What Are You Doing With Your Ordination?

[Fawzo]

I became ordained with one objective in mind. My nephew and future niece-in-law requested that I perform their marriage ceremony. Besides being touched by this honor, I decided it was time to take wedding participation one step farther... I have played many roles, but never that of a minister.

As to the future, I cannot say. At present, I am a staunch agnostic, although underneath I admit there is a strong tendency toward universalism. There could be a ministry of some sort eventually, or, perhaps, I could simply offer services as wedding officiate to those who desire someone without affiliation to established faiths.

Welcome to the ULC.

[RevJoey]

I was previously ordained by another organization who had a real problem with the fact that I am a Gay man although the congregation I was serving in had no problem at all with their Gay Pastor...Needless to say the denomination defrocked me. I was ordained with ULC on June 20 96 as a means to keep my position with my congregation. Since that time, I have served several congregations as a leader bring congregations to welcoming and affirming congregations. Currently, I took a position with a Welcoming and Affirming Congregation who has Affirmed my ordination. I have served in Churches Prisons Hospitals Campus Ministries, I have performed over 300 Weddings and more Funerals than I want to remember. But God has been good to me and I hope that the people I have served are as blessed as I am in serving them.

Rev. Joey

[Brother Michael Sky]

I was previously ordained by another organization who had a real problem with the fact that I am a Gay man although the congregation I was serving in had no problem at all with their Gay Pastor...Needless to say the denomination defrocked me. I was ordained with ULC on June 20 96 as a means to keep my position with my congregation. Since that time, I have served several congregations as a leader bring congregations to welcoming and affirming congregations. Currently, I took a position with a Welcoming and Affirming Congregation who has Affirmed my ordination. I have served in Churches Prisons Hospitals Campus Ministries, I have performed over 300 Weddings and more Funerals than I want to remember. But God has been good to me and I hope that the people I have served are as blessed as I am in serving them.

Rev. Joey

It is inspiring that the ULC could be there for you in a time of need...

[Gregrev50]

Im real new here and to be real honest when I first heard about this way to become ordained I thought it was a joke , but I looked into it. At the time I was incarcerated in Missouri. After becoming ordained I got to thinking that since I had done so ,and had an extreme amount of time with nothing to do I might as well put it to good use. I began talking to various people in various denominations, going to different services and doing an awful lot of reading. after and during all of this I found out many things I didnt know and the more I learned the more I became interested I would say that at this time I am still undecided as to a religon to follow. I go to a baptist church was re Baptised and one reason for this was While I was incarcerated my friends seemed to disapear but what did appear was Christmas cards for people who lived by me before I got into trouble so I felt this church was a great place to start. Now it seems I have more and more people that I know asking me for advise, wanting me to marry them etc. I really dont feel I am qualified to do most of thisand really feel that looking at my passed Im not one that should be looked to as far as What to do but feel I am more than qualified to tell most what not to do!!! Any way always open for advise. Makes me wonder though if I lead someone in the wrong direction what will be my punishment on judgement day??? So Hello all and to answer the question on what I am doing with my ordianation, The answer would be Unknown. would like to use it to somehow help others just dont know where to get started. Any Ideas

[Tonz27]

I live in a house with alot of elderly people.. I spend alot of time with them, and talk religion, they like it since they cant really get out anymore.

[Newbie112]

Hi out there.

What am I doing with my new ordination? The truth is, nothing. I just got my ordination a few days ago. To be honest, I'm not sure just what is leading me. I first did it "just 'cause I could", but now I find myself facinated with it, I think that God is leading me along this path. I hope to make myself a better person with all I can learn here. At any rate, I'll be around. I hope to make many friends here to lead me and help me shape my path. Take care...Brian

[GothicScrybe]

My calling has always been to educate.

I loathe any type of bible-banging, Hellfire, brimstone and damnation teachings (grew up with that and to this day carry the emotional scars of being "scared" into the worship of God) but wanted to serve Him.

Having undergone a number of spiritual crisis myself in my life I feel I am uniquely qualified to help others who are suffering.

I am a serious independent...in everything I do in life, from the way I became an author, to how my books are published, to how I dress, to you name it and tried college about 20 years ago to pursue "higher education."

I found out really quick than those who disagree with a professor can find themselves failed and out tuition money and that was going to be me.

So I cut the line, left college and never went back. But this presented a quandary for me when it came time to really pursue my desire to minister to people...in my own way.

I am a practitioner of Hoodoo and a Wise Woman and follow my own path to God - and I encourage people to do the same. My words are not sugarcoated and syrupy...they are oftentimes caustic and hard...and what people need to hear to wake them up.

Can you imagine someone like me in a theological college with that type of attitude?

I'd be in the professor's face and banned from college for life probably, the first time they tried to put their own spin on God's word...as I have heard they do.

My step-son is in theological college and he rues some of the teachings, but has to swallow his pride or fail.

I can't see blowing that kind of tuition money so the ULC was an answer to prayer.

At first I wasn't sure if things with such a church could be legal, but I have recently made a friend whose mother is an ordained minister with the ULC and has been marrying people for seven years.

I checked FL law and it seems that I am in the clear!

As I said earlier in a post to someone, those of us who refuse to conform should not be punished because we choose to think for ourselves in helping to spread God's word...rather than scare people into believing or turn people away from Christ because of stupidity - like so many do.

I have ordered business cards and a sign to place in my yard and am looking forward to doing weddings and such once I have earned my master's degree, which I have just ordered the textbook for and hope I pass the test!

