Mysteries of the Moon
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Circle Bylaws
Bylaws of Mysteries of the Moon Circle
The following bylaws are established for the purpose of providing a secure foundation for the daily running of and perpetuation of Mysteries of the Moon of the Oak, Ash, And Thorn Tradition of the Wiccan Religion.
Section 1 - Establishment and Purpose
A. Mysteries of the Moon ("MM" or "the Circle") is hereby established as a member of the Oak,Ash, and Thorn Tradition (also referred to herein as "OATh" or "the Tradition") of the Wiccan religion, dedicated to the worship of the Lady and Lord as They exemplify the balance of the universe, meeting to worship at time appointed by the turning of the seasons and the phases of the moon, and guided by the Circle's Initiates Council in accordance with these bylaws, the bylaws of OATh and the advise of the Tradition's Heartwood Council, and the traditions of the Wiccan Community.
B. Mysteries of the Moon has been established for the following purposes:
1) To facilitate the practice of the Wiccan religion in the form and manner considered most suitable by the members of the Circle.
2) To provide a safe and supportive environment for free religious expression by Wiccans and other Neo-pagans.
3) To identify, develop, and train caring and competent clergy and ritual leaders to serve the Wiccan community by means of the OATh Tradition's three-degree initiatory system.
Section Two - Organization and structure of the Circle
In accordance with the Bylaws of the Tradition, Mysteries of the Moon shall be structured and organized as follows: The Circle shall consist of the High Priestess (HPS) and High Priest (HP), the Circle's Initiate's council, and the general membership of the Circle. The offices of HP and HPS, and the Initiate's Council are discussed below. Membership in the circle is addressed in section Three.
Article One--The High Priestess and High Priest
A) Ideally, both the HPS and HP of Mysteries of the Moon shall be Third Degree initiates of the OATh Tradition. However, at a minimum, either HPS or HP must be a Third Degree initiate of thee Tradition.
1) The High Priest/ess shall be responsible for overseeing rituals and meeting the needs of the Circle and its individual members as he or she sees fit.
2) The HPS/HP shall be responsible for establishing policies for Mysteries of the Moon, and for making these known to the Founder or the High Priest/ess of the Tradition. These policies may be particular to the Circle, and may be either oral or written policies at the discretion of the HPS/HP of the Circle. Circle policies shall neither circumvent nor counteract the Bylaws of OATh. Where a conflict is found to exist between the Bylaws of the Tradition and the Bylaws of the Circle, the Bylaws of the Tradition shall take precedence.
3) The HPS/HP shall be assisted in his or her duties by her or his HP/HPS. In the event that the office of HP or HPS is rendered vacant by the death, incapacitation, or retirement of the incumbent, the remaining incumbent shall select, with the advise and consent of the Founder or the HPS of the Tradition and the Heartwood Council, another Third Degree initiate of the Tradition who celebrates with Mysteries of the Moon on a regular basis to assume the office of HP or HPS.
4) If another Third Degree initiate of the Tradition is not available to serve in this office, the HPS/HP of the Circle shall choose, with the advice and consent of the Heartwood and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition, another initiate of the Tradition who celebrates on a regular basis with Mysteries of the Moon to perform these duties until such time as a Third Degree initiate of the appropriate gender is available to assume office.
5) In the unlikely event that the offices of HPS and HP shall by some mischance both become vacant at the same time, the Initiate's Council of "MM" shall convene, and shall elect, (with the advice and consent of the Heartwood Council and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition,) from among Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrates with "MM" on a regular basis, some individual to assume the office of HPS or HP. If this should happen that there are at that time no other Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrate with "MM" on a regular basis, then the Initiate's Council shall petition the Heartwood Council for assistance in resolving the matter.
B) The Founding HPS and HP of the Circle
1) The High Priestess and High Priest of Mysteries of the Moon at the time the Circle is formally recognized as a separate coven within the OATh Tradition shall be considered to be the founding HPS/HP of the Coven.
2) The Founders shall have the authority to dissolve the coven at any time, with consent of the Heartwood Council and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition. In event of the dissolution of the Coven, these bylaws shall become null and void, and no member of the Coven, with the exception of the Founders, shall use the name "Mysteries of the Moon" in connection with any other wiccan or neo-pagan organization.
3) The Founders shall have the authority to perpetuate the Coven in the event of their death, incapacition, or retirement from the performance of their duties by designating successors from among the Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrate with "MM" on a regular basis.
Article 2--The Initiate's Council
Mysteries of he Moon shall have a Council consisting of all the initiates of the Tradition and those initiates in other Traditions whose initiations have been accepted by the Circle Initiate's Council, or by the Heartwood Council, as being equivalent to an OATh initiation (as provided for in the Bylaws of the Tradition,) who attend the rituals of the Circle at least once per quarter. This Initiates Council shall advise the HPS/HP of the Circle concerning matters of Circle policy.
A) The HPS or HP may appoint subordinate officers from among the Initiate's Council to meet specific needs as she or he deems fit.
