Eostre (Spring Equinox) Rite and Celebration
Sunday, March 20, 2016

Celebration begins at 1:00 PM
Ritual begins promptly at 3:00 PM
Parish Hill, North Park

The Druids of Sassafras Grove, ADF invite you to join us for our Eostre Rite and Celebration to be held on Sunday, March 20, 2016. The festivities will be held indoors at Parish Hill in North Park. All Pagan and Pagan-friendly people are welcome to attend! The festivities will begin at 1:00 PM with children’s activities. The ritual will begin promptly at 3:00 PM with a potluck feast to follow.

This year’s rite will honor the Goddess Eostre as the Gatekeeper who makes ready the way for the Spring and new growth. We will also honor the Earth Mother, Nerthus, who, warmed by the returning Spring, arises to new life to bless us with a new season of growth. As in the past, please consider bringing a live plant to decorate the altar, which you can then take home to plant somewhere in honor of the Earth Mother.

As we celebrated the Harvest in September, it is now time to celebrate the planting!  It is traditional to bless the plow and the land before planting, so during this rite we will bless the tools of our labor, asking that the work we do with them brings a good harvest.  If you’re a gardener, bring your gardening tools or seeds. If not, bring a tool that represents your work, hobby, or passion, (a paintbrush, pen, knitting needles, spreadsheet, wrench, etc – a tool that you use to nurture and support your body or spirit) to be blessed and dedicated.

We will again be collecting supplies for The Center for Victims.  See below for more information and a list of most needed items.*

Schedule:

1:00 PM:  Children’s crafts/general merriment

2:00 PM:  Children’s egg hunt

2:30 PM: Song rehearsal/Ritual briefing

3:00 PM: Ritual begins

Post Ritual (4:30-ish):  Potluck Feast

Egg Hunt for the grown-ups following Feast

What to Bring:

* Offerings to Eostre and Nerthus

* A potted plant to decorate the altar

* Tools to be blessed

* Wind chimes or bells to ring during the gateway

* A chair/blanket if you need to sit during the ritual

* A dish to share at the potluck following the rite

*A donation for the Center for Victims-See below for more information*

 

Please note that alcohol is not permitted at this event, even as offerings.

Parish Hill is located on Walter Rd in North Park. It is located near 40.60185, -80.014759 for those of you with GPS devices. Please refer to http://www.alleghenycounty.us/parks/maps.aspx for a park map.

There is no cost to attend our rites and events, but we do rely on donations to help us cover the cost of space rental and supplies. If you can, please support your local Druids!

*Center for Victims is a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to providing education and support services to families who have been impacted by all forms of violent crimes.  We are collecting supplies for the children’s therapy program which will directly benefit children who have been impacted by crime including homicide, sexual assault, domestic violence, community violence, etc.

Most needed items:

**Journals must not contain metal (i.e. no spiral bindings).  Black and white “composition books” are especially useful.

**Craft masks you can decorate.  They’re plain white and you can paint on them.  (They help kids show their feeling faces).

Additional items:

Fancy and fun pens to use with the journals (like gel pens)

Glue sticks

Crayons

Markers

Construction paper

Watercolor paints/watercolor paint pads