The new moon is the dark point in the lunar cycle — the moment when the moon is not visible in the night sky, tucked between the earth and the sun. In many spiritual traditions across cultures, this darkness is not an absence but a presence: a time for turning inward, for planting intentions, for beginning again.
Once a month, the Pagan Church of Christ holds a New Moon Circle. If you’ve never been to one — or never been to anything like it — here’s what to expect.
Why the New Moon?
The moon has marked sacred time for human communities for thousands of years. Agricultural societies used it to plant and harvest. Monastic communities built their prayer calendars around it. Indigenous cultures across every continent developed sophisticated lunar spiritual practices.
The new moon in particular carries a particular quality: it’s a threshold. The old cycle has ended. The new one hasn’t yet begun. In that liminal moment, intentions feel more potent, prayer feels more focused, and letting go feels more possible.
We gather at the new moon not as a superstition but as a practice — a way of using the natural rhythm of the lunar cycle to structure our inner lives.
What We Actually Do
Each New Moon Circle is slightly different, but follows a loose structure:
Opening. We open the circle together — a few words acknowledging the moment, the season, and the people present. Sometimes there’s a reading. Sometimes a song. This takes about ten minutes.
Intention-setting. Each person has a chance to name something they are calling in — a quality they want to cultivate, a question they’re sitting with, a beginning they’re making. This is spoken aloud or held silently, depending on what feels right for you. There’s no requirement to share.
Release. We also have space to name what we are letting go of. What has run its course. What has been carrying you and can be set down. This is often the most tender part of the gathering — and the most powerful.
Prayer and silence. We hold a period of collective silence together. In a room full of people, shared silence has a quality you can’t find alone. It’s one of the gifts of gathering.
Closing. We close with a blessing and a breath. Total time: about 60–75 minutes.
Who Is It For?
The New Moon Circle is for anyone who wants a moment each month to pause, reflect, and belong to a community doing the same.
You don’t need any background in moon spirituality or earth-based practice. You don’t need to be a member or even a regular attendee. You don’t need to share anything you don’t want to share.
Many people come to the New Moon Circle who don’t come to Sunday gatherings — it fits a different schedule, meets a different need. Some find the smaller, quieter format more accessible than a full Sunday service.
What to Bring
Just yourself. We provide candles and a simple cup of tea afterward. If you want to bring a journal, bring one. If you want to bring a meaningful object to hold during the intentions, bring it. If you just want to sit there and breathe, that is enough.
New Moon Circles are free and open to all. Check our Events page for the next date →
If you’ve been curious about this kind of gathering but weren’t sure what to expect — now you know. Come and find out the rest for yourself.