Rev Douglas Trouten

I got my Black Tabbed shirt from the local Family Christian store (they have locations all across the US in addition to their website http://www.familychristian.com/), though I could also have gotten it at the Michigan Church Supply (www.michiganchurchsupply.com) store, there is one locally to me in Mt. Morris (the Flint area) and another (not local at all) in Grand Rapids. As for my stole(s), I will be purchasing that/them from here at ULC.net along with the Clergy badge and some other items. Still trying to price out a source for a Pulpit Robe.

I have to agree, changing the date to a different date then the ceremony was preformed in most cases would cause the state/issuing body for the license to view it as invalidated, and you may end up with legal problems for "falsifying" official records. In fact (at least here in Michigan) when the Bride and Groom apply for the Marriage License, they have to include the date of the wedding on the application.

I am not sure what path she follows. I initially found out about A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book when she mentioned her mom bought a copy of it down around the Ft. Hood, Texas area.

Well I didn't get the book as planned yesterday, ended up picking it up today. I haven't had a chance to go through in detail, just a quick skimming. So far it looks like it might be a decent book of Pagan prayers and rituals, it does have wedding ceremony in it that looks like it can easily be adapted for use by any religion. It also has a section discussing the theory of the prayers and rituals, which is the first part of the book after the table of contents and the Introduction to the book. will definitely be reading that section here sooner rather then later.

Is anyone familiar with the books A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book or A Book of Pagan Prayer by Ceisiwr Serith ? I have a friend who a Pagan looking to do a Vow renewal with her husband in December and a local new-age store has a copy of A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book or A Book on its shelves and they can also order the other book if needed, and I was wondering what the opinions on either of these books is, and if either would have any appropriate prayers or ceremonies for a my friends vow renewal? I will probably be picking up A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book or A Book tomorrow, even if it doesn't have what I am looking for, just to have it as a future reference source.

I have to mirror Mark's comment, if you do want to be affiliated with and use ULC in your churches name, I would suggest submitting a Congregational Agreement Application. You can get a copy from the ULCHQ here http://ulchqcom.ipower.com/osCommerce/catalog/index.php?cPath=16&osCsid=3690110a7b794eb86f837969eb5aeab7 In addition they have available some other bookkeeping documents that you will need such as a quarterly budget report form (which you will need to send a copy to the HQ every quarter along with I believe a monthly administration donation of $5), Board of Directors resolution record sheet, and meeting minutes record. Now in addition, I would highly recommend you start talking to a CPA and possibly even an attorney on getting a church going (call a couple in the local phone book to see if they are willing to do the initial consultation pro bono, though don't come out and ask if they will do it pro bono right off the bat, explain that you are part of a fledgeling church trying to start up before asking if they will do the consultation for free). Also if possible before talking to a lawyer or CPA get your hands on a the latest edition of the Zondervan Book that you can, even if you don't purchase a copy initially and have to check it out from the library, this book will be a godsend and help out immensely. In addition to the $5/month administration Donation there is also a $35 Agreement Donation when you send in the Congregational Agreement Application. The handy thing about registering with the HQ is if you follow all the guidelines and the church applies for the Tax Free Status, is approved, but later run into problems with the IRS the HQ may be able to help you out. I myself haven't started my own Congregation, nor do I see or plan on starting one anytime in the near future. While I do have a small 4 or 5 person congregation of sorts, it is an informal gathering and so far no money, other then say chipping in to pay for a pizza and its delivery, has been handled by any of the members. I am planning on making up some business cards for my own use and to hand out, these will say Universal Life Church on them, and will have my name with Non-Denominational minister under my name, and both the ULCHQ.com and ULC.net site addresses listed after my own contact info. These business cards will be used for when I do Hospital visits, a couple will be given to brides and grooms to give to friends who might be looking to get married, etc... Hopefully you will find some of what I have posted here useful.

I would say any prayer for the sick, the dying or the dead would work. If the prayer says something like "Lord protect this soul, guide this soul, heal this individual, etc... pluralize it to change it to souls, individuals, etc... One can never go wrong with Psalm 23, it seems to be standard fare at funerals, before going into battle (or in the case of rescue personnel going into the flaming building, down into the collapsed mine, etc..., though this is normally said enroute), etc...