B) The HPS/HP shall convene meetings of the Initiate's Council on a regular basis, but no less often than quarterly, and shall report on said meetings to the Founder or HPS of the Tradition.
c) As a matter of courtesy, members of the "MM" who are initiates in Traditions other than OATh, and whose initiations have not been accepted as equivalent to an OATh initiation, may be permitted, at the sole discretion of "MM"'s HPS/HP, to attend meetings of the Circle's Initiate's Council in a non-voting status.
Article 3---Circles
In accordance with the Bylaws of the Tradition, members of Mysteries of the Moon may form Circles.
A) A circle may consist of any member of "MM" who meet together on a regular basis for a specific purpose other than the celebrations of ritual. Circles may be established for any purpose in keeping with these Bylaws of the Tradition, and the traditions of the wiccan community.
B) The members of the Circle may choose to open membership to other persons not currently members of "MM" or of OATh but who are legal adults.
C) The establishment of a Circle by members of "MM" is subject to review by the HPS/HP of "MM", and the Founder or the HPS of the Tradition, but is not contingent on a formal recognition as is the Establishment of a Circle.
D) Any circle formed by members of "MM" shall make regular reports of their activities to the HPS/HP of "MM".
Section 3-- Membership
Article 1--Guests
Any person who wishes to attend "MM" ritual as a guest must convey that desire to an initiate of the Circle. The initiate will arrange for the prospective guest to meet with the HPS/HP of the Circle. (The HPS/HP may designate a member of the Initiate's Council to meet with the prospective guest in his or her place.)
A) The prospective guest must meet with the HPS/HP, or with his or her representative, at least 24 hours prior to the time of the ritual which they wish to attend.
B) The HPS/HP, or his or her representative, has the right to deny attendance as a guest at any Circle ritual or activity to any person who makes such a request.
C) No person who is not legally an adult shall be allowed to attend a Circle ritual or activity.
D) For rituals or events that are Tradition-wide in nature, as opposed to being sponsored or conducted by an individual Coven within the Tradition, the procedure for obtaining approval to attend as a guest shall be the same, except that the prospective guest must meet with a member of Heartwood Council, rather than with the HPS/HP of the individual Coven. (Note: As All HPS/HP of Covens within the Tradition are ex officio members of the Heartwood, a meeting with a Coven HPS/HP will fulfill this requirement.)
Article Two--Behavior of Members
All members of the Circle shall conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with the Wiccan Rede:"An it harm none, Do what you will";and in accordance with the traditional stricture that Wiccans should deal with one another in a spirit of "perfect love and perfect trust".
A) All members of Mysteries of the Moon are expected to conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with these Bylaws, the Bylaws of OATh, and the traditions of the Wiccan community.
B) Furthermore, we hold that every individual has the right to be secure and respected in his or her own person: in body, in mind, and in spirit. Therefore; Mysteries of the Moon will neither countenance, nor tolerate the following on the part of any celebrant, student, or initiate:
1) The use of Baneful Magic. This shall include both the current practice and the teaching of baneful magic whether alone or in conjunction with another member of "MM", or with any other person. Members are expected to disclose any past practice of teaching of baneful magic to an initiate of the Circle, and may do so without fear of reprisal. However, the willful failure to disclose such activity shall be subject to disciplinary action.
2) The use or possession of illegal drugs at, or in connection with, "MM" rituals or activities.
3) Forcing or coercing another individual to participate in sexual activity against his or her desires, or to consume mind-altering substances against his or her will; or requiring complete or partial nudity of any individual against his or her will; or obtaining consent to any of these by deception or misrepresentation, or under color of authority, regardless of the circumstances under which these actions take place.
4) Any deliberate action directed toward another individual that is calculated to cause injury, harm or pain; be it physical, mental or emotional, where it is clear that the member in doing so has acted inappropriately, out of proportion to the circumstances, or in abuse of his or her discretion.
C) Any member of Mysteries of the Moon who violates the standards outlined above shall be subject to disciplinary action set forth below under Section Four-- Grievances and Disciplinary Action, Articles 2 and 3.
Article 3--Celebrants
A celebrant shall be defined as anyone who regularly (i.e. at least quarterly) atends the Circle's rituals, including students and initiates of any degree.
A) All celebrants must be legally adult.
B) All celebrants are expected to pay a monthly tithe, as set by the High Priest and High Priestess, and approved by the Circle's Initiate's Council, and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition. However, no person shall be prevented from attending ritual solely on the grounds that he or she has not paid his or her tithe.
1) Tithes shall be used by the circle to fund the rent of ritual space, the purchase of ritual supplies, and the purchase of books or other materials for a Circle library. The HPS/HP will insure that an adequate record of monies received and expended on behalf of the Circle is kept. Any expenditures outside of the regular operating expenses of the Circle must be approved by the HPS/HP of the Circle and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition.
2) Celebrants who regularly attend rituals with more than one Coven may petition the Founder or HPS of the Tradition, or the HPS/HP of all the individual Covens which they attend to waive all or part of their tithe to any Coven other than the one they primarily or on whose Initiate's Council they sit.
3) Tithes are not required of celebrants for attendance at the Circle's rituals but may be required for the use of the Circle's properties at the discretion of the HPS/HP of the Circle.
