revjerry

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Posts posted by revjerry

  1. Long ago and far away, I had a similar situation with Oregon. At that time (This was right after Kirby Hensley's passing) there was a feisty ULC minister in Arizona. (Now retired) Anyway he worked out an agreement. Oregon agreed I was a legal minister qualified to perform marriages. I have a letter attesting to that filed away. In return, the man in AZ agreed that he would not sue Oregon halfway to Mars.

    For every problem there is a solution.

  2. You have a congregation, the couples who requested you marry them makes 4 people in your congregation. You have a church, you meet in your home, their home, the local Starbucks. Very few states have laws regulating a minimum size of congregations, nor do they require meetings be in a formal church building. Doing so would be a violation of your rights and this has been through the courts many times.

    I went through this with Oregon many years ago. May your congregation be blessed.

  3. I was one of the earlier ones ordained. I used to work in construction with my father. One time I saw my dad talking to a guy who looked like he might be related. Looked similar from the back I thought it was an uncle or a cousin. My dad came from a large family. It was Kirby Hensley. All my father said was "That's the first time I ever heard a preacher cuss"

    I visited family in Europe last year, I found the D.D. works wonders with people in Europe. I was politely addressed as "Doctor" a lot of places. My grandfather never mastered English, I never mastered German.

  4. I have a folk guitar (nylon strings) a Dreadnaught guitar,(Martin D28, a big one) a 5string banjo, a 4 string banjo, a banjolele a baritone ukelele, a plastic uke I bought on Ebay for $1.50, an upright acoustic piano and a couple of other little things like a mandolin and a couple of harmonicas. I had pictures stored in a phone that my (now) ex shoved down the garbage disposal. Need to take some more.

    Thought about getting some kind of group started, then I laid motorcycle down and broke some legs and fingers. Learning to walk and use fingers all over again.

  5. I was in Netherlands and down to Stuttgart Germany for a job interview last year. I remember Rammstein got a lot of radio play.

    Visited a lady I know in Eindhoven Netherlands. Like most Dutch, her only transportation besides public, is her bicycle. Like most Dutch, she just leans it against the front of her house. I told her if she did that in USA the bike would be gone before she got into her house. Outside of Amsterdam, the crime rate there is close to Zero.

  6. A possibility:

    A group of ULC Ministers refer to themselves as "Missionaries" Baptise and/or ordain some in a sufficient number to constitute a "Congregation." Find a building or premises suitable for a church, whatever the requirements may be, make certain the real estate person(s) in charge is agreeable, and make your application on the basis that it is a "Church Planting." I'm not certain of all of the legal niceties involved, but I am aware that this seems to work for Mormons and several Asian churches.

    ...Segerdal case in 1970. The main finding in the judgment is that the words 'place of meeting for religious worship' in the Act connote a place of which the principal use is for people to come together as a congregation to worship God or do reverence to a deity. A further test is whether the principal use of the building is for worship or for other matters, such as a private home or social club.

    If one of the congregation, an ordained minister of course, were to place some chairs and a pulpit in his garage, which would not otherwise be used because said person does not own an auto, would this qualify under the above ruling?

    Blessings. :thumbu:

  7. More information:

    Entity Number Date Filed Status Entity Name Agent for Service of Process

    C2200711 10/23/2000 FORFEITED UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH OF CORNUCOPIA HOWARD ELEY

    C2765928 06/23/2005 SUSPENDED UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH OF LIVERMORE ERNEST L. ZUCCATO

    C2685341 08/13/2004 SUSPENDED UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH OF NORTH COUNTY MICHAEL P HILL

    C3100743 04/21/2008 ACTIVE UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH OF REDLANDS, INC. SAMUEL J CEREDA

    C3101447 04/29/2008 DISSOLVED UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, INC. FORREST P. WOOLMAN

    C0584627 11/05/1969 SUSPENDED UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH OF THE MOON, INC.

    C0432091 05/02/1962 ACTIVE UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH, INC. ANDRE HENSLEY

    C3098622 03/28/2008 ACTIVE UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH/MONASTERY, INC. (ARTS AND SPIRITUALITY) TAMRA J AMATO

    1 2

    Note that this church, headed by Andre Hensley is active, and has been active and flourishing since Kirby Hensley founded it in 1962.
  8. I thought that churches are tax-exempt by default and that the 501c3 designation was only needed if contributors wanted to deduct charitable contributions or if you wanted to apply for a grant. There are many churches that are not 501c3 and are still considered tax-exempt.

    PayPal requires a financial statement and a faxed copy of your 501 ©3. About 3-4 months ago they sent me a request for all that crap and I just pulled the "Donate" button. I figure if somebody wants to donate they can mail a check. :devil:

  9. I think the point was that California is one of the growing list of states that recognize religious degrees as legitimate. Many archaic state laws treat degrees from religious schools and/or non-traditional schools under "Diploma Mill" laws where mere possession of a degree from an unaccredited institution as a felony under the Statute of Frauds. For example, in Oregon, an Attorney licensed by another state who earned his law degree from a "non-accredited" i.e. mail-order/online school but passed (for example)the California Bar Exam could be prosecuted by the state of Oregon for having his degree in his luggage. (This has happened) This gives recognition to the concept that online degrees are as valid as a degree earned by sitting in a classroom all day.

    In other words "Online is as good as in person" :smart:

    Sound familiar? :D

    We need a ULC logo smiley.

  10. what do i have to do?

    to forget myself...

    what do i have to do?

    to lose what it is inside of me...

    what do i have to do?

    to make myself feel numb inside...

    what do i have to do?

    to fill this painful void in me...

    what do i have to do?

    to make it all go away...

    Have you tried a tall Scotch & Soda? :devil:

  11. Have you talked to your friendly local banker?

    There is a form available in some states where it is a simple registration with the state (Fee $6.50 in OR, $24.50 in WA) and your checks would show "Church Of Discordiansism" on one line with "Reverend Smeg the Kilted" or "<your name here>" under it, address on next line, city, state et al.

    If you talk to a KNOWLEDGEABLE bank official i.e. Manager, Business account rep, etc you will find that you are far from the first to have this question and he/she will gladly walk you through the process.

    (Been There, Done That... Wanna see my T-shirt?)

    If you apply for 501© (3) incorporation (Federal) which is not really necessary if you are just a straight church, do not get enthusiastic about incoming funds as the fees are apparently on some sort of sliding scale. It looks like you are pretty realistic on this, just a reminder.

    May your Ministry be blessed.

  12. I am currently in Baghdad right now and won't be returning until mid-to-late December, so I am unfortunately not able to spearhead anything right now.

    I was really just wondering if there was something being organized that I could join up with when I got back.

    Sorry.

    Technical question: Does the congregation have to be located in Las Vegas or can it be anywhere in Clark County? (Henderson, Pahrump, Searchlight etc. The idea is out of the high rent area.

    The missus used to live in Vegas,(before I met her) remembers what rent was like while trying to live on min wage+tips.