Closing Ceremonies

Note: As of 11/18/2024, this is the text of the Closing Ceremonies form 2024 and is subject to change. It will most likely be updated in March 2025.

1. Thanks and what to expect next
   

   I would like to extend my gratitude to our staff and presenters and to everyone who joined us here this weekend. There were X of us all told [any remarks on this].
   There were X introductions among those X people, so if you haven't yet left one, please do consider taking the time to do so.
   Counting from those X, [Remarks on age range, location, and kintypes.]
   [Remarks on most attended presentation and mean attendance]

   Later this evening we will be setting the various presentation and social channels to read-only mode, and opening up the #off-season-chat channel. After a few weeks to give you all a chance to save anything you were interested in keeping, we'll remove the Hearth-folk, Presenter, and Staff roles, which means you will remain a server member, but most of the channels will not be visible. We do this so we can clean up and reorganize for next time. There are also a few server invitations for other servers also aimed at elfae types or mythic folk in general that are loosely affiliated with us in the #info-desk.

   Shining Hearth takes place on the fourth weekend in March, so our dates for [next year] will be Friday, March X through Sunday, March X. If you'd like to attend next year, just stay a member of the server; if you're not interested in the off-season chat, you could mute it until next year. Announcements will go out on the #announcements channel beginning in October, and you'll be able to check in again next March. Or of course you're free to leave the server at any time if you prefer; but if you decide after doing so that you'd like to come back, you'll need to re-register when it opens in [next year].

2. Closing remarks from others
   

   Any remarks from Committee, Staff, or Presenters?

   ...

   All right. Time to close things down for now.

3. Devocations
   

   Now the mythic flame burns low
   And forth you fair folk all must go
   But for your presence on this night
   Be blessed by gleams of glamourlight:

   You Fae and Elves, you dragons strong
   You angels of the heavens' throng
   Fantastic beasts and folk of fur,
   Souls of Nature green and pure,

   Elementals, shadows, wights
   Of land and sea and starry heights,
   Alfar folk, Tuatha Dé,
   And human friends who came to play–

   You must go forth, but take with you
   The spark of majik, shining true
   To re-enchant the world outside
   And in your heart-place to abide.

   Sweet song enfolds the Dreaming of the Earth!
   Now sleeps the hearth!

   We honor the woods, winds, and waters;
   We honor the sun, moon, and stars;
   We honor the majik that flows through them all
   and through all of us.

   We now return along the way from that place of 'net and spirit, where we were in one place and one time, and built together in a starlit forest the home of the Shining Hearth.

4. Reminder about debrief/party
   

   The very last thing we have on the schedule is the feedback and debriefing session - slash - afterparty, AKA Dead Dog Party, in [X] minutes, in the Rec Room. It's informal, just some wind-down time, and in case you want to chat about highlights or lowlights of the event. You can also post feedback and suggestions in the #suggestion-box channel in the Welcome Center. That will stay open for a few days in case you think of something later. Andros will also be doing their annual tarot reading for the folk during the afterparty.

   So take a little break, grab your beverage of choice, and then come relax by our fire for a bit before you take your ways back out of our forest. And don't forget to download a virtual gift bag from the link in the #info-desk! Be well, everyone!

 

Last updated: 11/18/2024