President's Desk

      May 2008    Summer Semester 2009     Register Now    Apply for Admission

Just like other religious communities, Pagans experience births and deaths, pains and joys — the full range of human experience. But too often, when we need support or guidance from an experienced person of our own faith, we do not know where to turn. Every week we hear comments like these:

"Do you know of a Pagan minister to help my family with a funeral?"
"I feel I should be visiting Pagans in prison, but don’t have a clue how to go about it."
"I’ve been in recovery for ten years, and now I’m ready to give back as a counselor."
"Covens and circles where I live want to do more, but no one really knows how to lead."
"We have a chaplain at my Army base, but he’s not comfortable with doing a ritual."

Many of us have received outstanding training in our chosen tradition, but there are some special individuals who feel compelled to go above and beyond with their service to others. These are the people who come to Cherry Hill Seminary for a different kind of education.

I realize that requests for contributions makes many of us uncomfortable.

For this reason, Cherry HIll has spent the past two years working hard to build connections and relationships.  We have worked hard to strengthen our infrastructure, enhance our educational offerings, demonstrate strong accountability, and show that we are a worthwhile investment.

I give to Cherry Hill each year, as generously as I am able, and I can tell you that it makes me feel great.  I can see the direct results of my personal investment.

Although this year has been very hard for many, it has also taught us the importance of helping each other.  I also know that all of us enjoy being thought of as giving people.

So, I hope you will join me in this exciting venture.

Make your gift by Midsummer (or pledge what you plan to give by the end of 2009), to help us assure the best Pagan education available anywhere!

Kirk Thomas

Board Chair

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Real training, real education, by and for real Pagans.

  Cherry Hill Seminary is a resource for all of us, because our students are out there in all our communities, sharing what they have learned, offering their skills in service.

It's time for all of us to step forward with Real Support, by making a contribution to the 2009 Annual Appeal!

Give or pledge before Midsummer

The Future In View

Nearly every day of the week we receive a new student inquiry, and many want to know about the new programs on the horizon.  Our management team is racing to meet our own deadline of offering our first master's-level courses this fall.  When all is in place (student handbook, policies-procedures, updated web content, updated course catalog, faculty agreements and information, and many, many other details), everyone will receive a special announcement inviting qualified students to apply for one of the new Pagan master's programs.

We are also excited to be introducing other new educational-training options, such as PCELL (Pagan Community Education for Lifelong Learning) for those who do not need or want a graduate degree, and the new Foundations series of short courses on special topics.

Look for some new faces this fall and next spring, teaching  topics like advocacy, naturopathy, foundations of Jewish thought, contemporary global paganisms, initiations, ritual narrative, and more.  Of course, in the future we'll also be offering many of our old favorites, like Call of the Dark Mother: Working With Death & Dying, Compassion Fatigue, Boundaries & Ethics, Being Thea/ologically, Survey of NeoPagan Traditions, and more. --- Cynthia Jane Collins, M.Div., M.S., Academic Dean

One Instructor’s View:  Fueling the Classroom Fires

Lively discussion.  Point and counterpoint.  Expertise among the students.  Opinions and stories.  New perspectives and discoveries.  These are the sources of fuel that keep my Cherry Hill courses running.  Technically the power source may be the electricity that keeps computers running, but the reality is that without students who do the readings, take the assignments seriously, ponder their views, and post lengthy responses that explain their reasoning, I might as well pull the plug on my classes. 

In addition to teaching at CHS I also teach college undergraduates.  A common approach, and the one I subscribe to, is that as undergraduates we gather knowledge and skills while learning how to teach ourselves.  In graduate and professional school we take our personal foundation, built through study and experience, to a new level by learning to sift through, critique and apply knowledge and skills.  Each week we in class stir the pot with different topics, questions, discussion, and points of application. 

My approach to CHS classes has benefitted some and perhaps dismayed others.  Occasionally, I find a student who views classes at CHS much like a community reading group or a hobby-like endeavor.  For these students my classes are annoying.  I actually check to see if they’ve posted their assignments on time, and email them when they don’t.  I check the quality of their work and encourage them to explore further.  I send <<gasp>> grade reports and updates on their progress.  No, this is not a community discussion group.  This is professional clergy training that involves reading, writing, deadlines, reports, and presentations.  My hope is that by the time students are finished at CHS they can face the next phase in their lives thinking, “At CHS I’ve been prepared, challenged, criticized, praised, stretched, frustrated, thrilled, and fire-tested – I’m ready!” --- Marion Mason, Ph.D., Pastoral Counseling Department, www.solitary-pagan.net

What if Cherry Hill Seminary earned a penny every time you search the Internet?

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charity you designate!  Set your home page to www.goodsearch.com.  Type "Cherry Hill Seminary" in the box as your charity, then search away.  Every penny helps, and this one is just too easy.

Registration still open for Summer Intensive: Pagan Ministry

Care and feeding of Pagan clergy is our focus at this year's Summer Intensive.  Nestled in the beautiful Berkshires with our hosts Azure Green, we will spend three and a half days together on these topics:  A brief history of the role of clergy -  rights, responsibilities and ritual – for “us” and “them;  Ethics and Boundaries for clergy and for groups;  spiritual mentoring – receiving, giving, balancing and creating;  Back pocket tools – the saw, hammer, blueprint, duct tape and screwdriver needed to be effective clergy;  Practical applications and reflection.

Expect a combination of lecture, discussion and reflection.  Intensive participants will gather by 6:00 PM Thursday evening, and formal work will begin by 7:00 PM.  More information and to register.

Get the tee-shirt (mug, calendar, hoodie, etc.) at Cherry Hill's online Cafe Press shop!

Expect to receive weekly updates between now and Midsummer, our season of fundraising to serve Pagan ministry education.