It is our pleasure to announce that Scott K. Smith has been confirmed as the new Aries Lead Minister for the Temple of Witchcraft. Scott has been a very active Temple teacher and leader in the Los Angeles area, as well as incredibly involved in online and distant communities. Through his teaching and art, he is outspoken and faces the challenges of our modern world with compassion and boldness. We look forward to his plans for the ministry and his work of protection and guidance in the community. For more information on Scott and his work, see his profile.

The Temple board of directors, council, and community give deep thanks to High Priest Michael Cantone, Aries Lead Minister since the founding of the Temple and someone who has served on the Board of Directors himself. Michael has been a stellar example of community leadership and cooperation and the Temple would not be where it is without his great work.

The Temple board of directors is pleased to announce that High Priest JT Mouradian has accepted the role of lead minister of Capricorn Ministry. JT previously served as lead minister of Aquarius Ministry and will be taking over leadership of the Father ministry at Yule. Previously a deputy in Capricorn Ministry, JT has taught classes in the Male Mysteries and is well-suited to the work of leading the ministry moving forward. Please welcome him to his new role in the Temple.

As 2022 comes to an end, we want to take a moment to thank you, our community, for your kindness and support of the Temple of Witchcraft. Your donations have helped the Temple to continue to fulfill its mission to strengthen the connections between spirit and matter through inner transformation, education, community, and public service.

Even as we reflect on the year that will soon be behind us, we can’t help but focus on the future as well. Please consider donating to the Temple during the month of December to help us end 2022 strong. Even in the face of rising costs and inflation we hope to enter 2023 ready to provide education, community experience, and public service while continuing to work toward building our community center.

Please know that no donation is too large or too small and that every amount is greatly appreciated. You become an integral part of this work through volunteering and donating and we are immensely grateful for each and every one of our volunteers, donors, and supporters.

You can donate now right from our web page!

Thank you for your support of the Temple of Witchcraft!

The Temple is pleased to announce open registration for Encountering the Witch Soul Through the Witches’ Pyramid. This five-part series offered through the Sagittarius Ministry over Zoom will involve exploring the Witches’ Pyramid and how it relates to accessing the Witch Soul. Each class will include a ritual lead by Debbie Stellhorn, a meditation lead by Dawn Costorf, and healing/energy work guidance by Oceana LeBlanc, all High Priestesses in the Temple of Witchcraft.

See the class page for details and links to registration.

The Temple of Witchcraft board of directors is pleased to announce it has appointed High Priestess Deborah Stellhorn as lead minister of the Libra Ministry. Debbie is also Temple Fundraising Coordinator and a board member, teaching classes within the Temple’s Sagittarius Ministry. With her qualifications in higher education and psychology, we look forward to having Debbie’s expertise guiding the Libra Ministry.

The Libra Ministry is responsible for conflict mediation and arbitration between individual members, or between ministries within the Temple. The ministry will be posting an application for new mediators soon. In the meantime, if you would like more information about becoming a mediator, please contact [email protected].

Applications are open for a new Queer Spirit working group, which will be creating online rituals together for the Sabbats from Yule 2022 through Samhain 2023. We will be using Steve Kenson’s work on the Queer Mysteries through the Wheel of the Year as our jumping off point. Each member of the group will be responsible for leading one of the rituals, recruiting other members to take various roles as needed. We will gather on Zoom for each ritual, followed by some time for checking-in, sharing experiences, etc.

All the meetings will be on Sundays from 7:00 – 8:30 pm Eastern. The dates are:

• December 4, 2022 – Meeting and getting organized
• December 18, 2022 – Yule
• January 29, 2023 – Imbolc
• March 19, 2023 – Ostara
• April 30, 2023 – Beltane
• June 18, 2023 – Midsummer
• July 30, 2023 – Lammas
• September 17, 2023 – Mabon
• October 29, 2023 – Samhain

We are asking participants to commit to attend all of the working group meetings (barring serious illness or emergency or the like). This group is for people who identify as Queer using an expansive definition: gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, non-binary, intersex, asexual/aromantic, polyamorous, and potentially other queer identities we haven’t listed here.

