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| © 2009 Kendra Vaughan Hovey. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission prohibited. |
To the Pagan Community -
About a year ago, I sent out a letter to the people in the First Church of Wicca’s database explaining that I had
converted to Christianity and was closing the First Church of Wicca. I felt that for all of the support the First
Church of Wicca received from the people in our database, it was only fair for me to explain myself and my
reasons for my conversion.
Admittedly, it was very disheartening to see all of the comments that many of you wrote, outside of the ones
that were understanding and wished me well in my new faith. However, I will say that during the time of my
conversion, I was struggling with what was best for everyone once I realized the mistakes that I had made as a
Wiccan high priestess. Please understand that in no way did I mean to come across as bashing the Wiccan
faith, and I still do not feel any need to bash the very faith that I practiced for over 30 years and also served in,
as a high priestess, for 20. I do not regret my Wiccan walk and am very thankful to have experienced a deeper
relationship with God (and my feminine side) by practicing it. I do not think that Wiccans are bad, immoral, or
“wrong,” but instead, that I personally have found Truth and comfort in the boundaries that are clearly outlined
for me in the Bible, as opposed to trying to rely on my intuition to define those boundaries. We all saw what
happened when I relied on my own intuition, and I am not above admitting the serious and hurtful mistakes that
I made. My only fear, which I expressed when sharing my letter a year ago, is that anyone who solely relies on
their intuition could fall into the same inescapable trap that I did. However, I do believe that God is a God of
love and compassion and will reach down to each and every one of us exactly where we are, shining the light
of Truth on us. And as such, we will all experience the universal Truths that are a common thread in all faiths. I
simply needed more in my life than I felt Wicca could offer me.
Having walked my Christian walk for a year and a half now, there is no doubt in my mind that this is where I
belong and where I experience God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and Truth the most. But, I would like to
make one thing perfectly clear: I did not intend to abandon anyone. I am still available and happy to help
anyone who might be seeking my love, support, and guidance without judgment. I do not have a hidden
agenda and will not “try and convert you,” as I do not feel the need to push my religious beliefs on anyone. I
truly believe that it is the Holy Spirit who enlightens us to Truth, not man (or woman as the case may be).
In addition, for now, Living Waters Community of Hope is on hold, while I continue to write and speak on behalf
of both Pagans and Christians in an effort to help promote religious tolerance and understanding between
both faiths. I have often said that I can help the Pagan community much more as a Christian than I ever could
have as a Pagan. My hope is that Christians will come to learn that Paganism is NOT devil worship and that
there are several Truths in Paganism that are right in line with Christianity. Needless to say, I also hope that
Pagans can see this truth also and work with me, along side of me, in making a real effort to show your loving
kindness to Christians as well. I am not a fool, and realize how challenging this effort is, but tolerance will not
even begin to happen until we can lay aside our hatred and anger and put our trust in the God and/or the
Goddess. In time, and by sharing our love, just one person at a time, we can sit back and watch loving and
understanding relationships unfold between Christians and Pagans, with sheer amazement. I have grown to
truly enjoy seeing the change in attitudes that I have experienced among both Christians and Pagans once
they can open their hearts and truly see things from the other side. It’s such a beautiful thing!
For those of you who are already engaged in relationships with your family members and friends who practice
another faith, I commend you! These relationships can be challenging at times, but when we truly love the
people we are in relationship with, we tend to focus and concentrate on the commonalities, and simply allow
the differences to fall by the wayside. After all, friends are friends, and, family is family, regardless of what faith
any of us practice.
I will be the first one to agree that there are hypocritical Christians out there, saying that they believe in the
Gospel, and showing you everything but the love of God, especially when they are forcing religious tracts in
your hands and professing that you will burn in hell if you do not believe in Jesus. All I can say is that, in those
cases, I am embarrassed to call myself a Christian and to be lumped into the same group of people who
behave this way towards you or anyone else. However, as a follower of Christ, I know better and hope to help
others know better as well, but I really need your help. Please accept and understand that many Christians see
Pagans equally as hypocritical. The Christian community is very well aware of who I am and have been actively
following my story. Some of your blogs only demonstrated to them that Pagans, as a whole, are angry, unable
to express love and forgiveness, and are vindictive. That is not to say that you are not justified to have these
feelings, but that out of context, this is how it comes across. It has been quite a challenge to try and explain
how and why you feel the way that you do, but believe me; I have tried and will continue to do so.
