US Letter (8.5″ × 11″) · Portrait · Check Background graphics.

Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans · Tampa Chapter · Est. 1992

Circles in the Woods

Vol. 34 · Issue 2 · Spring 2026cuups@uutampa.orgFree to the Community

Spring forest clearing with wildflowers and soft sunlight

Spring altar with pastel candles and fresh flowers

Community News

March Highlights

Strong Turnout, Strong Community

Our March Full Moon ritual welcomed 63 attendees, and the pre-ritual workshop drew 30 participants. We also made our final dedicant call — congratulations to all who answered!

April Highlights

Wicca 101 Students Shine

Our April Full Moon saw 51 attendees at the Wicca 101 Ostara Ritual with Blessing Eggs, and 26 participants at the Tie-Dye workshop. Great energy all around!

Fundraising

Well on Our Way to Our Annual Goal

Thanks to generous donations at Full Moon rituals, the Market, Yard Sale, and Spaghetti Dinner, we're making great progress toward our annual pledge. Thank you to everyone who came out!

Council Update

Council Expands to Up to 13 Seats

Unanimously approved! 5 executive seats + up to 8 at-large positions, giving the community a bigger voice. Bylaws also updated for voting eligibility.

Community Update 🎉

Pinellas Pagan Circle of Friends Joins CUUPs St. Pete!

Our friends at Pinellas County Pagans and Friends have merged with St. Pete CUUPs! Let's show our support during this transition — we hope to join them at a future Full Moon to celebrate!

Circles in the Woods — CUUPS Tampa · Spring 2026

Upcoming Events & Full Moon Feast Menus

Watercolor illustration of a cozy feast table with a copper kettle, fresh bread, candles, cranberries, and evergreen sprigs by a stone fireplace

Upcoming Events

Join us each month on the Saturday closest to the full moon at 7:30 PM for rituals, feasts, and community. Please bring a dish to share!

Fri, April 4th — Full Moon

Wicca 101 Ostara Ritual

7:00 PM — Sage Cleansing

7:30 PM — Ritual with Blessing Eggs

After — Feast! (See menu below)

Sat, April 18th

Memorial Garden Work Day

Making memorial stones and fixing up the garden. Email cuups@uutampa.org to help!

Sat, April 26th · Noon

Council Business Meeting

Rescheduled from May 3rd. Open to all!

Fri, May 2nd — Full Moon

Exordium & The Alpha Circle

6:00 PM — Talisman Craft Workshop

7:00 PM — Saging · 7:30 PM — Ritual

After — Potluck Feasting & Fellowship

Reserve workshop spot via Eventbrite. Repeats monthly!

Sat, May 30th — Full Moon

Full Moon: SOC

Sage at 7pm, ritual at 7:30pm.

Sat, June 13th

Summer Magick Fest (Orlando)

Group trip! Details to come.

Sun, June 14th · Noon

Business Meeting + Elections

All welcome. Voting open to CUUPS National Members.

🍽️ Spring Full Moon Feast Menus

Prepared by the CIW-CUUPS Kitchen Witches · Vegetarian, soy-free & gluten-free friendly

April

💜 Blueberry Lemon Balm Syrup

✨ Calm, clarity & healing

🌹 Raspberry Rose Syrup

✨ Love, beauty & heart-opening

🌿 Pineapple Sage Syrup

✨ Prosperity & warmth

Entrée

Zucchini & Tomato Gratin

✨ Abundance & protection

Dessert

Carrot Cake w/ Cream Cheese

✨ Grounding & celebration

May

🥒 Cucumber Mint Syrup

✨ Cooling & healing

🌸 Elderflower Lemon Syrup

✨ Protection & fairy blessings

🍓 Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup

✨ Love & strength

Entrée

Fresh Corn & Pepper Frittata

✨ Abundance & vitality

Dessert

Peach Cobbler

✨ Love & wishes

June

🍑 Peach Ginger Syrup

✨ Longevity & love

🍉 Watermelon Rose Syrup

✨ Healing & peace

🌿 Lime Basil Syrup

✨ Purification & prosperity

Entrée

Summer Squash Casserole

✨ Abundance & nourishment

Dessert

Blueberry Crisp

✨ Protection & calm

Circles in the Woods — CUUPS Tampa · Spring 2026

Springtime Sabbats & Seasonal Wisdom

Spring altar with pastel candles, fresh flowers, and crystals

Kitchen witch herb garden on a windowsill

Springtime Sabbats

🌸 Ostara (Spring Equinox)

Date: March 20, 2026

Meaning: Ostara celebrates the balance of light and dark as days grow longer. It honors renewal, fertility, and the return of life after winter's rest.

Traditions: Decorating eggs, planting seeds, spring cleaning the altar, and celebrating new beginnings.

🌿 Beltane

Date: May 1, 2026

Meaning: Beltane marks the height of spring and the beginning of summer. It celebrates fertility, passion, and the union of the God and Goddess.

Traditions: Dancing the Maypole, lighting bonfires, weaving flower crowns, and celebrating love and creativity.

Community Outreach

Ongoing

Witches Tea Party at The Witches Portal

Members of CIW-CUUPS attend as schedules allow. A great way to connect with the broader Pagan community!

Coming in 2027

Florida Pagan Gathering — Group Day Trip

The council has agreed to plan a Saturday day trip to FPG 2027, held in May. Details to come!

