Avalon Druid Order [ADO] is a 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit charity operating for religious, educational, and scientific purposes. Documents filed with this application represent the blueprint through which ADO shall be governed and may "grow" its spiritual community, which is our primary goal. There are exciting times ahead for members ready and willing to make a deep commitment! All members contribute to creating the rich soil we need to grow. Giving to your spiritual home-of-choice is one way of actively supporting the kind of world each of us wants and believes in. There are many ways to participate in helping our Order achieve its goals, including volunteerism, bequests, cash donations, and other gifts. Those wishing to help realize these dreams may direct their inquiries to:
Avalon Druid Order, attn.: Donations
PO Box 62151
Ft Myers, FL 33906 USA
(NOTE: Please contact us before sending non-cash, material donations. Donations of materials and resources for which there is a present need will be distributed from our Virginia office.)
In laying this foundation we also provide a map for others of the Order's future goals and dreams, including to:
Become Self-Sustaining (providing for our own operating expenses and services)
Establish an ADO Fund providing financial assistance to qualified members for fees associated with ADO religious activities
Obtain Dedicated Land for spiritual retreats and community
Again, we thank you for your continued support of Avalon Druid Order [ADO] and look forward to sharing wisdoms with you in the near future!
[NOTE: Download PDF copies of the Member Codes of Ethics & Conduct, and the ADO Bylaws at the file links below. Please retain copies for your study and records. As these documents are for member use, traditional titles are used throughout. Corporate titles are submitted on documents for the IRS. Please see "Definitions" above for corresponding corporate titles and terms. Documents are updated periodically to reflect changes in location or contact information.]
(Formerly titled "Current Bylaws")
(Reformatted)
Contents
- Definitions of Terms..i.
- Directory of Initial Officers of the Corporation.ii.
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'Friend' of the Order..........................................Ally
*Prospective membership is converted to Lifetime Membership upon successful completion of the required Home Study course and approval of the Elder Council.
Other Changes in Terms: With the inception of the required Home Study course in 2006, the term 'Aspirant' was adopted for 'provisional members' and is no longer used to designate provisional Druid clergy. The terms currently used to designate Druid clergy-in-training are 'Novice' (beginner), 'Apprentice' (Druid working under the direct guidance of a mentoring Elder), and 'Initiate' (Druids who have completed training, with the term 'Elder' being reserved for senior clergy). For Directory Below: LOA=Leave of Absence; ML=Military Leave. Participation of members on Leaves of Absence is limited.
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ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTORY
Elders
Council of Elders:
Morgaine; Myrddin; Refthi-Tiard; Ebby; Di
Voices of Justice:
Di--LOA (Interim: Ebby); Myrddin; Refthi-Tiard
Tribes Elders: Any senior member-in-good-standing recognised by the Council as having mastered and demonstrated a
competent and consistent ADO spiritual practice at the "congregational" level.
Current Administrators & Staff
Band of Guardians:
Myrddin (exp. 2011); Lilyane (exp. 2012); Everildis (exp. 2013); Council Liaison to BoG: Refthi-Tiard
"Messenger of the Gods" Members Journal Editor(s)-Interim Editor, Morgaine
Events Coordinator & Volunteers
Scribes to the Midwife & Pursewarden
___________________________________
Note on Leaves of Absence:
Any member may request a Leave of Absence in order to address personal, family, or other pressing issues which obstruct their ability to fulfil their spiritual and/or membership obligations to the Order. Leaves and Extensions of Leave are granted at the sole discretion of the Elder Council. Failure to observe all terms and conditions of a Leave of Absence may result in termination of membership. The usual term for a Leave of Absence is one year and one day from the time the request is granted. Leaves may be extended by submitting a request in writing to the Elder Council before the current Leave expires. Extensions are granted at the sole discretion of the Elder Council. Suspended member access and privileges are reinstated upon resumption of active and regular participation. As a matter of community safety, members who neither participate nor communicate with the Order for 5 or more years, and who are not on an approved Leave of Absence, are removed from the ADO Membership Rolls and must reapply for membership if and when they return.
For the purpose of forming a Florida not for profit corporation in compliance with Chapter 617 of the Florida Statutes, the undersigned incorporator states as follows:
ARTICLE I
The name of the Corporation shall be: Avalon Druid Order, Inc.
ARTICLE II
The principle physical address of this Corporation (hereafter "the Order") shall be: 648 Dickerson Road, Willis, VA 24380, County of Carroll, USA (rev. 1 February 2008). The principle mailing address and place of business of this Order shall be: PO Box 62151, Ft Myers, FL 33906, County of Lee, USA.
