“[The Autumnal Equinox] is a time of re-balancing after intensive work,
of inward turning as well as celebration. In the mythic cycle of the Goddess, the Mother Goddess completes her activity of manifestation and begins her descent toward the inner world of spirit. Taste and appreciate the earth’s abundance.
Celebrate what you have brought into manifestation this year.”
—Ruth Barrett, Women’s Rites, Women’s Mysteries
Celebrating Abundance: To Autumn, With Love
Dear Friends,
We’re so full of abundance right now our cup runneth over! We launched our fall semester with bountiful classes and a fabulous fundraiser that helped us RISE to meet our commitment to expand our outreach and accessibility to a wider audience…thanks to the generosity of many of you.
RISE Art Show A Terrific Success
We had an outstanding turnout for the opening night of RISE, our first fundraising effort, on Sept. 7. The show featured over 20 local female artists, and more than 130 of their friends and supporters showed up in support. Though the thermostat played tricks with the room temperature, the crowd rose to the occasion and purchased over 10 pieces of art and numerous custom-made journals to support our outreach programs. (Buy some here.)
I want to thank the many volunteers who helped graciously with food, wine, bartending, photography and organizing. Thanks especially to curator and Board Member Deborah Reid, as well as Board members and advisors Meg Rohal, Janessa Martin, Karen Erren, Lisa Goodrich, Jenny Anderson, Ambre Goff, and Karen Knight—plus many others! Special thanks to Debbie Pounders for contributing her painting RISE to name the show, and to Mary Atwood for appearing on First Coast Connect and JaxEngage to promote the show with us. It is truly a joy to do this work in our community.
Upcoming Community Events
You’ll get another chance to view the art show this Saturday, Oct. 13, when we host the JaxByJax Literary Arts Festival Student Showcase from 1:30-2:30. We’ll hold an Open House from 1-3 p.m. that day, also. For more community writing, please attend our Stories From Home writing circle at Riverside Avondale Preservation on Friday, Oct. 26., from 10-12, when we’ll explore the theme of home and document stories of our neighborhoods.
New Class: Writing Through Transitions
And if you have recently experienced any changes in your life, don’t miss our Writing Through Transitions class, a 6-week series starting Nov. 2 on Fridays, from 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. This course, based on the book by acclaimed transitions coach, Leia Francisco, will help you navigate change no matter what shifts you’re facing — divorce, new job, empty nest, new home. You’ll gain new tools to navigate change and enrich your world. More information here.
The autumn harvest brings great abundance to all of our lives if we stop to take a moment to pay attention. Today I’m thankful for that abundance and look forward to the many joys that lie ahead, being in community with all of you.
Cheers!
—Jennifer Wolfe
Founder of Women Writing for (a) Change, Jacksonville
Read the rest of the newsletter HERE.