Online Ordination

Universal Life Church - Wedding - Judi Ketteler and Allen Raines’ August wedding will not be traditional by any stretch of the imagination.

The Madeira couple’s ceremony will take place at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal rather than a church. They won’t have bridesmaids or groomsmen because they didn’t want to choose among many family members and friends and risk making someone feel left out.

And performing the ceremony will be their friend Tim Linneman, a 35-year-old market researcher from Glendale who recently became an ordained minister through the Modesto, Calif.-based Universal Life Church with little more than a click of a mouse.

“We’re not religious at all, and we didn’t want to do the wedding in a church,” said 32-year-old Ketteler, a freelance writer and editor. “And we didn’t really want to go to a courthouse and have a judge do it. We wanted someone who knows us.”

The Universal Life Church will ordain just about anyone, free of charge, after they fill out a form on any of the church’s Web sites and click “Ordain me.”

It sounds like a joke, but the church is real – and growing fast.

The Universal Life Church has more active, registered ministers in Greater Cincinnati – more than 230 – than any other denomination except the Catholic Church, according to the Ohio Secretary of State. That number is triple what it was in 2003. (Kentucky does not maintain a registry of ministers, but 65 Universal Life Church ministers in Kentucky have asked to be listed on the church’s Web site.) About 70 percent of people who become ordained through the Universal Life Church do so for the same reason Linneman did – to officiate at weddings, said Universal Life Church President Andre Hensley.

Ketteler and Raines asked Linneman, Raines’ friend of 15 years, to do the honors after attending Linneman’s own wedding last year. Linneman and his wife, Erin, used a friend who is a Universal Life Church minister and a friend who was a seminary student to perform their ceremony.

“I thought it went great. I loved having our friends involved,” Tim Linneman said. “My family is mainly Catholic and so are most of my friends, so I’ve been to a lot of very long weddings. I think people appreciated that it was pretty short.”

Ketteler and Raines said their families understand their decision.

“No one freaked out,” Ketteler said. “My family might be happier if we were doing it a little bit differently, but they also respect that this is what we want to do.”

Andre Hensley’s late father, Kirby Hensley, officially incorporated the Universal Life Church with the state of California in 1962, offering free, lifetime ordainments with no questions asked. The Web site launched in 1995, and today there are about 18 million ordained Universal Life Church ministers worldwide, Hensley said.

The church ordains 8,000-10,000 ministers every month through several different Web sites and the mail, advertising itself largely through word of mouth.

“Couples just want to have it their own way, rather than go to a minister they don’t already know,” Hensley said.

Church staff members have denied ordainment requests, if they believe someone has submitted a false name or has filled out the form on a lark, Hensley said. But they approve most applications.

“We’re like every other church,” Hensley said. “We have to take things on faith.”

People seek ordination through the Universal Life Church for all different reasons. Vicki Whitewolf-Marsh, who recently moved from Cincinnati to Alabama, became a Universal Life Church minister so she could pray with other Native Americans in Cincinnati-area hospitals and perform smudging ceremonies, which involve burning herbs for purification purposes.

Whitewolf-Marsh, 50, said some hospitals told her that she couldn’t perform the ceremony unless she was a clergyperson.

“This way, I can hold my head up and say I’m with a religious community and I’m a minister,” said Whitewolf-Marsh, who also has performed weddings and a funeral.

Some Universal Life Church ministers have turned their new titles into part-time jobs.

Joyce Engelman of Union, Ky., who operates the Big Bone Landing, Marina & Campground, has performed about 40 weddings at the marina since she got ordained about two years ago because she thought it would be fun to officiate at weddings.

“Usually people I marry, they’re older, or they’re younger and pregnant,” said Engelman, 57, who charges $50 per wedding. “And a lot of people been married a couple of times and they’ve already had the frills, so honestly they don’t care.”

Sam Lapin, a speech communication professor at Northern Kentucky University, became ordained five years ago for the same reason.

The 43-year-old Burlington resident markets himself by leaving business cards at county clerks’ offices and popular ceremony locations. Lapin, whose fees start at $100 per ceremony, has performed more than 40 weddings in the past two years for couples who aren’t part of any organized religion or who are planning nontraditional ceremonies.

That’s why 40-year-old Melissa Sibert and 43-year-old Steve Huber of Amelia contacted Lapin. Sibert says they struggled to find a minister for their July 7 wedding on the 18th hole of the golf course at Belterra Casino Resort & Spa, where they’ve celebrated birthdays and other special occasions, until the casino gave them Lapin’s name. It will be the third marriage for each.

