Why People Become Ordained

Here are some stories about why people became ordained through the Universal Life Church and have trained through our online seminary. They readily share their stories and knowledge to help you add to yours.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Minister Ordination

Minister OrdinationGreetings,

I have been very blessed to be able to work in long term care for over 20 years as a Certified Activity Director. I have had the opportunity to meet and become friends with hundreds of amazing people from all walks of life whom I would have never had the opportunity to know in any other line of work. The residents have taught me so much about living and so much about dying.

I believe my work is my ministry. I became a minister as a commitment to God to do His work, His will, His way. Most people do not know that I am ordained. It is not something I make known as it is not about me. It is all about HIM.

Rev. BonnieLee Dilworth


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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 Clergy Ordination

Online Clergy OrdinationHello, all!

Upon reading the newsletter, I found the request about how my ordination came about. I wasn't hit by a lightning bolt or called through a vision, but when a chaplain friend of mine sent me a very profound email, it made think for a moment of all that I had been blessed with, without even a thought to what I could give back. I found the ULC and read the website contents several times over before deciding that by becoming ordained, perhaps I could bring comfort to families that have lost loved ones, and by bringing joy to couples that were wanting to unite and begin new families. What a legacy that would be! My ordination has inspired me with a desire to talk to others about my beliefs and to listen to theirs with respect and an open mind.

I am blessed with three grown, beautiful daughters, and my wonderful wife that makes me anxious to wake in the mornings, that I may cast my eyes on her to behold my gift from God!

I thank my God for every breath that I take...I AM TRULY BLESSED!
The following is the inspiring email information that was sent to me,

The Lifeline,

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor slowly
stood up, walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the
evening, briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that
evening.

In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest
minister was one of his dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to
have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be
appropriate for the service.

With that, an elderly mans stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak.

"A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the pacific
coast" he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get
back to the shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was
an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three were
swept into the ocean as the boat capsized."

The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers
who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat
interested in his story.

The aged minister continued with his story, "Grabbing a rescue line, the
father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: to which boy
would he throw the other end of the life line."

"He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was
a Christian and he, also, knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of
his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father
yelled out, "I love you, Son!" he threw out the life line to his son's
friend. By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized
boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of
night. His body was never recovered."

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew,
anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister's
mouth. "The father", he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity
with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping
into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save
the son's friend."

"How great is the love of God that he should do the same for us. Our
Heavenly Father sacrificed his only begotten Son that we could be saved.
I urge you to accept his offer to rescue you and take a hold of the life
line he is throwing out to you in this service."

With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence
filled the room.

The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon
with an invitation at the end, however, no one responded to the appeal
Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old
mans' side.

"That was a nice story," politely stated one of them, "but I don't think it
was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that
the other boy would become a Christian."

"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied glancing down at his
worn bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face. He once again looked up
at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic, is it?
But I'm standing here today to tell you that story give me a glimpse of what
it must have been like for God to give up his Son for me. You see..."

"I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend."


"We will open the book. Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

---- Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Thank you and may god bless you and your family!
Re. James R. (Jim ) Hensley

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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

Shamanism

Shamanism
My name is Beverly Brown and I am in week 10 of the Dr. of Shamanistic Theology Course. I applaud the way you wrote this course...Thank You!

After my experience(s) with a fatal illness that the doctors could not cure, I overcame it via natural herbs and nontraditional treatments. This made me hungry for more knowledge of God's gift of healing one's self and healing others.

My quest has lead me to you and I am extremely grateful.

I'm feeling very "INSPIRED"

Respectfully yours,
Beverly Brown

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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

Online Ordination at ULCAmy,
I am Rev. Michael Brian Riley. My ministry has taken me to the Dallas Veterans Administration Hospital. As a paralyzed veteran I volunteer in the VA hospital's Spinal Cord Injury center.

I help feed the patients that can't feed themselves, Talk with the patients, help new injuries come to terms with what has happened to them and tell and show the how life goes on in spite of our injuries.

Regards,
Michael B. Riley


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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 Clergy Ordination

Online OrdinationHi amy,

Here is my story. After being Ordained I decided I just didn't want just to marry people and that I wanted to start my own home church. Now I have my own home church and I have 12 members. We have our service in my house and my members really enjoy it. They enjoy that if they don't understand part of a scripture, that they could just asked and get their answer right away.

Thank you.
Rev. Ernesto Mata


*******************************
 
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

Clergy Ordination

Clergy Ordination
The Universal Life Church ordained me on March 27th, 2000. I didn't start actually performing ceremonies/rituals for anyone other than family and friends until 2002, as I felt I needed more time to become proficient at it.

Looking back, I think being a member of the clergy has always been my calling. I remember, as a small child going to Catholic school, wanting to be a priest when I grew up. I could never get a straight answer from any of the adults as to why I couldn't. Just that girls could be nuns, but only boys could be priests. Never any explanation! That was just the way it was. Later, during my "atheist phase", During one of those career placement tests, Clergy kept coming up as the thing I was best suited for. What a laugh I got out of that! (I guess the joke was on me.) Over the years, I explored many different organized religions, atheism and a couple of cults.

