LykosTemple

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Everything posted by LykosTemple

  1. Simply put: Does anyone here have a minister's or ULC associated account? With certain laws having been passed, my unobtrusive little "donation" button on my web page, I have accidentally classified my "church" as an official NPO, and that hadn't been my intent. Currently, my "church" is in the planning stage, and we are officially NOT a NPO. But now, Paypal is asking for "further information," and I was wondering if anyone else had had the same situation suddenly pop up. As I said above, I'm not really looking for legal advice, only "similar situation" advice. What did you do to satisfy Paypal? If you want, you can reply privately; I don't mind.
  2. So far, I’ve ben involved with the creation and etc. of a small, home-based Deist church in the Southern California area. I’ve managed mostly structural tasks: chartering w/ULC, getting a DBA & EIN; my wife and myself have bought business cards, with our names on them, and soon, I’ll be putting together a series of Meetups in a nearby park for outdoor, informal fellowship. What I mostly want to do is reach out to other Deists that still need a more traditional “church” structure. I’m planning to to outreach in the Los Angeles prison system, and to teenager self-help organizations…. Both to counsel these and to educate about self-empowerment. We’ll also celebrate the passage of the seasons, and rites of growing and and self-development. Only one thing have I not figured out yet: I want to join with other ULC ministers in the L.A. area and help the needy with programs for “good deeds.” Many non Christian ministers would like to “do good,” but feel that no one would take them seriously. Does anyone know how to put this one together? Back in the early 1970’s, there was a “Deist seminary” in Central Wisconsin and they came to our school during “Career Day.” They did educational outreach, mostly to teens, and their members gathered up food, clothes and toiletries for the needy in Milwaukee, Brookfield, and Madison. That was when I discovered the principles of my own faith. Nothing has ever been the same since.
  3. Most certainly, one day, I'd like to visit the "Tower of London" ---- I saw a huge load of pictures in an old National Geographic... felt like a kid in a candy store. And it was even better on the History Channel... we actually saw armored "knights" having at one another. *SIGH*
  4. To all: Our residence (which is, I guess, now a church) doesn’t have a single gun. Having said that, I should point out that we are not unarmed. We have a large collection (all working) of bows, swords, slings, axes, knives, and razor sharp hunting arrows. We used to have a compound crossbow, but that was stolen out of the storage space we used to have (it was among three rooms filled with antiques, and they [whomever] simply stole everything on that floor of the storage facility. We were simply caught in the fall out). My wife and I were once members of a medieval reenactment group; we were both fighters. The sharp stuff is mostly for collecting, but I don’t “believe” in fake weaponry, unless it’s part of a costume. On top of that, we also have fencing foils, fencing masks (2), wooden swords (bokan/Japanese), and a large collection of books. Why? Well, I actually think that the greatest weapon any person has is their brain… and I haven’t stopped learning yet (the day I do is when I lay down, pull a rock onto my hole, and give up). So: I suppose we’re a church with an armory (but I don’t really think the BATF is all that concerned…. Yet.
  5. Oops --- actually, I'm partially sighted, and sometimes, what I type on the keyboard doesn't get through to the post. The actual title should read: "Why seek ordination" --- I certainly didn't mean to misspell anything. I thought that, like the other post, I'd relate the actual reason why I not only got ordained, but am beginning to start the Temple Sanctuary. Again, I apologize, and if someone could fix the title, I'd certainly appreciate it. Hope that helps.
  6. What got me here, to seek ordination in the ULC was the understanding that there are other people who can learn exactly what I already know: that what I thought was fantasy & supposition was a reality that other people saw… at least each in their own ways. I learned that the names of “God” [for lack of a better word]were unimportant and that the method of “worship” [in a way]wasn’t so important, so long as the goal remains the Balance [my preferred “word” for Deity]. Originally, I had only been exposed to two sources of “enlightenment:” the mainstream faiths on Earth, and the supposed “fantasies” of science fiction’s alien cultures… what I “believed” (for lack of a better word), I “must” have made up, for nowhere on Earth did it exist. So I was all alone; imagine my reaction (am I crazy? Doomed and damned?)! No matter how sensible this fantasy was… no matter how workable it all was… my own source of fulfillment was single, solitary and a patchwork of individual tenets of an imaginary quilt of various pieces of belief. Then, as I slowly became aware of other, not so mainstream, belief systems, I came to know something rather extraordinary----- others were also discovering the very same understandings I already knew. What I already knew, they did, too, even if they used words different than my own. I had thought I was pagan (;not really); I drifted from monism to pantheism to panentheism… each said something to me that the previous had not ---- and unknown to me, I was learning something I had always known. All things and all Laws in any universe is simply a “manifestation” of the Balance/GodForce. In the end, it doesn’t matter; while words are very personally important… it isn’t really [important, that is]. Why, then, is ritual and ceremony so effective? Because the gathering together (aggregation) of pattern and energy “creates” power, which – in turn – moves the Universe. The names aren’t important, unless you think so. Like wearing your “lucky shirt” at an important poker game, the parameters of ritual causes reaction. And this is even why prayer “works.” Pandeists, panendeists, [some] secular humanists, and ceremonial “magicians” already know this, and thusly, “miracles” are wrought. I got my understanding from some of the most amazing places: from the late (great) Scott Cunningham, from the author of “fantasy” scien fiction, from scientists, and from the works of authors both living and long dead. It’s what I’ve always known, that I’ve discovered human beings also already know, and it works, whether anyone or no one believes. And I guess that, at the very bottom of the equation, that this is why I became a Minister --- to help other Seekers find out what I already know, to create community & fellowship, and to reach out to those in our community whose resources fall short of the mark. . I don't promise or presume to be unfailingly correct, just to reach out to those who feel as I do (and who also feel alone), for that is why we call "Lykos" a Sanctuary.