Article Four--Students
A student of "MM" shall be defined as any celebrant who is actively studying for Initiation within the OATh Tradition under the Preceptorship of an initiate member of the Circle, as apporoved by the Circle Initiate's Council.
A) All students of "MM" must be legally adult.
B) The procedure for becoming a student is as follows:
1) The celebrant shall make her or his intention to study for Initiation clearly known to an initiate of the Circle.
2) The initiate shall bring this information to the Initiate's Council, who may then accept this celebrant as a student.
3) Upon acceptance, the student shall be assigned a teacher from within the Initiate's Council of the Circle, who shall then supervise the student's training toward initiation.
i)This teacher shall be opposite in gender to the student, and may be neither a member of the student's immediate family nor a person with whom the student is romantically involved.
ii) A review of the Bylaws of the Tradition and Circle, and the traditions of the Wiccan community, shall be covered during the first formal lesson unless the student already holds a degree within the Tradition.
iii) A student who does not live close enough to the Circle to make face to face instruction practical may be taught by correspondence.
a) A correspondence student must have at least one face-to face meeting with his or her teacher prior to the student's OATh Initiation so the teacher may form an impression of the student's ritual competence. This meeting will be scheduled at the convenience of both the teacher and student.
b) The initiation of the correspondence student must be performed at a ritual conducted by a member coven of the Tradition, or by the Tradition as a whole. This initiation will be scheduled at the convenience of both teacher and student.
iv) Celebrant members of "MM" who are initiates in a Tradition other than OATh may act as preceptors to "MM" students, provided that the initiate's degree has been accepted as equivalent to an OATh degree by the Heartwood Council, or the Circle Initiate's council, in accordance wuth the Tradition's Bylaws, and provided that the initiate agrees to follow the OATH curriculum and requirements.
v) Alternatively, a student may be provisionally accepted as a student of "MM" by an initiate of the Tradition who is also a member of the Circle, pending approval of the Circle Initiate's Council. If this approval is not forthcoming, he or she shall be considered a personal student of that initiate, but not a student of Mysteries of the Moon.
Article Five--Initiates
Within Mysteries of the Moon, an initiate member shall be defined as any celebrant member of "MM" who has recieved Initiation from an initiate of the Tradition during a ritual conducted by a member coven of the Tradition, or by the Tradition as a whole; or whose initiation in another tradition has been accepted as being equivalent to an OATh initiation by the Heartwood Council or the Coven Initiate's Council.
A) Initiate members of the Circle shall be responsible for conducting the business of the Circle, under the supervision of the HPS/HP as follows:
1) Initiate members are encouraged to attend meetings of the Circle Initiate's Council to advise the HPS/HP of the Circle.
2) Initiate members shall teach the methods, traditions, and customs of the OATh to their students within the Tradition.
3) Initiate members are expected to regularly contribute to the teaching lore of the Circle.
B) For a student to be initiated in the OATh Tradition, he or she must complete the curriculum prescribed by the Heartwood Council for the degree in which he or she seeks initiation, and must fulfill the following requirements:
1) The prospective initiate must demonstrate ritual competence during a ritual conducted by a member coven of the Tradition, or by the Tradition as a whole, to the satisfaction of those initiates of the Tradition (other than the student's preceptor.) present who hold a degree equal to or higher than that for which the person is studying.
2) The prospective initiate's name must be brought by his or her teacher before the Coven Initiate Council, and recieve, by a two-thirds majority of those initiates holding a degree or higher than that for which the student is studying, the Council's approval for Initiation.
3) For initiations in the Third Degree, the prospective initiate must also be approved by the Founder or the HPS of the Tradition.
C) Celebrant members of "MM" who have been initiated in another Tradition may seek to have that initiation accpeted by OATh as being equivalent to an OATh initiation as outlined in the Bylaws of the Tradition.
D) Initiation of Transgender persons-- Transgendered persons will normally be initiated according to their physical gender, except as follows:
1) A transgendered person who is actively working through a gender reassignment process, but who has not yet gone through one of the irrevocable steps in that process, will be initiated in their physical gender. Once the individual has completed an irrevocable step in the process, a rite-of-passage ritual will be held to mark the transition and to formalluy recognize the change in the individual's status within the Tradition.
2) A transgendered person who is actively working through a gender reassignment process, and so is already completed an irrevocable step in the reassignment process prior to being considered for initiation will be initiated according to their new gender.
Section Four--Grievances and Disciplinary Actions
Article One-- Grievances of Individuals
Any celebrant member of "MM" who has a grievance which cannot be set aside or resolved in accordance with the tradition of the Wiccan community, and which interferes with her or his participating in ritual may request that the grievance be resolved in the following manner: [NOTE: This procedure is not designed to interfere with matters ourside of "MM"; however upon agreement of all parties involved, the Initiate;s Council may advise and assist in the resolution of mundane grievances.]
A) If the celebrant has a grievance such that he or she feels unable to honor the traditions of the wiccan community, (for example, if he or she is unable to stand in Circle in a spirit of "perfect love and perfect trust" because of the grievance.) Then that celebrant shall not attend rituals until the grievance is resolved.
