TextCompiled and designed by Andrea Joy Kendall.

ContributorsAnne Agard, Angie Buchanan, Jo Carson, Andras Corban-Arthen, Phyllis Curott, Amber K, Anna Korn, Rowan Fairgrove, Donald Frew, J. Hildebrand, M. Macha NightMare, and Starhawk.

About this timelineThis timeline includes events of interest to anyone that wants to understand what the Covenant of the Goddess (CoG) and its? members do.

Note: Blue text is a link to a web page. We have done our best to check these sites but only you can decide if you are comfortable clicking a link.

Last updated on updated 07/11/2021.

" We Are CoG" (1980 to 1990 ) www.cog.org

1980

A form of modern feminist Witchcraft working to unify spirit and politics, initially develops in the classes, workshops, summer programs, and public rituals. Reclaiming evolved into a distinctive Craft Tradition.

Reclaiming Col lect ive forms in San Francisco, Uni ted States

<ref https://reclaiming.org/a-brief-history-of-reclaiming >

Prior to this CoG was set up as an organization for covens.

Sol i t ary Wit ches are al lowed to join CoG

1980 s

1981

Exact dates unknown

MerryMeet is a festival that coincides with CoG?s annual business meeting, Grand Council.

MerryMeet consists of workshops, rituals, and get-togethers to allow members and non-members to get to know one another.

The first one is held at Rodeo Beach, Marin County, California, United States and is organized by Alison Harlow and Deborah Bender.

First MerryMeet fest ival is held

1982

Deirdre helps to establish the now-defunct NELCCOG. She serves one term as National Second Officer of CoG, and another as National Concordance Officer of CoG.

She was also very active in the EarthSpirit Community serving as its? Executive Director.

Deirdre Pulgram- Arthen Joins CoG

Helps to found the now-defunct North-East Local Council of CoG (NELCCOG) which was spearheaded by Judy Harrow. He goes on to serve as the National Information Officer.

Founder and spiritual director of the EarthSpirit Community. He is involved in teaching, public speaking, community development, spiritual counseling, organizing events, officiating at ceremonies, and interacting with the media.

Andras is elected to the board of trustees of the Council that organizes and runs the Parliament of the World?s Religions in 2006 then serves three times as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Andras Corban- Arthen joins CoG

<ref https://parliamentofreligions.org/content /interview-andras-corban-arthen >

Located at Circle Pines Center, Michigan, United States.

CoG holds f i rst Grand Counci l outside of Cal i fornia, Uni ted States

Believed to be the first local council to form outside of California and served both the Minnesota and western Wisconsin area in the United States.

The now- defunct Northern Dawn Local Counci l is formed

Northern Dawn Local Council serves their local community for over 35 years by holding rituals both inside various venues and outside in nature.

Northern Dawn Local Counci l star t s holding publ ic r i t uals four t imes a year, star t ing at Samhain

1984

Thorn is active in the Hills & Rivers Local Council located in South-Central Pennsylvania. He is a Seated Elder in the New Wiccan Church, an Elder Council of Gala, and a High Priest in the Mohsian Tradition and Wolfa Coven.

Thorn Nightwind born in Pennsylvania, Uni ted States

Organized by Greg Harder, Glenn Turner, and Shirin of the Northern California Local Council. This event was held at Harbin Hot Springs.

Glenn has the idea to hold a festival to go along with the business meeting. Because of the culture in the area a nondescript name for the festival is selected. The Ancient Ways camping festival continued for several decades thereafter.

Merry Meet held in Northern Cal i fornia, Uni ted States gives bi r t h to the Ancient Ways fest ival

1985

Evolves into the Reclaiming WitchCamps.

Reclaiming Col lect ive holds i t s Fi rst Summer Apprent iceship Intensive

Intense letter-writing campaign by Witches and Pagans eventually led to the House-Senate conference committee killing the proposed amendment. CoG?s response to amendment was led by PIO Donald Frew.

Helms Amendment to deny us rel igious val idi t y, and to rest r ict t he IRS f rom recognizing Pagans as tax- exempt is proposed

Donald Frew and Gus DiZerega work with conservative Christians from the Spiritual Counterfeits Project in a series of dialogues on Pagan-Evangelical differences.

A ser ies of dialogs is held on Pagan- Evangel ical di f ferences

Gus DiZeraga & Donald Frew

A Christian minister J. Gordon Melton reaches out to CoG for assistance in creating guidelines for Army Chaplains. Donald Frew writes an entry for the manual as his first action as CoG?s National Public Information officer.

CoG is contacted about wr i t ing the Wiccan ent ry in the Uni ted States Army Chaplain?s Manual

1986

Under the PIO Donald Frew CoG?s work with law enforcement helps to turn the tide on the Satanic hysteria of the 1980?s.

CoG becomes the f i rst Wit chcraf t group to work col laborat ively wi th DOJ/ FBI to produce a guide on Wit chcraf t for pol ice

CoG provides Clergy credentials for our Elders/Ministers.

Judy Harrow worked with the ACLU to force the State of New York to accept and register our Clergy.

The State of New York is forced into accept ing Pagan Wit ches as Clergy

SCP was a Berkeley-based Evangelical Christian research and information service on cults and the occult.

Don Frew along with Gus diZerega, Alison Harlow, Russell Williams, and Anna Korn participate in the first ongoing dialogue between Witches and Evangelical Christians and started relationships that continue to this day.

CoG PIO Don Frew opens communicat ion wi th the Spir i t ual Counter fei t s Project (SCP)

Donald Frew is the first Witch to serve on the board of a local interfaith council.

Board of Directors of t he Berkeley Area Inter fai t h Counci l (BAIC) elects CoG Publ ic Informat ion Of f icer (PIO) Donald Frew as a member

1988

Our military activities have waxed and waned, depending on the number of COG members active in the military.

CoG star t s t o work wi th Wiccan mi l i t ary of f icers to help educate the mi l i t ary

1989

Don, in collaboration with FBI agent Ken Lanning, and Robert Hicks of the U.S. Dept. of Justice publish the first critical examination of the ?Satanic Hysteria? industry, exposing the myth of widespread, organized, criminal Satanic cults, and discrediting phony ?Satanic crime experts? all over the country. It is credited by the FBI with reversing the tide of the ?Satanic Hysteria? in America.

CoG PIO Don Frew publ ishes Satanism in America: How the Devil Got Much More Than His Due

1990

The Reclaiming Collective is officially recognized as a nonprofit religious corporation in the State of California.

Reclaiming Col lect ive incorporates as a 50 1(c)(3) in Cal i fornia, Uni ted States

Entry written by CoG member Judy Harrow.

U.S. Army Chaplains? Handbook adds an ent ry about t he Covenant of t he Goddess

CoG PIO Donald Frew appears with alleged ?ex-Satanist? Mike Warnke and radio evangelist Bob Larson. The program is held in Washington, District of Columbia, United States broadcast live to 17 countries.

The Nat ional Rel igious Broadcasters convent ion invi t es i t s f i rst Wit ch to speak

CoG PIO Donald Frew appears with alleged ?ex-Satanist? Mike Warnke and radio evangelist Bob Larson. The program is held in Washington, District of Columbia, United States broadcast live to 17 countries.

The Nat ional Rel igious Broadcasters convent ion invi t es i t s f i rst Wit ch to speak