#cuups

To the South, I hail the Norse Trickster, Loki, and the fire they carry within their being.

Hail Loki, the fire of creativity: the flame that dances along with the tune of the changing breeze and the crackling beat of its wooden fuel. The flame whose dance inspires others to begin their own movement and find their own groove. May this fire move our spirit to play without shame or fear of expressing our truest selves. 

Hail Loki, the fire of illumination: The flame that exposes what lies within the darkness of shadow. The flame whose light lingers upon the things that make us uncomfortable. May this fire empower us to shine such light not just out in the world, but here in this place so that we may help each other be our most luminous. 

Hail Loki, the fire of transformation: The flame that burns away the dead brush so that new life can grow from its ashes, the flames that soften metal so that it may find a new shape. May this fire challenge us during our time together here today, helping us in our continued growth as individuals and as a community. 

Hail Loki, the fire of the hearth: As Mother of Sleipnir, father of the Fenris Wolf, the Midgard Serpent Jormungandr, the goddess of death Hel, and the twins Narvi and Vali; Consort of the Giantess Angrboda, husband of the goddess Sigyn, and blood brother of Odin the Allfather, you are no stranger to the bonds of family. May this fire strengthen the bonds of this found family, of this community of diverse people here in this space and beyond, for today and all days.

Hail to the Shapeshifter, the Trickster, the Mother of Monsters and Drag, the God of Outcasts, the Bringer of Laughter, the Evergrowing and Everglowing Flame! Bless us with these fiery energies here today! My beloved Loki, we bid you hail and welcome!

As a bonus, here was fiery ritual attire, Loki-approved lol

I'm thinking of doing another one based on a Pagan concept but I'm having a hard time thinking of a theme/what the service would be about. Any ideas?

They're about 35 minutes from me. I tried to contact the chapter that's closer to me, but the email listed on the CUUPs website is an old aol account that returned the email. The further chapter is gonna be at Pagan Pride, so I'll ask them about it next week, too. Does anyone have a lot of experience with their local CUUPs? I know @bogganbeliefs does. Anyone else?

This is so very true: if you are looking for something that’s a perfectly acceptable half-step that remains within the general confines of Christianity (so, less “weird” for a Catholic family to accept), but is full of very cool, very accepting people, often running CUUPs groups (Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans).

I’ll be honest, I’ve never met a UU person I didn’t like, much less a CUUPs group. In addition, our Grove uses the local UU’s for ritual space several times per year.

Of course, if one’s Catholic family has a thing against Protestantism in general (some do), it might be better to go all-in on the Pagan thing, too.