Apply to be part of this program by filling out this online application form no later than November 30, 2022. If you have questions about the Queer Spirit group, please email [email protected].

In the interest of keeping our community as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Temple of Witchcraft board of directors has instituted the following guidelines for in-person Temple events:

Vaccination

The Temple strongly encourages everyone to maintain up-to-date vaccinations, and to be fully vaccinated, as much as medically possible. Proof of vaccination or vaccination status are not required to attend public, in-person Temple events.

Masking

Masking is not required at Temple events, but is welcome. Individuals should feel free to mask as suits their needs and comfort. Please respect those who choose to wear masks and always ask for and wait to receive permission before entering someone’s personal space or interacting closely with them, regardless of whether or not they are masking.

Personal Responsibility

If you feel at all unwell or exhibit any symptoms, please do not attend public events! (Even if you think it’s “just allergies.”) Likewise, if you know you have been exposed to Covid-19 within the past two weeks, please do not attend public events. Please test as-needed to know your status.

Temple staff reserves the right to deny entry to anyone exhibiting symptoms of illness or to ask them to leave an event at our discretion for the safety of all concerned. Please respect these decisions made by Temple staff and, better yet, don’t put us in the position to have to make them.

Attendance Limits

To facilitate distancing, the Temple currently requires in-person venues to be limited to 70-75% of their normal capacity. For the Upper Village Hall in Derry, this is currently 70. For the Temple teaching space at Grandview, this is 15. These numbers include any staff, facilitators, or the like—the total number of people in the space. Please account for this in event registration. Attendees, please respect everyone’s distancing and personal space.

Distance Events

The above guidelines apply to all Temple of Witchcraft events held in New Hampshire, either at the Temple’s Grandview property or at rental properties such as the Upper Village Hall. Be aware that the Temple may choose to change this policy as-needed based on community safety and well-being. Please check this page prior to attending events.

The Temple Board recognizes that conditions and needs may vary locally, and so encourages facilitators of Temple events outside of the greater New Hampshire area to follow these guidelines, but facilitators may use their own discretion and best judgment when it comes to modifying them to best suit the safety and needs of their community.

Witchcraft I: The Inner Temple with High Priestess and Temple teacher Matooka Moonbear will be starting on November 4, 2022, in Alfred, Maine, near Kennebunk. This is presently the only in-person Witchcraft I class in the greater New England area with open registration, so don’t miss out if you are looking for in-person instruction and to get started with the Temple Mystery School. Follow the link above to the Witchcraft I class page for more information, or you can go directly to the online application for the class, or email [email protected] with questions about the class or the application process.

The Temple of Witchcraft is excited to announce our newest board members. Deborah Stellhorn and Dan Lupacchino will join the Board  of Directors for the 2022-2024 session as two of the three voting advisors to the board, serving alongside current board members Elsa Elliott (Voting Advisor), Steve Kenson (Secretary), Jocelyn Van Bokkelen (Treasurer), Christopher Penczak (Vice-President), and Adam Sartwell (President).

Debbie is an ordained high priestess in the Temple, fundraising coordinator, former Templefest housing coordinator, deputy in the Sagittarius Ministry of education, and an active teacher in the community, co-teaching The Work of the Mighty Dead and Psychology & Magick extended courses. Debbie brings twenty-three years of professional experience in working full time in the religious non-profit world, from fundraising to direct services. Her perspective is a valuable contribution to our next phase of growth as an organization.

Dan is an ordained high priest and official teacher in the Mystery School of the Temple, senior Teaching Assistant in the online school, sabbat ritual celebrant in our Connecticut community, and instrumental in our 2022 scholarship fundraising, as well as being a full time healing professional. Dan’s calm, kind energy as part of the next generation of leaders is deeply welcomed to the board.