ARTICLE III
The purposes for which the Order is organized are as follows: The Avalon Druid Order ("ADO") is a religious organization in the druid branch of the Avalon Mystery Tradition (also called Avalonian Tradition or Avalonian Druidry). The ADO shall foster and practice the spiritual and cultural teachings of Avalonian Proto-Druidry through regional training, worship, healing services, rights of passage, community outreach and pastoral counseling. The ADO shall promote religious tolerance by facilitating communication with and between different spiritual organizations.
In furtherance of such purposes, and except as hereinafter provided, the Order shall:
(a) Have and possess all of the Order powers as granted under Florida Not For Profit Corporation Act, as same may be amended from time to time.
(b) To operate exclusively for charitable, educational, religious and scientific purposes within the meaning of Sections 170(c)(2) and 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or corresponding provisions of any subsequent federal tax law, including, for those purposes, the making of distributions to organizations which qualify it as tax exempt organizations under that Code.
(c) This Order shall not, as a substantial part of its activities, carry on propaganda or otherwise attempt to influence legislation. Nor shall it participate or intervene (by publication or distribution of any statements or otherwise) in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
ARTICLE IV
The duration of this Order shall be perpetual.
ARTICLE V
The Order shall have a membership distinct from the Band of Guardians. The qualifications of the members of the Order, the manner of their admission, the different classes of membership, if any, the property, voting, and other rights and privileges of members shall be as regulated by the ByLaws.
ARTICLE VI
The powers of this organization shall be exercised, its property controlled, and its affairs conducted by a Band of Guardians. The number of Guardians of the Order shall be no less than three and no more than seven (provided, however, that the maximum number may be changed by a ByLaw duly adopted pursuant to the ByLaws of this Corporation).
ARTICLE VII
The Guardians named herein as the first Band of Guardians shall hold office until the annual meeting of members occurring within the fiscal year during which her or his term expires, all as set forth in the immediately following Article VIII hereof, at which time an election of Guardians shall be held. Beginning with the third annual meeting of members, and at all subsequent times, Guardians shall hold office until the third meeting of members next occurring, At which time an election of Guardians shall be held. In addition to the Guardians elected from time to time as provided in the ByLaws of this Order, the Chieftain, or in her or his absence, the Midwife, shall be an ex-officio member of the Band of Guardians and shall possess the ability to vote on all matters coming before the Band for its consideration.
ARTICLE VIII
The names and residential addresses of the persons who are to serve as initial Guardians, and their respective terms of office, are as follows (see above Directory for list of current Guardians):
G.F. Bergman Jr. Willis, VA 24380 3 years (12/2004 - 11/2007)
L. PaigeLehigh Acres, FL 33936 4 years (12/2004 - 11/2008)
J. Pressler Ft Myer's, FL 33312 5 years (12/2004 - 11/2009)
ARTICLE IX
The Officers of the Order shall be a President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and any other officers which the Bylaws of this Order authorize the Guardians to elect. The following persons shall serve as the initial corporate Officers for the terms hereinafter set forth, or until her or his successor shall be duly elected. (See above for current Officers):
Chieftain M. Morgan, Ft Myers, FL 33919 3 years (12/20004 - 11/2007)
Midwife C. Morin, Montreal, CA H1Y2T3 4 years (12/2004 - 11/2008)
Pursewarden M. Bell, Ft. Myers, FL 33907 5 years (12/2004 - 11/2009)
As the terms of office for each of the Officers stated above expire, her or his replacement shall be elected and shall serve in such capacity for a three (3) year term. The offices of Chieftain and Midwife shall be filled by vote of the membership held at an annual meeting of members. The Band of Guardians shall elect the Pursewarden and any other officers which the Guardians may have elected, and the Band of Guardians shall fill any necessary vacancy occurring in any office.
ARTICLE X
Subject to the limitations contained in the Bylaws and any limitations set forth in the Florida Not For Profit Corporation Act concerning corporate action that must be authorized or approved by members of the Corporation, the Bylaws of this Order may be made, altered, rescinded, added to, or new Bylaws may be adopted following the procedure set forth in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE XI
The property of this Order is irrevocably dedicated to religious, charitable, educational, and scientific purposes and no part of the net income or assets of this corporation shall ever inure to the benefit of any Guardian, Officer, or member, or to the benefit of any private individual.
ARTICLE XII
On the dissolution or winding up of this Order, its assets remaining after the payment, or provision for payment, of all debts and liabilities of the Order, shall be distributed to a not for profit fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, educational, or scientific purposes and which has established its tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent federal tax laws.