B) The celebrant with the grievance shall first schedule a meeting with the person with whom he or she has the grievance to attempt to find a resolution. The meeting shall take place on neutral ground. The participants may request the presence of an initiate who is not a currently a teacher of any of the parties involved to act as fair witness.
C) If the grievance cannot be resolved by the aforementioned method, then the celebrant with the grievance shall schedule a meeting with an initiate to attempt to find a resolution. If the celebrant is a student, the initiate with whom he/she should meet shall be his or her teacher.
D) if a resolution cannot be reached by the aforementioned method, the celebrant with the grievance should schedule a meeting with the Circle High Priestess or High Priest to attempt to resolve the grievances. Another initiate shall act as a fair witness to the proceedings.
E) If a resolution cannot be reached by any of the above steps, the grievance shall be brought before the the Initiate's Council, who will reach a final decision on the matter. If the grievance should involve persons from more than one OATh group, then the matter will be decided by the Heartwood Council.
F) No records shall be kept of these meeting(s) save to record that the meeting(s) took place, the Craft names of the persons attending, and any decisions which were made or actions which were taken.
Article 2__Group Grievances
If the Initiate's Council collectively have a grievance with a celebrant(s) such that they feel unable to honour the traditions of the Wiccan community, the celebrant(s) involved may than be requested to refrain from attendance at rituals until the grievance is resolved.
A) A representative group of the Initiate's Council shall meet with the celebrant in question in an attempt to resolve the grievance.
1) This group shall include, but not be limited to, the HPS of the Circle, the teacher(s) of the celebrant(s) involved, and another initiate to act as a fair witness.
2) The celebrant(s) involved may choose to veto the council's choice for a fair witness and a location. In either case, another choice must be provided to the celebrant(s). The celebrant(s) may use this veto no more than twice each for either the fair witness or the location. Alternatively, the celebrant(s) may suggest a fair witness or location to the Council , which need not accept the suggestion(s). In the event that the celebrant(s) and the Council cannot come to an agreement on a fair witness or a location, the resolution shall proceed to the next level.
B) If a resolution cannot be achieved at the previous level then the celebrant(s) may meet with the full Initiate's Council. The celebrant(s) involved shall have the right to bring witnesses with them before the Council.
C) If a resolution cannot be achieved at the Circle level, then the celebrant(s) may meet with the Heartwood Council to seek a resolution to the grievance, The celebrant(s) involved shall have the right to bring witnesses with them before the Heartwood. In all such cases, the decision of the Heartwood shall be final.
D) As in the case of individual grievances, no records shall be kept of any of the meetings save to record that the meeting(s) took place, the Craft names of the person's attending, and any decisions which were made or actions which were taken.
Article Three--Disciplinary Actions
Disciplinary actions may be imposed by teachers of the Tradition on their students, by the Initiation's Council of "MM" on the celebrants of their circle, or by the Heartwood Council of the Tradition on any celebrant of the OATh Tradition.
A) Celebrant(s) may be asked not to attend any OATh rituals until the grievance is resolved.
B) Student(s) and initiate(s) may be asked not to participate on any but the basic celebrant level until the grievance is resolved, or for a period of time determined to be appropriate by the Council.
C) Disciplinary actions may not include the removal of an initiate's degree in OATh or in any other Tradition. Initiation is a state which, once conferred, may not be recinded.
D) Discipilinary actions imposed by a teacher on a student must be reported in full at the next meeting of the Circle's Initiate's Council. These actions may not include outcasting or banishment.
1) Any action imposed by a teacher on a student must be approved by the Council. If it not approved, the action must be withdrawn.
2) The Council may choose to appoint a new teacher for the student should they consider it appropriate. The Council may also impose disciplinary action on the teacher in question should they feel that the measures imposed on the student were beyond the scope of the teacher/student relationship.
E) Disciplinary actions at the individual Circle's Initiate's Council level may not exceed the outcasting of the celebrant(s) involved. Outcasting shall only exclude the celebrant(s) in question from attending rituals or functions held by that individual Circle, and shall not affect the celebrant(s) right to attend any other OATh ritual or function.
F) Disciplinary actions taken at the Heartwood Council level may not exceed the banishment of the celebrant(s) involved. Banishment shall exclude the celebrant(s) from attending any OATh ritual or activity, but shall not presume to exclude them from non-OATh Wiccan rituals or activities.
1) Any celebrant who has been banished may not claim current membership in OATh, although he or she may continue to refer to him/herself as an OATh initiate if such a degree has been conferred upon the individual.
2) Any person who contacts any member of OATh concerning any celebrant(s) who have been banished will be told only that the person in question is no longer a member of OATh in good standing by order of the Heartwood Council.
Section Five--Acceptance and Implementation
We, the undersigned HPS/HP of "MM" of the Oak, Ash, And Thorn Tradition of Wicca, acting for, and on behalf of the general membership of the Circle, do Hereby declare that the foregoing Bylaws of Mysteries of the Moon Circle are fit and suited to our purposes, and by the setting of out signatures hereunto do further declare that these bylaws shall be effective from this , the Fourth day of July in the Two-Thousand and Eighth year of the Common Era.
