Goddess Festival 2009 Accommodations

Joan checked with the Cenacle, a Catholic retreat center near Life Force Arts Center (LFAC) regarding housing for participants in the Goddess Festival.

It is only about 15 minutes by car from LFAC!Bob Racagulia is the contact person. He said the Cenacle provides housing for people attending conferences and retreats, whether the conferences are at the Cenacle or at another location. So it's fine for someone coming to the Goddess Festival to stay at the Cenacle.

Here is the information:Cenacle Retreat Center513 W FullertonChicago IL 60614773-528-6300www.cenaclechicago. orgSingle rooms are $60 per nightDouble rooms are $90 for two people ($45 each person).Rooms have a sink. Bathrooms and showers are down the hall. Rooms have air conditioning. Rooms do not have telephone or television.There are 20 double rooms and 40 single rooms.Parking: There are 30 parking places. Parking is on a first come, first served basis. There is also parking at Children's Memorial Parking garage for $6 per day. Meals may be purchased in addition to the room fee:$7 breakfast$8 lunch$9.50 dinner If there are up to 4 people coming for a conference/retreat, they can contact the Cenacle directly to arrange for accomodations. If more than 4 people are coming, a representative of the conference should contact the Cenacle to make a contract between that organization and the Cenacle. That means, if more than 4 people from the Goddess Festival are going to stay at the Cenacle, then Joan should contact the Cenacle with a rooming list of people from the Goddess Festival staying at the Cenacle.So, the earlier people plan the better, so we can reserve enough rooms.Please contact me (Joan) at 773-327-7224 or joan@LifeForceArts. org if you have any questions.

Goddess Festival 2009

Time To Start!

Visit The Throne of Destiny Blog for a study guide to the ritual itself.

The ritual is about sovreignty, justice, and divine law. It offers further preparation for entering the coming age.

Here are the available parts for this liturgy:

--2 Hierophants (Ray and I will do these, UNLESS there are 2 other FOI consecrated hierophants who might like to do them.)
--3 Priests (preferably ordained within FOI, or working towards ordination)
--3 Priestesses (preferably ordained within FOI, or working towards ordination)
--1 Practitione
--1 Apprectice
--1 Presenter
--1 Politician
--1 Journalist
--Mme. President
--Queen Thetis

Please choose a part that resonates with you, and also feel free to nominate someone you feel would be terrific in one of the parts. This is a big commitment in terms of time spent memorizing lines and rehearsing. But it is extremely rewarding.

If you want to be responsible for a part in the liturgy, please contact Deena at (773) 304-7230 or email DeeAnkh@sbcglobal.net.

Related reading

synchronously with workinng on this liturgy, I read the novel "Crescent" by Diana Abu-Jaber. The Eye Goddess, to whom Aaron referred, hovers over this story set in Los Angeles and Iraq as an unidentified presence. One of the characters is a photographer, who captures images without permission. Themes include the feeling of being watched, the art and science of surveillance, and the eveil eye. I loved this profoundly moving book.

no cenacle or lake street church

Neither the Cenacle nor Lake Street Church are available Sept. 20

seeing past confusion

Deena and I were talking about the incredible confusion there is about just finding a space to do the Goddess Fest this year. Every place we have tried to rent, there are obstacles.

It is so blatant that we decided there must be a message here regarding the theme of the liturgy! How are all these obstacles related to Opening the Eye of Vision? Perhaps we are learning to look beyond the petty details to the big picture? How to choose among several options that all equally have advantages and disadvantages - how to decide which of many factors are important? How to not go crazy about the details, yet also take responsibility for them?

findings on Holiday Inn Skokie...

thank you to Joan for checking this out:

I believe 800 sq ft is the size of Ridgeville room at Best Western? The larger room 1500 sq ft would be $850. The least expensive room is 800 square feet (which I think is smaller than the ones at the Best Western). It would be $500 to rent from 8 AM - 7 PM on Sept. 20. If we were going to have the hotel cater food and beverage in this room, the total cost would be $1000. For that price, they would give us breakfast and lunch, if we wanted. For a room 1500 square feet - which I think would be closer to what we have had previously - the cost would be $850 for only renting, or $1800 with food and beverage service.

more [possible venues to call...

American Indian Center
www.aic-chicago.org
1630 W Wilson Ave.
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 275-5871

and

VFW halls...

