About Us

Statement of Principles.

1. We honor the god/desses of Asgard and the spirits allied with them.
2. We believe in the workings of Wyrd, and each of us accepts responsibility for his/her personal choices and actions.
3. We endorse the following statements made by Gamlinginn as part of his own declaration of belief. Though we do not agree with all of Gamlinginn's theology, we do agree wholeheartedly with the following ideas:

"I believe that every human on earth can and may have a similar personal relationship with all of the Aesir and the Vanir individually and collectively, and has as much right as I do to be an adherent of Asatru, if he or she so chooses, and that Asatru is freely open to anyone who wants to accept it -- regardless of gender, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, language, sexual orientation, or other divisive criteria -- and that no individual or group of individuals has the right to try to deny Asatru anyone, or to try to force it onto anyone.

"I believe that religious beliefs should always be of free choice, and that each person who chooses to adhere to Asatru should interpret it according to his or her own ideas, and that no individual or group of individuals ever has the right to try to make a person adhere to any religious ideas or beliefs against that person's will, or to try to harm those who do not agree with them, for any reason."

[Note: The full text of Gamlinginn's essay "Her Stend Ek" can be found at http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin/Asatru/Her%20Stend%20Ek.htm.]

Joining the Kindred.

A person is eligible to be considered for membership in Medoburg Kindred when s/he meets the following requirements:

1. Has attended at least nine blots within a two-year period.
2. Has contributed to the Kindred and/or to Heathenism generally.
3. Is in agreement with the Kindred Statement of Principles (see above).

A person who meets all of the above criteria becomes a member when:

1. S/he expresses interest in becoming a member.
2. The consensus of the current members is to admit the candidate to membership.

Note: there is no automatic expectation that a regular attendee at blots will necessarily want or seek membership. People are welcome to attend indefinitely without joining.

How We Function.

1. Our purpose is to provide religious and spiritual support to one another. This includes providing "reality checks" for each others' insights and experiences.
2. Decisions are made by consensus. The default position is the "status quo," and the whole group must agree to move forward with a proposed change.
   
   Exception: Because blots are held at members' private homes, the host has the final say about who may attend and what events will take place.
   
   
3. The Kindred holds two gatherings a year that are open only to members, their families, and special guests invited by the Kindred. At one of these, we brew a mead together. The other is some kind of challenge or adventure.
4. Members are expected to take responsibility for their actions. Specifically, "If you go down, don't take the Kindred with you." -R.D. Stine

More information

• Aurvangar
• Gróa Hof