I'm glad to be here. Thanks for learning a little about me!

Edited May 12, 2010 by GothicScrybe

[shane]

good morning i did it because god led me to do this, its our job to teach and to preach the word aman...

lots of love rev joseph

[CadenceStarr]

I haven't been ordained yet, as I am waiting for my confirmation, but my husband and I already know what we are doing with it. We just got married yesterday and wanted just the simple in and out wedding but the Clerk of the Court was charging $80. We are on a budget so that was unacceptable at the moment. Wedding Chapels in our area charged $75+ but I was able to find a Reverend who married us for $50 in the privacy of his home, lovely home too. We thought about it and decided, why can't we marry people who are like us for $50? We are going to open a chapel for couples on a budget. We are non-denominational as well. We just want to help people while helping our income as well. ♥

[GothicScrybe]

That's beautiful, CadenceStarr.

Good luck!

[Tsmith]

I've enjoyed reading what everyone else is doing, so I thought I would share my own thoughts.

I was ordained in 2004, and until very recently, I haven't done a thing with my ordination. Saturday, the 12th, I will be performing my first marriage ceremony (my best friend's daughter, I've watched that young woman grow from a toddler to the amazingly independent free spirit she is today.), and I have been contemplating, for a good while now, the idea of using my ordination to set up a sort of ministry of advice. *laugh* I shy away from the word "counseling", but in my life, I do seem to be the person folks go to for any and every life/spiritual situation they have.

Truth be told, it gives me a good deal of comfort and good feelings to be able to help people in this way, so that's where I think I'm going with all this.

[Chaplain Beam]

I've seen so many stories about how people are using their ordination. Some people have actual brick and mortar churches, some people have se tup web ministries, some people did it just to perform a wedding for a friend, and some people did it just because they like the idea of being a minister!

So, what's your story??

As for me, I freely admit that I did it, initially, as a joke. I had NO idea what the ULC was all about. I was ordained before I made my first post on the old Snitz forum.

There, I found a community of people that interested me, so I jumped in with the odd news story (funny stuff that I'd found on the internet.) Kevin noticed, and gave me my very own little section. "News flashes from Murph."

And from there, I took on a few more areas, and eventually, took over the whole thing!

[jillann27]

I am waiting on my package of the basic information materials to arrive and I still have some research to do but I decided to get ordained so that I could help perform Wiccan and Pagan hand-fasting ceremonies in my area (Northern VA). I would also like to do traditional broom-jumping ceremonies for any interested parties. Once I find out if my ordination covers Washington DC I would like to do LBGT ceremonies as well. If anyone has expericne or informantion in these areas they would like to share I'd like to hear it. Thanks. Blessed Be.

[laura]

I am waiting on my package of the basic information materials to arrive and I still have some research to do but I decided to get ordained so that I could help perform Wiccan and Pagan hand-fasting ceremonies in my area (Northern VA). I would also like to do traditional broom-jumping ceremonies for any interested parties. Once I find out if my ordination covers Washington DC I would like to do LBGT ceremonies as well. If anyone has expericne or informantion in these areas they would like to share I'd like to hear it. Thanks. Blessed Be.

Hi, I am in the same situation as you are. I have also chosen to become ordained so that I may perform wiccan and pagan hand-fasting ceremonies in my area and for family, friends and anyone that may need any help with anything. I am just an hour from Kansas City MO., and I hate cities, so this works for me just perfectly. I am also waiting to get my needed supplies. Blessed Be and enjoy your new path in life.

[open_eyes]

I am hoping to be a Humanist Officiant for ceremonies of all sorts in the future.

It stemmed from my personal need for a humanist/atheist officiant for my wedding, which will be coming up. I looked online and could only find officiants who were non-denominationally Christian, and that's not what I REALLY want. I wanted someone who thinks on my level, and that of my to-be-husband, and unfortunately it's not around my parts. I'll settle, and in the future, hopefully I'll be able to fill the void for someone else.

Namaste.

[nitronoodle]

Well I just received my official certificate of ordination and would actually like to start a local ministry. I'm not working so I really don't have any start up money, but lots of ideas. I firmly believe in the idea that God is all places and everywhere and of Mother Earth being a part of that equation. I hate what we are doing to her now. I'm not fond of mainstream religion and bible thumping so this actually fits right in with my ideal. I'm also considering getting some of the Doctorate certificates as well. I too just did it on a whim but have found myself thinking more and more that this was more of a calling. I mean doesn't seem like God gave me the idea in the first place? So if you know of anyone in the St. Louis area with some funds who would like to help me get started send them my way! God Bless and be good to your Mother!

[vicar4satan]

At the moment I am using my ordination to help people who are intrested in Theistic Satanism. I have an outreach programme where people with questions regarding their journey can ask me.

[Wiccalia]

I am not ordained nor did I ever plan on becoming ordained. This site just popped up while I was on Facebook. I am a very spiritual person and can take a hint. So here I am. Now I will see what happens from here.

[RevTom]

I am not ordained nor did I ever plan on becoming ordained. This site just popped up while I was on Facebook. I am a very spiritual person and can take a hint. So here I am. Now I will see what happens from here.

As you will see there are people from all walks and ideologies here...welcome to the smargasboard

[Fawzo]

I am not ordained nor did I ever plan on becoming ordained. This site just popped up while I was on Facebook. I am a very spiritual person and can take a hint. So here I am. Now I will see what happens from here.

I don't think Pandora was ordained either before she opened the box, now there is no turning back muhahaha