The 2006 annual meeting of the EarthTides Pagan Network was held on Sunday, Feb. 19th in Sidney, Maine. The meeting was called to order promptly at 2 pm and we reviewed activities from the past year.

It was noted that EarthTides has done the following in the past year:

• Beltane @ Popham Beach;
• Booth at Common Ground Fair;
• Open Circles/Meetings in: Bar Mills, Freedom, Gardiner, Hollis, Houlton, Jay, Lisbon Falls, Phippsburg, Portland, Readfield, Saco, Sidney, Waterville, Wells and West Gardiner;
• Coordinated with Maine Pagan Clergy Association; and
• Been well represented at Interfaith Maine.

At the same time, we have noticed that the total number of members has been declining. This was a concern that we elected to focus on for the year.

Before progressing further on the agenda, we digressed to a couple of other topics. First, the 24th Annual Beltane at the Beach will be held at Popham Beach State Park on April 30th. Due to a very early low tide, we will do the poles around 10—11 am, to be followed by the pot-luck lunch. If anyone has a pole they could bring, it would be appreciated since we don’t have enough room around two poles for the number of participants. We will also likely have a separate pole for the “Spiral Scouts” to decorate. This will be arranged by Nikki.

Our Treasurer then reported that the EarthTides Pagan Network has $1,428.27 in savings, $703.84 in checking and $1,027.79 currently in CD’s. The Treasurer suggested and was directed to transfer the remainder of the savings into CD’s as well. In addition, due to financial considerations, the checking account will be moved from T.D.. Banknorth to the Winthrop Credit Union.

The Common Ground Fair Committee reported that the fair continues to be a very successful activity in which we continue to introduce people to Paganism in a positive light, see people we otherwise don’t see throughout the year, and raise money that helps us with our yearly expenses.

We brainstormed a bunch of ideas for things which we thought might make the fair even more successful, and might help us to better serve the Maine Pagan community. These include:

• Obtain two adjacent spaces at the fair, one for our “education & sales” area, and another to use for a “Sharing Wisdom Circle” space;
• Put up a large map of Maine and let Maine Pagans put pins or stickers on it to roughly show what part of Maine they are from;
• Pass our cards to survey the public to ask what the network can do for them;
• Offer a special “Fair Issue” of the newsletter to those who come to our booth;
• Invite those who come to the booth to become members of the EarthTides Pagan Network;
• Arrange to have members make presentations in different topic tents (Whole Life, Folk Arts, etc.) to share ways in which Pagans can help others;
• Do more presentations on specific topics at the fair;
• Joie offered to do a presentation on Urban Paganism;
• Ask other members if anyone would like to speak on other topics such as Tarot, Ritual Format, Past Lives, etc.
• Do a “craft” as a demonstration on Sunday;
• Be more visible, and valuable to younger Pagans; ask how the network can help meet their needs;
• Include an article in the “Fair Issue” that asks readers what they want in the newsletter.

In discussion about the newsletter, some additional ideas were shared including:

• Take names and addresses/invite attendees at Beltane to become members of the network;
• Post an offer on WitchVox and/or other national Pagan Websites to give a copy of the EarthTides Pagan Network News to the first 50 people who emailed with their name and address, and requested a copy of the newsletter;
• Joie will begin writing a series of articles on “Urban Paganism”;
• Susan offered to write a series of articles on craft ideas related to holidays/sabbats;
• Talisin offered to write a series of articles about “Sacred Places”;
• Arrange to sell the newsletter at different stores across Maine, splitting the proceeds and using the honor system for shop owners to send our share to us. Nikki will call Enchantments in Bar Harbor, Joie will take to Magic Closet and Leaping Lizards in Portland. Fred will talk with the Healing Arts Center in Houlton;
• Fred will update the Website to include more recent issues of the newsletter and include a calendar page on the Website as well.

Another topic for the newsletter is to consider long range plans for “issue themes”, not just about the Sabbats.

Harper will write out the guidelines to be used for distribution of newsletters at stores. Each newsletter will be sold for $2.00 with half going to the store. He will also contact our newsletter mailperson for her input on the subject of sending newsletters to “first 50 responders”.

We also established due dates for the next year’s newsletters. For “Calendar” events, the due date would be four weeks prior to the newsletter. In an effort to be more of a statewide hub of information, Harper will also check with PJane regarding calendar events sponsored by other groups as well.

Other articles, poems, etc should be to the editor six weeks prior to the Sabbats, with the following dates: Beltane, March 24th; Litha, May 5th; Lughnasad, June 23rd; Mabon/Fair Issue, August 4th; Samhain, Sept. 29th; Yule, November 3rd; Imbolc 07, December 29th, and Ostara 07, February 9th.

Our Interfaith Coordinator was not present, but it was determined that she is doing a great job.

We then discussed the effectiveness and relevance of the network in Maine, and the future of the network. Given the current political situation in the nation, it was felt that the need for public education and a supportive network may be more important now than ever.

With the growth of other Pagan groups around Maine, it was suggested that the EarthTides Pagan Network should, perhaps, become more of a “hub” that networks information and ideas with other groups, not just for individuals.

We discussed the possibility of educating the public about Paganism through handouts, workshops and Press Packets. We especially would want to present to college-age Pagans and police. A Press Packet would want to be sent to media and libraries.

Next we discussed the possibility of having retreats again. Marigold offered to host a retreat at her isolated property near Unity. The network would be able to cover the cost of porta-potties. We could also check into using the “Quaker Friends Camp” during the off-season. Harper, Arwen, Joie, and Talisin will research other locations for a retreat.

With the growth of the “Spiral Scouts” in Maine, it was determined that the scout leaders should check with the scouts’ parents regarding their feelings about the possibility of skyclad participants at retreats.

The next annual meeting was decided to be held on a date between Yule, 2006 and Ostara, 2007 at a yet to be determined location.

The meeting adjourned at 5 pm.

Submitted by Susan Leavitt, Recording Secretary