I have no problem that you disagree with my choosing Christianity over Wicca, nor do I have any problem with
your exposing the mistakes that I have made in my ministry. It is a wonderful thing when you can grow and
learn from someone else’s mistakes rather than having to make those mistakes yourself. However, I will caution
you, that when you write about me, please try and find a loving and compassionate way to express yourselves
so that the Christian community will better understand your issues and reasons for disagreeing with me, as
opposed to, encouraging them not to listen because they cannot see beyond your judgment, anger, and
hatred towards me and other Christians. Trust me when I tell you, they are reading your blogs!
Someone has to be the bigger person and I would love to see Pagans show Christians that they know how to
love and express mercy to others the very way that Christ Himself does, and the way that so many Christians
fail to do. Don’t continually give Christians reason to believe that the stereotypes that they have against you
are true.
Although there is a copyright on this website, you have my permission to take this letter and post it, in its
entirety, on any blogs that you want. Feel free to comment on it and pass it along to anyone that you think
might be interested in it. However, I encourage you to express your concerns with compassion so that you will
not be a negative reflection on the entire Pagan community. Please trust me when I tell you, I did not spend 30
years in the Pagan community, loving my spiritual practice in Wicca, so that I could mock you or make any
money because of you. My path is my own and I truly feel called to continue the efforts I started as a Pagan,
only this time, as a Christian. I suppose you will just have to trust that I am sincere and that I really do care, and
also, that I will make mistakes along the way and inevitably offend someone.
I deeply apologize for the mistakes I have made in the past, and also, for the ones I will make in the future. I am
not perfect, and only human, but I will certainly do the best that I can for everyone. In addition, if you are angry
or feel the need to tell me off, please email me at Kendra.Hovey@yahoo.com directly so that we can come to a
better understanding with one another. Whether you email me for this reason, or to show your love, support,
and willingness to work toward tolerance between Pagans and Christians, I really look forward to hearing from
you!
Blessed Be!
Kendra Vaughan Hovey
www.KendraVaughanHovey.com
P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the above website, where I will be sharing thoughts and ideas for both the
Pagan and Christian communities. My hope is that we can all feel free and comfortable expressing our
commonalities and differences on the topics posted, with love and respect for one another.
About a year ago, I sent out a letter to the people in the First Church of Wicca’s database explaining that I had
converted to Christianity and was closing the First Church of Wicca. I felt that for all of the support the First
Church of Wicca received from the people in our database, it was only fair for me to explain myself and my
reasons for my conversion.
Admittedly, it was very disheartening to see all of the comments that many of you wrote, outside of the ones
that were understanding and wished me well in my new faith. However, I will say that during the time of my
conversion, I was struggling with what was best for everyone once I realized the mistakes that I had made as a
Wiccan high priestess. Please understand that in no way did I mean to come across as bashing the Wiccan
faith, and I still do not feel any need to bash the very faith that I practiced for over 30 years and also served in,
as a high priestess, for 20. I do not regret my Wiccan walk and am very thankful to have experienced a deeper
relationship with God (and my feminine side) by practicing it. I do not think that Wiccans are bad, immoral, or
“wrong,” but instead, that I personally have found Truth and comfort in the boundaries that are clearly outlined
for me in the Bible, as opposed to trying to rely on my intuition to define those boundaries. We all saw what
happened when I relied on my own intuition, and I am not above admitting the serious and hurtful mistakes that
I made. My only fear, which I expressed when sharing my letter a year ago, is that anyone who solely relies on
their intuition could fall into the same inescapable trap that I did. However, I do believe that God is a God of
love and compassion and will reach down to each and every one of us exactly where we are, shining the light
of Truth on us. And as such, we will all experience the universal Truths that are a common thread in all faiths. I
simply needed more in my life than I felt Wicca could offer me.
Having walked my Christian walk for a year and a half now, there is no doubt in my mind that this is where I
belong and where I experience God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and Truth the most. But, I would like to
make one thing perfectly clear: I did not intend to abandon anyone. I am still available and happy to help
anyone who might be seeking my love, support, and guidance without judgment. I do not have a hidden
agenda and will not “try and convert you,” as I do not feel the need to push my religious beliefs on anyone. I
truly believe that it is the Holy Spirit who enlightens us to Truth, not man (or woman as the case may be).
