What is the Freehold?

The Heathen Freehold Society (formerly the Asatru Freehold) was founded in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, during the spring of 2002. Since then, the Freehold has grown to include members from all over the province. Our greatest purpose is to assist in the contemporary revival of the elder culture and religion of the ancient Germanic, Teutonic and Nordic tribes. We are also dedicated to studying the many varieties of Germanic Heathenism which have arisen all over the world in the last half century, including Asatru, Odinism, Theodism, Forn Sed, and others, and teaching what we learn to interested others. The Freehold is a confederation of independent Heathen individuals, households, kindreds and tribes who have united around this historic purpose. Now registered as a charitable society, the Heathen Freehold Society is pioneering where no Canadian Heathen have gone before.

The Heathen Freehold Society is celebrating its 7th year of operation. Based in British Columbia, Canada, we are dedicated to the celebration and revival of the aboriginal culture and religion of the Germanic, Teutonic and Nordic tribes.

Welcome to the community website of the Freehold!

The Heathen Freehold Society of BC was conceived as a place where Heathens of all stripes could meet as equals in peace and good fellowship, regardless of path. This website intends to achieve that in an online incarnation (version?), as, spread out as we are, opportunities to meet face-to-face in a group are all too often few and far between.

This website allows us to take up the slack. It is a place where we can meet, chat, plan, and grow the ties that bind a community together.

Some of the forums are accessible to everyone who logs in; others can only be seen if you hold a up to date Freehold membership. Still others, for example, the various Guilds, can be seen by anyone, but can be only posted to by members of those guilds. To join one, simply request membership. A few others are private. To become a member of the Freehold, you have simply to ask a sworn Freeholder to stand for you. Contact our Ombudsman for details.

Please, enter and be welcome! Have a look around, post where you will, and see what we're all about. Someday we hope to meet you in person; in the meantime, join us here in the Freehold Community Website!

News:
There is a pagan meetup discussing a united front to the public for anyone interested. I just got this now in my mail and thought I'd post it. I think we will go.
-Ken

 Announcing a new Meetup for Vancouver Area Pagans (VAP)!

What: The Fires of February: Welcome to a New Year of Vancouver Area Pagans
When: Saturday, February 6, 2010 7:00 PM Price: CAD2.00 - 5.00 per person, suggested donation
Where: WHATTLEKAINUM HOUSING COOPERATIVE 8740 - FOREST GROVE DRIVE Common Room Burnaby, BC V5A 4C9

After a brief hiatus during the holiday season, Vancouver Area Pagans (our new name) is back, and eager to leap into the February fray. The Wiccan contingent will just have celebrated the sabbat of Imbolc, or Oimelc, on February 2. What's happening with the other Pagan groups in our area? How do Vancouver Area Pagans feel about the advent of the Winter Olympics, and having the World on our doorstep? Should we have/do we need a Vancouver Area Pagan Council? A Pagan Inter-Faith Committee of some sort? Can we present a united, Pagan voice on social justice and political issues that affect us and our city? Should we? Just a few ideas to think about as you prepare for our next meeting. I look forward to seeing you there!
Submitted by Ken





 

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The time has come again to bring  our friends and Freeholders up-to-date on all the Freehold has been doing in this busy year of 2009, and what lies ahead for 2010! In this issue you can read about some of our hosted events, see the range of wonderful activities that Freeholders have helped the broader Pagan community bring to life, and sample some of the creative talents the gods have seen fit to bless our fair community with.  This has been a time of great achievement, and I look forward to sharing just a sample of it with you all.   -John T Mainer, President/Freyr FreeHolder September 2009 Feel free to keep some copies printed out to hand out to people.

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Althing 2009 is over, and our winners by acclimation are in!



Lifetime Achievement award is given to the Heathen whose lifework is deemed to be the most influential and important in the advancement of Heathenry.  This years recipient is Diana Paxson, whose contribution to Heathenry and literature each could have won her the award.  Diana has been an inspiration to us all, so to her we give this award and acknowledgement of her place in our hearts.

Tyrbold award is given to the Heathen who best exemplifies the courage, attention to duty, and leadership of the very best Heathen warriors.  A soldier who has chosen to return again and again to Afghanistan in the service of his folk, Graeme is a living example of the virtues of Tyr.  In acknowledgement of his achievements, we grant him this honour and pride of place amongst our warriors.

Submitted by John T Mainer

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Membership News -

Althing 2009 clarified the overly complicated membership rules and brought us more into line with the Societies Act. 
Classes of membership are now defined as follows:

Trothed: Oath sworn dues paying voting memberships with full access to forums and the rights
to apply to any gender appropriate guildhalls.

Journeymen: Oath sworn dues paying voting members in their first part year whose membership must be upheld by 75% majority at Althing, at which time they become full Trothed members.

Friends:  Members of the general public who have interest in Freehold news and activities but pay no dues, and swear no oaths to the gods or society.  They may have access to public areas of the Forums but not Freeholder or Guildhalls.