Pvt. Geo. Harles Post Chicago, IL 60640(773) 973-1907
West End Post 3120 N Laramie AveChicago, IL 60641(773) 286-9755
Gen. Lloyd Wheaton Post 6561 N Lakewood AveChicago, IL 60626(773) 742-4367
Skokie Valley Post 7401 Lincoln AveSkokie, IL 60076(847) 673-9781
Chicago Blackhawk Post 1344 N Greenview AveChicago, IL 60622
Roy W. Nelson Post 4235 W 47thChicago, IL 60634(773) 254-1739
Indian Portage Post 6348 Milwaukee AveChicago, IL 60610(773) 774-4025
Logan-Avondale Post 3007 N Kedzie AveChicago, IL 60610(773) 463-6748
Tech. Sergeant William Snell Post 8516 N Drake Ave Evanston, IL 60201
Park Ridge Post VFW Post 357910 W Higgins RdPark Ridge, IL 60068(847) 825-4588
Mont Clare-Leyden Post 6940 W Diversey AveChicago, IL 60707
Amos Jay Cummings Post 5830 W Roscoe StChicago, IL 60680
Greater Chicago Moose Post 4341 N Kenneth AveChicago, IL 60680
Armed Forces Post 6915 W Grand Chicago, IL 60680(773) 385-8269
New Trier Post PO Box 59Winnetka, IL 60093(847) 446-1421

possible venue: Lake Street Church

http://www.lakestreet.org/

"Lake Street Church is a liberal and progressive, welcoming and affirming church. We look to the wisdom of Christianity and other religions to connect us in our diversity.."

607 Lake StreetEvanston, IL 60201
Ph: (847) 864-2181Fax: (847) 864-3376

Possible venue: Cenacle

Cenacle Retreat and Conference Center
513 Fullerton Parkway,
Chicago, IL 60614(773) 528-6300

many thanks to Joan for thinking of this possibility. I remmember going here with Mom when I was a kid. The vibes are amazing, I felt as if I were in a paradise. Hope it works out for us to be there!

prices: http://www.cenaclesisters.org/uploads/Pricing%20info%20-%202008.pdf

we need a minimum of 700 sq ft, and something more like 1,000 dq ft.

but at these prices, we might be able to afford one room for the presentations, and a break-out room for the vendors.

visit www.cenaclesisters.org for background.

"Located four blocks from Lake Michigan in Chicago’s beautiful Lincoln Park neighborhood, the Cenacle Retreat and Conference Center hosts non-profit groups of diverse faiths, cultures, interests and backgrounds The Cenacle can accommodate 80 overnight guests"

(which might be a boon to our out-of-town FOI members)

" chapel and courtyard provide space for prayer and reflection. We offer full food service, wireless internet access, a business center, on-site parking and easy access to public transportation and the airports, ....The word “Cenacle” refers to the upper room where Jesus and his friends gathered for their last meal together, as well as to the place where Mary and the disciples awaited the coming of the Spirit on the first Pentecost.".

....the theme of sacred fire appearing over the head, as it did at the first Pentecost, is certainly synchronous with fire appearing over the head of Brigid in the form of the Lucia wreath, the sacred flame over St. Brigid's head, the awakening of the 3rd eye, the spitting of the Uraeus, and the fiery manifestation of the Eleusinian goddesses in the telesterion.

square footage requirements

the Ridgeville Room was 720 sq ft, and the section of ballroom was 1,200 sq ft.

any space we look for needs to be between those dimensions....about 1,000 sq ft would do it.

the Ridgeville was fine as long as there were not many long tables. The ballroom section was able to accommodate the tables we had last year....6-8 tables?

no more Best Western, unless...

...unless we eat lunch and AM / PM coffee breaks outside the building. ...or unless they cater it for far more than we can afford. It seems like a no-win situation! Something about the hotel being unionized, and liability for everything that happens in the hotel no matter how minor. It uis possible we have had our last gathering there, unless everyone is OK with those rules...i.e. nothing except water, and all breaks and meals outside.

venues under consideration...

Adidam Chicago Spiritual Center & Bookstore
3301 W. Fullerton Ave.Chicago, IL 60647
Phone: 773-661-0127
Email: chicago @ adidamchicago.org
http://www.adidamchicago.org/index.htm

Broadway Armory

this venue was recommended to me by River Park.
Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60660
Phone: (312) 742-7502 , ask to speak to Nick Bojko

Albany Park venues recommended by North River Commission

North Park University (773) 244-6224
Northeastern Illinois University (773) 442-4270 (university events dept.)
North Side College Prep HS (773) 534-3954

Albany Park Community Center does not rent space to outside groups.

other venues to try:
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church (773) 478-7941

River Park (312) 742-7516 --only available on september 20 from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm; $60 / hr; and sunday sept 21 from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

anyone have time to call these? If they inquire about the nature of our event, it is an annual gathering of an ecumenical spiritual group that celebrates the Feminine Divine.

list of questions to ask them:
--do you rent meeting space to outside groups?
--do you have meeting space available on September 20?
--size of room?
--can we use it from 7 am to 7 pm?
--can we bring our own food or have our event catered?
--cost?

list possible venues here...

....they will be here later, next year, maybe forever! it will be a great resource for the future.

post names, addresses, and phone numbers of venues we should investigate.