“A lot of people won’t give someone a chance if they don’t know you,” Sibert sad. “(Lapin) put together the whole ceremony and e-mailed it to me, and I cried. It was really special.”

Lapin hopes there will be more unique weddings.

“I do have an Elvis outfit,” said Lapin, who also teaches a course on the history of rock ‘n’ roll. “I’m hoping to make use of that some day.”

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free  and lasts for life, so use the button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. Many have been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and can attest to its ongoing growth and change.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirituality

 Universal Life Church Seminary

Master of Spiritualism

            The basis of this course was first and foremost a philosophical look at religion, ideas, and spirituality throughout about the past 3000 years and then explaining how these same ideas are woven into your daily world.  Small sections of the course also went beyond just explaining the philosophical ideas to showing practical uses and placements of those same ideas in modern spirituality and society.

            I liked that the author covered various philosophies some of which may not have explicitly been directly related to religion, such as socialism.  The author does bring up good arguments for all of the theories he covers including socialism, which once looked at through the right lens does relate very well to spirituality and religion.

            It was also nice of the author to bring their personal experience in views into the lessons.  It’s unfortunate that the author has had to go through some of the trial and tribulations that they have but they seems to have grown from it.  Hopefully all of the students taking the course are also able to learn something vicariously through their experiences.  

I can personally say that while I have not lived anything to the extremes that the author has I did see certain parts of the story that related to me.  For example, I’ve been lost in the woods alone in the winter in New York State before, true I was not lost for days I was only lost for hours but it gives me an inkling of the feeling the author must have felt.  I’ve never dealt with an abusive lover but I was the child that had to listen to his parents fight all the time.  

These things cause us to grow over time and lead us to be the people that we are today.  We have a choice, we can either learn from our life, from our successes and failures; or we can choose to keep doing what we’ve always done, the only problem with that is, as the saying goes, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten.

Rev. Justin Oles

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Becoming a Minister

Becoming a ULC Minister

Becoming a Pastor with ULC or anyone else, was not my first desire. Back in the early 90’s when I first started an on-line ministry directed toward the Gay, Lesbian and Transgendered community, I wanted to find a mainline Pastor for the ministry. But even though a couple did join the ministry, they were not willing to become its Pastor. I waited several years searching for a willing Pastor, but since there were none, I began looking into being ordained by some church myself.

You would think that churches would want to do whatever they could to spread the “Good News”, but you soon find that with most, it is their bank account they are looking to spread. If you are willing to pad their account with thousands of dollars, they will hand you a piece of paper saying you are a Pastor. But even then, you must preach according to their doctrine, or they take their worthless paper back!

The last choice I had, though maybe it should have been the first, was to find one of the internet churches who are willing to ordain without attending their seminary, or paying a lot of money. Even with this choice, most insisted you preach and run your church according to their doctrine. One of the few exceptions, was ULC I may not agree with everything ULC teaches, but my church (internet ministry for now) is my own. No one tells me what doctrine I must have, or what I must preach, or even who I can marry. This is one of the very few churches where you can run your church according to what you know to be the Truth.

          So it is here, with the “Universal Life Church” that I came to be ordained. Though I still believe that folks should be ordained to the office which they were called, whether that is Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher or Evangelist; for now there is still only the one office recognized by the churches and the government, that of Pastor. Maybe one day they will wake up, and a man or woman will be able to be ordained to the office which they were called. 

          For now we will all become Pastors and then continue on with the work we were called to do. For me, that is to reach out to those who are where I once was, and to those who have been rejected by the church for whatever reason. Until such time as I can open a physical church, it will remain an internet ministry. But at all times, it will stay totally separate from the government, even though that means no non profit org. or legal corp. status. A place where the Truth is taught, and God’s word is followed.

Pastor Glory Christensen, (2002)

International Fivefold Ministry &

Sierra Nevada Transgendered Christians.

Jamestown California, U.S.A. 

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.  
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

The Historical Jesus

Universal Life Church Seminary

Master of Historical Jesus

Rev. Justin Oles

            This course, Master of the Historical Jesus, is rather intriguing but is certainly not what I expected.  I was expecting more of a scientific look at the life of Jesus.  Instead it is a course that demonstrates the proof of Jesus’ existence through the gospels, both canonical and Gnostic, through analysis of the texts.  The author goes through the various ancient texts and by comparison is able to show what Jesus may have actually said or done and not just what the Bible says he did.  It also explains the different periods of learning and research (“quests”) during which Christ was studied and the rationale behind it.

