remove: one almost dead upright piano and some other furniture stuff, and one wood burning stove with shattered glass. All items free for the taking.... If interested please contact me off list!! Other Opportunities ========================================= Activities section (the basement with ground level access, 1600 square feet of space, soon to be functional fireplace and bathroom) of the facility is available for Spiral Scout meetings, classes, rituals and other such activities. Use of yard will also be available in the near future. Open House planned for August this year ======================================= More information as date approaches! Anyone interested in helping us to prepare for this event, please let us know and thanks in advance! Interested Folks ================ Pagans and kindred spirits interested in joining out efforts -- please contact us! Complaint Turned Into Opportunity ================================= Recently, the city received a complaint about some of the sidewalk sections along Hill Street and Cambridge that need to be replaced. Rather than fret over who complained and why, we've taken this as an opportunity to work with the city in three different areas. We've taken this as an opportunity to have the city inspector see the need for a cross walk on Hill Street. Currently there isn't one for the school children and the road is curved and hilly. A study of where to place the cross walk is being done by the city, the need for one having been acknowledged as a result of the complaint! Also, we've begun talks with the Parks and Recreation department to replace the grass between the sidewalks and the curb with wild flowers. If you are interested in helping with the replacement of the sidewalks, use of the old concrete for walkways and landscaping or wild flower garden creation, please let us know! Thanks! We're grateful to have the opportunity to work with our local government in becoming a vital community asset here in the Ann Arbor area! Bright Blessings, Johnny MoonOwl moonowl@comcast.net 734-677-8211
More 1910 info and updates:
The following weekend days have been designated Community Work Days
to get the place spiffed up and ready for the Open House, which will
be in September. There is also going to be a shamanic workshop held
there in August; details of that are forthcoming. Work days are from
10:00AM until 4:00 PM. Some of us generally go out afterward to get a
bite to eat, but at the moment there are no formal plans.
Community Work Days:
July 20th and 28th: Tidying up the yard, possible shed and old play
equipment removal, attempting to render a lawn
mower operational; basement patching, priming,
painting; possible old stuff removal.
August 10th-11th: More of the above, plus the beginnings of deep
cleaning common areas for the Open House; stuff
removal; general minor repairs.
August 24th-25th: More deep cleaning, preparations for Open House,
yard work and removal of any remaining junk.
August 31-Sept 1: Final preparations for Open House, yard work,
etc.
Negotiations with the city for turning the grass verges into
wildflower gardens are continuing, but have not yet been finalized.
We have received a very generous donation which will allow us to get
the sidewalks repaired.
The Open House is scheduled for the weekend of September 7th-8th.
More details will be forthcoming.
If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at
void@cyberspace.org.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- When: 1:00 p.m. - ???? Where: 1910 Hill Street Ann Arbor, MI September 7th, 2002 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- COME JOIN US FOR AN AFTERNOON OF: FOOD, FUN, & FRIENDS! COME BUILD COMMUNITY WITH US! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Featured Activities: *Potluck Feasting *Live Music Musicians Welcome! Some time slots still open!! Contact Crow Dancer if you or you and your band would like to serenade the community with your pagan vibrations! mamacroww@neo.rr.com *Ritual Land Blessing *Evening Drum Circle We will kindle the fire and bless the drum circle! Drumming and dancing will follow! *COMMUNITY INFORMATION If you need directions, or have other questions about the Open House, please email 7gencc@comcast.net or use the Seven Generations Community Center Contact Information below: Johnny MoonOwl: moonowl@comcast.net Mamma Crow: mamacroww@neo.rr.com Dru Mennick: void@cyberspace.org
Sounds wonderful! I hope we can be there.
And, sadly, Seven Generations is no more. Why is it so impossible t get a real pagan community center happening in Ann Arbor?
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