From PURE Sanctuary to
The Enchanted Realm
New Acting Head for Danville Temple
3 November, Year 4 Aquarius
On 3 November, we had the great pleasure of attending and participating in the investiture ceremony for Rev. Reanna Marie as new Acting Head of PURE Sanctuary Temple, in Danville, Illinois.
In Correllian parlance an Acting Head of Temple is a Head of Temple who has not yet attained Third Degree status and thus acts as Temple Head under the imperium of a Third Degree Sponsor.
In Correllian parlance an Acting Head of Temple is a Head of Temple who has not yet attained Third Degree status and thus acts as Temple Head under the imperium of a Third Degree Sponsor.
Rev. Reanna is Sponsored as Temple Head by Rt. Rev. V. L. Bitterwind, First Elder of the Tradition, who is a long time member of PURE Sanctuary.
Rev. Reanna will be the third person to Head PURE Sanctuary Temple since its inception. The smooth succession of leadership in PURE Sanctuary is an excellent example to all of the Temples of the Tradition of how such situations should be handled. PURE Sanctuary Temple was founded by Rev. Becci Penry in 1599 Pisces (1999 AD). A student of First Priestess M. Rev. Krystel High-Correll, Lady Becci coined the name PURE to mean "Pagans United for Religious Education" |
During its early years PURE Sanctuary met at Awakenings Bookstore in Danville, Illinois. Since Awakenings closed in Year 3 Aquarius PURE Sanctuary has met in private space. Dedicated and energetic, Lady Becci led PURE Sanctuary well for its first four years, establishing a strong group with sufficient internal cohesion to avoid the kind of squabbles which sometimes follow a change in Temple leadership. In Fall of Year 3 Aquarius Lady Becci stepped down as Head of PURE Sanctuary in order to move from Illinois to Florida. |
Above: PURE Sanctuary founder Rev. Becci Penry, photographed on the occasion of her Third Degree initiation at the Correll Mother Temple.
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Before leaving Illinois Lady Becci placed her successor Rev. Kim Reffet as Acting Head of PURE Sanctuary -a ceremony we also participated in, but which was not photo-documented.
Rev. Kim did an excellent job as Acting Head of PURE Sanctuary. However the pressures of job and family made it increasingly difficult for Rev. Kim to meet the time commitment Temple leadership requires. At length Rev. Kim decided to pass on the leadership of the Temple in her turn, choosing Rev. Reanna Marie as her successor.
Before leaving Illinois Lady Becci placed her successor Rev. Kim Reffet as Acting Head of PURE Sanctuary -a ceremony we also participated in, but which was not photo-documented.
Rev. Kim did an excellent job as Acting Head of PURE Sanctuary. However the pressures of job and family made it increasingly difficult for Rev. Kim to meet the time commitment Temple leadership requires. At length Rev. Kim decided to pass on the leadership of the Temple in her turn, choosing Rev. Reanna Marie as her successor.
Though she has stepped down as Acting Head of PURE Sanctuary Temple, Rev. Kim retains the important office of Herald to First Elder Rt. Rev. Bitterwind, and plays a prominent role in this capacity during the Lustration ceremonies. Arch Priestess Ruthann Amarteifio and I joined with Rev. Karen Plioplys, editor of The Daily Spell, and Paladine Rev. David Webb, for the ride from Hoopeston to Danville, to attend the ceremony which was to be held in the Temple room of Rev. Reanna's house. |

At the house we joined Rev. Reanna and her consort Bert, Lady Krystel and Lady Bitterwind, Witchschool.com Chief Programmer Lisa Tuit and Chancellor's Herald Rev. Jason Highcorrell, who had already arrived.
This was my first visit to Rev. Reanna's house, which is quite near Lady Bitterwind's house on the East side of Danville.
The house is decorated with all manner of artwork, much of it by Rev. Reanna herself, as well as many artistic magical artifacts.
The entryway into the Temple room is wreathed with garlands of ivy, tiny lights, and silver ribbon creating a very lovely effect..
When the last of the guests had arrived, we adjured to the Temple room for the ceremony. Rev. Reanna's Temple room is a lovely space and beautifully decorated. It is quite large enough for the ordinary rituals of PURE Sanctuary, but on this occasion it was filled to capacity by the many additional people who had come to attend the investiture.The ceremony was led by First Priestess Lady Krystel.
After cleansing and blessing the ritual space, Lady Krystel cast the Circle using the hand-to-hand method. Many people enjoy using the hand-to-hand method because of its intimacy and informality: in addition the number of people present made any other method of casting impractical.
The Circle is cast hand-to-hand. L to R are Rev. David Webb (at edge of frame), First Priestess Lady Krystel, Rev. Reanna Marie (seated), Arch Priestess Ruthann Amarteifio, First Priest Rev. Don (barely visible next to Lady Ruthann -Rev. Jason Mycroft next to Rev. Don is also obscured), Arch Priestess Bitterwind (right foreground), and Rev. Karen Plioplys (extreme right).