Welcome back, I can't make any comments regarding starting up your own church/ministry, as that isn't the route I am personally pursuing, though you could say that I do have a congregation, I regularly get together with 4 or 5 other individuals leading religious discussions, and comparing different religious texts, though it isn't anything beyond that at this time. as you mentioend you were planning on picking up, I would have to recommend the Zondervan guides, in addition to talking to a certified accountant. Again welcome back, Rev. Douglas Trouten

I can see the benefits behind a wedding contract. It will help protect both parties from fraudulent practices (though it isn’t a 100% guarantee). A contract detail what the couple should expect from you, such as if you will be at any rehearsal the couple may have, or if you will be at the reception in an official capacity such as blessing the meal. A contract will also state what the fee they couple will be paying is, and if there are any additional fees such as travel if you are required to travel to a location outside of your normal area.

This is one reason why, even though I have seen some items in the Monestary's online store that the Seminary or here don't offer, I have been hesitant to oder from them. I will be looking locally at a couple church supply stores, here in teh next week or two, for got to last week when I visited the stores, was primarily pricing the tab shirts that they had available. Its a shame when you have a group liek the Monestary, having to register all these domain names to fool people into going to their site, then leading you to believe that they are who they aren't, iirc for the Monestary the guy running it doesnt even sign the credentials with his real name, which from causes the ordinations to be invalid since he hasn't signed with his legal name.

IIRC the We are One Introduction Booklet that comes in the Credential kits says to put on the marriage license Universal Life Church for the Denomination or Church name, I think did read somewhere else if it asks for the church put the ULC down and if it asked for a denomination then just pule Universal Life. I can fully see us claiming Universal Life as our denomination, as Rev. Kirby J. Hensley said we are all one people no matter what religion we follow (at least that is what I was told or that I read somewhere).

I discovered today, even though I have my Wallet Credentials on me at all times, that one of the local Church supply stores, told me because the Church is in California I am illegible for their Clergy discount, since for they couldn't verify at the time the church was an actual church, which isn't a huge deal to me, and I understand where they are coming from, talking to one of the employees she said that for the discount they need to be able to verify that you are a clergy member of a real church for their accounting department, and their computers didn't have full internet access due to the blocker software on it (they only had access to their website and that of their suppliers). Turns out that their discount is no sales tax on anything you buy in the store. Went to another Christian/Church Supply Store locally and showed them my credentials when I was asking about church supplies (primarily the tab/collared shirt, sick call kits and portable communion sets) -and the girl was asking a bunch of questions about the ULC. She was like oh cool when I told her about the church and its history of being founded, though I did have my We Are One introduction booklet with me to help show her a little about the church, and how Rev. Kirby Hensley believed that according to John 15:16 we all were ordained by the Lord himself. She immediately took me over to their counter and said I am going to be put into their system and signed up for their Pastors discount, and said that the doctrine of Do Only which is Right, is one that more churches should implement. I am discovering most people are like Oh Cool, Sweet, etc... when they find out I am an Ordained Minister, and wanting to know a little more about the church when I tell them it is through the ULC, I have even had a couple say isn't that the church that the Beatles were ordained through, which I tell them truthfully that while I don't know for certain, they may have received an ordination through our church, I do know we have had some celebrities who are ordained through us (referring to the ULC HQ and not myself personally). I have only ran into one or two people who thought that the ULC was a fake church and that I wasnt ordained at all. I am thinking that when I get around to doing some business cards making sure I have on the bottom of them: for more info on the church please visit ULCHQ.com and ULC.net.

Yeah my bad. That's what you get for typing and not proofreading, it should be ULCHQ.com for Modesto not ULCHQ.org, I was probably thinking ahead to the ULCSeminary.org address when when typing that out. As I said while I have seen a couple items at the Monastery's store, I would prefer to buy from HQ, here or the Seminary first if it was an offered item, even if it cost more then at the Monastery store. The same goes for some of the other "Fake ULC Sites" if they have some thing in their store that catches my interest I will look to see if its offered at Here, HQ or the Seminary.

