Wiccan church

Wiccan churches are a type of organisation found within Wicca, particularly in North America. While Wicca is most often organised into independent covens, some covens choose to combine to form a church. Churches are often formed from hive covens. Each coven in the hive comes together to form a church, and often creates a fixed location for a covenstead. Much like a Christian church, a Wiccan church will organize rituals as well as community events. Forming a church also gives High Priests or Priestesses a much better chance of legally becoming clergy.

Legal status of Wiccan churches

Many Wiccan and Neopagan organizations have chosen to achieve formal legal status by becoming non-profit corporations within their states or provinces, and sometimes they additionally obtain tax-exempt status in the United States under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Examples of this are the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, based in the State of Washington with branches in several other states, and Our Lady of the Woods, a coven and congregation in New Mexico.

Frequently Wiccan churches are organized with a coven or inner circle, consisting of initiated priests and priestesses, and a congregation or outer circle, for those who wish to celebrate the Sabbats and enjoy spiritual community. These may or may not seek legal status as corporations.

Neopagan bibliography

*"Drawing Down the Moon" Margot Adler
*"The Spiral Dance" Starhawk
*"Shadowplay" Periodical
*"Widdershins" Periodical
*"Green Egg" Periodical

ee also

*Aquarian Tabernacle Church

External links

* [http://www.cog.org/ Covenant of the Goddess]
* [http://www.cuups.org/content2/index.php/ Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans]
* [http://www.wcc.on.ca/ Wiccan Church of Canada]
* [http://www.globalgoddess.org/ Global Goddess]
* [http://www.oldways.org/ The First Congregational Church of The Old Religion]
* [http://www.FirstChurchofWicca.org/ First Church of Wicca]
* [http://www.oloteas.org/ Our Lady of the Earth and Sky]
* [http://www.circlesanctuary.org/ Circle Sanctuary]
* [http://www.sacredwell.org/ Sacred Well Congregation]
* [http://www.spiritoftheearth.org/ Spirit of the Earth Church]
* [http://www.therowantreechurch.org/ Rowan Tree Church]