&indexHeathens should gather together...bring their families together...and get to know each other. Its through this regional communication, cooperation, and bonds that our strength will grow. The following are gatherings in or around the Heartland. All of these events are worth attending. And they all lead up nicely to Lightning Across the Plains on Sept 24-26, 2010.
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OPEN OSTARA GATHERING - March 13-14, 2010 - near Kansas City
Info on this Message Board & Facebook
Last year's Ostara brought out 32 heathens. This year's Ostara Gathering has a more regional focus. Volkshof Kindred, Tyr's Helm Tribe, JBK, and Hammertree Hearth will all be present. And other groups in the region are looking at attending. There will be eggs, egg games, an Ostara Faining, and a Symbel. Jotun's Bane will be hosting this event.
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MIDWEST THING 4 - Sept 3-5, 2010 - near Minneapolis, MN
Yahoo E-List & Facebook
Hosted by Volkshof Kindred up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Last year's event was attended by about 35 people, from several kindreds. There's a folk symbel, a faining, and a more formal symbel, as well as Viking Games, and great conversations. This year all meals are included with the fee for admission. Jotun's Bane Kindred will be attending this event.
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LIGHTNING ACROSS THE PLAINS - Sept 24-26, 2010 - near Kansas City
Main Website & Facebook
Last years event gathered 120 heathens (80 adults and 40 children), with many
kindreds and hearths represented, including Jotun's Bane, the Franks, Volkshof,
White Wolf, Tyr's Helm, Hammertree, MHS, and others. We're hoping for an even
better turn out of quality folks from around the region this year. Jotun's Bane will be hosting this event.
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Good strong kindreds attend all of these events, so you can expect that leaders and representatives from kindreds in our region will be meeting and talking at all of these events. At Lightning Across the Plains 2010, we should be in a good position to hold our first Heartland Thing with kindreds and tribes from across our region.
If you know of a gathering not mentioned here, please feel free to post about it. We will add additional gatherings as we learn about them.
Mark Ludwig Stinson
“Heathen Gods – A Collection of Essays Concerning the Folkway of Our People” is a 216-page-book of Asatru/Heathen essays written by Mark Ludwig Stinson, Chieftain of Jotun's Bane Kindred and a AFA Folkbuilder in the Heartland. Chapters cover essays for new heathens, how to start and maintain a kindred, living a heathen life, as well as poetry and a journal of Mark's journey to visit Iceland in 2009.
The book is completely free and was produced under an Open License. You may download, distribute, or share the book anyway you'd like as long as it remains intact and you do not profit monetarily. A print version of Heathen Gods should be available in January of 2010.
CLICK HERE to go to the download page, where you can download the book from heathengods.com or lulu.com.
Mark Stinson
We've added a new section to our website, called "Useful Downloads."
http://heathengods.com/temple/modules/wmpdownloads/
There are currently 5 books and 4 videos available there for download, as of this posting. We'll be adding additional files over time. This will not in any way replace our Temple Library. Essentially, its a place we can provide quick links to important books, our various videos, event registration forms, as well as workshops & educational materials.
Thanks!
Mark Stinson
We've added some additional pieces of artwork to the Asatru Artwork Archive...
Heimdall...about 40 images:
http://heathengods.com/temple/modules/myalbum/viewcat.php?cid=33
Baldr...about 20 images:
http://heathengods.com/temple/modules/myalbum/viewcat.php?cid=11
Enjoy!
Mark
Unverified Personal Gnosis (UPG) and Experiential Knowledge
This article containes two short essays on Unverified Personal Gnosis and Experiential Knowledge, one by Rod Landreth and the other by Gerd Forsta Axenthowes. The essays examine what is UPG, what isn't UPG, and how the term is often misused.
To read this new article, click here...
http://heathengods.com/temple/modules/articles/article.php?id=36
Mark
On January 3rd, 2009...after months of getting to know the members of Jotun's Bane Kindred, and then completing a six-month Applicant Process...Adam and Tracy Culver were welcomed into our Kindred and took Kindred Oaths.
We are extremely happy to welcome Adam, Tracy, and their three boys Bodhi, Lance, and Zane into our family. Words cannot express it.
They took their Kindred oaths at the foot of an ancient oak tree named Forn Halr...and if you'd like to see the photos from that weekend, follow this link:
http://www.heathengods.com/events/01032009oathing/
Mark Stinson
We have so much going on as a Kindred, that its fairly easy to get behind on posting our Event Photos. But I've just added 4 events, in an effort to catch up. Check them out:
Winternights Faining - October 5 , 2008:
http://www.heathengods.com/events/10052008faining/
Nordic Festival in Kansas - October 4, 2008:
http://www.heathengods.com/events/10042008nordicfest/
Mark & Jamie's Birthdays - September 20, 2008:
http://www.heathengods.com/events/09202008birthday/
Sterling Kemp Memorial Gathering - September 13, 2008:
http://www.heathengods.com/events/09132008campout/
Check our Kindred Event Photos Page now and again to see what we've added. 
Mark
We've added a new article to our website written by Rod Landreth. It describes from the accounts of various sources, the conversion of Iceland to Christianity. It examines both the internal and external forces at work on Iceland before this decision was made, as well as the actual politics of conversion.
To read the new article in our Stories & Articles section, click here.
Mark
We attempt to share as much information about our Kindred as possible, so that people visiting our website for the first time, can learn something about us...and what we stand for.
As part of that effort, we've added a page to the website about Jotun's Bane Kindred's Oath Ring...an unbroken band of iron with a Thurisaz rune etched onto it.
Our Oath Ring represents our unbreakable word to each other and to those deeds we have committed to completing.
The Kindred's Chieftain wears the Oath Ring on his left arm at all Kindred events and anytime he is somewhere representing the Kindred.
Click Here to read more about it.
Mark
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. Its letting your kids play together. Letting your spouses get to know each other. Its about laughing at dumb jokes, and telling stories from your life. Its about mingling Wyrd...and taking the measure of another person, and finding them of worth.
On September 25-27, 2009, heathens from around the Midwest will gather at Gaea Retreat, a pagan campground about 40 minutes outside of the Kansas City Area. Our registration packet contains a schedule for the event, and details on food, workshops, Symbels, the Blot, what you'll need to bring, and everything else you could possibly want to know about the event...
Your registration includes all camping fees and dinner on Friday and Saturday night. Individual Registrations are $40 and Family Registrations are $60. To register using PayPal or any major credit card, click here to go to the registration page..
If you have questions about Lightning Across the Plains, or need an alternative method for paying for your registration, contact mark@heathengods.com or post in this discussion string.
Mark
