Coven Requirements for Becoming Chartered

The Path of the Wise Ones Tradition welcomes all covens to apply for membership within the Tradition and receive a Tradition charter, including already-established (and unaffiliated) covens who wish to join with us, as well as newly-forming covens.

The issuing of our Tradition's Charter is in recognition that the coven has become an official member of the Pagan denomination of The Path of the Wise Ones Tradition, and also falls under the legal non-profit status of the Tradition's 501(c) Group Exemption Letter as a Subordinate Organization

Covens requesting membership must meet certain requirements:

1 --- The coven must have a minimum of three members; and in most states they must not all live in the same household, but must be legal residents of that state.

2 --- All covens seeking membership in the Tradition, while free to practice in whatever way they wish, must abide by the Tenets of the Path of the Wise Ones Tradition, and all coven practices must likewise adhere to the laws of the city, county, state and country in which they are organized.

3 --- EVERY COVEN MUST HAVE A SET OF BY-LAWS. The By-Laws of the coven shall firmly and clearly express the goals and purpose of the coven, the fact that it is a coven of the Path of the Wise Ones Tradition, as well the type of coven it is.

3a -- The coven By-Laws must have distinct rules for membership that include how entry into coven membership is gained, expectations of members, and valid reasons for -- and methods of expulsion from -- said coven. These should be made clear to all members, and these methods should be mentioned in the charter. Optimally, the leader of a coven and any members will sign a copy of the charter, affirming they've been made aware of the contents.

3b -- If the coven does not meet physically, membership within the coven must be clearly delineated in the Coven's By-Laws by membership requirements, and a method of regular contact must be established (e.g., internet or virtual coven).

3c -- The leadership of a coven may be elected (ideal) or otherwise chosen. The process for this method shall also be specified within the by-laws.

4 --- It is required that a copy of the Coven By-Laws be on file with The Path of the Wise Ones Tradition, and that when any amendments are made to them by the Coven, an updated copy of the Coven By-Laws shall be filed with the Tradition.

5 --- To remain a valid subordinate organization under the Tradition's Group Exemption Letter, each coven must submit an annual report to the Tradition containing IRS specified information.


Application Procedures to Affiliate with the Tradition:

1 --- Every coven must have a unique name. The Tradition shall maintain a master list.

1a -- If a coven drastically changes membership, a roman numeral can be used to indicate that it is a group of different people (i.e., Black Water Coven, later becoming Black Water Coven II).

1b -- Likewise, a new coven started by the same people in a new place may use the same name as before, but with a modifier (i.e., (A) Willowtree Covenstead, PA and later Willowtree Covenstead, NY; (B) Morning Star Coven, then Morning Star Mothercoven, and later yet Morning Star Tower Coven)

1c -- There is no Tradition preference or prohibition on the alternate usage, instead of "Coven" in coven names, of any of the following terms: Circle, Grove, Covenstead, Temple, Church, Fellowship, Society or any other word denoting group.

1d -- List both a Primary Alternate name choice as well as a Secondary Alternate name.

2 --- Complete all parts of the Covenstead Affiliation Application form.

3 --- Mail the form, with all required attachments, to the Tradition.


(ideas swiped from both far and wide, and adapted to our purposes. Many thanks to all, both for the good examples and the bad ones)