Frequently Asked Questions!

Q: I am interested in more information about your community.

A: We are an earth-based Unitarian Universalist congregation which means we provide the services of a church -- ritual, youth and adult education, fellowship, etc. but we find our spiritual sustenance in nature. People in the congregation follow a variety of earth-based paths, and many are some variety of Wiccan. As mentioned above, as of July 1, 2002, we meet at Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church, 7725 W. 87th St., Shawnee Mission, KS, unless otherwise noted.

Q: Is the church handicap accessible?

A: The parking lot at SMUUCH is partially paved and partially river rock gravel. All areas of the church are accessible from the outside of the building. Rituals and adult classes are normally held on the ground floor in the Barn Chapel, while our children activities take place in the basement (which has an elevator). Please be aware that the Barn Chapel is not air conditioned and some of our rituals/activities are quite active! However during the hot summer months we are able to use other downstairs rooms or the Fellowship Hall at SMUUCH, both of which are climate-controlled.

Q: How should I dress?

A: We encourage you to dress comfortably or in your "pagan finery", however you want to enjoy our celebration! Sarongs, jeans, skirts, dresses, shorts, various articles of leather clothing, lace, beads, fringes, and more (and less, within reason) are all common sights at our rituals. The emphasis is on your comfort level and participation, not what you feel the dress code is. Certain rituals, like the recent Hellenic Summer Solstice, do have suggested dress but it is far from mandatory even then.

Q: Can I attend if I'm: not a member? not Pagan? not UU?

A: Absolutely! All are welcome to our community to see what we're about. If you have questions about what it means to be a member of the community, please visit our membership page.

Q: What's that saying you use at the end of ritual?

A:The Gaia Standard Closing is usually recited as:

"By the Earth that is Her body,
And the grove that is His home,
By the Air that is Her breath,
And the music of His song,
By the Fire of Her bright spirit,
And the heat of His passion,
By the Waters of Her living womb,
And the dew that is His tears,
The Circle is open, but unbroken.
May the peace of the Goddess go in our hearts,
And the dance of the God enliven our days.
And may we care for the Earth and each other,
Because our lives depend on it.
Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again!"

The "Woo hoo!" you sometimes hear at the end is optional (but fun). Sometimes you will also hear polytheistic members using "Their" instead of His/Her in this passage.

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