I have had several enquires about the relationship/difference between O & M and CCIWI (www.cciwi.org). I have deliberately not "marketed" CCIWI until now because quite frankly there wasn't a need but as we work toward online graduates of the first degree program and more and more students grow in expertise and ask to teach, it will now become much more prominent.

O & M is a face to face coven and an online coven, school and community as you all know, and a fairly successful one at that. However, it's just the first of what I expect will be many covens that will develop as our tradition, Inclusive Wicca, grows. In order to facilitate that, we needed a legitimate and registered "church" organisation so that fledgling covens, teachers, students and so forth could be supported within a shared framework of understanding. Thus CCIWI or "Kiwi" as it is affectionately pronounced was created last year.

CCIWI is a little like the diocese of a Christian church or the principle and policy provider if you like. It’s a registered incorporation in South Australia and so as a result it has the legal right and ability to confer clergy status (Rev.) on students who have attained the appropriate Wiccan qualifications, community service, experience and legal requirements in their state/country. This might mean for instance mandatory training in how to recognise and report potential child abuse which is a requirement in most states of Australia and several in the US.

CCIWI also provides the legal framework for me to support teachers and fledgling covens within the tradition so as students graduate from the First Degree program, they can move into the Second Degree training program (and Third later) and on to teaching, starting their own coven all with the support of CCIWI as the framework for it.

So CCIWI gives Inclusive Wicca legitimacy, credibility and a pathway for serious students to gain their legal credentials as a clergy person. In order to become a clergy member of Inclusive Wicca, students need to become members of the church (just as they would for any other church or religion) and the cost is some piddling $15 or something so just a token amount to cover costs. Like O & M, CCIWI is NOT about making money.

So the idea is that as we get lots of Inclusive Wiccan covens, CCIWI is what will tie them all together, give them a framework, provide the teaching materials and support and be the anchor for the Inclusive Wiccan tradition.

If you would like to know more, please feel free to go to the CCIWI website or email me.

Smiles and blessings, Amethyst