(Back to the main Jotun's Bane Kindred Page)  Why No Public Events Right Now? It is impossible to overstate the importance of face-to-face Heathenry.  Heathenry is about community, gathering as a people, shaking a man or woman's hand, looking them in the eye, hearing their voice, telling stories, getting to know each other. It is letting your kids play together. Letting your spouses get to know each other. It is about laughing at dumb jokes, and telling stories from your life. Its about building bonds of friendship...and taking the measure of another person, and finding them of worth.  "Internet Heathenry" and "Facebook Heathenry" are not Heathenry.  The Internet and Facebook are simply ways to communicate.  You don't really know the person with whom you are communicating.  You don't really know their life, their worth, or their character.  So, if you are reading this and you are not in real-life contact with real-heathens in your local area or your region, reach out to some.  Find them, contact them, and find ways to get to know them in person. Jotun's Bane Kindred spent 2009 through 2014 hosting very successful public events, such as pubmoots, monthly worship meetings, and even regional gatherings.  In March of 2014 there were 108 Heathens at our Open Ostara Gathering and in September of 2014 there were 280 Heathens at Lightning Across the Plains.  We held these events to build relationships and bond with other Heathens in our region.  An immense amount of our effort and time went into making these events as positive and constructive as possible. In 2015 we began scaling back our public efforts and presence.  Click Here to See Larger Image For six years we invested heavily in efforts meant to benefit others, as a service to the "Heathen Community."  That was something we did voluntarily and willingly.  Not something required of us.  And after six years of investment in others, we decided to focus in on our own families, our own kindred, and those Heathens we actually know and trust.  Far too often, our efforts were being enjoyed by people who did not have our best interests at heart.  Time and time again, this was proven to us by the negative actions of certain kindreds and individuals...and we grew tired of tolerating such behavior on the part of others toward our kindred. Ostara 2015 was held as a private event, and those in attendence were there by invitation only.  Unanimously, our kindred enjoyed this event more than any other event we've held in the past.  After much thought, we cancelled Lightning Across the Plains 2015, so that we could spend our time and effort on those that have been reciprocal and honorable in our friendships with them. Will Jotun's Bane Kindred hold public events in the future?  That's a great question, and one we don't have the answer to right now.  It is likely that over time we may host classes on Heathen topics, small get-togethers at a pub, or other local events.  Beyond that, we will all have to wait and see. If you live in the local Kansas City Area and would like to communicate with our kindred, please message me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/asatru  or email me at  mark@heathengods.com. (Back to the main Jotun's Bane Kindred Page)