🕯 Preparing the Altar for Spring

Suggestions for Your Spring Altar:

Colors: Soft pastels — greens, yellows, lavenders, and pinks for new growth and fresh beginnings.

Decorations: Fresh flowers (daffodils, tulips, crocuses), decorated eggs, seeds, feathers, and images of hares or birds.

Candles: Green and yellow candles to honor the returning light and the Earth's awakening.

Crystals: Rose quartz, green aventurine, or clear quartz for love, growth, and clarity.

Symbols of Earth: A small pot of soil with seeds, a bowl of spring water, or moss to connect with renewal energy.

🌱 Seasonal Tip

Grow a Kitchen Witch Herb Garden

Spring is the perfect time to start a small herb garden — even on a windowsill!

Basil: Prosperity, love, and protection
Rosemary: Memory, cleansing, and loyalty
Mint: Healing, abundance, and vitality
Thyme: Courage, strength, and purification
Lavender: Peace, sleep, and happiness

Tip: Talk to your plants, set intentions when you water them, and use them in cooking, teas, or ritual work!

Circles in the Woods — CUUPS Tampa · Spring 2026

Get Involved & Seasonal Recipe

🌿 Get Involved

Attend a Full Moon Service

Sage at 7pm, ritual at 7:30pm. No experience needed — we explain as we go!

Volunteer With Us

Setup, greeting, kitchen, cleanup, or guardian roles. Even 15 minutes makes a difference.

Join a Study Group

Wicca 101 is a 6-week curriculum offered periodically. Paganism 101 coming in January and June!

Become a CUUPS Member

All are welcome, all voices matter, and all are heard. Official voting is open to CUUPS National Members. Membership: $25/yr, $60/3yr, or $400/lifetime at cuups.org.

🪙 Moneta Basket

Donations cover ritual supplies, event costs, and outreach. We are entirely volunteer-run. Look for the basket at every gathering!

📝 Suggestion Box

Have feedback? Visit our website suggestion box or grab a form at the next Full Moon. Your voice shapes our community!

🍋 Seasonal Recipe

Spring Herb Lemonade

A refreshing, magickal drink to welcome the season.

Ingredients:

4 cups water
½ cup lemon juice
¼ cup honey
4–5 fresh lavender sprigs
4–5 fresh mint leaves
Ice and lemon slices for serving

Instructions:

Simmer 1 cup water with honey, lavender, and mint. Stir until honey dissolves. Steep 15 min.
Strain out herbs.
Combine syrup with remaining water and lemon juice.
Serve over ice with lemon slices and mint.

✨ Lavender brings peace. Mint invites abundance. Lemon cleanses and uplifts. Set an intention as you stir!

Tip from the Kitchen Committee: Make the herbal syrup ahead and refrigerate up to a week. Add lemon and water when ready to serve!

Poetry from Beyond

The Earth awakens, soft and slow,
Where winter slept, new green will grow.
The crocus pushes through the ground,
A quiet joy, a gentle sound.

The wheel has turned, the light returns,
And in each heart, a small fire burns.
We plant our seeds with hope and care,
And trust the sun to meet us there.

— A Spring Blessing

Circles in the Woods — CUUPS Tampa · Spring 2026

Elections, Resources & Community

🗳️ Council Elections

All are welcome, all voices matter, and all are heard. Official voting is open to CUUPS National Members — want to make your vote count? Ask us how to join!

To run, you must be a member in good standing with both CUUPs National and UUCT. Council Members at Large need CUUPs National membership only. Must have attended at least 4 of the last 6 business meetings.

📅 Key Dates:

Letters of Intent due: May 2, 2026
Voting: June Business Meeting
New Council: September 2026

Who Votes & When:

Elections: CUUPS National Members present. Secret ballot, majority wins.
Council business: Active Council Members. Simple majority.
Bylaw changes: All CUUPS National Members. Simple majority.

Available Positions:

Facilitator/Scheduler — Leads meetings, plans rituals
Treasurer — Tracks funds, reports
Scribe — Records minutes & attendance
Herald/Web-Weaver — Online presence, newsletters
Members at Large — Committees & projects

Interested? Email your letter of intent to cuups@uutampa.org before May 2nd!

CUUPS National Membership

1 Year: $25 · 3 Years: $60 · Lifetime: $400

Join at cuups.org. We can help sponsor members — ask us how!

Resources for Pagan Families

Family-friendly websites to help children explore Paganism:

1. Sacred Spiral Academy

Free activities, lessons, and crafts for Pagan families.

www.sacredspiralacademy.com

2. The Pagan Kids Website

Coloring pages, activity sheets, and simple rituals.

www.pagankids.org

3. Circle Sanctuary

Educational materials, stories, and activities.

www.circlesanctuary.org

4. Druidry for Kids (OBOD)

Stories and activities to introduce children to Druidry.

www.druidry.org

5. Gaia's Guardians

Lessons and activities for Earth-centered spirituality.

www.gaiasguardians.org

Community Resource

Mandragora Magika

A not-for-profit site for the pagan, witch, and Wiccan communities. Covens, stores, blogs, resources, and more. No ads or paid subscriptions.

www.mandragoramagika.com

Did You Know?

CIW-CUUPS Tampa is celebrating 34 years of service! Founded in 1992.
CIW-CUUPS and UUCT are united in community — partners in spirit.
Most active CUUPs chapter in the Tampa Bay Area.
All proceeds go toward maintaining the church and community activities.
Typical attendance: 35–65 people at Full Moon rituals — and growing!