At the beginning of December I spent the weekend in Toledo, OH for the Annual Mother Grove Retreat. Once a year we come together for some intensive work that is better suited to in-person meetings, like vision brainstorming, issues with complex moving pieces, and (perhaps most important) team-building. One of our NODs, Jeffrey Keefer, reminded us that “Team building is so vital an activity that is often overlooked. Without it, team functioning can be impacted, ultimately leading to missed opportunities.”
Continue reading “The Importance of Team Building”ADF Leadership
Contains topics relating to ADF Leadership, Preceptor Updates, and ADF Elections
Annual Clergy Report for 2023
I’ve gotten away from posting these on a monthly basis, but we’re still required by ADF to compile our report for the year, and I shockingly find it fulfilling.
I tend to suffer from imposter syndrome, and one of the best ways I’ve found for me to fight that is to list out all the things I’ve done and reflect on them. So, this report, in the way that I fill it out, helps me combat the feeling that I don’t know what I’m doing. So, without further ado, here’s how I fulfilled my oath last year:
Continue reading “Annual Clergy Report for 2023”The Value in Recognizing the Work of Others
The beginning of the year is a time in ADF when a lot of the administrative tasks happen. While we have quarterly reports that are filed on a more frequent basis, by February we’re also ramping up to the compiling of the ADF Annual Report, Priests are filing their annual reports, and organizational elections are in full swing.
One of the really cool things I’ve been able to do this year as Vice Arch Druid is read a whole bunch of the reports that people have sent in. Everything from SIG, Guild, and Kin reports, to Grove and Regional Druid reports, to Priest reports. Now, I know what you might be thinking: “Reading administrative paperwork? Ew!” But honestly it has been really fulfilling and has helped me feel more deeply connected to the membership as a whole, as well as to my peers in leadership.
Continue reading “The Value in Recognizing the Work of Others”2022 In Review – Clergy Council Priestwork Report
Clergy Council Member Annual Report Form
Priest Name: Rev. Jan Avende
Time covered: January 1 2022 – January 1 2023
This report is designed to illustrate how each individual priest has chosen to fulfill their oath to love the land, honor the deities, serve the folk, and continue in their studies as best suits their individual vocations.
Continue reading “2022 In Review – Clergy Council Priestwork Report”VAD Quarterly Report (Aug 2022)
If you are not the officer who reported last quarter, give details of when and why the change occurred: ADF elections occurred for the VAD position this year, and I took office on May 1.
Activities performed in the previous quarter:
Continue reading “VAD Quarterly Report (Aug 2022)”Elected as ADF’s Vice Arch Druid
The election for ADF just ended, and I’ve been elected to serve as Vice Arch Druid for the upcoming term. I’m excited and humbled that folks have trusted me to do this job, and looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish over the next two years.
Continue reading “Elected as ADF’s Vice Arch Druid”Vice-ArchDruid Responses for 2022 Election
The members have questions they ask candidates before the ADF Elections. My answers are below. Fair warning, they’re long, but I think worth the read if you want a peak into my thoughts and vision of ADF going forward. If you’d prefer to read these questions with a Table of Contents, you can do so here.
Continue reading “Vice-ArchDruid Responses for 2022 Election”Vice-Arch Druid Bio Statement
I’ve accepted the nomination for Vice-Arch Druid of ADF for the 2022 election. The VAD is one of the two Mother Grove positions reserved for clergy, but beyond that doesn’t have a lot of specific responsibilities. This opens it up for the VAD to help define their role according to their specific talents.
According to the ADF Bylaws: “The Vice Archdruid (VAD) is the Vice President of the Board of Directors (the Mother Grove). The VAD exercises the functions of the AD in his/her absence. The VAD would replace the AD in the event of his/her recall, death, retirement, or permanent incapacitation. The VAD may perform all those duties that would otherwise be performed by a non-profit corporation Vice President. The VAD must also be an ordained member of ADF Clergy in good standing.”
I’ll be answering candidate questions at the upcoming virtual meetings (March 13, 2022 @12pm Eastern, others are TBD), as well as posting them here on my blog once I’ve composed them. If you have additional questions for me (or others) I’d encourage you to submit them to the ADF election officers (adf-election-officer@adf.org) so all can answer them, or send them to me directly. In the meantime, here is my biographical statement that will be going on the ballot:
Continue reading “Vice-Arch Druid Bio Statement”2021 In Review – Clergy Council Priestwork Report
ADF’s Clergy Council developed a new form for us to fill out each year to report on our activities. This report (well, the activities) is required for us to maintain our clergy credentials. It is divided into sections based on the oath we take as clergy:
Continue reading “2021 In Review – Clergy Council Priestwork Report”Good Fire Award 2020
So, I’m proud to say that the book I wrote with Rev. Lisa Wasilkowsky Malik, Rev. Sara Blackwelder, and Rev. Kirk Thomas won the Good Fire Award in ADF this year. I have no idea if we’re getting physical plaques or anything this year, but it would be nice. I like being able to display them.
Continue reading “Good Fire Award 2020”