After the invocations, Lady Krystel spoke of the history of the Temple and of its accomplishments.
Lady Becci was honored for her work as the Temple's founder.
Rev. Kim was honored for her work as Acting Head of Temple, and for her accomplishments in office.

Lady Krystel praised the Temple for the smooth turn over of administration. She emphasized the importance of this sort of smooth transition in leadership to the overall healtha nd stability ofthe Temple, and of the Tradition as a whole.
Lady Krystel then spoke about Rev. Reanna: her personal qualities, her skills, the growth which she has displayed during her time with PURE Sanctuary.
Lady Krystel then solemnly Blessed Rev. Reanna in her new role as Acting Temple Head.
Then each person present was asked to offer their Blessing to the new Acting Temple Head as well.
Each person in turn offered their Blessings, emphasizing skills and abilities which would aid Rev. Reanna in guiding the Temple. I was very pleased to offer my Blessing to Rev. Reanna, whose initiation I had performed at the Elephant Building in Hoopeston approximately one year earlier, owing to the absence of Lady Krystel and Lady Becci in Florida. When every person had offered their Blessings to Rev. Reanna, Lady Krystel formally invested Rev. Reanna with the regalia of the Temple. This regalia was originally used by Lady Becci, and has been passed to each of her successors in turn. It includes the Chief Priestess' tiara, and crystal tipped silver wand. |
Rev. Reanna was now formally welcomed by the Elders in her new capacity as
Acting Temple Head and congratulated by all present.
A toast was shared, and thanks were given. Then the Circle was opened.
Acting Temple Head and congratulated by all present.
A toast was shared, and thanks were given. Then the Circle was opened.
It had been a lovely ceremony, and we were all very much touched by it.
We all wish Rev. Reanna and PURE Sanctuary Temple all the best for the future,
and expect to continue to see great things from them.
After the ceremony we gathered for a feast in Rev. Reanna's living room. It was a joyful and very festive occasion.

This was the more so because it was not only Rev. Reanna's ascension which was being celebrated, but the Temple's survival of a situation which often causes much disruption of and even destruction of small Temples.
The importance of this cannot be stressed too much. Many times Temples are hard put to survive the death or exit of their founder: They often fragment into factions and break up acrimoniously, leaving everyone the poorer for the experience. This is a great bane of the Pagan community, which destabilizes our present and threatens our future.
Consequently the ability to have a smooth transition of leadership within Temples is a subject which the Correllian Tradition regards as a skill essential to our future. Our Temples must be durable enough to weather changes in leadership smoothly if they are to survive and prosper in future generations. In this PURE Sanctuary is a prime example of how it should be handled -with integrity, respect, and love on all parts. |

Rev. Reanna's first official act as Acting Head of PURE Sanctuary Temple
was to apply to the Tradition to change its name.
PURE Sanctuary Temple will now be called Enchanted Realm Temple.
Rev. Reanna has also designed a new Sigil for Enchanted Realm Temple.
The new Sigil is a more streamlined version of the former Sigil.
The original Sigil was very beautiful, but especially difficult to have made into patches for Temple members' Stoles because of its elaborate border.
was to apply to the Tradition to change its name.
PURE Sanctuary Temple will now be called Enchanted Realm Temple.
Rev. Reanna has also designed a new Sigil for Enchanted Realm Temple.
The new Sigil is a more streamlined version of the former Sigil.
The original Sigil was very beautiful, but especially difficult to have made into patches for Temple members' Stoles because of its elaborate border.

Rev. Don, Lady Krystel, and Lady Bitterwind. This year (Year 4 Aquarius) marks Lord Don and Lady Krystel's 25th year as Joint Heads of Tradition, having been seated as such in 1579 Pisces (1979 AD) when the Correllian Tradition was only a small familial Tradition with a handful of members. At the time Lady Krystel was in her thirties, and Rev. Don only in his teens. How things have changed in 25 years!
We extend our congratulations to Rev. Reanna, Rev. Kim, and the members of Enchanted Realm Temple, for a job well done. We wish the Brightest Blessings for the future and will watch their continuing development with pride. Blessings to all, Rev. Don |