The course begins by trying to help you understand the world Jesus must have lived in (historically, anthropologically and socially) during the first century of the Common Era (CE).  Then it goes on to explain how common words or phrases had different meanings.  For example, in Jesus’ day the word “time” meant something more like “age” or “era” now.  That is to say that time was not a precise measure of minutes and seconds but rather a length of time during which a discernable and important even was taking place, a time for grieving for example.  There is no set length of minutes and seconds during which one might grieve the loss of a loved one and everyone deals with its separately.  Therefore when Christ said things like “the time of the Kingdom is here”, he meant not literally now, or even in the next few hours, days, weeks of months.  He meant that this was the age or era in which it was to take place.

Further, the course explained where Christ might have gotten his ideas and why the translations should not be taken at face value.  Christ lived during a time when almost all Jews, Christ was undoubtedly a Jew, fell into one of three categories (the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes).  Christ was most likely an Essenes based on the area he lived, his upbringing, etc.  This would have influenced his beliefs.  He also chronologically came after John the Baptist and was most likely a follower of his teachings or at least affected by them.  Lastly, the gospels were originally written in Aramaic, Hebrew, and some Greek.  Later these were translated into Hebrew, Greek and Latin and some information was lost or changed, this was further compounded when they were later translated into the modern languages. 

Research on Christ has been broken into five difference periods or quests.  The first period, called the “pre-quest”, occurred before 1778; the main theory behind this period was that the Jesus of the bible was the Jesus of history.  People felt that although there were discrepancies in the gospels that this must be allegorical, or simply to test the faith of the believer.  The “first quest” or “old quest” lasted from 1778 – 1906.  This period falls into the lanes of conspiracy theory, it postulates that Christ never actually intended to die and did not expect it.  It goes on to think that in all likelihood the disciples stole Jesus’ body off the cross and hid it in order to fake the resurrection.  The third period is referred to the “no quest” period and went from 1906 – 1953.  During this period went the opposite way from the last and simply said that since he had risen the historical story and context didn’t matter, all that mattered was the spiritual Jesus himself.  The second quest went from 1953 – 1985 and never got very in-depth. 

The theory being that while the quest was necessary all that was need was to prove the historical accuracy of the Christ sayings but that it fell solely on the historian to prove it was so.  And the last period is referred to as the third quest and goes from 1985 to the present.  This last quest follows the finding of the Lost Sea Scrolls and the gospels of Q and Thomas thereby leading to a more in depth historical analysis of the gospels with relationship to the time of each gospels creation as well as its interrelation with the other gospels.  One can only guess where this might go from here or what further research might prove about the actual Jesus of Nazareth in the future.

Rev. Justin Oles

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Religious Philosophy

We are asked, at the end of these discourses, to write an essay concerning the area of study that we have embarked upon, this one being the Master of Religious Philosophy. In this final essay, we are to express what we learned, liked or disliked, and why. Upon review, by the staff of Universal Life Church, we are issued a certificate of completion. So, here is my final essay:

Studying the Master of Religious Philosophy was an “eye-opening” experience. Robert Chamberlain did an outstanding job researching and promulgating the material used throughout this course. Learning the meaning of various words, as simple as the meaning of the word “religion”, truly helped in out in completing this course. I had preconceived definitions of many of these words which, as I have seen, clouded my perception of religion and philosophy.

A prime example is the difference in religion (religiosity) and spirit (spirituality) (week 5 discourse). Being filled with the Spirit, I thought made me a religious person. The two terms can be compared and seem like the same meaning, but, they do not. A person can be spiritual, believing in the metaphysical or beyond the physical, and still not be religious, or believing in the structured or organized belief system (a church for example). An some people may feel religious, but are not filled with the Spirit. An example of this is someone striving to become an Elder at a church. They may know the bible and can quote scripture, attend all church functions, and assist during Sunday sermons, but many times these people have a hidden agenda. They have this inner obsession to be in power. As an Elder, they have say in all church matters. Is this someone filled with the Holy Spirit. I think not.

Now, I can go through this essay and fill it with phrases, quotes, paraphrases from the course material, but I have chosen not to follow this type of essay. I may throw in a quote or two to support my reasoning, but for the most part, I’d rather try to get my point across in my own words and examples.

The Master of Religious Philosophy course goes into many different areas in order to support what it is teaching you. Delving into the different religions, talking about a “God Gene” and how some scientists believe that is what compels us to search for a “higher power”; touching briefly upon different religious expressions and faiths; how scriptures have been translated and possibly misunderstood and changed to fit the period or era when translated (studying the course, “The Four Gospels” you immediately understand how scriptures could have been translated with bias in mind. Is the written scripture truly the exact words of God? Food for thought!)

