Announcement

Things that tell the world something, but don’t fit into another category. Probably important in some way.

ADF Elects a New Archdruid: Rev. Jan Avende To Focus On Empowerment and Connection

androgynous person in full ritual regalia looks calmly and confidently at the camera, against a green meadow background

Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF), has elected a new Archdruid by popular vote: Rev. Jan Avende (they/them). Also elected to serve on ADF’s governing body, the ADF Mother Grove, are Rovena Windsor (Chief of the Council of Senior Druids), Matthias Dolgner-Trampnau (Non-Officer Director), Tami Olsen (re-elected Non-Officer Director) and Mike Bierschenk (ADF Secretary, elected to a full term).

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Gender Diversity is Welcomed in ADF

For our US Druids, especially those who are gender diverse, I know the past few days have been a lot.  I want to assure you that ADF is a place where you are explicitly welcome.  You are valid.  You belong here. Your presence brightens our community and adds vibrance to our practice.  

Our system of practice and belief is centered around *ghosti.  Hospitality.  Building reciprocal relationships.  We welcome all those of good will into our spaces, and expect those we welcome to abide by the social contract of good will.  Our community will not tolerate hate speech or a debate regarding whether or not someone’s identity and existence is valid.  Our cis allies need to step up in this regard, and call out this behavior when you see it, so that appropriate action can be taken.  

Gender diverse members (trans, nonbinary, genderfluid, intersex, and beyond), please know that I am also processing this, but will make time to talk with you.  Please reach out if you need to.  Cis allies, if you need help processing this, I encourage you to reach out as well, though please be aware that I will refer you to another ally who can manage the emotional labor better than me at the moment. 

New Job, New Work-Life Balance

I’m delighted to announce that I’ve accepted a full-time position as a Resident Chaplain at OhioHealth’s Grant Hospital. I’ll be getting all four units of CPE (clinical pastoral education) as well as working rotations across all areas on a variable shift schedule. (I’m also still continuing my once a week work at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, though that schedule is shifting too)

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Upcoming Workshops (Apr-June ’24)

Since partnering more regularly with a local pagan shop, The Magical Druid (Rev. Dangler is one of the co-owners, and you can shop online), I’ve been teaching on the 4th Saturday of the month, and occasionally other one-off classes.  It’s been going great. Here’s my classes for April through June 2024, and I’ll release my notes and such for over on Patreon as I create them.  I’m bringing my February “Awakening Your Garden” class to Trillium in a few weeks. If these upcoming classes go well, I might bring one to later festivals this year. If you’re local, you should totally show up for the class though 🙂

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New Year Look-Ahead Readings

Hey y’all, I’m going to offer discounted readings for a year-long look ahead. 50% off (on top of whatever discount you may also get). Email me if you’d like to schedule a reading. (Rev.Jan.avende@gmail.com)

Options for divination method:

  • Greek Alphabet Oracle
  • Legend of Zelda tarot
  • Avatar: The Last Airbender Tarot

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:

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ADF Election Questions 2019

The ADF Elections are coming up, and while the bios that candidates provide are helpful, they are by necessity too short to truly convey the things the membership would like to know before casting their votes.  To that end I’ve compiled the many questions that folks have asked across social media.  I’ll be sending out the questions to the candidates, and providing their answers here, in a separate post, so that they are all in one place for folks to read.  If you’ve got any last minute questions you want to see added to this list, please send me and email at rev.jan.avende @ gmail.com

Additionally, sometimes it’s hard to know what all these leadership positions actually entail, so I’ve summarized the basics of them below.  To see the full list of descriptions for the Mother Grove officer positions, look here: https://www.adf.org/members/org/mg/index.html (you will need to be logged in as a member)

Here’s the list to see who has been nominated thus far: https://www.adf.org/members/org/elections/2019/nominations.html

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ADF Election 2018 Questions

Rev. Jan Avende’s Responses – VAD Candidate

Hi y’all.  I’m running for Vice Arch Druid in the 2018 ADF Election this year.  Many folks have asked questions of the candidates, and I’ve answered all the ones I’ve seen below.  I also welcome more questions, and will update this post as necessary to address them.  Email me at rev.jan.avende at gmail.com, so your questions don’t get lost.

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