April L Fisher Alan T Bonnin
Section 1 - Establishment and Purpose
A. Mysteries of the Moon ("MM" or "the Circle") is hereby established as a member of the Oak,Ash, and Thorn Tradition (also referred to herein as "OATh" or "the Tradition") of the Wiccan religion, dedicated to the worship of the Lady and Lord as They exemplify the balance of the universe, meeting to worship at time appointed by the turning of the seasons and the phases of the moon, and guided by the Circle's Initiates Council in accordance with these bylaws, the bylaws of OATh and the advise of the Tradition's Heartwood Council, and the traditions of the Wiccan Community.
B. Mysteries of the Moon has been established for the following purposes:
1) To facilitate the practice of the Wiccan religion in the form and manner considered most suitable by the members of the Circle.
2) To provide a safe and supportive environment for free religious expression by Wiccans and other Neo-pagans.
3) To identify, develop, and train caring and competent clergy and ritual leaders to serve the Wiccan community by means of the OATh Tradition's three-degree initiatory system.
Section Two - Organization and structure of the Circle
In accordance with the Bylaws of the Tradition, Mysteries of the Moon shall be structured and organized as follows: The Circle shall consist of the High Priestess (HPS) and High Priest (HP), the Circle's Initiate's council, and the general membership of the Circle. The offices of HP and HPS, and the Initiate's Council are discussed below. Membership in the circle is addressed in section Three.
Article One--The High Priestess and High Priest
A) Ideally, both the HPS and HP of Mysteries of the Moon shall be Third Degree initiates of the OATh Tradition. However, at a minimum, either HPS or HP must be a Third Degree initiate of thee Tradition.
1) The High Priest/ess shall be responsible for overseeing rituals and meeting the needs of the Circle and its individual members as he or she sees fit.
2) The HPS/HP shall be responsible for establishing policies for Mysteries of the Moon, and for making these known to the Founder or the High Priest/ess of the Tradition. These policies may be particular to the Circle, and may be either oral or written policies at the discretion of the HPS/HP of the Circle. Circle policies shall neither circumvent nor counteract the Bylaws of OATh. Where a conflict is found to exist between the Bylaws of the Tradition and the Bylaws of the Circle, the Bylaws of the Tradition shall take precedence.
3) The HPS/HP shall be assisted in his or her duties by her or his HP/HPS. In the event that the office of HP or HPS is rendered vacant by the death, incapacitation, or retirement of the incumbent, the remaining incumbent shall select, with the advise and consent of the Founder or the HPS of the Tradition and the Heartwood Council, another Third Degree initiate of the Tradition who celebrates with Mysteries of the Moon on a regular basis to assume the office of HP or HPS.
4) If another Third Degree initiate of the Tradition is not available to serve in this office, the HPS/HP of the Circle shall choose, with the advice and consent of the Heartwood and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition, another initiate of the Tradition who celebrates on a regular basis with Mysteries of the Moon to perform these duties until such time as a Third Degree initiate of the appropriate gender is available to assume office.
5) In the unlikely event that the offices of HPS and HP shall by some mischance both become vacant at the same time, the Initiate's Council of "MM" shall convene, and shall elect, (with the advice and consent of the Heartwood Council and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition,) from among Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrates with "MM" on a regular basis, some individual to assume the office of HPS or HP. If this should happen that there are at that time no other Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrate with "MM" on a regular basis, then the Initiate's Council shall petition the Heartwood Council for assistance in resolving the matter.
B) The Founding HPS and HP of the Circle
1) The High Priestess and High Priest of Mysteries of the Moon at the time the Circle is formally recognized as a separate coven within the OATh Tradition shall be considered to be the founding HPS/HP of the Coven.
2) The Founders shall have the authority to dissolve the coven at any time, with consent of the Heartwood Council and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition. In event of the dissolution of the Coven, these bylaws shall become null and void, and no member of the Coven, with the exception of the Founders, shall use the name "Mysteries of the Moon" in connection with any other wiccan or neo-pagan organization.
3) The Founders shall have the authority to perpetuate the Coven in the event of their death, incapacition, or retirement from the performance of their duties by designating successors from among the Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrate with "MM" on a regular basis.
Article 2--The Initiate's Council
Mysteries of he Moon shall have a Council consisting of all the initiates of the Tradition and those initiates in other Traditions whose initiations have been accepted by the Circle Initiate's Council, or by the Heartwood Council, as being equivalent to an OATh initiation (as provided for in the Bylaws of the Tradition,) who attend the rituals of the Circle at least once per quarter. This Initiates Council shall advise the HPS/HP of the Circle concerning matters of Circle policy.
A) The HPS or HP may appoint subordinate officers from among the Initiate's Council to meet specific needs as she or he deems fit.
B) The HPS/HP shall convene meetings of the Initiate's Council on a regular basis, but no less often than quarterly, and shall report on said meetings to the Founder or HPS of the Tradition.
c) As a matter of courtesy, members of the "MM" who are initiates in Traditions other than OATh, and whose initiations have not been accepted as equivalent to an OATh initiation, may be permitted, at the sole discretion of "MM"'s HPS/HP, to attend meetings of the Circle's Initiate's Council in a non-voting status.
Article 3---Circles
In accordance with the Bylaws of the Tradition, members of Mysteries of the Moon may form Circles.
A) A circle may consist of any member of "MM" who meet together on a regular basis for a specific purpose other than the celebrations of ritual. Circles may be established for any purpose in keeping with these Bylaws of the Tradition, and the traditions of the wiccan community.
B) The members of the Circle may choose to open membership to other persons not currently members of "MM" or of OATh but who are legal adults.
C) The establishment of a Circle by members of "MM" is subject to review by the HPS/HP of "MM", and the Founder or the HPS of the Tradition, but is not contingent on a formal recognition as is the Establishment of a Circle.
D) Any circle formed by members of "MM" shall make regular reports of their activities to the HPS/HP of "MM".
Section 3-- Membership
Article 1--Guests
Any person who wishes to attend "MM" ritual as a guest must convey that desire to an initiate of the Circle. The initiate will arrange for the prospective guest to meet with the HPS/HP of the Circle. (The HPS/HP may designate a member of the Initiate's Council to meet with the prospective guest in his or her place.)
A) The prospective guest must meet with the HPS/HP, or with his or her representative, at least 24 hours prior to the time of the ritual which they wish to attend.
B) The HPS/HP, or his or her representative, has the right to deny attendance as a guest at any Circle ritual or activity to any person who makes such a request.
C) No person who is not legally an adult shall be allowed to attend a Circle ritual or activity.
D) For rituals or events that are Tradition-wide in nature, as opposed to being sponsored or conducted by an individual Coven within the Tradition, the procedure for obtaining approval to attend as a guest shall be the same, except that the prospective guest must meet with a member of Heartwood Council, rather than with the HPS/HP of the individual Coven. (Note: As All HPS/HP of Covens within the Tradition are ex officio members of the Heartwood, a meeting with a Coven HPS/HP will fulfill this requirement.)
Article Two--Behavior of Members
All members of the Circle shall conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with the Wiccan Rede:"An it harm none, Do what you will";and in accordance with the traditional stricture that Wiccans should deal with one another in a spirit of "perfect love and perfect trust".
A) All members of Mysteries of the Moon are expected to conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with these Bylaws, the Bylaws of OATh, and the traditions of the Wiccan community.
B) Furthermore, we hold that every individual has the right to be secure and respected in his or her own person: in body, in mind, and in spirit. Therefore; Mysteries of the Moon will neither countenance, nor tolerate the following on the part of any celebrant, student, or initiate:
1) The use of Baneful Magic. This shall include both the current practice and the teaching of baneful magic whether alone or in conjunction with another member of "MM", or with any other person. Members are expected to disclose any past practice of teaching of baneful magic to an initiate of the Circle, and may do so without fear of reprisal. However, the willful failure to disclose such activity shall be subject to disciplinary action.
2) The use or possession of illegal drugs at, or in connection with, "MM" rituals or activities.
3) Forcing or coercing another individual to participate in sexual activity against his or her desires, or to consume mind-altering substances against his or her will; or requiring complete or partial nudity of any individual against his or her will; or obtaining consent to any of these by deception or misrepresentation, or under color of authority, regardless of the circumstances under which these actions take place.
4) Any deliberate action directed toward another individual that is calculated to cause injury, harm or pain; be it physical, mental or emotional, where it is clear that the member in doing so has acted inappropriately, out of proportion to the circumstances, or in abuse of his or her discretion.
C) Any member of Mysteries of the Moon who violates the standards outlined above shall be subject to disciplinary action set forth below under Section Four-- Grievances and Disciplinary Action, Articles 2 and 3.
Article 3--Celebrants
A celebrant shall be defined as anyone who regularly (i.e. at least quarterly) atends the Circle's rituals, including students and initiates of any degree.
A) All celebrants must be legally adult.
B) All celebrants are expected to pay a monthly tithe, as set by the High Priest and High Priestess, and approved by the Circle's Initiate's Council, and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition. However, no person shall be prevented from attending ritual solely on the grounds that he or she has not paid his or her tithe.
1) Tithes shall be used by the circle to fund the rent of ritual space, the purchase of ritual supplies, and the purchase of books or other materials for a Circle library. The HPS/HP will insure that an adequate record of monies received and expended on behalf of the Circle is kept. Any expenditures outside of the regular operating expenses of the Circle must be approved by the HPS/HP of the Circle and the Founder or HPS of the Tradition.
2) Celebrants who regularly attend rituals with more than one Coven may petition the Founder or HPS of the Tradition, or the HPS/HP of all the individual Covens which they attend to waive all or part of their tithe to any Coven other than the one they primarily or on whose Initiate's Council they sit.
3) Tithes are not required of celebrants for attendance at the Circle's rituals but may be required for the use of the Circle's properties at the discretion of the HPS/HP of the Circle.
Article Four--Students
A student of "MM" shall be defined as any celebrant who is actively studying for Initiation within the OATh Tradition under the Preceptorship of an initiate member of the Circle, as apporoved by the Circle Initiate's Council.
A) All students of "MM" must be legally adult.
B) The procedure for becoming a student is as follows:
1) The celebrant shall make her or his intention to study for Initiation clearly known to an initiate of the Circle.
2) The initiate shall bring this information to the Initiate's Council, who may then accept this celebrant as a student.
3) Upon acceptance, the student shall be assigned a teacher from within the Initiate's Council of the Circle, who shall then supervise the student's training toward initiation.
i)This teacher shall be opposite in gender to the student, and may be neither a member of the student's immediate family nor a person with whom the student is romantically involved.
ii) A review of the Bylaws of the Tradition and Circle, and the traditions of the Wiccan community, shall be covered during the first formal lesson unless the student already holds a degree within the Tradition.
iii) A student who does not live close enough to the Circle to make face to face instruction practical may be taught by correspondence.
a) A correspondence student must have at least one face-to face meeting with his or her teacher prior to the student's OATh Initiation so the teacher may form an impression of the student's ritual competence. This meeting will be scheduled at the convenience of both the teacher and student.
b) The initiation of the correspondence student must be performed at a ritual conducted by a member coven of the Tradition, or by the Tradition as a whole. This initiation will be scheduled at the convenience of both teacher and student.
iv) Celebrant members of "MM" who are initiates in a Tradition other than OATh may act as preceptors to "MM" students, provided that the initiate's degree has been accepted as equivalent to an OATh degree by the Heartwood Council, or the Circle Initiate's council, in accordance wuth the Tradition's Bylaws, and provided that the initiate agrees to follow the OATH curriculum and requirements.
v) Alternatively, a student may be provisionally accepted as a student of "MM" by an initiate of the Tradition who is also a member of the Circle, pending approval of the Circle Initiate's Council. If this approval is not forthcoming, he or she shall be considered a personal student of that initiate, but not a student of Mysteries of the Moon.
Article Five--Initiates
Within Mysteries of the Moon, an initiate member shall be defined as any celebrant member of "MM" who has recieved Initiation from an initiate of the Tradition during a ritual conducted by a member coven of the Tradition, or by the Tradition as a whole; or whose initiation in another tradition has been accepted as being equivalent to an OATh initiation by the Heartwood Council or the Coven Initiate's Council.
A) Initiate members of the Circle shall be responsible for conducting the business of the Circle, under the supervision of the HPS/HP as follows:
1) Initiate members are encouraged to attend meetings of the Circle Initiate's Council to advise the HPS/HP of the Circle.
2) Initiate members shall teach the methods, traditions, and customs of the OATh to their students within the Tradition.
3) Initiate members are expected to regularly contribute to the teaching lore of the Circle.
B) For a student to be initiated in the OATh Tradition, he or she must complete the curriculum prescribed by the Heartwood Council for the degree in which he or she seeks initiation, and must fulfill the following requirements:
1) The prospective initiate must demonstrate ritual competence during a ritual conducted by a member coven of the Tradition, or by the Tradition as a whole, to the satisfaction of those initiates of the Tradition (other than the student's preceptor.) present who hold a degree equal to or higher than that for which the person is studying.
2) The prospective initiate's name must be brought by his or her teacher before the Coven Initiate Council, and recieve, by a two-thirds majority of those initiates holding a degree or higher than that for which the student is studying, the Council's approval for Initiation.
3) For initiations in the Third Degree, the prospective initiate must also be approved by the Founder or the HPS of the Tradition.
C) Celebrant members of "MM" who have been initiated in another Tradition may seek to have that initiation accpeted by OATh as being equivalent to an OATh initiation as outlined in the Bylaws of the Tradition.
D) Initiation of Transgender persons-- Transgendered persons will normally be initiated according to their physical gender, except as follows:
1) A transgendered person who is actively working through a gender reassignment process, but who has not yet gone through one of the irrevocable steps in that process, will be initiated in their physical gender. Once the individual has completed an irrevocable step in the process, a rite-of-passage ritual will be held to mark the transition and to formalluy recognize the change in the individual's status within the Tradition.
2) A transgendered person who is actively working through a gender reassignment process, and so is already completed an irrevocable step in the reassignment process prior to being considered for initiation will be initiated according to their new gender.
Section Four--Grievances and Disciplinary Actions
Article One-- Grievances of Individuals
Any celebrant member of "MM" who has a grievance which cannot be set aside or resolved in accordance with the tradition of the Wiccan community, and which interferes with her or his participating in ritual may request that the grievance be resolved in the following manner: [NOTE: This procedure is not designed to interfere with matters ourside of "MM"; however upon agreement of all parties involved, the Initiate;s Council may advise and assist in the resolution of mundane grievances.]
A) If the celebrant has a grievance such that he or she feels unable to honor the traditions of the wiccan community, (for example, if he or she is unable to stand in Circle in a spirit of "perfect love and perfect trust" because of the grievance.) Then that celebrant shall not attend rituals until the grievance is resolved.
B) The celebrant with the grievance shall first schedule a meeting with the person with whom he or she has the grievance to attempt to find a resolution. The meeting shall take place on neutral ground. The participants may request the presence of an initiate who is not a currently a teacher of any of the parties involved to act as fair witness.
C) If the grievance cannot be resolved by the aforementioned method, then the celebrant with the grievance shall schedule a meeting with an initiate to attempt to find a resolution. If the celebrant is a student, the initiate with whom he/she should meet shall be his or her teacher.
D) if a resolution cannot be reached by the aforementioned method, the celebrant with the grievance should schedule a meeting with the Circle High Priestess or High Priest to attempt to resolve the grievances. Another initiate shall act as a fair witness to the proceedings.
E) If a resolution cannot be reached by any of the above steps, the grievance shall be brought before the the Initiate's Council, who will reach a final decision on the matter. If the grievance should involve persons from more than one OATh group, then the matter will be decided by the Heartwood Council.
F) No records shall be kept of these meeting(s) save to record that the meeting(s) took place, the Craft names of the persons attending, and any decisions which were made or actions which were taken.
Article 2__Group Grievances
If the Initiate's Council collectively have a grievance with a celebrant(s) such that they feel unable to honour the traditions of the Wiccan community, the celebrant(s) involved may than be requested to refrain from attendance at rituals until the grievance is resolved.
A) A representative group of the Initiate's Council shall meet with the celebrant in question in an attempt to resolve the grievance.
1) This group shall include, but not be limited to, the HPS of the Circle, the teacher(s) of the celebrant(s) involved, and another initiate to act as a fair witness.
2) The celebrant(s) involved may choose to veto the council's choice for a fair witness and a location. In either case, another choice must be provided to the celebrant(s). The celebrant(s) may use this veto no more than twice each for either the fair witness or the location. Alternatively, the celebrant(s) may suggest a fair witness or location to the Council , which need not accept the suggestion(s). In the event that the celebrant(s) and the Council cannot come to an agreement on a fair witness or a location, the resolution shall proceed to the next level.
B) If a resolution cannot be achieved at the previous level then the celebrant(s) may meet with the full Initiate's Council. The celebrant(s) involved shall have the right to bring witnesses with them before the Council.
C) If a resolution cannot be achieved at the Circle level, then the celebrant(s) may meet with the Heartwood Council to seek a resolution to the grievance, The celebrant(s) involved shall have the right to bring witnesses with them before the Heartwood. In all such cases, the decision of the Heartwood shall be final.
D) As in the case of individual grievances, no records shall be kept of any of the meetings save to record that the meeting(s) took place, the Craft names of the person's attending, and any decisions which were made or actions which were taken.
Article Three--Disciplinary Actions
Disciplinary actions may be imposed by teachers of the Tradition on their students, by the Initiation's Council of "MM" on the celebrants of their circle, or by the Heartwood Council of the Tradition on any celebrant of the OATh Tradition.
A) Celebrant(s) may be asked not to attend any OATh rituals until the grievance is resolved.
B) Student(s) and initiate(s) may be asked not to participate on any but the basic celebrant level until the grievance is resolved, or for a period of time determined to be appropriate by the Council.
C) Disciplinary actions may not include the removal of an initiate's degree in OATh or in any other Tradition. Initiation is a state which, once conferred, may not be recinded.
D) Discipilinary actions imposed by a teacher on a student must be reported in full at the next meeting of the Circle's Initiate's Council. These actions may not include outcasting or banishment.
1) Any action imposed by a teacher on a student must be approved by the Council. If it not approved, the action must be withdrawn.
2) The Council may choose to appoint a new teacher for the student should they consider it appropriate. The Council may also impose disciplinary action on the teacher in question should they feel that the measures imposed on the student were beyond the scope of the teacher/student relationship.
E) Disciplinary actions at the individual Circle's Initiate's Council level may not exceed the outcasting of the celebrant(s) involved. Outcasting shall only exclude the celebrant(s) in question from attending rituals or functions held by that individual Circle, and shall not affect the celebrant(s) right to attend any other OATh ritual or function.
F) Disciplinary actions taken at the Heartwood Council level may not exceed the banishment of the celebrant(s) involved. Banishment shall exclude the celebrant(s) from attending any OATh ritual or activity, but shall not presume to exclude them from non-OATh Wiccan rituals or activities.
1) Any celebrant who has been banished may not claim current membership in OATh, although he or she may continue to refer to him/herself as an OATh initiate if such a degree has been conferred upon the individual.
2) Any person who contacts any member of OATh concerning any celebrant(s) who have been banished will be told only that the person in question is no longer a member of OATh in good standing by order of the Heartwood Council.
Section Five--Acceptance and Implementation
We, the undersigned HPS/HP of "MM" of the Oak, Ash, And Thorn Tradition of Wicca, acting for, and on behalf of the general membership of the Circle, do Hereby declare that the foregoing Bylaws of Mysteries of the Moon Circle are fit and suited to our purposes, and by the setting of out signatures hereunto do further declare that these bylaws shall be effective from this , the Fourth day of July in the Two-Thousand and Eighth year of the Common Era.
April L Fisher Alan T Bonnin
