We will be having our annual adult-only Samhain ritual on November 2, 2024 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Winchendon.

Doors will open at 6, and we should conclude by 9.

Ancient Egyptian Ancestor Ritual

The origins of ancestor worship lie in the ambivalence of the living towards the dead.  Beyond the affection one held for the more recently deceased, one’s forebears could intercede on one’s behalf in this world and the next.  On the other hand, the dead could become malevolent if not placated.  Funeral and offering rites were performed, in part, to maintain good relations with the deceased generations.

The ceremony

The Rite of the Celebration of the Ka we will be performing dates to the early dynasties of ancient Egypt.  Participants will align and strengthen their ties to their ancestors and share in the oldest recorded funereal offering rites.  While unmistakably ancient Egyptian, this ritual has parallels with ancestor rites of other cultures and is useful in developing one’s own practices. A copy of the ritual can be found here.

To pre-register, please complete the form below. You can also pay in advance here or pay at the door.

Shawn is hard at work to bring us an Egyptian – themed ritual and games. For a preview, here is the draft of the ritual.

The schedule should look something like this:

• Open the site at noon.
• The Ritual and games will begin at 1pm.

Please be advised: parking costs are $8 for MA residents/$30 for out of state residents. If you have a state park parking pass, you are all set. These fees will be collected upon entering the parking lot. If you have a handicapped license plate or placard, disabled veteran or Purple Heart Recipient plate, that fee should be waived. Also, please check with your local library as many are part of a program where MA residents can borrow a special DCR Library Pass (please display on dashboard): https://www.mass.gov/service-details/find-where-you-can-borrow-a-parkspass.

Carpooling IS recommended, if you are able, just to be able to cut down parking costs for everyone.

If you would like to renew or start a membership, we can help you with that.

We hope to see you there!

Where:  Grafton Barn (Community Harvest Project), 37 Wheeler Rd, Grafton, MA

Who:  All ages welcome

Ritual: “Need Fire” Practiced until at least the mid-nineteenth century, from the Scottish Highlands to Russia, the Need Fire was considered a panacea in times of trouble and, more specifically, a remedy for disease in humans and livestock.  While details vary greatly, the basic rite consisted of the extinguishing of all fires, the igniting of a new fire by friction, the building of one of two bonfires fed by specific woods, and the passing of participants/animals through the fires’ smoke.

 The Society of Elder Faiths invites you to join us as we build a Need Fire to purify ourselves for the coming seasons. 

Bring:  Your own picnic lunch and beverages (no alcohol)

Each participant will add wood to the fire and are encouraged to bring their own.  (Please note:  The piece of wood should be non-toxic, dry, no thicker than one inch, and no longer than one foot.  Contact us if you have questions.  We will be bringing extra wood.)

Pre-register now!

Join us for a La Befana ritual at the Barn in Grafton, MA beginning at 1PM. This enchanting event is suitable for people of all ages. Families especially are encouraged to attend.

To register for this event, please fill out this form below. You will be asked to complete a waiver when you arrive.

If you’d like to pay in advance, you can do so here.

A Samhain Ritual, of particular interest to gardeners, will be performed on Saturday, October 21st, 6:00 PM, at the First Universalist Society in Franklin, MA. Based on the ancient Egyptian festival Ka Her Ka (Coptic Khoiak), participants will construct and consecrate ‘corn mummies’ to be buried in their gardens in anticipation of the return of the Osiris, in the spring. Performed at the cult centers of this God throughout Egypt, this ceremony was a very physical celebration and promise of the immortality of the soul and the renewed life of the land.  

A draft of the ritual has been made available here if you would like to get an idea of what will be happening.

To register for this event, please fill out this form below. You will be asked to complete a waiver when you arrive.

If you’d like to pay in advance, you can do so here.

Join us for an afternoon of apple picking and fun at Tougas Farm in Northborough, MA on Sunday 17 September at 1 pm.

Let us know if you’re going to make it by emailing us or messaging us on Facebook. We’ll have a small sign that says SEF so you can find us once there.

This is a social event! Get some cider and donuts and then we can head out into the orchard. See the Tougas Farm website for details on Apple picking.

We hope to see you there! It’s fun for the whole family.

Please be advised: parking costs are $8 for MA residents/$30 for out of state residents. If you have a state park parking pass, you are all set. These fees will be collected upon entering the parking lot. If you have a handicapped license plate or placard, disabled veteran or Purple Heart Recipient plate, that fee should be waived. Also, please check with your local library as many are part of a program where MA residents can borrow a special DCR Library Pass (please display on dashboard): https://www.mass.gov/service-details/find-where-you-can-borrow-a-parkspass.

We will be accepting nonperishable food donations for Veterans Inc. in Worcester at check-in. Please note: this is not required for admission.

Our Lammas ritual will celebrate Harvest Home, and to go along with it, our Bakeoff theme this year will honor Johnny Barleycorn. We will have a contest for the Bakeoff – $1 to become a judge.

We are

We are also thrilled to be hosting these exciting metaphysical vendors.

• Divine Design
• Wild Owl Metaphysical Services
• The Dragon’s Keep
• Inkwood Healing
• Miriam’s Wellspring
• The Queen’s Grove

The schedule will run as follows:

• Open the site at noon.
• The Games (for all ages) will begin at 1pm.
• Ritual will begin around 3:30pm.

Carpooling IS recommended, if you are able, just to be able to cut down parking costs for everyone.

If you would like to renew or start a membership, we can help you with that.

We hope to see you there!

Time:  Gather at 1 pm, ritual pre-talk and ritual begin at 1:30pm

Where:  Grafton Barn (Community Harvest Project), 37 Wheeler Rd, Grafton, MA

Who:  All ages welcome

Ritual: “Need Fire” Practiced until at least the mid-nineteenth century, from the Scottish Highlands to Russia, the Need Fire was considered a panacea in times of trouble and, more specifically, a remedy for disease in humans and livestock.  While details vary greatly, the basic rite consisted of the extinguishing of all fires, the igniting of a new fire by friction, the building of one of two bonfires fed by specific woods, and the passing of participants/animals through the fires’ smoke.

 The Society of Elder Faiths invites you to join us as we build a Need Fire to purify ourselves for the coming seasons. 

Cost:  Free

Bring:  Your own picnic lunch and beverages (no alcohol)

              Each participant will add wood to the fire and are encouraged to bring their own.  (Please note:  The piece of wood should be non-toxic, dry, no thicker than one inch, and no longer than one foot.  Contact us if you have questions.  We will be bringing extra wood.)

Persephone and Demeter are caught between the transition of adult and child, and winter to spring.  Come hear the story and find comfort in change.  There will be an opportunity to honor the Beloved Dead.

Cakes and Wine will be served but no meal.

This is an outdoor event.

Where:  First Universalist Church of Franklin, 262 Chestnut St., Franklin, MA 02038.

When:  October 22, 2022

Time:  Gather between 6-6:30 pm.

            Pre-ritual talk between 6:30 and 6:45pm

             Ritual to begin at 7pm.

Bring:A flashlight and dress for the weather.

Cost: Members: $5, Non-Members: $10