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Michael Stocker
[from newsletter 6]

Since our Autumn 1998 newsletter, many fine events have occurred. Many new folks have come around the ceremonies and many people have given graciously of their time and efforts to keep our fires strong. As we were publishing our last newsletter, our Fall Hambleche camp was taking place outside of Willits, CA, at "Camp and Sons" (see them on the web at www.zapcom.net/~campnsons/) thanks to the very generous hospitality of Walter Camp and his companion Jane. They usually rent this beautiful camp out for retreats, but they let us pray on the land for our Vision Quest without charge and have agreed to let us use the camp again this coming Spring. I hope our prayers and labors at the camp can come close to showing our gratitude to them. We were introduced to Walter and Jane through Brino and Kierstan, who live at the camp. They used the opportunity of our encampment to "get hitched." Thanks for letting us witness your most beautiful "marriage by the pipe," and best wishes for your lives together.

• Seven Circles Board member and advisor Verlinda Montoya was honored by the Marin County Human Rights Commission with their Martin Luther King Award. Congratulations for your well-deserved recognition.
• We owe a deep prayer of gratitude to Rupert, Jody and Garnet Encinas for coming up last Autumn to lead an inaugural ceremony, blessing our community's new 30' tipi. Kristina Flannigan and Jerry Perkins donated the tipi, the poles were harvested at Camp and Sons', and prepared by quite a number of our ceremony gang, including Rob Rahner, Sal Contreras, Kevin Soloner, Brino, Michael Brandt, Jared Logan, Jay Sheering and Richard Lieberman. A tipi is a big commitment, requiring the work and dedication of many hearts, hands and minds. Thanks, everyone, for helping us bring about this new place to worship.
• Luciano Perez came up and helped us with a Yuipi ceremony this last fall as well. Many thanks to him, his wife Cheryl and their kids Luke and Rachel for their prayerful support of our community.
• Hector Gomez is on a good healing track; Doctors say that a liver doesn't repair itself like his is doing—must be some good prayers and good medicine involved!
• Please give your continued prayers for Joe Slattery and Christine Silva in their health challenges.
• Satsong Ranch continues their gracious hospitality and support of Seven Circles. In addition to donating the tipi and allowing us to hold many monthly sweat lodges on the ranch, Kristina and Jerry are again sponsoring the publication of this newsletter.
• Congratulations to the raffle winners—Zoe Flanagan, Jerry Perkins and Elizabeth Silkie, and Siegmar Gerken.
• The Four Nations Sundance will be going into its 2nd year July 8, 1999 (tree day). Many thanks to Christine Silva for offering her land for this very high ceremony. Good health to Melvin Greybear, the Sundance intercessor. And thanks to Jared Logan and a small crew for getting the ground prepared in 1998. Of course, in this tiny space there is no way we could express all of our appreciation for the support, advice and encouragement we have received over the last few months, years and lives. As our community expands and we recognize all of our connections to each other, gratitude prevails.

A Ho, Mitakuye Oyasin
—Michael Stocker

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