The Sacred Order of Living Paganism

A Circle of the Order is a more involved structure than an Academy. We encourage those who may be interested in starting a local Circle begin by starting an Academy. When the number of students or level of involvement in the Academy becomes too much of a burden for a single teacher, then the group should consider expanding into a Circle.

An active Circle should include several teachers each of whom teach different groups of students or who alternate teaching responsibilities. Circles can also include regular meetings and worship activities for Sabbats and Esbats or other Pagan ceremonies. Circles also include an organizational structure including a Council of Elders and Officers. More information about this can be viewed on the Structures page.

It is possible to create both an Academy and a Circle at the same time provided there is at least one teacher who has earned the first degree in the Order which can be done through personal or online studies from an existing Circle.

Starting a Local Circle

To create a Circle of the Order in your area, you need to take the following steps:

Create an active Academy of the Order (which must include at least one teacher of first degree or higher);
Gather together several of the teachers and students who have become active in the Academy and determine if there is interest in starting a Circle;
Create a Council of Elders (or Elders Pro Tem) and elect temporary officers;
Create and adopt a constitution. It should not conflict with the Order's Constitution. Put a link to the constitution on your web site then print and sign your Circle's copy;
Create a set of By-Laws that describe how your Circle will operate including the following, add these to your website, print and sign your Circle's copy;
The by-laws should include the following:
- the name of the Circle (the ___ Circle of the Sacred Order of Living Paganism);
- the location of the Circle (city and state);
- the history of the founding of the Circle;
- a section announcing affiliation with the Order and its Principles and Precepts;
- the purpose of the Circle;
- the location, time, and dates of Academy classes;
- the location and approximate dates of Elder meetings (i.e. every first Sunday at 7:00);
- a statement concerning financial power and operations;
- a process for making amendments to the By-Laws;
- degree and ordination requirements (including the Order's Learning Requirements);
- a statement about the effect of the possible dissolution of the Circle; and
- signatures from the officers.
Create an informative web page about your Circle;
If you are in a state other than North Carolina, you will need to file for a Certificate of Authority which will grant your Circle status as a foreign (out of state) non-profit religious and educational corporation connected to the Order.
Contact another active and incorporated Circle and ask to be instated by that Circle. That Circle's Council of Elders will review the materials listed here to insure that they are in line with the overall concepts of the Order.

Once reviewed and accepted, the sponsoring Circle will journey to the applying Circle's location and enact a Ceremony of Instatement officially recognizing the new Circle. (If possible, the applying Circle should help the sponsoring Circle with travel costs.)

Active Circles

To see a list of all active Circles and Academies go to the Groups page.

Certificate of Authority

In order for a Circle of the Order to be established in a state other than North Carolina, the proposed Circle must complete and submit one executed original and one exact or conformed copy of an application for a certificate of authority to the NC Department of the Secretary of State and to another established Circle of the Order which shall act as a dedicating Circle. The application for a Certificate of Authority should resemble the following:

Name:
The name of this subsidiary corporation of the Sacred Order of Living Paganism shall be The [city] Circle of Sacred Order of Living Paganism, Inc. For the purposes of these articles, the Sacred Order of Living Paganism shall be referred to as “the Order.”

State of Incorporation:
The state in which the original Articles of Corporation for the Order was filed is North Carolina.

Principal Office:
The address of the principal office of the corporation in North Carolina is 4907 Garrett Road Durham NC 27707.

Registered Office and Agent:
The name and address of the registered agent and registered agent address is: Stephen Phillips 2437 Avent-Ferry Road, apt. B, Raleigh, NC 27606. Said resident agent is a citizen of North Carolina and actually resides therein.

Officers:
The officers of each Circle of the Order shall consist of a Grand Elder (similar to a president), a Second Elder (Vice-President), a Scribe (Secretary), an Almoner (Treasurer) and such other officers as may be elected by the Elders.

Members:
Any adult person who agrees with the Thirteen Principles of the Order, agrees to abide by the Five Precepts of the Order, and engages in a ceremony of Dedication to the Order, may become an Associate member of the Order. Any adult person who completes the requirements for the First Degree as outlined in the constitution may become a Full Member of the Order. Children ages 5 to 17 may become members of the League of Youth of the Order. Other methods and conditions by which members shall be accepted, transferred, discharged and removed shall be set forth in the Constitution of the Order.

Certificate of Existence:
The proposed Circle must include with the Certificate application a Certificate of Existence (or document of similar import) duly authenticated by the Secretary of State of North Carolina. This certificate of existence must be an original and not be more than 6 months old.

Filing the Document:
One signed original and one exact or conformed copy of the application for the certificate of authority, along with a certificate of existence, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State (or the appropriate official) of the state of incorporation, are submitted to the N.C. Department of the Secretary of State by mail or in person, along with a check, money order, or cash for the full filing fee required by law. The filing fee is $125. The N.C. Department of the Secretary of State will examine the application for the certificate of authority, and if the application satisfies the requirements of the Non-Profit Corporation Act, it will be filed by time-stamping and dating. The signed original and the certificate of existence will be retained by the N.C. Department of the Secretary of State. A certificate of authority authorizing the corporation to conduct its affairs in this state and the copy of the application will be returned to the person who submitted it for filing. The contact information for the North Carolina office is: Department of the Secretary of State, Corporations Division, PO Box 29622, Raleigh,NC 27626-0622. Phone: 919 807-2225. Web: www.state.nc.us/secstate.

last updated August 11, 2007