In addition, for now, Living Waters Community of Hope is on hold, while I continue to write and speak on behalf
of both Pagans and Christians in an effort to help promote religious tolerance and understanding between
both faiths. I have often said that I can help the Pagan community much more as a Christian than I ever could
have as a Pagan. My hope is that Christians will come to learn that Paganism is NOT devil worship and that
there are several Truths in Paganism that are right in line with Christianity. Needless to say, I also hope that
Pagans can see this truth also and work with me, along side of me, in making a real effort to show your loving
kindness to Christians as well. I am not a fool, and realize how challenging this effort is, but tolerance will not
even begin to happen until we can lay aside our hatred and anger and put our trust in the God and/or the
Goddess. In time, and by sharing our love, just one person at a time, we can sit back and watch loving and
understanding relationships unfold between Christians and Pagans, with sheer amazement. I have grown to
truly enjoy seeing the change in attitudes that I have experienced among both Christians and Pagans once
they can open their hearts and truly see things from the other side. It’s such a beautiful thing!
For those of you who are already engaged in relationships with your family members and friends who practice
another faith, I commend you! These relationships can be challenging at times, but when we truly love the
people we are in relationship with, we tend to focus and concentrate on the commonalities, and simply allow
the differences to fall by the wayside. After all, friends are friends, and, family is family, regardless of what faith
any of us practice.
I will be the first one to agree that there are hypocritical Christians out there, saying that they believe in the
Gospel, and showing you everything but the love of God, especially when they are forcing religious tracts in
your hands and professing that you will burn in hell if you do not believe in Jesus. All I can say is that, in those
cases, I am embarrassed to call myself a Christian and to be lumped into the same group of people who
behave this way towards you or anyone else. However, as a follower of Christ, I know better and hope to help
others know better as well, but I really need your help. Please accept and understand that many Christians see
Pagans equally as hypocritical. The Christian community is very well aware of who I am and have been actively
following my story. Some of your blogs only demonstrated to them that Pagans, as a whole, are angry, unable
to express love and forgiveness, and are vindictive. That is not to say that you are not justified to have these
feelings, but that out of context, this is how it comes across. It has been quite a challenge to try and explain
how and why you feel the way that you do, but believe me; I have tried and will continue to do so.
I have no problem that you disagree with my choosing Christianity over Wicca, nor do I have any problem with
your exposing the mistakes that I have made in my ministry. It is a wonderful thing when you can grow and
learn from someone else’s mistakes rather than having to make those mistakes yourself. However, I will caution
you, that when you write about me, please try and find a loving and compassionate way to express yourselves
so that the Christian community will better understand your issues and reasons for disagreeing with me, as
opposed to, encouraging them not to listen because they cannot see beyond your judgment, anger, and
hatred towards me and other Christians. Trust me when I tell you, they are reading your blogs!
Someone has to be the bigger person and I would love to see Pagans show Christians that they know how to
love and express mercy to others the very way that Christ Himself does, and the way that so many Christians
fail to do. Don’t continually give Christians reason to believe that the stereotypes that they have against you
are true.
Although there is a copyright on this website, you have my permission to take this letter and post it, in its
entirety, on any blogs that you want. Feel free to comment on it and pass it along to anyone that you think
might be interested in it. However, I encourage you to express your concerns with compassion so that you will
not be a negative reflection on the entire Pagan community. Please trust me when I tell you, I did not spend 30
years in the Pagan community, loving my spiritual practice in Wicca, so that I could mock you or make any
money because of you. My path is my own and I truly feel called to continue the efforts I started as a Pagan,
only this time, as a Christian. I suppose you will just have to trust that I am sincere and that I really do care, and
also, that I will make mistakes along the way and inevitably offend someone.
I deeply apologize for the mistakes I have made in the past, and also, for the ones I will make in the future. I am
not perfect, and only human, but I will certainly do the best that I can for everyone. In addition, if you are angry
or feel the need to tell me off, please email me at Kendra.Hovey@yahoo.com directly so that we can come to a
better understanding with one another. Whether you email me for this reason, or to show your love, support,
and willingness to work toward tolerance between Pagans and Christians, I really look forward to hearing from
you!
Blessed Be!
Kendra Vaughan Hovey
www.KendraVaughanHovey.com
P.S. Be sure to visit my blog on the above website, where I will be sharing thoughts and ideas for both the
Pagan and Christian communities. My hope is that we can all feel free and comfortable expressing our
commonalities and differences on the topics posted, with love and respect for one another.
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