A Call to Action - Our Season of Growth
I am writing this halfway between Charming of the Plow and Ostara. I had the honor of leading Blot to Freyr and Gerda at a great gathering of Folk from at least four states near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Nearly 40 of us gave gifts to our Gods, received their blessings in return. We witnessed a ritual drama, witnessed the naming of two new children into the Folk. Thank you to all the Folk who attended and to Folkbuilders Keller, Cook, and Hudak for their efforts in organizing this event.
This time of year, we set about breaking out of the winter and doing all the work to ensure a prosperous year. We plan gardens, we plant seeds, we maintain and fire up the engines of machines that sat over the winter, we budget for the year, we schedule out our time, travels, and vacations.
We do this in the Asatru Folk Assembly leadership as well. Our Gothar evaluate which Folkbuilders are doing well and who needs help. Our Alsherjargothi reviews the Witan and the Gothar. Planning for Sigrheim is well under way, and for hofs yet to come.
The Asatru Folk Assembly this month has just had our membership count reach 1000. This is not 1000th Facebook “like” or even our 1000th member signup. We have, for better and for worse, had members come and go through the years. This is 1000 simultaneously active and contributing members. This is a great achievement, and our success will continue so long as we are acting in a noble way that pleases the Aesir.
I am making a call to action to all our members in states, provinces, or countries without a Folkbuilder. Become that Folkbuilder! Our Folk need someone to rally around, and there is no reason it should not be you. So often it takes one brave person to be first to raise the AFA banner and folks will find them and kindreds will form around them, and eventually even Hofs dedicated to the divine Æsir. This first person is what makes Asatru possible to so many Folks.
Also, there is no such thing as too many Folkbuilders, so if you are in an area that has one already but would like to answer this call, we need you too. If you are willing to lead your Folk home please contact me or another member of our Witan or Gothar, witan@runestone.org and gothar@runestone.org, and we’ll setup an interview with you to make sure you understand the position, its expectations, and that you are fit to serve in this role.
Witan Clifford Erickson