ARTICLE XIII
The name and address of the Founder and incorporator of this Order are: Morgaine V.L. Bergman, Willis, VA 24380
ARTICLE XIV
The name and Florida street address of the registered agent of the Corporation is: Tiard (a.k.a. M. Prettyman), Ft. Myer's, FL 33907
ARTICLE XV
Amendments to these articles of incorporation may be proposed by a resolution adopted by the Band of Guardians and presented to a quorum of members for their vote. Amendments may be adopted by a vote of two-thirds of a quorum of members of the Order.
The undersigned, being the incorporator of this Order, for the purpose of forming this not-for-profit religious, charitable, educational, and scientific corporation under the laws of Florida, has executed these Articles of Incorporation on the date herein below indicated: 2 December 2004, Morgaine, incorporator (legal name rev. 2008).
Having been named as registered agent to accept service of process for the above stated Order at the place designated in this certificate, I am familiar with and accept the appointment as registered agent and agree to act in this capacity: Refthi (M. Prettyman), registered agent (Orig. Joy Purcell; Rev.: 22 January 2006).
Charter & Bylaws (Ratified by membership vote 2 December 2004)
[NOTE: Page translations provided for reader convenience. ADO makes no claim for accuracy and accepts no responsibility for issues arising from reader use of 3rd party translation services.]
THE MIST-HID PATH...
ADO Belief Statement
As Druids of Avalon, we uphold the following truths...
By our beliefs, we make reality daily new.
All beings are emanations of the All-Mind (Wellspring, Source, or Presence), whose essence is sacred; thus we define our relationship to Spirit according to our relationship with all Being, for as the All is holy, so too Creation, which partakes of its essence.
We learn through traditional teachings, contemplation of our myths, legends and folklore, by the examples of our teachers in both the Old and New Worlds, and through communion with Spirit: with these keys we enter Avalon and Her Mysteries.
As the inheritors of Avalon's "root" (native ancestral or "Faery") wisdoms, we believe that a living connection with our Avalonian ancestors is established and maintained through the practice of Shared Dreaming. Maintaining this practice and passing our knowledge on to new generations of members is part of our duty as Avalonians, and as members of this community.
Ours is not an eclectic tradition. As we define "religion" and "religious traditions" as Universal spiritual truths finding expression through specific local, cultural filters, so we believe that combining elements of different traditions dilutes the power of each. Therefore, we do not tolerate the mixing of elements from other metaphysical traditions or spiritualities with the ways and teachings of Avalon as presented in ADO.
We follow a Matrifocal Path, centered on the deities of the Braithion as specific to Avalon, her root wisdoms and archetypal energies.
Our relationship to Spirit is self-transformative and self-empowering, promoting communion with Deity, issue resolution (inner healing through Shadow work), balance, and harmony.
Like all Druids, we seek to illumine the physical and metaphysical Laws of Nature as manifest in the Great Pattern of Being through direct, experiential understanding of the Powers of Land, Sea, and Sky, and the transformative power of the Eternal Flame.
We trust in the Wisdom of Spirit, and believe that the key to our personal healing and enlightenment is revealed in the Great Pattern of Being (Creation). Because we know the scale of the Vision that informs this Pattern, we do not seek to manipulate, meddle or impose our own expectations on the lives of others.
We teach our members the means by which they may attain wisdom and personal empowerment. Like most druids our primary Books are the "Book of Experience" (through which we learn not "the one right answer," but the questions that reveal Truth) and the Grove Book, wherein are scribed the basic rites and customs of our spiritual communities.
We believe in the necessity of providing a context for understanding Avalon's spiritual beliefs; thus we require member orientation and encourage immersion in all Avalonian studies, holding the Bardic, healing, and intuitive arts as key to understanding Avalon and her spirituality. Once the context is gained, direct experience informs our spiritual growth, helping us to effect positive change in our lives and in the world.
Although we acknowledge individual attainments within the Order through initiatory rites, we believe that the Source itself is the only spiritual Initiator of personal calling. We likewise acknowledge the primacy of our Elders in ordaining or otherwise sanctioning those Initiates who will serve the Order as a spiritual community.
We believe in a boundless human potential and encourage our members to become fully self-actualized, active members of the community.
mythology, and as precedent exists for same sex or single focus worship in ancient society, so individual circles may be exclusionary in support of specific focuses, so long as the Order as a whole maintains balance to the extent that current membership allows. Such circles may be exclusionary on the basis of sex only, with periodic review and approval of the Council of Elders. Groves shall not use such customs to justify discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
2. AVALON DRUID ORDER [ADO] is based on principles of Love, Wisdom, Harmony, and Healing and as such neither condones nor participates in inflicting abuse or harm on any sentient creature for the purposes of our religious practices.