  7. #1: Thanks for all the replies. I am getting a lawyer for this situation, and perhaps it might be different in California. If it isn't, I'll still get the unincorporated religious association designation until I can afford the corporation paperwork, which can cost upwards of $150.00, plus the tax exempt paperwork…. A minimum of $350.00 #2: I'm actually getting two DBA's --- one a sole proprietorship, which -- if it doesn't make at least $50,000 for the year -- isn't liable for income taxes. I know this because Raven Enterprises, a sole proprietorship, has been in business already for two years. We've not done that much business, so I'll be keeping it that way. This income will be donating some of its income to Lykos Temple Sanctuary (it can't donate more than 50% of said income; I found this out from a friend of mine who had a metaphysical church in Hollywood). Lykos Temple Sanctuary, as a(n) (un)incorporated religious church, won't be doing anything unrelated for quite a while, at least until I have a better idea of what we can and can't do. I believe this will help me in the long run. I really wish that somebody in the ULC was somewhere here locally, one who's been thru this themselves… someone I can call or visit locally, to talk to; I could really use a mentor. If not, perhaps I can talk to S.C.O.R.E. (an organization of retired executives… some of whom might have been part of a religious "business"). One never knows…. The only catch is that I have to join their "student body" (which will cost me,… but then, so does everything nowadays). If anyone can help me, I would really appreciate the advice…. As always, many thanks.
  8. First of all, no: I’m not looking for legal, lawyer-like advice. I’m only asking for opinions from experienced people who’ve already gone thru the hoops. I’m in the process of developing infrastructure for my small, home-based church. And I’ve seen some people who’ve incorporated, and others who have not, and have instead created an unincorporated nonprofit association. So far, unfortunately, most of these URLs are from documents whose authors have ceased editing these web pages, or people who, so far, haven’t bothered to email me back. To review: I live in California, and am a chartered ULC Congregation. So far, I have a sole proprietorship business (which I’m attaching to the church, to make money for its maintenance). This business has a bank account, and a Paypal account, a toll-free, phone/FAX number, and will soon have a Meet Up account…. I even know where I want our little group to meet. What I don’t have is a DBA (yet), articles of organizational creation and what to do after that (don’t worry, once I’ve gotten everything together, I’ll get the last part put together myself). We’re a small group, and we don’t intend to beg on the street for money (not our style). So: corporation or association? I’m mostly asking those Congregations who are in California, and who have already done it … that’s all. Many thanks in advance for your advice.
  9. Actually, the two of us that are Ministers are ordained by the ULC. That wasn't the problem, only that one of us (Secy.) isn't ordained at all (and doesn't want to be).
  10. I am interested in providing outreach to adolescents with gender & past life issues, and extending this outreach to the same in prison & shelters in the Hollywood area. I have no problem with the ministry itself, only the legal parameters from the Federal & State governments. They want to see an official church and/or congregation "letter of good standing." My problem comes with the fact that two of our group (so far, we're only three) is not an ordained Minister, and doesn't want to be (she's part of our clerical help, and doesn't want to "minister" to these teens, but she supports our desire to do this work. We have a business checking account (in the DBA's name); we have articles of incorporation, bylaws (as of yet unfiled), and anticipate no other problems. Is it possible to send in the Agreement with 2 Ministers & 1 "civillian" person? Or can 1 Minister hold two positions? Or should we find an otherwise unoccupied Minister from the ULC Directory (who'll have to live in the North Hollywood area)? The City will not "allow" us to enter "the system" without this "letter of Good Standing," and we're essentially dry-docked until we have it. Can someone here advise us as to what we can and cannot do? Also: if anyone in the Greater Los Angeles area wants to know what we're up to, don't hesitate to call us.