Texas Mayor backs Wiccan appearance despite Christian protests about ´witches´ at City Council meeting

Texas star. Five points. It´s fate.

nuf said

Betwixt & Between In the Media
Celebrating 5 Years - 12/28/2002

By Kristen Holland/Dallas Morning News

Dallas center for earth religions sets example, plans activism

It has been a long and often tumultuous road, but one of the nation´s most active community resource centers for people practicing earth-centered faiths is about to reach a milestone – its fifth anniversary.

On Saturday, members and friends of Betwixt & Between Community Center in Dallas will celebrate and prepare to step up their activism. The goal: to increase interfaith dialogue and fight religious discrimination, both locally and beyond.

"We have accomplished so much in this city by being here," said Maeven Eller, executive director of Betwixt and Between, commonly known as B&B. "We have people that call us who are having discrimination issues from all over the country. There´s other groups, but there´s no one [available] seven days a week."

Amy Martin, founder of Celestial Rhythm Celebrations in Dallas, a not-for-profit group committed to popularizing seasonal observances such as the winter solstice, said the anniversary is "a testament to their tenacity."

It’s really hard to keep a community center going without any grants," she said. "The fact that they´ve been able to do it just on volunteer donations is remarkable."

B&B members haven´t always felt welcome. In June 1999, a few weeks after The Dallas Morning News published an article about the center, Ms. Eller received an eviction notice. B&B is now in its fourth and, Ms. Eller hopes, final location, near City Place.

In September 2000, the center drew the attention of the Dallas City Council after B&B member Bryan Lankford was uninvited from delivering an invocation at a council meeting after a caller raise questions about his appearance. Mayor Ron Kirk later apologized to Wiccans and invited Mr. Lankford, also a Wiccan, to deliver the invocation at the council meeting the next week.

At its last site, just off Greenville Avenue, the center logged numerous police visits because of noise complaints filed by neighbors angered by weekly Friday night drum jams.

Despite the challenges, B&B members believe that they´ve built a solid foundation for future work. It´s taken quite some time for us to establish ourselves," Ms. Eller said, but "we are one of the only groups that are considered ´left of center´ here that actually qualified for the faith-based initiative" promoted by President Bush.

The center is collaborating with the U.S. Justice Department to help bring religious discrimination cases to light and end discrimination in schools, workplaces and the courts. Ms. Eller said local efforts wouldn’t be shoved to the backseat as the center expands its scope. Offering a spiritual haven for area residents living outside the religious mainstream will remain a top priority.

"We´re trying to provide these people an opportunity to celebrate their religion, to conduct their daily lives," she said. "We´re trying to give them a hand in the dark in a road that´s scary."

Ms. Martin said that a national profile is good for B&B because few people realize that earth-centered beliefs are practiced in the South. Its strength has also led to the formation other groups including one that plans to open a center in the mid-cities early next year, Ms. Martin said.

As with many nonprofits, money remains tight. Ms. Eller plans to start applying for grants to pay staff members and offset expenses. Currently, members volunteer.

Beginning in January, B&B will offer mental health services and a legal clinic. A food bank is possible down the road.

Ms. Eller said that her greatest wish remains the same – for people to realize that B&B visitors are like everyone else. "We´re just moms and dads and people trying to lead a spiritual life," she said, her voice choking with emotion. "Everyone needs a place they can turn to. ... We´re just one of those places. This is what resonates to us."

[link to www.betwixt.org]

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