3. Every member of AVALON DRUID ORDER [ADO] shall keep confidential all ADO-specific teachings, and the contact information of other members as required by the ADO bylaws, except where express written permission has been granted in advance by the Council of Elders.
4. We hold our ordained and lay clergy to a standard of conduct equal to or surpassing that of other professionals. ADO clergy are expected to be honest, respectful, courteous, compassionate, professional, to abide by the laws of Avalon as well as the law of the land (except in cases of self-defense, certain "victimless crimes" or civil disobedience), to honor the rights and privacy of others, and to respect certain mainstream societal sexual taboos placed upon virtually all professionals for the protection of the member or client.
5. It is our custom for all Grove members to work in appropriate garb, as defined by our Grove Book.
6. Members shall not bring firearms or explosives to official ADO rituals or functions.
7. It is customary within Avalonian Tradition to induce altered states of consciousness through meditation, chant, dance, etc. While historical precedent exists for the use of various psychoactive substances by traditional societies, only legal substances are allowed in Avalonian Druid ritual. Mind-altering substances shall NOT be used in the presence of minors.
8. We will not tolerate bigotry, slander, perjury, or other forms of harassment leveled against our members or against members of the spiritual community at large.
9. Members of AVALON DRUID ORDER [ADO] shall abide by their membership and initiatory oaths and shall respect the confidentiality of any private material from either our tradition or another. Members shall not, under any circumstances, share ADO-specific information, teachings, and / or material with non-member(s) without the prior written permission of the ADO Council of Elders.
ADO Code of Conduct
As representatives of the greater Avalon Mystery Tradition, of Avalonian Druidry, and of the AVALON DRUID ORDER [ADO], each member is seen as an ambassador for Avalon in the world. Thus each member bears responsibility to behave in accordance with ADO beliefs, ethics and values in all relationships and dealings. To this end, all members of AVALON DRUID ORDER [ADO] must:
1. Honor and acknowledge that each religion / faith / tradition
provides a valid path to spiritual communion, and that each
individual retains the right to choose which path is right for
them.
ADO Code of Ethics
1. AVALON DRUID ORDER [ADO] is an egalitarian Order within the Druid Branch of the Avalon Mystery Tradition and, as such, strives to encourage active participation by women, men and families in our membership, administration, and communities wherever possible. AVALON DRUID ORDER [ADO] shall not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national origin, sex, or sexual preference, except where traditional / historical precedent exists for individual circles with a 'same-sex or sect focus' (such as Hearths, Henges or historical sects such as the Keeper of Bride's Flame, in Kildare). As ADO traditional spirituality is based on direct teachings and ancestral
THE HEALING WATERS... [CHALICE WELL]
2. Follow the beliefs, values, codes of ethics and conduct set forth by the Order in this and other
documents, teachings, and practices.
3. Honour and remember our ancestors, for only by understanding their stories may we safeguard their
wisdoms without reliving their mistakes.
4. Be good stewards of our world and all of its creatures.
5. Be good guardians to ourselves, so that we may help others when they are in need.
6. Live and work from a basis of self-empowerment, rather than through seeking to exercise power over
others.
7. Know ourselves; face our fears; maintain the inner balance.
8. Recognize in our anger a call for justice, and temper our justice with compassion.
9. In times of conflict, seek to learn how balance has been lost and how it may best be restored for the
highest good of all.
10. Be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.
11. Serve Truth in all times and situations.
12. Harm none, except in self-defense or on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves.
13. Recognize and take responsibility for our own choices and the consequences of our actions, and seek to
make reparation when our actions (intentionally or unintentionally) cause harm to others.
14. Seek first, wherever possible, to resolve differences through peaceable means of conflict resolution.
15. Act and speak with respect for all other beings, regardless of whether their choices or views agree with
our own.
16. Trust that there is a higher purpose manifesting for the highest good of all.
17. Contemplate our intentions and motivations before taking action, that we may not only demand trust
but be trustworthy.
18. In all endeavours, seek the path which offers the greatest potential for healing and well-being for
ourselves and others.
19. As the power of Avalon derives from Love, so the Love of Avalon comes through self-actualisation and the
attainment of Sovereignty; thus 'Love' is inseparable from Truth, self-respect, self-knowledge, and inner balance.
It is these qualities that we seek to attain and which are ultimately our gifts to the World.
Vision for the Order (Mission Statement)
AVALON DRUID ORDER [ADO] is a religious organization within the Druid branch of the Avalon Mystery Tradition (also called Avalonian Tradition or Avalonian Druidry). Our vision is to foster and practice the spiritual and cultural teachings of Avalonian proto-Druidry within our membership and to promote religious tolerance within our local communities through spiritual ministry, training, events, publications, and community outreach.
