WinterGrove Covenant: Articles of Faith Preamble Acknowledging that our own is not the one way, the only path, we affirm that this shall be, and is a covenant of eclectic makeup, accepting the traditions of others, showing tolerance and understanding to those whos paths may not converge with our own. Each path, known as Pagan, shall be deemed to be a valid spiritual journey, and Wintergrove will offer comfort, and friendship, and they fulfill the Law and harm none. . Articles Wintergrove Covenant recognizes two Laws with regard to practice, those being Harm none, in thought or deed The Law of the Power: that none shall be used to do harm or coerce another. Wintergrove will respect the letter of that law, those things which we do will be revisted threefold upon us. We believe that faith is of personal choosing. Each person bearing his own right and responsibility to choose. To that end, our rites will contain nothing that will be deemed forceful or coercive. We affirm the sanctity of the Earth Mother, acknowledge her, and her components as living, breathing entity: honoring her by our actions, respecting her in our deeds, seeking unity rather than ownership of the world around us, and harmony with those things which are part of our universe. It is now, and shall be the duty of each member of Wintergrove Covenant to forward the causes of the Earth. Our sacred duty and obligation will be that those resources which are a gift of the mother will not be permitted to pass away. We celebrate the turning of the tides, the changing of the seasons, those traditional high holy days, chiefly Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh, Mabon, and Samhain, as well as the full moon Esbat, celebrating with ritual those passages, as well as those which mark passage in life, namely birth, handfasting, death. Acknowledging the fact that ours is a covenant of diversity of faith, we will be respectful of those mysteries which are offered to us in ritual by other paths, considering the Deities revealed to us, as sacrosanct as those of our own path. We will respect the decisions of those affiliated with Wintergrove as to the public avowal or secretive nature of their worship. No rite or ritual which occurs inside the sacred circle will be referred to other than with those who are a part of that ritual, saving only those celebrations which are conducted publically. Wintergrove Covenant will consider it the right and duty of those members to offer comfort where able, to move within the community, whether as Covenant members openly, or with personal intent alone, to volunteer within the world around us to assist in the betterment of those who exist alongside us, whatever their faith or path. Wintergrove will strive to lead lives which do not cast aspersion on our own faith or path, or that of another, Paganism, or Christianity, but instead, seek to live harmoniously, forwarding interfaith relations and encouraging tolerance and acceptance Recognizing that deities or Divine intervention may be manifested as either male or female, Wintergrove will acknowledge the duality of life, and the balance of genders within nature, and life as acceptable to this covenant. We accept that the Goddess and God are within as well as without. They are permanent aspects or each, capable of evocation, or invocation within the person. We confirm and avow our right to lead lives of joy and humor, laughter and love, saving only that it be within the law. There shall be at no time a charge for religious instruction or for the rite of initiation, reasonable costs may be asked for those rites of dedication, handfasting, joining, or passing ritual. We will have a general format rite, which is accepted for initiations, ordinations, elderings, marriages and funerals, which will be amended according to the desires of clergy or participants in this rite. We will maintain those rites in written handbook, these and these alone comprising the sacred texts of our path and tradition. These Articles may be amended, additions brought to light as they are found lacking, saving those which are today read, which may not be amended or foresworn.