GROWTH: Current and future projects and goals

We have been here for 19 years now!  

We are currently one of very few (only 3 that we know of, including us), Pagan groups in WNC who own their own land and buildings in the name of their group or Temple.  This most certainly does not imply that we are "better" in any way than any Pagan group simply because we own land!  Most are fine just walking out into the forest to do their thing, as it has always been, and shall always be and rightfully so.  But it does afford us privacy, safety, choices and convenience (along with expenses and responsibilities) and so we are proud of what we have accomplished together here and wish to share it.

So we are continuously working here to improve things for the future and to find ways of becoming financially sustainable so that we can pay off our mortgage and leave something tangible behind for future generations to enjoy.  We have accomplished SO much already, but we have many ideas for continued improvement.  That said, our most pressing concern is always simply paying the monthly mortgage, and property insurance, the final responsibility of which falls on only 1 person, our founder, when donations do not come in...  She is someone who can ill afford it, but who does it out of dedication and love.   That said, all help is appreciated in any form.   That includes mowing the lawn.  :O)

The hard part is done, labor-wise.  We own our property and have built and shingled the Henge.  We have goals for landscaping features now, beautification and additions, which include:

Short term projects and goals:

Continuing creation of our Community Garden, Greenhouse, medicine and tree walks

Creating a labyrinth on the East side of the property

Beautification of the grounds, including:

Painting our deck railings

Adding potted trees and baskets of herbs and flowers to the deck

Adding bird (including hummingbird) and squirrel feeders to our deck and property (this is now done!)

Wind chimes and other landscaping features throughout the property (done!)

Building a rock wall around the pet cemetery

Additional beautification of the pet cemetery

Continued beautification of the memorial garden

Rebuilding the Fire pits in the summer Circle and Woodhenge

Finishing the pond and water garden to the West of the Summer Circle

Putting a swing on the deck

Beautification around the swing in the woods

Completion of zen stone garden

Completion of fairy garden

Signs for Henge, Circles, paths, gardens, trees and plants

Creating a better dog run for visiting four-legged friends

Long term projects and goals:

Completion of our Woodhenge enclosure

Building safe bat houses

Enclosing part of the deck with a retractable canopy over half of it

Paving our drive

Building a forge

Keeping bees on the S/E end of the property

Building hermitages for the monastic use of guests and clergy

Digging our own well

Building a new chicken coop and keeping more chickens for eggs for the community. 

Those who take turns lending a hand with maintenance of the gardens and chickens will get produce and eggs for free in return.  Those unable to help but in need will also receive produce and eggs for free. 

If anyone would like to come out and help with any of these projects, just let us know!

This Temple will be what we make it, together!  We practice reciprocity here.  You give, you receive.  You receive, you give back.   No guilt. No pressure.  Just a basic spiritual ethic.  That said, we will always help those in genuine need whenever possible without asking anything in return.  If you want to see something new happening here, be a part of making it happen!  :O)  

HISTORY: What we've already accomplished

A few years ago, we purchased the land we have been meeting at for several years.  It is 2 parcels of over 6 acres and had a house and a shed and a small deck.   It is in the Temple’s name.

We bought it, valued at about $300,000.00, for only $120,000.00, thanks to the original owners.  Blessings on them!  We bought it with ZERO INTEREST with the help of an angel investor whom we also send out grateful blessings to! 

Any and all donations are thus very gratefully accepted and are tax deductible!  See the “How to Donate” button on this website if you would like to make a contribution.  Please let us know whether or not you’d like to be acknowledged as a donor. 

We have already spent approximately $25,000.00 cash on improvements since this property was purchased.

We extended the existing deck about 40 feet and added 2 more sets of stairs allowing access to it from 3 places.    There are 2 stone guardian lions at the entrance. 

We added 2 more large, nice pre-fab sheds:  one next to the existing shed by the house, and one in the woods near the woodhenge to store all our ritual stuff and chairs in so we didn't have to lug it all up and down the hill for every Sabbat / ritual, etc.  

We built a traditional British Woodhenge so we could have ritual in the woods even if it was raining.  That was thousands of dollars and many man-hours of labor by Temple members to do.

We spent $5,000.00 to shingle the henge professionally, done by our friend Tim.  It is beautiful and water tight now!

We created the Summer Circle, the memorial garden, and the pet cemetery.  All with many hours of labor donated by Temple members and allies.  The Summer Circle is a large Circle of stones for worship and gathering during pleasant weather.  The memorial garden is for Lylith Hawk, a Pagan Elder and now ancestress whose memory we hold dear.  She has been joined now by another Elder of ours, Sherry Wells.  They are both honored here.  The pet cemetery is for any Temple member who cannot bury their pet where they live and want a place to honor them.  Full ceremony (specially designed for each individual) is offered here at the time of burial for any member losing an animal companion. 

We bought a nice swing that sits in the woods for meditation, napping or playing the flute or guitar.   It becomes a lovers bower at Beltane.   :O)

We built chicken coops, which are being converted to greenhouses for growing medicinal and sacred herbs and such. 

Bill installed underground electrical cables inside PVC piping so that no critters could chew through the cables any longer, and he buried it from the house, along all the paths, down to both Circles, and put something like 8 pop up outlets all over so that we could have outdoor electricity for whatever we might need, including for campers during festivals!!  This was QUITE a feat!  And he did have a bit of help from a couple of Temple members but there were several days he was here digging alone as well.....   Thanks to Bill and all those who helped him get that done. 

Then there have been days where we repaired the road, put a new roof on the well pump shed, and so much more. 

There have been gifts of a nice, new gas BBQ, a lawnmower, weed eater, chain saw and wagons, oh my.  :O) 

There is a Temple room inside the house, which is the parsonage as well for the residing clergy and/or caretakers, for Initiates of various groups to use during inclement weather.   This is a room dedicated, decorated and equipped as a permanent sacred space for ritual use, meditation and prayer. It has a 13 person limit.

There is also a large library for use by members which includes large sections on all the world’s religions, as well as language, sociology, cultural anthropology, history, cultural competency, mythology and philosophy.   It includes religious/spiritual magazines, documentary DVDs and music from many traditions.  This is now a catalogued working lending library. 

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR DONORS AND HELPERS FOR ALL YOUR GENEROSITY AND HARD WORK OVER THE YEARS!!   WE WOULD NOT BE HERE WITHOUT YOU!