What Are You Doing With Your Ordination?

[mdtaylor]

So what do I need. I have been searching all over the net for a good book to give me example cerimonies as well as anything else I might need. Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

A 'must have' is the Star Book for Ministers.

[mark 45]

http://ulcseminary.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=60819&pid=83952&st=0entry83952

also try here.

[mitchc]

I am hoping to start a Messianic Jewish congregations locally, or wait until I move to NY (depends on the next couple of years). That is it really.

[Rev Dr Brian G]

Only been ordained here since March 28, 2012. About a month into my ordination decided to go all out and start a real church. Did a little searching through Google and have already been issued a Reg. Trade Name (DBA) from the Sec. of States Office, received an ein# from the Internal Revenue Service, printed up wedding contracts, created a board of directors, drafted our by-laws, declaration of faith, opening resolutions,downloaded and filled out the necessary forms to go 'LLC" (for the future) talked to the Modesto HQ. yesterday and will be receiving our Church Charter (congregation agreement). Have also purchased a number of books (ie) Minsters Handbook, Star Book of Ministers, Funeral Service Handbook, Wedding Handbook. Have a number of marrage, baptismal, affirmation certificates. Have just about everything in place. My home is our church for now we have (8) in our congrgation at the moment and will get a church building in the future if needed. All this was done with a little searching in my spare time -at- night on the computer ( I own a business here and work 7 days a week from 10am-6pm) You can do it if you want, in very little time, if you have the desire. Not hard at all.

[TimBuckley]

Since my ordination in 2001, I have performed many wedding ceremonies. Most have either been lightly religious or non-religious. It makes me happy to provide a server to people wanting to celebrate their love through marriage. My wife, who is also ordained through ULC has also performed several ceremonies, for those who've preferred to have a female officiate.

Both she and I are looking forward to performing LGBT weddings at our first opportunity. We both believe strongly that love shared should be fostered and celebrated. We make no distinction between the gender of those in love.

Thanks for the opportunity for me to share this here.

With love,

Rev. Timothy Buckley

[Rev. Chris P]

Have any ULC ministers performed Christian baptisms or communions? If so, how was it? :-)

[Dorian Gray]

http://www.amazon.com/Communion-Set-Remembranceware-Executive-Portable/dp/B004TAH4EM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_misc_2

I keep this readily available, so yes I have and do on both counts. Some times it is sad, others it is joyous.

[belizebruce]

Like many others, I first got ordained back in 1996 as a safety net for Reiki and other energy types of healing I was doing. I was part of a free weekly healing clinic where about a dozen healers would get together and offer our services to the public. I then moved down to Belize and lived for many years, helping out the indigenous people from my own pocket. I built a bridge, bought food & medical supplies when needed, helping out as I could.

I met several other ex-pats also living there who were members of ULC, so we would gather for morning coffee and to chat, evening rum drinks and formed a loose knit congregation of sorts.

My version of a Sunday sermon is to gather, and then head out into the jungles, woods, Mayan ruins or ocean, and just explore nature. We might so some animal tracking, identify local plants or just go for a wander. Then we would find a spot and everyone would separate off to do their own form of meditation.

Although I haven’t performed any real ceremonies like marriage, I have performed numerous sweat lodges, vision quests and similar native ceremonies.

[Tru2u]

I wanted to be ordained but didn't have the funds for a seminary school. Plus, my spiritual views changed over the years. I enjoyed the diversity of people here. My goal is to have brick and morter building instead of using the meeting room at the public library. I have volunteered to be the contact person in Florida for FL Congregations and hope to one day get everyone here together for a convention of some sort. I volunteer also as a Chaplain in my Fire District.

[evinwilkins]

I'm still trying to work out where mine will take me. I initially did it as a joke as well but as time goes on, I almost feel a "calling" if that makes any sense.

Rev. Evin

[Validus]

I suppose the calling comes to us from our subconscious mind (why ever look into it ?) and i can understand our conscious mind reads it as total folly and makes fun of it as one of those querky jerky things one goes through in this life os ups and downs. However the seed was in there and the personal calling or reason became reality be it cloaked as a joke !! I believe it is a fantastic service that is being offered, a bit like ' The Wizard of OZ - the Tin Man yearned for a heart beat etc...)

It is a wonderful thing this ULC, much vision on the part of its founders and their understanding of the human condition. God bless one et All

[boyo1991]

Well I'm doing it for several reasons... I want to start up an open circle.. I also do healing and its like a certification that people request so I could do professionally on the side. Of course you don't need to be ordained to do anything (in my belief) but it gives people a thought that I take this seriously and have done it for long enough to know what I'm doing.

[Flynn]

Getting Kevin's email welcoming me as Reverend made me reevaluate my ordination and take it more seriously than I originally did. I think I'm going to start with performing some vow renewals for some friends (married 18+ years myself) and work my way up to wedding ceremonies, counseling others along the way who are looking for some guidance.

[Chutney]

I was originally ordained almost 20 years ago in Oregon, so I could perform the wedding of 2 close Wiccan friends. Now, I have been re-ordained with my new name to go along with my new life. Not so very long ago, I came out as a transgender woman. That was a frightening experience and a long ordeal to come to terms with. I realize that there are going to be people in Washington state that need a neutral minister to perform weddings and so further now that same sex marriage has become legal here. YAY!

