Avalon Grove

 

Who We Are

Avalon Grove is a non-traditional Celtic Christian church located in the mountains of North Carolina near Asheville. It was begun as a way to share with others the teachings we have received over the years from members of the Celtic Faerie tribes. At Avalon Grove, we honor the ancient Celtic holidays with services that include Celtic and Arthurian legends, Faerie tales, and Biblical teachings.

A Few Basic Beliefs

  • The Creator is both our Mother and Father (the Holy Parents, God and Goddess), who love us very much.
  • The Holy Parents' son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is our loving, elder brother.
  • Mother Earth is a living being who loves all her children, and she deserves our love and respect in return.
  • We are related to all Creation, and we believe that all who dwell on Mother Earth should be treated with kindness and respect, no matter who or what they are.
  • We strive to follow Jesus' greatest commandment: " 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31

Origin of Avalon Grove

We would like to explain how the name Avalon Grove came about. In the ancient days of King Arthur and Queen Gwenhwyfar of Britain, a school located upon the Isle of Avalon was the source for many sacred spiritual teachings. Avalon served as a training ground for priests and priestesses, as well as for others who wished to study the ancient traditions. There were both Human teachers and teachers from the Faerie tribes. Though Avalon left the physical realm long ago, it still exists and flourishes in the spirit realm of Tir na n'Og.

The Faerie have a tradition of holding their sacred gatherings within a great grove of trees. They sometimes refer to themselves as walking trees, with their roots reaching deep within the Great Mother Earth and their arms stretching upward toward the Holy Family. It is our desire and that of our beloved teachers, family and friends, the Celtic Faerie, that a new Avalon will take root in the mountains of North Carolina. The name Avalon Grove comes from our desire to recreate Avalon in the physical world and our hope that its students will experience such a deep connection with the Holy Family and Mother Earth that they will begin to see themselves as walking trees, a new Human Grove.

Celebrate With Us

Please join us to celebrate the ancient Celtic Christian holidays. Each service focuses on honoring Mother and Father Creator, Jesus, and Mother Earth, as well as celebrating the ancient Celtic holidays. Gatherings typically include a Celtic ceremony and can also feature Celtic and Arthurian legends, stories from the Bible, tales and spiritual teachings from the Faerie, and sometimes music. For those who wish, there is time after the service to socialize. You can read more about the Celtic holiday traditions here. The dates for the Avalon Grove gatherings are listed below.

We currently meet at our home in Weaverville (directions here) or occasionally at other locations in the Asheville area. Click here if you'd like some local hotel suggestions.

There is no cost to attend these celebrations, but donations are gratefully accepted. Donations are set aside to be used toward a future location for Avalon Grove. Bread and butter, water, and tea are provided after the service, and you are welcome to bring other vegetarian food or drink to share if you wish. (For winter services, if there is snow or ice in the area, please call ahead to be sure our road is clear.)

2010

  • Sat, Jan 30, 3:00 pm - Imbolc . . Candlemas
  • Sat, Mar 20, 3:00 pm - Ostara . . Vernal (Spring) Equinox . . Alban Eiler ("Light of the Earth") . . Easter . . St. Patrick's Day
  • Sat, May 1, 3:00 pm - Beltaine . . May Day
  • Sat, Jun 19, 3:00 pm - Litha . . Alban Heruin ("Light of the Shore") . . Summer Solstice
  • Sat, Jul 31, 3:00 pm - Lughnassadh . . Lammas . . Assumption of Mary
  • Sat, Aug 21, 2 - 4:00 pm - Faerie Workshop (cost is $15)
  • Sat, Sep 18, 3:00 pm - Mabon . . Alban Elued ("Light of the Water") . . Autumnal Equinox
  • Sun, Oct 31, 7:30 pm - Samhain . . All Hallows Eve . . All Saints' Day . . All Souls' Day . . Celtic New Year
  • Sat, Dec 18, 3:00 pm - Christmas . .Yule . . Alban Arthuan ("Light of Arthur") . . Winter Solstice

Some Views From Avalon Grove

During the days of the early Celtic church, the priests and priestesses often chose their land and told those in power that this was where they would build their church. Things are a bit different these days, but we do hope that Avalon Grove will one day have its own structure located within a beautiful, forested area, so that it may flourish there for future generations. Here are pictures of our current Weaverville location. Here is what we see for the future of Avalon Grove.

Find Out More

You can read more about the Celtic Faerie traditions, teachings and ceremonies at our website and within the pages of our book, Gnomes in the Garden. If you would like to receive reminders about the classes and ceremonies at Avalon Grove, please send email to or sign up for the CelticFaery email group.

Gnomes in the Garden and Avalon Grove Press

Click here for more information on Avalon Grove Press and our book, Gnomes in the Garden: Celtic Faerie Teachings.


 



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