Geordon

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Everything posted by Geordon

  1. It has been interesting to read this topic from front to back. I see a number of "new kids" and some "old-timers" in the ULC, while I fall squarely in the middle. It's interesting to note that I have been ordained for more than half of my life at this point, and my original ordination certificate can legally drink now. I took ordination back in September 1993, in an effort to obtain some legal legitmacy as a Wiccan priest at the time. Remember, this was before the Age of the Internet, so there was not much easily accessible information out there, and I wanted to have some legal protections for my coven and our interactions. Fortunately, there was never a need, but fortune favors the prepared mind. In the past 18 months, I've buried two very good friends. In one instance, I had the honor to officiate over her burial. That was easily one of the most difficult things I've ever done, but it was also one of the most profound moments of my life, right up there with the birth of my daughter. When I was ordained, there was not much in the way of ULC community, at least not out here in Northern Illinois, in the early 90s. Life happened, I got married and divorced, and remarried several years later, which I got right the second time around. I have always been a seeker, but not much of a "churcher" and definitely too liberal for many Christian institutions. But my seeking and learning eventually led me to meet the Buddha on the road, and I walk that path now. Though, it can be said that "erring and erring, I walk the unerring path" in that way. Several years ago, I stumbled across the "other" ULC on the internet, thinking it was the same one as the one I had originally took ordination with. I poked around their (not terribly friendly) forum and did not like the feeling that I was left with. I thought that it was really a shame that the ULC that I knew of had taken that journey, but learned later that I was fortunately mistaken. The experience there left me soured on the ULC for a couple of years, in all ignornace. When I was asked to preside over my friend's funeral, I swallowed my pride and went looking for the ULC again, and came across Rev Amy Long and her Seminary, and learned that there had been a splintering of the ULC name, which came as a great relief to me. I'm working my way through her Chaplaincy program right now, and am enjoying it well. I don't know what, if anything, I want to or will do with my credentials. I know that I can hold a funeral, and I could probably do a wedding with no problem. I did a naming ceremony for my daughter years ago, so would be comfortable performing that again, as as well. As things go, I will complete the Seminary Chaplain program, as I know that's one thing I want to do: Be a chaplain, in fact, if not title. I've been a sort of spiritual counselor for many people over many years, so I thought it was time to put a little education behind it, if that makes sense. As I said, it was interesting to read everybody else's ordination stories. I recognized some of myself in some of the stories being told. What I saw most, though was an interesting number of "preacher" folk, at least in the ones posting here. By that, I mean folk who took orders in order to spread "The Word of God." Good words and good deeds are never a bad thing, and they are admirable goals, in and of themselves. I just hope that my ULC brothers and sisters don't end up being "out all over" as the saying goes in my house. In my 40 years, I have seen a lot of self-professed Christians do some extremely unChrist-like things and behave in truly apauling ways all while claiming moral superiority. I have also seen some entirely non-religious people acting in the most Godly manner. It is my hope that most ULC ministers who are the preaching kind don't go overboard and push the proselytizing scene too much. For the Divine works in quiet ways, and the best example is the quiet one. IT might not be the most noticed, but it will tend to be the most respected. Namaste Brother Geordon