What I finally discovered is that there is no one "right" path, but that everyone has a specific path that is right for them. What's more, a person's path can contain spirituality, wisdom and philosophy from any number of different sources, and that it is no less valid as a belief system than a specific religion. Since then, I have encountered numerous people who have spirituality, but do not subscribe to any set religion, many of whom have mentored me in my spiritual path.

In searching for actual clergy members who were not affiliated with a particular sect or religion, however, I came up conspicuiously empty handed. I found plenty who were more tolerant of different beliefs, but in the end, it seemed that all of them wanted to conduct things according to a set tradition. It had been suggested to me by friends and family members that I become that clergy member that I couldn't find; that I start my own church. I laughed it off, thinking that I couldn't do it, even though that inner voice that we all have had been telling me the same thing for some time by that point. I still didn't listen to that voice even when I started having recurring dreams about being some sort of "spiritual leader".

It wasn't until things kept on coming up in my medicine card reading and one of my mentors suggested I may want to do this that I really took a serious look at the option. I am very grateful for being led to this, as this work is fulfilling in a way that no other has ever been.


I have counseled others for as long as I can remember. I have always been one
of those people who strangers would walk up to and pour their heart out to. Although I sometimes questioned the reasons for this, I always accepted that this was simply what was meant to be for me and followed my heart in passing on the words or actions given to me. Now that I have fully embraced the path set for me and resolved to follow it wherever it takes me, rather than resisting on the basis of, "I can't do that" or, "But I want to do it" I have been given opportunities far beyond anything I could have imagined.

Becoming ordained and building an outreach ministry has enabled me to obtain access to far more resources for those in need as my clients than what could be done as friends or acquaintances. The feeling of being able to help another person discover or define his or her path is indescribable, as is the intense emotion in being a part of someone's most intimate life moments, such as birth, marriage/commitment, death and entry into the next world or life. These are momentous occasions and each time I have the privilege of sharing one of these with another, I am reminded that these are rewards for following the direction of my Higher Power and am filled anew with gratitude.


Blessed Be.
In love and light, -Rev. K.M. Hutchison
Wolf Den Ministries


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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

Online OrdinationDear Amy,

In 1998 I made a decision to do service with woman and help with self-esteem issues and many other issues facing woman today. At that time I also became a life coach and a certified Hypnotherapist. I have a website that is under construction and will be up and running in about a week. (Ihavethepower.us) and so do you. On the site you will see photos and events for woman coming up as well as one on one coaching.

Warm Regards,
Tamaya


*******************************
 
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

Spiritual Ordination

Spiritual Ordination through Universal Life ChurchI have been spiritual all of my life. I do not mean I was a "holy roller" or a "bible thumper". From childhood on I have had visions and visitations and inspirations and manifestations and other phenomina. As I progressed through life and went from difficult childhood up to blissful marriage and mother of three kids then down through the death of my husband; he was 32, I was 29 and kids were 9 (twins) and 7, I lost faith.

I sank into depression and debauchery trying to numb myself or kill myself, never sure which one it was I really achieving. But nevertheless the Lord never lost me, angels came continued to come to my rescue, to get me home safely, to keep my kids safe.

Then one day I was floating above my bed with my husband beckoning to me and I KNEW I had to come back, I KNEW I had things to learn and things to do. I hit the bed with a thump and my life changed. Oh, not all rosy and cozy as you may think. On the surface it got worse, I got ill with chronic pain diseases, I gained weight, I lost jobs, I lost my house, I lost my car. But I had God and we were okay. We slowly returned to normal family life, my kids thrived and moved on to have great jobs and good homes.

I turned more and more to spiritual discovery.

The more I learned the more I taught. What I needed to know was dropped in my lap, books opened before me, people appeared in my life to teach me. In turn I became a teacher, I applied to be a mininster in that manner also, I was lead to the site as I was struggling with some decision making. This was an easy decision. I have gotten other credentials since becoming a minister here. But this is "home" to me.

I have had afull life full of distress and adventures and mishaps and sorrows and disease, poverty and riches, happiness and fortune. I have tasted it all and only wish to help others who are in dark places where I have been come into the Light.


Universal Spirit
Rev Elizabeth Hudson
www.universalspirit.zoomshare.com

*******************************
 
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

Pagan Ordination

Pagan OrdinationHello Amy,
It was nice to get your newsletter, I always enjoy reading them, and sometimes get some god ideas from them to use.

I have been a practicing Pagan Priest for over 20 years. In that time I have had little trouble with legality issues for Pagan issues. However I was asked to move to Ohio a couple of years ago, and was informed that my status as a Priest was not acceptable for performing weddings etc. Something which I did not know. I began to ask around in the community, and found out I had a great deal in common with Interfaith Ministers as well as Pagan Clergy.

After doing some soul searching, I realized that I could be both, and with that realization I looked for ordainment as a Minister to be able to legally help those in the community both Pagan and Christian as well as other religions. I found the ULC. I have been very happy to be associated with ULC over the past couple of years, and am currently starting a Pagan Church in the Akron Ohio area with some other ULC Ministers whom I have been lucky to meet and befriend.

As for a picture, the following will have to do for now, I have longer hair and more grey in it now, but I still look about the same.

Good luck with this feature and keep the newsletters coming.

Rev. James S. Harper (Jae)

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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