An area or topic that I truly enjoyed was the subject of Religious Theories in week 13. Mental, emotional and psychological projection of a person’s thoughts, feelings and beliefs have been a basis for many leaders and is in full use today. Take the presidential elections that we have every four years in the United States. Each candidate uses these projections to get you to vote for them over the other guy. They use past experiences of the other candidate’s lack of accomplishments to give you a mental image of how this candidate has failed (tax increases, support of war, infidelity, alleged corruption, just to name a few of the smear tactics used). Once the public has that mental picture in their mind, the candidate uses emotional projection to make you feel the pain in anguish the candidate feels because of his/her opponents misgivings and why you should vote for him/her. Finally, they use psychological projection to believe, or brainwash, you into thinking that only he/she can solve the problem if you vote for them.

These types of projections are commonly used by everyone and not just limited to the religious side of the house. And we all know how clergy uses these projections to accomplish the “needs of the church”.

The Master of Religious Philosophy course provided me with a base or foundation in which to reassemble my thoughts upon. As in Luke 6:48-49, a foundation needs to be constructed upon a rock, solid ground. If the foundation is built upon sand then the house shall tumble and fall in the storm, but on a solid and strong foundation, the house will not falter. This course is that “rock” for me. I guess the best method to explain it is in this story:

I have a friend whom has a 150 year old home that is in great disrepair and the over and acre yard has grown wild. My friend has been married and divorced and did not have the knowledge to maintain the home and yard. She left all that to her former husband. Once he left, the house started to tumble. My friend approached me asked if I could help her reclaim her home.

Growing up, my father was a carpenter and insisted that I learn the skills that he knew. As a result, I learned masonry, plumbing, electrical and woodworking. I later went to work for and went to school for landscaping. This is just to let you know what kind of experience I possess.

I agreed to assist my friend and, with the help of others, we rebuilt the foundation of the home on solid ground. It took a lot of work digging out the ground to firm, hard-packed soil and then laying the block underneath the home, but the effort was worth it. The solid foundation straightened the house and provided the base the home needed to persevere through another 150 years. Although the home is still being restored, this strong and solid foundation has increased the ease at which the remainder of the home is being restored. The sagging and leaning is no longer there. The squareness of the walls have been restored. The floors are no longer even. It is a pleasure restoring it to is original Victorian condition and redeveloping the landscape into a yard befitting of this home.

The complexities and concepts which are broadcast throughout this course, combined with the different religious theories and thoughts, gave me (since not everyone will agree with want I say) the knowledge to understand and question information from all means of communication. I am broadening my horizons by researching and not taking “face-value” of things presented to me. It may be contradicting, but the only thing that I push the “I believe” button on is my belief in God and my blind faith to him.

I highly recommend this as a starting course for anyone interested in taking any form of ministry serious. The knowledge and thought provoking questions presented in the course may become your foundation, as it has me.

Thank you, Robert Chamberlain for this course and Thank you, Rev Amy Long for offering this course at ULC Seminary.
 

Essay written by Rev. George Parsons

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Universal Life Church Metaphysics Course

Spirit-Quest, the course has been and will continue to be a valuable set of tools. I continue to cherish each one. They have a place in the library at our home. Like any teaching implement, they are referred to time and time again. I want to thank the many that have walked with me through this part of my life’s journey. Thank you Amy, thanks to those who helped put it together, the spirit guides that help me walk through my conscious and unconscious levels of understanding. Thanks to the Elemental Spirits for allowing themselves to be seen and worked with, thanks to the beings who have come to me through these studies and continue to walk with me on my path. Thanks to all.

I have searched to understand myself for as long as I can remember. Through this course, I have been able to identify energies and processes that eluded me.  My relationships with others have changed for the betterment of my self-growth. 

Specifics
Meditation as I understand it, has evolved so I may use it throughout my day and night. I visualize on a regular basis in most things that pass through my life. The exercises provided in the course have awakened senses or awareness that give strength to my Spiritual self.  My perception of my energies and the energies around me are growing and becoming more vivid. I am learning to distinguish between my personal energy, the earth energies and the “cosmos” energies. My drive to heal the creatures that come to me for rehabilitation continues with my understanding of the “purpose” or “abilities” of each type of energy. Instead of using my personal energy to try and heal one that is injured, I visualize the energies of the Earth and the Universe to work with the creature.

