How Moon Path Circle Fits into the Big Picture

MoonPath Circle, Inc., is one of several spinoffs from MoonPath CUUPS, originally to do offsite projects. MoonPath Circle is organized as a church and is not connected to the UUs other than having overlapping members. MoonPath sponsors the Tequesta Drum Circle, does charitable outreach, does a scholarship program, does Pee Wee Pagans, and ordains some people they know well who are already Pagan clergy. Most likely, these people already have credentials from somewhere else.
CUUPS, the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, is an auxiliary of the Unitarian Universalist Association. The role of CUUPS is to spread knowledge of and connection to the Pagan world. CUUPS does programs at the national gathering of UUs and encourages CUUPS chapters at individual churches. Chapters serve as a resource to their host congregation and do not ordain anybody. (See
UU ordained clergy are welcomed into fellowship after completing much soul searching, much discernment by other UU clergy, a Master's Degree from an accredited college, completion of a chaplaincy program, and more. It is not far from the truth to say that fellowshipped UU ministers have a rather strong union. (See
MoonPath welcomes new clergy as "Elders in Communion." This phrase is lifted from the Florida Marriage Statute (Title XLIII, Chapter 741.07). Our clergy are bound by affection, association, and loyalty. This means that we like each other, we get together once in a while, and we don't gnaw each others arms off. The vision is that we will gather a group of ethical clergy within the Pagan community who are worthy of respect. We don't tell them what to believe, but we do care about behavior. Each Beltaine we review everyone's status for continued good standing.
MoonPath uses the Roman Catholic model in that it has a Council of six who set policy and annually re-elect either themselves or their replacements.
If you are thinking of approaching a settled UU minister in her church and flashing your MoonPath credentials, she may not be impressed. She knows what she did to get where she is. Your path is different.

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