I know the ULC Seminary isnt a "fake ULC Site." I was just responding to the post that said her site was strange and overpriced. As I mentioned I found that some of the items on her site to be cheaper (the Stoles) the stores here. I also found she has some nice items for us, like the Minister Pins, the Removable Minister window decal, etc... Now as for the "fake ULC Sites" I have warned people who ask me what the ULC is about those sites, and direct them to either ULC.net or ULCHQ.org, letting then know that those are the official ULC sites for the original ULC based on Modesto, I do let them know that there is one other "approved" site the ULCSeminary.org, that while not official, is recognized and does have a good working relationship with Modesto, and will forward any ordination request right to Modesto. Now I do check the "fake ULC Sites" regularly, to see what content they might have that I may find useful, such as Ceremonies. I will also admit I have seen one or two items on the Monastery store that have peaked my interest such as the Baker's Pastorial Handbook set (Bakers Wedding Handbook, Bakers Funeral handbook and Ministers Service manual), though I have yet to break down and order from them, and if I do I would probably be using a pre-paid debit card with just enough to cover the cost of what I order. I do know I will order from here, Modesto or the Seminary first if the exact same product is offered, before giving any money to the Monastary or any other "ULC Site."

Yes I know, I am necro-posting reviving a thread that has been inactive for over 5 months, but I did want to comment on one thing that was posted. I actually found that some of the items Rev. Long has available in the Seminary to actually be a better price then the ULC Bookstore (the store here at ULC.net), a prime example are the stoles, Here they are $49.95 for the ebroidered Red, Green, White or Purple stoles, where as the Seminary has them for $39.95, granted they aren't the exact same design, or the White Wedding stole, here it is $89.95 where as the Seminary has it for $54.95 (the images for both look like it is the exact same stole), here books Weddings Funerals and Rites of Passage are the same price, while More Weddings Funerals and Rites of Passage is $5 cheaper through the Seminary and I believe the Ultimate Wedding Workbook is also the same price here and at the Seminary (well ok the Seminary is cheaper but only by 5 cents). She also has some different designs on Clergy badges (I am thinking of getting either the White ULC shield one or the black ULC shield one if I dont order the one in the store here), along with ULC Window Decal (great for identifying your vehicle along with the window placard you can get through the store here) and a ULC Minister pin to wear on your lapel (if you are wearing a Polo shirt or a dress shirt, I am thinking of getting a couple and turning one into a tie tack). She also has a little ULC notepad with the ULC shield and the word Minister under it, these would be great for using to take notes at a wedding, baptism, etc... consultation. As for the counterfeit sites, it is a shame they are using the ULC name and giving people a false information.

I have looked at a couple other County Clerk pages for counties other then Genesee County (where I live) and those also mention the above law and mention that they don't require you to register with the county in order to to solemnize marriages. Though not all of the County Clerk pages have any reference to the above state law so they may require you to register with them before preforming the wedding. As a rule of thumb contact the County Clerks office first if there is no mention on whether they require you to register or not.

Was looking at the local county clerks webpage on the state and county marriage laws, this is what I found: Pursuant to Michigan Compiled Law 551.7: (1) Marriages may be solemnized by any of the following: (a) A judge of the district court, anywhere in this state. (b) A district court magistrate, anywhere in this state. © A municipal judge, in the city in which the judge is serving or in a township over which a municipal court has jurisdiction under section 9928 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.9928. (d) A judge of probate, anywhere in this state. (e) A judge of a federal court. (f) A mayor of a city, anywhere in a county in which that city is located. (g) A county clerk (NOTE: The Genesee County Clerk does not perform ceremonies.) (h) In counties having more than 2,000,000 in population, by a county clerk employee (NOTE: This provision does not apply in Genesee County.) (i) A minister of the gospel or cleric or religious practitioner, anywhere in this state, if the minister or cleric or religious practitioner is ordained or authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usages of the denomination. (j) A minister of the gospel or cleric or religious practitioner, anywhere in this state, if the minister or cleric or religious practitioner is not a resident of this state but is authorized to solemnize marriages under the laws of the state in which the minister or cleric or religious practitioner resides. (2) A person authorized by this act to solemnize a marriage shall keep proper records and return licenses and certificates as required. Michigan State law does not require individuals who solomize marriages to be registered with the county or the state. Parts (i) and (j) are the portions pertaining to ULC Ordained Ministers, in a nut shell it says as long as we are authorized or ordained we can perform the marriage. We also do not need to register with the state (as I live in Genesee County I dont need to register with them either).