ADF Study Program

The work of the ADF Study Programs I’m working on.

Annual Clergy Report for 2025

This report is designed to be a reflective process for each priest.  This is an opportunity to reflect on the year.  Each priest’s work is as unique and individual as they are, and as such we expect the responses to this report to be just as varied.  

Covering January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025

Categories of the Report include: A celebration of and reflection on our accomplishments; detailing and reflecting on how we’ve kept our Clergy Oath this past year; detailing and reflecting on continuing educational opportunities we’ve done this past year; a reflection on our cClergy Order Work; and a general reflection on how we met goals from last year and what we plan to do in the coming year.

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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. 

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Teaching Ritual Performance

Teaching Ritual Performance was designed to assist students to instruct others in ritual performance. In this course students are required to journal their work directing several rituals. Students do not necessarily need to write the rituals, nor do they need to write all the parts for the rituals. In fact, students may find it more challenging to allow others to write the ritual and then simply teach others how to work with the text they are given or come up with on their own.

The primary goal of this course is for students to enhance their skills for directing group ritual performance.

Course Objectives

  1. Students will increase their knowledge and skill in celebrant selection for assigned ritual roles and develop an awareness of how their selection impacts ritual performance.
  2. Students will enhance their skills for effectively directing ritual performances.
  3. Students will develop the skills necessary to effectively instruct the celebrants in working with ritual text, as well as specific elements of ritual performance, including movement, voice, and the internalization of text.
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Theater for Ritual 2

Building on the theories in Theatre for Ritual 1, this course delves deeper into the practicum of how we work in public ritual.

The primary goal of this course is for students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively utilize physical techniques, such as voice, internalization of text, props, etc., to enhance ritual.

Course Objectives

  1. Students will increase their awareness of the importance of internalization of text and effectively apply this technique in ritual.
  2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the importance of voice in ritual to include developing an understanding of projection and diction.
  3. Students will demonstrate increased knowledge of physical techniques, such as internalization of text, the use of space, props, theatricality and movement in ritual.
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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:

“I pledge to love the land, serve the folk, and honor the gods.  To this do I dedicate my hands, my heart, and my head.”

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Pagan Theology 1

Pagan Theology 1 is a survey of concepts and issues in theology, including both western philosophical concepts and key themes in existing world polytheisms. This course begins by teaching the student about the common terms used in the theological work of most religions, and moves on to ask students to think about how the concepts represented by those terms can be applied to Our Druidry.

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Leadership Development 2

Leadership Development 2

Leadership Development 2 is designed to build upon the knowledge attained in Leadership Development 1. This course will assist students in examining theoretical knowledge and provide opportunities for application of this knowledge. The primary goal for this course is for students to increase their knowledge and skills for effective group leadership and public relations.

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