WolfChaser

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Everything posted by WolfChaser

  1. My reason(s) & motivation to request ordination-- I was formally ordained in 1982 at age 20 while pastoring a very small Baptist church in the country during my college years in Kentucky. It was my 3rd year in the ministry, after being formally licensed at age 17. At that naive time in my life, I felt very strong in my convictions that I was called to the ministry. My experiences in spirituality were very limited at that time, therefore choosing to be a "spiritual leader" simply meant becoming a Baptist minister, which I did. It was really the only brand of spiritual path with which I was reasonably familiar, though I was from an Indian family (off-reservation) and it was not a very popular time to be very open as Indian in the '60s and '70s. As the years moved on, along with my spiritual and life experiences, and as I reunited with my Native American roots and resumed practicing tribal ceremonial spiritual activities, AND as I became highly disenchanted with mainstream Christianity in general, and Baptist in particular, I UN-chose to be a minister. My ordination was never rescinded. I consider my life to have remained in the more general area of ministry, as my careers have always been in helping and service occupations, e.g. teacher, licensed psychotherapist for nearly 30 years, trainer, massage therapist, writer/author, and frequent volunteer and philanthropist. Additionally, through the years I discovered Unitarian Universalist fellowships in 3 different states wherein I resided. The openness and acceptance of UU fellowships became my spiritual home and safe place... second only to my tribal ceremonial grounds and 4 annual tribal town ceremonies. I have been exploring and considering pursuing ordination as a U.U. minister. However, and unfortunately, although UU operates as a non-creedal, open, accepting, welcoming and low-rules spiritual path, when one wants to become an ordained minister within the U.U., many rules, creeds, requirements and bureaucracy elements are somehow awakened by the overseers of UU ministers on a national level. I found that disappointing to discover. I'm not sure presently where I'll be going with that. In this small town I live in... 60 miles from the closest UU.... some spiritual friends and I have been discussing and I believe we will be starting a layperson led U.U. "emerging congregation". Therefore, while I have been a "closeted ordained Baptist minister" for 32 years, and I never "lost" that ordination... and, while I am exploring becoming a U.U. minister with ordination at present (though I'm not very willing to jump through the hoops for the U.U. Ministerial Credentialing Guidelines), I decided to request and obtain this ULC ordination earlier this year, in case I wished to use the credential for marriages, civil unions, funerals, less restrictive visiting of hospitalized, etc. I also wanted to have that "set apart" credential as my friends and I explore starting some spiritual gathering for those of us who are very open-minded, accepting, welcoming, and non-creed required. I was quite thrilled for my ordination request to be granted by the ULC, and felt a renewed energy about re-entering formal "non-closeted" ministry. I am really hoping to meet other like-minded, soulmate friends here who have similar interests in this type of less-restrictive ministry, and I hope to meet other Natives on these forums. Also, if any of you are in Kentucky (or nearby states--- as I'm only 35 miles north of the TN border), I'd love to meet on here and become more acquainted. Thanks for listening friends! Rev. WolfChaser (which is my given Creek Indian name)
  2. Muchas gracias, Hermano for your kind remarks. Happy journey on your path, WolfChaser ~~"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."~~ ~~Plato
  3. My reason(s) & motivation to request ordination-- I was formally ordained in 1982 at age 20 while pastoring a very small Baptist church in the country during my college years in Kentucky. It was my 3rd year in the ministry, after being formally licensed at age 17. At that naive time in my life, I felt very strong in my convictions that I was called to the ministry. My experiences in spirituality were very limited at that time, therefore choosing to be a "spiritual leader" simply meant becoming a Baptist minister, which I did. It was really the only brand of spiritual path with which I was reasonably familiar, though I was from an Indian family (off-reservation) and it was not a very popular time to be very open as Indian in the '60s and '70s. As the years moved on, along with my spiritual and life experiences, and as I reunited with my Native American roots and resumed practicing tribal ceremonial spiritual activities, AND as I became highly disenchanted with mainstream Christianity in general, and Baptist in particular, I UN-chose to be a minister. My ordination was never rescinded. I consider my life to have remained in the more general area of ministry, as my careers have always been in helping and service occupations, e.g. teacher, licensed psychotherapist for nearly 30 years, trainer, massage therapist, writer/author, and frequent volunteer and philanthropist. Additionally, through the years I discovered Unitarian Universalist fellowships in 3 different states wherein I resided. The openness and acceptance of UU fellowships became my spiritual home and safe place... second only to my tribal ceremonial grounds and 4 annual tribal town ceremonies. I have been exploring and considering pursuing ordination as a U.U. minister. However, and unfortunately, although UU operates as a non-creedal, open, accepting, welcoming and low-rules spiritual path, when one wants to become an ordained minister within the U.U., many rules, creeds, requirements and bureaucracy elements are somehow awakened by the overseers of UU ministers on a national level. I found that disappointing to discover. I'm not sure presently where I'll be going with that. In this small town I live in... 60 miles from the closest UU.... some spiritual friends and I have been discussing and I believe we will be starting a layperson led U.U. "emerging congregation". Therefore, while I have been a "closeted ordained Baptist minister" for 32 years, and I never "lost" that ordination... and, while I am exploring becoming a U.U. minister with ordination at present (though I'm not very willing to jump through the hoops for the U.U. Ministerial Credentialing Guidelines), I decided to request and obtain this ULC ordination earlier this year, in case I wished to use the credential for marriages, civil unions, funerals, less restrictive visiting of hospitalized, etc. I also wanted to have that "set apart" credential as my friends and I explore starting some spiritual gathering for those of us who are very open-minded, accepting, welcoming, and non-creed required. I was quite thrilled for my ordination request to be granted by the ULC, and felt a renewed energy about re-entering formal "non-closeted" ministry. I am really hoping to meet other like-minded, soulmate friends here who have similar interests in this type of less-restrictive ministry, and I hope to meet other Natives on these forums. Also, if any of you are in Kentucky (or nearby states--- as I'm only 35 miles north of the TN border), I'd love to meet on here and become more acquainted. Thanks for listening, friends! Rev. WolfChaser (which is my given Creek Indian name)
  4. Hi lordie, Regarding women's place in spirituality--- I am Indian, and while I am largely eclectic in my spiritual beliefs and practices, my primary "faith" is following my tribe's ceremonial practices, attending and participating in our 4 annual ceremonies, and living very Earth-conscious and Earth-connected. So, with that background and from our own Native American perspectives, as the Shaman of my tribe has often said, "Men and women are NOT equal. Women are more important than men because they are co-creators of Life. We men can only "contribute" to that Life process happening and watch from the outside, but we cannot conceive, grow or deliver Life." Thus, in my own tribe and in many Native tribes' practices, women hold the highest places in our ceremonial/spiritual life, beliefs and practices. We honor and greatly respect the women in our tribes, families and life. Therefore, you have my honoring Respect! Rev. WolfChaser