This course introduced me to the concept of the Astral Plane and my own astral body. I am learning to visualize the cleansing of the silver cord and the placing of my golden light within this astral body. The concept is new to me. I am sure over time, this will become second nature and many more opportunities will present themselves that deal with the ‘spiritual” or astral plane and the beings that live there. If I remember correctly, there are eleven levels that were introduced. As with any introduction, it is but a doorway through which I am entering.

I am learning different ways of perceiving the worlds around me, to release my fear of the unknown (which is taught), and to embrace others without judgment.

An added bonus to taking this course is getting to know Amy Long. Through the sharing of her life experiences and approach to subjects, she has given the blessing of herself. With this, I would like to say thanks to all who played a part in my journey through Spirit-Quest.

Rev. Sherri Roberts

Universal Life Church

Universal Life Church


My Call to Ministry

My call to ministry came thirty years ago when I was still serving in the United States Air Force in Colorado Springs, but my spiritual journey started long before.  I was raised in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and was educated in their school system through college.  I was planning to follow the family tradition by becoming a Seventh-day Adventist minister as my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had been.  Fortunately, I entered active military service in 1971 during the Vietnam conflict and volunteered for duty in Southeast Asia.  Naturally, to honor my wishes, I was sent to Alaska.  There, I began reading about Eastern philosophy and studying the Tibetan Book of the Dead.  I also converted to the Catholic Faith, largely because I had been told as a child that Roman Catholics had torture chambers in their churches, preparing to torture Seventh-day Adventists, so I set out to find the torture chambers.  Instead, I made some wonderful friends and discovered an inspirational form of worship.  As the years passed, I continued to study Eastern religion while I attended Mass every Sunday.

In 1975, I was transferred to Colorado Springs to close down Ent Air Force Base and move on to Peterson Air Force Base.  My first summer there, I had a training and was partnered with a Buddhist, who invited me to attend his worship.  I did, they fed me, and I stayed for two years, while continuing to attend Mass every Sunday.  Practicing Buddhism showed me a new path to the experience of God, and though I decided that I needed to explore my own tradition further, I never came all the way back.  I feel that all religions have something to teach us.  During my transition from Buddhism, I returned to a Protestant church, as I never fully accepted the concept of transubstantiation .   I experienced what I considered a call to ministry in 1978 and returned to Northern California to attend Seminary and begin service as a Methodist minister.

I served a church for about eight years, but did not like being told where I would live and what my politics would be.  It almost felt as though I never left the Air Force, so I left active ministry, still filling in as pulpit supply and doing weddings and funerals as requested.  I am currently working as a history teacher and still do pulpit supply for Lutheran and Methodist churches.  I am an active member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church and serve on the church board.  I teach adult Sunday School and just finished an eleven week series on World Religions using Professor Huston Smith's book as a textbook.  On September 3, 2007, I was formally ordained by the Universal Life Church.  I support religions freedom and believe that the ULC provides an incredible forum for interfaith fellowship.

I am currently enjoying my classes at the ULC Seminary and plan to continue with my ministry as a main stream protestant minister.   I do not intend to return to parish ministry, but certainly enjoy pulpit supply and performing weddings. 

Rev. R Helmerson

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Online Ordination

There is one question following a summer break that can never be avoided. It is asked in both elementary schools and on college campuses. The typical question, "What did you do over summer break," usually gets typical answers. The student maybe took a vacation, went to the beach, worked or sometimes did nothing at all.

One UNCW student, however, did something different with his break. When asked the inevitable question, he was able to respond that he became an ordained minister.

Senior Stephen Honeycutt now holds the title of the Reverend Stephen Honeycutt. Through the Universal Life Church, he is now an ordained minister that can officiate weddings, baptisms, and other ceremonies.

Honeycutt is not the typical minister. Besides being 21 years old and a college student, he is an English major in the Professional Writing program instead of a philosophy and religion major. He also plans on attending law school after graduation.

"I don't think I will be using my ordainment in my career," Honeycutt said.

Honeycutt said he became an ordained minister so he would be able to officiate his brother's wedding. He also stated that he looks forward to his brother being able to do the same for him. Neither Honeycutt nor his brother is currently engaged, however.

"I would love to officiate any of my friends' weddings too, if they asked," Honeycutt added.

To become an ordained minister, all Honeycutt had to do was apply online through the Universal Life Church. It took around 48 hours for his ordainment to become official. There are no special qualifications, and ordainment is free of charge.

"According to the ULC, 'everyone is equal-the same level of greatness is enjoyed by all.' That's why there was nothing special that I had to do," Honeycutt explained.

The Universal Life Church, which is non-denominational, does offer online training courses. They also have ministerial supplies such as wedding certificates and ID cards that are available for purchase through the Web site.

"The whole experience has been excellent! I recommend this to everyone who is interested," Honeycutt said.

by Amber Hughes

 

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free  and lasts for life, so use the button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. Many have been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and can attest to its ongoing growth and change.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirit Quest

Metaphysics Course

Universal Life Church

The very first sentences of this course have been the most important for me.  In these sentences I have grown in courage and understanding.  I have been able to embrace these words as a reality for my life. 

 1. You Are A Perfect Being. 

 2. God Loves You.

 3.  You Were Created In Perfection, By Perfection for Perfection.

4.  Your Success Is Guaranteed.

The content of this course for me has all been based in the above four sentences because in them I have found my true self.  My life, not unlike others, has been extremely difficult as I come from a very dysfunctional family and I am proud that I have.  The negative conditioning that I received as a child has made me value my growth process.  The very first sentence says, “You are a perfect being.”  The problem with the way I was raised is that I was taught to embrace my imperfections.  As I studied the discourses I now see that I have no imperfections and any flaw can be turned just by changing my view.  It had been easy for me to accept myself as imperfect and undeserving and while I saw myself with all these flaws my world continually supported those notions.  After practicing the meditations and taking off the veil of untruth I can easily accept that this world is made perfect and just as nature is perfect so am I.  My body (the spiritual as well as the physical) works in perfection and when I view myself as aligned with the universe then I can easily see myself as perfect or better yet as being, “created in perfection, by perfection and for perfection.

As a child I am the product of my mother and her union with a married man.  Now my mother didn’t know that my father was married, but when she found out it was too late.  So, since my mother could not punish the man she punished me by withholding love.  Coming from my experiences with my family and having a mother who did know about the value of forgiveness, I thought that God (Goddess, Source, The Creator) could not possibly love someone like me.  As I walked through the discourses and practiced Rose meditation and visualization, I began to see just how wrong I was in my assumption.  I saw (and see) that in everything that has been created in this world and in the spiritual realm there is no limit of the love that I am the recipient of.  I have learned how the source of the universe has given me genius and how she communicates this through the most basic and beautiful things (music, numbers, and color).  I was born under a unique set of numbers I see my talents I see the love that Goddess has for me in all that she created.  Just to know that there is no way I can fail gives me the courage to do those things I though impossible. 

When I started this course I knew certain things and was in the process of opening up to realize more of the Universal Truths.  Since my study I have grown to understand the reasons that I had not manifested in my life those things which I needed.

My biggest obstacle to growth had been my view on forgiveness.  I had always thought that to forgive those that, in my estimation, had hurt me meant to let them off the hook.  Now, I understand that it is not about letting them off the hook, but it is about realigning me with the divine.  It is about releasing and letting go. Forgiveness is what I do for me and is about no giving my power away to those who have caused me harm.  My biggest surprise while walking through this lesson is that I realized that I had been withholding forgiveness because I wanted revenge…I wanted them to feel the pain that I carried.  In reality (this is a shocker) the pain that I felt had been because I LET IT IN!  I made it my own personal pain.  I decided to use the forgiveness letter.  Now the forgiveness letter asks that you use compassionate and loving words to the offender.  This letter allowed me to first see my offenders as human, and then it showed me the power of compassion.  As I have held on to the un-forgiveness I had allowed myself to be cut off from the compassionate side of me.  I didn’t mail these letters, but I did burn them and visualized the smoke as carrying my forgiveness to the person.  I let go completely of the blame, shame, and need for revenge.

This course has strengthened my meditation and visualization skills.  It reminds me of a song sung by a very popular R&B singer R. Kelly.  The title is “I believe I can fly” and in the song there are some words that are the foundation of Metaphysics, “….if I can see it….then I can be it…, I believe I can fly.”  Metaphysics as detailed in this course works because we use visualization techniques to manifest.  What I can visualize in my mind, I can bring into my physical reality.  In past I have manifested negative (“if you don’t fill it, someone or something will fill it for you” – discourse four) but using guided meditation to ground I learned to fill myself with positive instead. 

There are so many things I learned with this course and It would take me another lifetime to talk about it all, but since I am learning about balancing my time and am practicing staying in the present I will say that this course has taken me though some horrible memories and because of that I have been able to release the negative emotions and learn the lesson.  I am now a better minister because I know how important letting go is.  I understand how holding on can manifest pain, and negativity into my life.  I can now teach others how to manifest a rose to dispel negative energy and bring in the beauty of love.  I can teach others how to tap into the divine and experience the type of unconditional love that we all deserve.  These lessons have taught me that this world in which I live was created in abundance and like all of nature I have all I need after all,

I AM A Perfect Being, Goddess Loves Me; I was Created in Perfection, By Perfection for Perfection and my Success Is Guaranteed.

Reverend Tammy J. Hamilton

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Online Ordination

You can order a dizzying array of goods and services over the Internet today. Books, music, computers, dating services, stocks, automobiles — it’s all a click away. Religion is no different than any other aspect of human life in this respect. 

Everyone — from the largest established churches to the most exotic emergent religions — offers various ministries right over the Internet. But one unique church takes Internet ministry to the most radical extreme. The Universal Life Church will ordain anyone to the ministry for free, for life and with no regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality or theological position. And they’ll do it online.

It doesn’t matter whether you are a Christian, Satanist, Kabbalist, Wiccan, atheist, or a creator of your own “homemade” religion. The ULC, from its international headquarters in Modesto, Calif., and its Online Seminary in Elk Grove, CA ., welcomes all.

It’s no joke. ULC ministers have the legal authority to perform weddings and funerals, to start their own congregations, and to take advantage of many of the fringe benefits that priests, rabbis and ministers of other religious organizations enjoy.

The ULC actually pre-dates the cyber-era. This unique denomination was established in 1962 by Kirby J. Hensley, an illiterate former Baptist from North Carolina.

Fed up with the hypocrisy and dogmatism of the mainstream churches, Hensley began ordaining anybody — without question — for free. Full page articles about him in Time (21 Feb. 1969) and Newsweek (5 May 1969) added to his status as the Robin Hood of American religion.

Hensley’s church has spent nearly four decades fighting those who have challenged its legitimacy. Supported by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, however, the ULC has far more victories than defeats under its belt.

The ULC s success has, unfortunately, enticed some unethical individuals to seek ordination. Some have attempted to use their Universal Life Church credentials for such illegal activities as setting up phony tax shelters. But mainstream churches are not immune to such abuses, either.

I think it’s unfair to condemn the ULC as a whole for the misdeeds of a few. In fact, the worldwide community of Universal Life Church ministers and congregations is probably the most diverse and interesting religious body I have ever encountered.

This church includes ministers like Anton de Beer of Universal Life Church of South Africa, whose church is a progressive voice in a country where mainstream religion was once complicit in the horrors of apartheid.

The ULC also includes ministers like Vance Williams of Texas, a committed Christian who lives with lupus and mixed connective tissue disease. The Universal Life Church seems to have opened up a unique ministry opportunity for this disabled man.

This denomination also provides home for Pagans, Wiccans, and other religious minorities who have no home in “mainstream” churches. The Rev. Cristiana Gaudet of the ULC of Putnam, Connecticut offered me the following insight on this aspect of the ULC:

“As a Wiccan/Pagan, our ordinations and initiations are not legal credentials. While it has taken me years to achieve the knowledge I have, I need to be legally recognized as a minister, and therefore need the ULC ordination.”

Other ULC ministers are on the cutting edge of the ongoing fight for First Amendment rights. Consider Charles Oren Anderson, an incarcerated ULC minister at the Southern Desert Correctional Center in Nevada. In 1993, he sued prison director Ron Angelone for the right to lead services.

The ULC even provides a home for college students and others who want to set up their own idiosyncratic or “joke” religions. One of my favorite such churches is “The Church of the Almighty Revealed in Biotechnology,” founded by Ram Samudrala.

Ram is doing research in computational genetics at Stanford University. Since he is a “staunch atheist,” his religion is grounded in computers and science.

The ULC reached a turning point in its colorful history, when founder Hensley died. His passing inspired Wren Walker, of the Wiccan site witchvox.com, to eulogize Bishop Hensley as “a visionary and truly a man ahead of his time.”

I agree with Walker, and I have no doubt that the church that Hensley built will continue to grow and prosper as the new millennium approaches. And who knows, maybe I’ll apply for ordination one of these days. When I do, you’re all invited to join my congregation.

Michael Mazza supports your right to freedom of religion, and hopes that you will be so kind as to return the favor.

By Michael Mazza 

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Ordination with the Free Online Ordination button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Become ordained for free and for life

Universal Life Church

You can become an ordained minister right now online by going to the Universal Life Church website. All it takes is to fill out a simple form, and you can be taken into a world where you will be a legal minister for life, for free, and without stepping foot into seminary school. All you have to do to become a minister online is head to the online website for Universal Life Church, fill out a very simple form, and you are on your way to performing marriages, officiating funerals, and ministering the gospel according to your soul’s devices. If you have made the decision to become an ordained minister online, the website is http://www.ulcseminary.org, where you can do a lot more than take up the cloth.

To become an ordained minister online through the Universal Life Church of Modesto, California, you first should look into the laws of your state to see if any online ordainment is legal. After all, most people choose to become an ordained minister online so that they can officiate as a minister. Every state law varies slightly on who can perform a marriage ceremony. Some states, like Indiana, have more relaxed rules on marriage stating that any ordained minister can perform a marriage ceremony.

After you have made the decision to become an ordained minister online, you must complete an online form and submit it. Afterward, you must wait for your review by the staff of ULC to be completed, and then they email you with the status of your ordination within a few days. When you become an ordained minister online, you are not ordained by a computer or by the website; a live person ordains you. Once you are ordained on the ULC website, you are ordained for life.

By Scott Baker

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.  
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

 

Wiccan Studies

Master of Wiccan Studies

Universal Life Church

I would like to express my sincere thanks for our instructor and the material presented throughout the course. I found it to be a great benefit to me, not only in bringing to light the purpose and practical function of ritual, items used, the deities and workings of elementals.

I very much enjoyed the weekly challenges of stretching myself with the exercises given and finding that all helped to make sense of what I have intuitively done for most of my life.

I feel that this course helps put me in touch with deeper meanings to the "why's and wherefores" of the physical and spiritual that is all around us in our daily lives. It has helped to bring, with more confidence, my desire for a broader approach to my ministry and helps to reaffirm my trust in "flying by the seat of my pants", as it where, when called upon to perform a pastoral service, be it a wedding, or baby naming. I am more comfortable now with bringing in many elements to whatever I am called on to do. And with the knowledge imparted by the course, I have more to draw from than ever before, and with a clearer understanding of why I would feel drawn to include certain stone, herbs, etc.

My thanks again to Lord Starwalker for his wealth of knowledge and his time spent in preparing and sharing this material with us. I will refer to it often, and practice much of it daily.

Bright Blessings,

Betty Taylor

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The Universal Life Church, is free place to become ordained,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button to get started today.

The ULC Seminary was created to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. The  Universal Life Church has grown over the years and its Seminary has added the continual growth of the church.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Becoming a minister

Bio for Universal Life Church

My whole life has been interwoven with the art of healing.  Over 45 years in the comprehensive medical field and now in alternative “energy” medicine as a practitioner and instructor.

Even as a youngster, I would pretend I was a nurse or teacher and dream of working with the sick and the dis-ease process of the body.  My religious background was mixed.  My Roman Catholic grandfather and my Methodist grandmother were very much an influence in my young years.  I married my childhood sweetheart Fred and had two great boys, Fred and Todd.  His career consisted of many corporate transfers resulting in the tasting of many churches and different theological beliefs.  But I always found God wherever I moved.  I learned later, God has always been in my heart and soul and knew me even before I was born.  My healing gifts were given to me and it was my soul’s journey to find my earthly path to use them.

God combined my love for healing and my love for God’s hurting children and gave me a Healing Ministry which I choose to call “Touch of Healing”.  It is the practice of using our hands and heart to do hands-on-healing for family, friends, animals and clients.  It is the same method Jesus used over 2000 years ago.  When I discovered I could get my Bachelor Degree in Energy Medicine, I completed it in Oct. 2007 at age 66. 

I also have a great love for the Native Americans and visit the Navaho and Hopi reservations whenever I can.  We share a love for ceremony and ritual to honor the Great Creator.  To pray the prayers of gratitude for harmony and balance of mother earth and to heal the people and animals who walk the earth.

God’s sense of humor is wonderful.  When I set up my practice, I was told that in Texas we could not “touch” anyone unless we were a massage therapist, a medical professional, or a minister.  I had my degree as a medical professional, but I thought, “I better cover myself against malpractice and become a minister”.  I applied to ULC.  The day…. The very day… that I received my accreditation as a minister…. I had three new clients call.  Guess what?  They all had “spiritual issues” and wanted to see me.  I really had to laugh.  It was as though God said… you got the paper honey, now you will have to step up to the plate and work for it.  I can feel the big smile on God’s face.

I marvel at the framed ULC certification hanging in my office.  How did this all happen?

My dreams as a young child have been fulfilled; I am a missionary for the Lord, and also get to do what I love most.  A Healing practitioner and teacher in Houston, Texas.  What a joy it is to tell my story and to tell how much God loves his children.  Yep, we are God’s kids and Abba loves us.

Rev. Patricia Fleury

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church  and wedding materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar