KaliSara and RevKess are joined on the air for this edition by Rev. Terry Michael Riley. Terry is one of the founding elders of the Southern Delta Church of Wicca. SDCW was incorporated into the Aquarian Tabernacle Church in 1994. The coven existed for thirteen years prior to incorporation with the ATC. The ATC was formalized as a Federally recognized church in 1979.
In 1993, Terry was in the process of opening a metaphysical shop in his local community. The townsfolk too umbrage to the idea and started causing various problems for Terry, his family, and his coven. It was around then that he contacted the ATC and the ball began rolling for incorporation into the Southern Delta Church of Wicca.
Since then SDCW has become a mainstay in the Arkansas Pagan community. In the last twenty years SDWC has built a reputation and become affiliated with the Aquarian Tabernacle Church and several other affiliated congregations. Terry and the other church elders have educated themselves on local and state laws regarding marriage and other legal issues that may be of importance to their congregation.
Having a strong resemblance to the mythic images of Gandalf and Merlin, Riley has become a respected member of the community, not just the Pagan community. It was during an interview in the early 90’s that he discovered that mainstream media only uses the title reverend in their coverage when the person in question ha earned a degree from a seminary – has an education that would reflect such a title. That, along with other influences, led to the formation of the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary. Woolston-Steen offers a variety of courses in which a student can everything from an associates to a doctorate in divinity.
The Aquarian Tabernacle Church has an online newsletter called Panegyria. Contributors to the site include various elders and members of the ATC. Alfred Willow Hawk from the Wite Rayvn Metaphysical Church-ATC, and a former guest on the Pagan-Musings Podcast Channel, is just one of those contributors.
During the conversation, Riley brought up the recent goings-on in Beebe, AR. He spoke briefly about the June city council meeting at which members of SDCW and other ATC and Pagan organizations appeared for moral support to Seekers Temple. The hosts of PMPChannel will continue to share updates on High Priest Dahl’s efforts in Beebe.
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Riley is also the author of Brothers of the Sun: Pagan Men Mysteries. We did not have an opportunity during the broadcast to speak with Terry Riley about this work. RevKess is looking forward to taking the opportunity to read the book and perhaps inviting Riley on the show again to discuss men’s mysteries in detail.
MUSIC
- Damh the Bard – Pagan Ways – Cauldron Born
- Jenna Greene – Chapel of the Wood – Wild Earth Song
- SJ Tucker – Ravens in the Library – Mischief
- Emerald Rose – Freya, Shakti – Bending Tradition
- Leigh Anne Hussey – Rise Up Witches – Homebrew
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