Donating Friends:  Members of the general public who have an interest in Freehold news and activities who swear no oaths to the gods or the society, but who feel strongly enough about the Freehold goals and activities that they pay donations equal or greater to the $20 membership dues.  These Donating Friends have access to public areas, and may apply to any gender appropriate guildhalls.  While not members, these are valued guests at our halls with much to contribute.

Those who have paid their dues in the last quarter before Althing will have their dues pro-rated for the next year.  In other words if you paid just before Althing, you will only owe the difference between the end of one calendar year from your payment, and the next Canada Day Althing weekend. 
I will be getting a hold of all of you to update you on the differences so that all memberships will be due at next Althing, and our bookkeeping can remain simple.

Cheques can be mailed to

Heathen Freehold Society of British Columbia
23-21960 River Road
Maple Ridge, BC, Canada
BCV2X 2C3

Direct deposit at Bank of Montreal into the Heathen Freehold Society of British Columbia account 080270 001 8902 494
Please email or pm the Freyr with your transaction date and number so we credit your membership appropriately

Paypal payments to 'contact@bc-freehold.org' to the Heathen Freehold Society of British Columbia in Canadian or US dollars are also acceptable, but please remember to email us your details so we can properly update your memberships

Submitted by John T Mainer

All members in good standing are asked to read and participate in an special general meeting called by our president John.

There are some specific questions that would be best handled by our general membership, and with the understanding that it affects us all, not just those able to travel to Althing, It has been decided to call a Thing and have our membership direct us accordingly in these matters.

Non paid and sworn members are welcome to follow the proceedings but only our membership will be able to discuss and vote on the issues at this Thing.

The online Thing is here
Submitted by Mikhail

Hail,
     As promised at last Althing, the Werman's and Wifman's guild leaders have completed their CPIC screening with the RCMP to make sure there are no offenses, including pardoned offenses, present in police files.  The Werman's guild is where men and boys discuss the issues of manhood, while the Wifman's guild is where girls and women discuss the issues of womanhood.  As these two areas represent the mentoring of the youth by the elders of their own gender, these halls must be held to the highest standards of trust and safety.

     While the Freehold is a place that prides itself on the honourable conduct of its members, we are also a family centred group that values the welfare of children and the vulnerable of our community most highly.  When seeking the standards of proof, we used the CPIC that volunteer and professional groups working with children are required to undergo.

      In our service to the community with the Canadian Rangers, Mikhail, Freydis and myself have had to undergo the full CPIC screening for criminal offenses to assure that we are fit to act in positions of responsibility with minor children.  As part of the transparency we strive for here in the Freehold, I have posted my own CPIC in the files section.

Submitted by John T Mainer

Cake or Death?  Inspired by Eddie Izzard's infamous skit, Cake or Death is the spaghetti social of the Heathen Freehold where all manner of Freeholders come together to feast, to vent, to laugh, and to enjoy the hospitality that is the very sinew of our community.  On Feb 15 Joy challenged the Freeholders to Cake or Death, and right readily was she answered.  Our thanks to our hostess for having all of us, and to all the Freeholders and those who aspired to join us, for attending.

While feasting and merriment were the order of the day, we did have the honour of accepting the oaths of both Cam and Kate into our ranks as Freeholders.  Thanks to Aaron for being able to get away from the Navy and the Island long enough to join us in person, and thanks to the Heimdallsons for joining us by webcam chat so that all could join in the discussions, even the most far flung.  Many brave burgers and drinkables were added to the ranks of fallen cakes as much fine food and drink was consumed, but the food however splendid was but a side dish, as the main course was the conversation.  As much as the online community is a way to stay in touch with people, the reality of human bonds is forged face to face.

We have events coming up in May to again gather the Freeholders, and meet our newest Freeholder to (quite shortly) be, and the Poetic Edda reading group, but this is not enough.   The cry of Cake or Death will again ring out in the halls, and we will again assemble the folk to meet and mingle, sharing joys, frustrations, fixations, and fellowship.
Submitted by John T Mainer

The Heathen Freehold, in cooperation with Grimoire's Books, is proud to announce our Norse Discussion Group, or Poetic Edda Reading Group.  Lead by our own Weoh Guildmistress, Cheryl Price, the group has so far fared through the Voluspa and the Havamal, and discussed and galdored runes such as Uruz.

Blessed with a variety of backgrounds and interests, the group has enough depth to give a much greater perspective on the wisdom of the Edda and the mysteries of the runes.  As our hostess Pixie is tolerant when conversations run long, we have been able to go deep into those matters which really catch the interest and tie meaningfully into the lives of the group.

To study the words of the gods and the meaning of the runes is to learn about yourself.  To do it in a company of fellow Heathens is to benefit from the community wisdom that was for so many centuries the foundation of our folk.  If any are interested in attending, please feel free to join us!
Submitted by John T Mainer