I am working toward the goal of setting up a wedding chapel for the GLBTQ community in Olympia. It may take a while, but I have to start somewhere.

[jaysay]

On Nov. 6th Maine passed same sex marriages. My mother and her partner have been waiting for this day since they met nearly 10 years ago. I've applied to become ordained so that I may support my mother in the ultimate way possible, to officiate her wedding.

[Akia22]

I became ordained for a few reasons.one of which was because I heard on Music Choice on cable TV that Robin Williams presided over Mary Chapin Carpenter's (80-90's country music singer) wedding in 2005, I think. And I thought if he can do that, so can I. The second reason was to supliment my income being on SSID makes it difficult to make ends meet.

[Songster]

Welcome to the club, Akia!

I'm not sure how profitable the marriage business is where you live (Vegas, maybe?).... And though I personally wish that your motivation to join had been more spiritually than finacially motivated.... regardless, please accept my hardiest "Welcome to the Asylum!"

[Akia22]

There was one other reason I forgot to mention, its been a long day and I'm running on empty. I have always liked helping people and when my grandmother passed in 2003...She asked me to come to her bedside and told me to make something of my life and up until that point I had not. My main reason for doing this was because I like helping people, I am actually in the process of doing what I can to help a recovering herion addict, or at least do what I can, helping drug addicts is not my forte' in life if you knopw what I mean. So, I may not have had a vision from God telling me to do this but I feel like it will make my grandmother proud of me, when she herself did what she could to buy her way into Heaven, I never did see that as a way to get in but rather doing good deeds is.

[LifeChangers]

I became ordained more as a safety net. Being an energy healer, it was suggested that I become a minister to "minister" healing touch to clients. It also gives them some of peace of mind that I'm ordained. Nobody has really asked me about it though.

.This is so true as a healer myself I was told to do the same thing,But i waited to hear a word from heaven and when I did,Now look mom. I am Rev. F.K Bush Rmt,and as i finish up on my spiritual awakening I know it will take me to many places with my healing.

[BrDevon]

.This is so true as a healer myself I was told to do the same thing,But i waited to hear a word from heaven and when I did,Now look mom. I am Rev. F.K Bush Rmt, and as i finish up on my spiritual awakening I know it will take me to many places with my healing.

I smile as I read this, because I know just what you mean about waiting to hear from Heaven. As a child, I grew up in my parents' church, and did the whole routine: become an acolyte (alter assistant) for 18 years, even to the point of going to the cathedral once a year for the annual commissioning (it is a taking of vows that basically leaves you halfway between the laity and clergy - sort of the high school diploma before the bachelor's degree as it were). I always felt called to serve, and thought that I would be a minister in the denomination of my youth. As I reached adulthood, I heard the gentle calling of my call - it told me that I was to serve, but "not here" (as in the church where I was). My breaking point was when I was at a service and the rector started to say what was supposed to be the Lord's prayer, and he -- brace yourself -- rewrote the words because he didn't like the original! I remember hearing the first few words (my ears were better then), and then I felt the room start to grow cold -- seriously, I felt the temperature drop! I heard a voice, as if within my very being, telling me "Leave. NOW!" II was not about to wait for that invitation twice! I got up, and walked right out of that church and never looked back. In fact, I drove all the way home, looked down, and realized I was still wearing the vestments! I sent them back via courier with a note explaining that while I am not a thief, and did not intend to take the vestments from the church, I also was not about to step foot on those grounds to return them as long as that rector continued his blasphemy. For the record, sadly, I am told he still "preaches" there, and with the same blasphemous words flowing from his mouth.

Right around early 2001, I found my church. Somehow I was led to ULC.net, and some still laugh at me, but it was a full year of self-questioning and discernment before I asked Br. Kevin to ordain me. I prayed on it and asked the Almighty if I was truly to serve under this church and I received my answer - that I am to choose this church because it serves all believers who know the Almighty in many forms (and yes, it even loves those who don't know or don't believe).

I have worshipped in a couple churches since then, since I crave the fellowship that can only come from being part of a church community, and I have been invited to change denominations, but I am called to be a minister of the ULC. Some clergy of other denominations think that I can not be a good Christian if I do not follow the party lines of their denomination, but when they get to know me, they realize that my faith is not in question. I have had some clergy say that I have caused them to question how dedicated they are to their calling. I have even had one member of clergy who is still a friend, leave the church. While I am sorry anytime that decision comes, I respect any member of clergy who would leave rather than serve falsely.

I have been priveleged to be a moderator of this forum for some time, I minister actively "in the fields," going to people who are too ill or disabled to go to church buildings. My primary couple had gone to their church for many years, but when disability struck and they could no longer get into the building and sit through a service, the priest there informed the couple he was "too busy" to make house visits! That disgusts me. If one is called to be clergy, especially calling oneself Christian clergy, one needs to be willing to put the personal self away for a while. Can we only imagine if the Savior said, "Father, I do not wish to take their sins upon me, and will not die for them." Barring my own illness or death, if I am called to be there for someone, I will do my personal best to serve them. At the very least, I am blessed to have some friends in the clergy who would support me and go in an emergency in my absence.

I hope your ministry blesses you and those you serve, as my years have blessed me endlessly.