Brief History
THE TRADITION: The Avalon Mystery Tradition is an indigenous Goddess / nature religion of the ancient world whose focus is healing and harmony through inner balance, and whose wisdoms were taught primarily through bard-craft and spirit journey. Geological references in Avalonian myth indicate that the roots of the Tradition may stretch back as far as twenty-thousand years, and Celtic mythology provides documentation of the indigenous matriarchal people, their brutal suppression under the Romans and later Christians, and the absorption of their beliefs into Celtic culture and religious practice.
Modern Avalonian thealogy derives from the spiritual interpretation and experience of Avalonian myths, religious customs, culture, and folklore throughout the timeline. With the resurgence of interest in Celtic spirituality, Medievalism, and Arthuriana, most organizations have chosen to focus on the Tradition's later customs and methods as they find expression within one specific time and location. Traditional communion with Deity, healing, self-empowerment, stewardship of the land, the Intuitive and Bardic arts are among the spiritual pillars of Avalonian Druidry today.
THE ORDER: Avalon Druid Order [ADO] is one of a number of groups functioning within the Druid Branch of the Avalon Mystery Tradition. The template for our spiritual study and practice derives from the ways of its earliest known peoples, the pre / proto-Celtic indigenous tribes of the Isles of the Mighty whom we call the Braithion (f. "speckled people" or "Dreamers"). Unlike many Avalonian groups, we do not limit our practices to one aspect or region only, but encourage our members to explore Avalon's Braithion spirituality in its fullness.
The Founding Elder (Morgaine) and first members of the Elder Council of Avalon Druid Order [ADO] resigned their memberships and positions on the SOA Council of Nine, and Avalon Thealogical Seminary [ATS], and their corresponding roles in other groups, to explore Avalon's earliest customs and practices; a focus which they believe better serves the needs of our modern spiritual community. The Order they have created stands upon clear precedents in Avalonian religious history and culture, restoring the more ancient tribal focus while remaining firmly within the Greater Tradition. Since first forming, ADO liturgy and curriculum have benefited from the influence of Avalonian spiritual lineages in both the Old and New Worlds. The wisdom gained from these sources have contributed substantially to our teaching and ritual methodology, allowing for the assimilation of genuinely ancient customs and practices into a framework of verified research to create a comprehensive program of Avalonian spiritual practice and training available nowhere else.
As an Order functioning within the wider Avalonian Tradition, ADO shares with all Avalonian circles certain basic tenets, but distinguishes itself from other groups in several critical, fundamental areas:
ADO is inclusive and kin-centered, with membership open to all of those in our spiritual community.
ADO is an egalitarian Order honoring the differences between women and men, while valuing them both equally. We believe that group consensus better represents the needs of our members and community, and that a Tribal Council is less likely to become corrupted by private interests or biases than is one individual, even where that individual retains advisors.
ADO offers comprehensive training and liturgy, drawing the threads of several of Avalon’s teaching lineages into the weaving of a new cloth for the present day.
Additional Requirements
In addition to the above, all members of Avalon Druid Order are required to comply with current rules, customs, and protocols governing use of cyber resources (as published at the ADO website and/or specific cyber resources), and with all traditional Tribal Laws as taught within the Order. Members are expected to know all requirements, and to be able to apply them "in the moment" under various situations and circumstances. Since it is impossible to take oath to something one does not understand, and an oath is required upon joining and for specific Rites of Passage within the Order, and since the majority of these requirements merely restate the same expectations in different ways and for different occasions, we deem this a reasonable expectation.
Be it therefore known to all Members of the Avalon Druid Order...
Members reported to have violated Member Requirements, in part or in full, may be summoned, with those making report, to a hearing of the Council of Elders (or its designated authority, the Voices of Justice) for Hearings and proceedings to restore a fair and equitable balance within the ADO spiritual community. Members found to have violated the requirements set out in our governing documents may face disciplinary action or revocation of membership, at the Council's sole discretion.
Avalon Druid Order [ADO] is a 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit charity operating for religious, educational, and scientific purposes. Documents filed with this application represent the blueprint through which ADO shall be governed and may "grow" its spiritual community, which is our primary goal. There are exciting times ahead for members ready and willing to make a deep commitment! All members contribute to creating the rich soil we need to grow. Giving to your spiritual home-of-choice is one way of actively supporting the kind of world each of us wants and believes in. There are many ways to participate in helping our Order achieve its goals, including volunteerism, bequests, cash donations, and other gifts. Those wishing to help realize these dreams may direct their inquiries to:
