Become A Minister in Seconds!

[Pandoras]

Online ministry growing

By Emil Guillermo
Record Staff Writer
Published Saturday, November 27, 2004

In the interest of journalism, I logged on to the Internet and became a minister -- in seconds.

I didn't have to go to a seminary, just to www.ulc.net, where the Universal Life Church is still going strong.

Since it first offered mail-order ordinations in 1962, the church, founded by Kirby Hensley of Modesto, has grown to 18 million members and 67,000 congregations around the world, said the founder's son, Andre Hensley, head of day-to-day operations.
Read the rest of the article here (http://www.recordnet.com/daily/lifestyle/articles/112704-l-1.php)

Then visit the ULC (www.ulc.net)

Is this for real? I mean, is it that easy? Become a minister in seconds and you can perform services for hundreds of dollars? What do you think about this?

[Sylvan]

Yep, it is for real. It's actually pretty darn useful for Pagans who don't have a registered "clergy" to perform our weddings and whatnot. I know quite a few people who have gotten themselves ordained so they can perform handfastings. I've never seen them charge hundreds of dollars for it, though.
I feel kinda weird about it, myself... I mean, who's to say I'm not getting my 10-year-old niece ordained if I send in the application? :foh:

[Frater Arcane]

Here's another, similar one
http://www.spiritualhumanism.org/

[CaitrionaMorgaine]

The ULC ordination is very real, and makes you legal clergy in most states. However, guidelines vary per state/county what you must do to be able to perform all duties of clergy under that license. Some require that you register, while others don't.

Just a warning, North Carolina will not consider a marriage done by a ULC minister legally binding. That's the only state I know of that won't.

Avalon's Blessings, ~Rhiannon

[SacredWithin]

I think this service can also get into the wrong hands. This sux.

[Shanti]

In my state its useless!!! I am glad for that. Here you have to have an ongoing relationship with the main organization that is consistantly documented to be considered clergy. Everything you do has to be documented on regular basis by you and the parent org. You cant just 'buy' a certificate and then perform cerimonies!!!!! I'm a metaphysics cleric (I dont use minister) and I have to fill out monthly reports, in triplicate. Files have to be maintained and open to inspection at all times. And everything documented has to also be maintained by the parent org.

So you have to check with your state on whats all needed and considered legal.

[Bix]

I think people need to go through some sort of training before they meddle with the whole ministry thing. If you just do a mail order ministry without even knowing anything about marriage and commitment...I think that's really setting you up for trouble.

[Pandoras]

Yeah, I don't really know how I feel about it. I think it's the old Catholic in me. I always thought that someone who could perform weddings or preside over other such ceremonies would be really learned. I'm not implying that someone that gets ordained with ULC isn't, but there's no official training involved so who's to know. I mean, if anyone can do it, doesn't that take away from, um, something (I can't think of the word). On the other hand, it's kinda nifty, especially for Pagans.

[SacredWithin]

I have a question that's been in my curiosity for some time. How does a Pagan Priest/Priestess become considered clergy by the state? Or does it vary?

[Shanti]

I have a question that's been in my curiosity for some time. How does a Pagan Priest/Priestess become considered clergy by the state? Or does it vary?
You have to check with your state it varies greatly! :)

[PaganSoldier]

Yeah it would be a very bad idea without knowing if they would be using it for the wrong things.

[Lady Avalon]

The ULC is very real. I am ordained through them. I sent a copy of my ordination papers to the Secretary of State of Ohio. I am allowed to marry couples in that state.

It keeps me from getting arrested for fortune telling. I have not registered here in Louisana. I no longer work publicly.

[Garnet]

I'm a ULC minister, too, though I've never registered (here you do it in the county you live in, I believe).

[WingedTigerChild]

I should become an ordained minister. Seriously. I'd be good at it. :) What do you think, SacredWithin? lol

[Threase]

lol my fiance joined up with this... all of his marriage licences and stuff was gone within a few days... lol not like it matters, we live in Canada...

[Ramarious]

Please excuse my ignorance, but what's ULC?

[Threase]

Universal Life Church I think...

[WingedTigerChild]

Yup. Had you bothered to read the first post, you would have known that. :fishsmack

[halfwaynowhere]

ULC is United Life Church. Anyways, I'm ordained by them, i have the certificate on my wall. anyways, in California you don't have to register or anything, i think ULC might automatically do it for you since they are based in california. or you don't have to do it at all here. i'm not sure. anyways, i haven't used it yet or anything, but i figure it might come in handy in case in a few years my Catholic best friend wants to run off and marry her Mormon BF, neither of their churches will recognise it. anyways, it seems handy to know somebody who is ordained, especially if you don't belong to a church. anyways, before i perform any services, i plan on researching fully on how to perform them, and i don't plan on charging, maybe a small fee if its a hassle for me, like if the location is bad, but other than that, its just there for me to say i did it. I think my mom is ordained too... when i did it, i told my mom and she said that when she was in high school a bunch of her friends sent in through the mail for it.

[misschief]

yep. i did it a while back, depending on where you live it may work and it may not.. depends on the state laws. i can use mine here as long as i register, which i have not done yet. i keep forgetting to do it lol..

[Theres]

i have no problem with this whatsoever.

yes, the ULC ordination is set up as a legal end-run, but so what?
who says that ONLY the State or ONLY the Church can determine who gets to perform these services? who's to guarantee that anybody ordained in those traditional ways are any more qualified?

in my state (and most states actually), you must still register at City Hall. this cost me all of $5 when i did it, but i think it's up to $15 now. but i feel just as capable as any other clergy, and much more so than any Justice of the Peace.

[charmedkisses1]

That's screwed up. Sorry.

[Theres]

That's screwed up. Sorry.
why?

[Khuinaset]

For the people who're saying it's screwed up, or it'd be bad in the wrong hands...why? Maybe I'm just being dense, but I can't really think of anything horrible that could be done with it :hrmm: I think it'd be neat to have a friend do a handfasting instead of having to pay somebody else to do it, and that'd be possible with that.

[Aidron]

For the people who're saying it's screwed up, or it'd be bad in the wrong hands...why? Maybe I'm just being dense, but I can't really think of anything horrible that could be done with it :hrmm: I think it'd be neat to have a friend do a handfasting instead of having to pay somebody else to do it, and that'd be possible with that.


Because people equate marriage in the terms of clergy with professionalism in spirituality. Whatever the said clergyman's faith is, they should be that of the status of an elder or people tend to scoff at it.

Frankly, they can scoff all they want. I don't recall anyone forcing them to select someone who is ordained in this manner for their marriage ceremony. :rolleyes:

[CaitrionaMorgaine]

Frankly, they can scoff all they want. I don't recall anyone forcing them to select someone who is ordained in this manner for their marriage ceremony. :rolleyes:

I agree, Raven. The choice of clergy in regards to marry is up to the couple. If they have an issue with the role of clergy within an organization, then that should be taken into account when choosing someone to perform the ritual/rite/ceremony.

As for the ULC in general, my ordination was not something I took upon myself, rather something that had to be done for my community. The Wing Chaplain at the base where I run the Pagan/Wiccan services required some sort of sponsoring authorization for us to continue to have services.

Since the DoD has yet to approve a Pagan/Wiccan organization to train Chaplains and/or Designated (some call it Distinctive) Faith Group Leaders, the ULC fit the requirements of what was requested of us.

I don't throw my ordination around like I've worked hard to earn it, like some that I know. I do not use "Rev" as one of my titles or anything of that nature. It was just something I had to do to continue to serve my community. If I hadn't, the circle would have dissolved without anyone else to lead it.

Avalon's Blessings, ~Rhiannon

[FroggieThePunk]

Unfortunetly it is true, to a degree. Watch what you read, and don't buy into things that say "Easy money, takes seconds to acomplish."

[pawnman]

I am registered with the UCL. I should really order my credentials.

Those of you who say it could "fall into the wrong hands" or "be used for the wrong purposes": what, exactly, are the wrong hands or wrong purposes? I honsetly can't see any way someone could use this to do any real harm (although I do have a friend who's going to order the press pass and try to get into concerts with it.)