Pagans from a variety of countries and traditions are among those who
have gathered in Melbourne, Australia for the 2009 Parliament of the World's
Religions, one of the world's oldest and largest international interfaith
gatherings. The Parliament is taking place December 3-9. Leaders and
practitioners of a wide range of religious and spiritual traditions and from
eighty countries around the world are participating. Organizers expect up
to 8,000 participants.

Pagans are among the presenters at this year's Parliament. View
the list of Pagan ceremonies and panels, plus presentations that include
Pagan speakers: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/interfaith

As at previous Parliaments, Circle Sanctuary is among the religious
organizations supporting this year's Parliament. Circle Sanctuary Community
members and ministers at the 2009 Parliament of the World's Religions
include Rev. Patrick McCollum of California, Rev. Shel Skau of
Wisconsin, CIRCLE Magazine reporters Dave and Sylvia Linton of Wisconsin,
and Rev. Drake Spaeth and Angie Buchanan of Illinois. Rev. Angie Buchanan,
who is the Director of Gaia's Womb/Earth Traditions, is an Executive Board
Member, Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions.

Having attended and been a speaker at previous Parliaments (1993 in
Chicago, 1999 in Cape Town, and 2004 in Barcelona), I had hoped to
also attend this one, but instead I am participating via cyberspace
communications and by spiritual attunement. My Sacred Solstice Sites and
Celebrations ceremony which was selected to be part of this year's
program will still occur. Patrick, assisted by others, will be taking my
place as the ritual leader. Among the ceremonies of different religions
included in the Observances track of the schedule, the rite will be held on
Saturday morning, December 5, from 8-9 am (Melbourne time).

As at previous Parliaments, Circle Sanctuary also is supporting this
year's Parliament with media coverage. Dave and Sylvia, reporting for
CIRCLE Magazine (our in-print quarterly) and Circle Times (our
e-bulletin) are among the credentialed journalists in the international
press corps covering the Parliament in Melbourne. I also will be reporting
on the Parliament through emails and telephone calls with participants and
by monitoring religious and secular media coverage on-line. Follow
my tweets on Twitter (@Selena_Fox) and my posts on my Facebook Fan Page
(http://tiny.cc/selenafoxfbfans).

We will be sending out Parliament updates via Circle Times (free,
sign-up: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/network) and our new Circle
Interfaith News blog: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/interfaith created
by Circle Sanctuary minister Bob Paxton.

Please join me in sending well-wishes to the Pagans of many places and
many paths who are part of this 2009 Parliament of World's Religions as well
as to the Parliament as a whole.

May there be sharing, caring, respect, understanding, and collaboration
among all those who are part of the Parliament.

May the Parliament be a source of inspiration and a force for positive
transformation to bring about more peace and cooperation among humans the
world over and more well-being in the greater community of life, the Circle
of Nature, of which we are all part.

Blessed Be,

Rev. Selena Fox
Senior Minister, Circle Sanctuary

1 pm Thursday afternoon, December 3 in Wisconsin, USA
6 am Friday morning, December 4 in Melbourne, Australia

Circle Times: Thursday, December 03, 2009

e-bulletin published by Circle Sanctuary
international Shamanic Wiccan church
serving Pagans worldwide since 1974
http://www.circlesanctuary.org
(608) 924-2216
circle@circlesanctuary.org