Why I Became Ordained By The Ulc

[Mindy]

I applied yesterday to be ordained because my youngest sister has asked me to officiate her wedding this summer. What an honor! And what a decision.

Last year a friend of a friend got married, and she had her brother, who became ordained online to do so, officiate. I remember thinking at the time - whaaa??? And I must admit, I laughed about it and thought it was crazy. And then yesterday morning I was asked to do my sister's wedding.

You know what they say - you never know until it happens to you. I wasn't prepared for how torn I would feel about doing this! I am a follower of God, a non-denominational Christian, but not well versed in the bible, not a regular church goer, and often struggle and falter in my faith. I have good values and Jesus in my heart, but didn't feel "good enough" to become ordained, having the "old school" way of thinking that I have not earned the right to become a minister.

So what an unexpected struggle I had in my heart yesterday. In recent years I've felt my bond with God and what I do to keep that bond strong grow more important to me, and felt that something bigger, or important was trying to come through in my life. I know without a doubt that becoming ordained is a step on the right path for me.

I have no intentions of starting a church, or having followers. And to my surprise it's way more than just officiating my sister's wedding - it's a big step into the unknown!!

Of course, I have to be officially ordained first - at this point I still haven't received an email confirmation from ULC.

[Preceptor]

My reason wasn't so noble...

" Do That Which Is Right" is not a hard philosophy to live by; although it could be challenging to those who believe that only their religious way is right

In my own journey, I have found that "doing what is right" is a great challenge.

[criley]

My purpose for becoming Ordained on-line is mostly because I KNOW that I have been called to serve...but maybe not in a specified church.

I had become a Mens Minister and Childrens Minister/ Mentor and was working towards eventually becoming ordained in our church...but it seemed that the more involved I became...the worse the backstabbing and so called politics would become.

I have a belief that our country and even the World is heading into a terrible place. Morailty, Values, tradition and even common sense is on the decline. In a country that more then 80% of the population claims to be Christian...it seems VERY few of us know or remember what that means!

We have Christian pastors and churches that are not only accepting of the gay lifestyle...but they are actually supporting this, despite the chosen lifestyle being an abomination to the Word of God.

Christian families are standing by while our public schools are using our public tax dollars to build "showers" for Muslim children to wash their feet as part of their religious "prayer"...Yet, our children are not allowed to recite the Pledge of Allegence because it contains the word God!

The harder and harder out politicians try to please the "special" minorities...The more and more we destroy the very morals and values that our country was founded upon!

It is time...past time to return to "supper time". Right and Wrong...Taking responsibility for our own lives and that of our children...time to QUIT crying about the hardships of your past...instead concentrate on today and work toward tomorrow!

[Brother Free]

First of all, Praise the Light!!! And to all those of the ULC!!! It's very refreshing to have found this way with communication with Light-minded individuals! One of my motives is one of protection, not that I fear anything, but these days it is better for someone like me to have my butt covered. You might call this my insurance policy! And also, the added benefit is that being a ordained minister will open more doors for my message of the Light, and the political message of the Greens. I became a political activist over 11 yrs. ago, when I started learning the truth as to why things are the way that they are, well, one truth led to another truth, and led me straight to the Light!!! I am a self-proclaimed Jesus freak, who also believes in Moses, Buddha, Mohammed, and due to my Indian blood, all the natural spirits that are found in the universe. My grandmother's spirit rides strong within me, I am very proud of my Indian heritage!!! My name Free was given to me, outside the county courthouse in Jacksonville, Fl. Back in "97". Ten years later, Thanks to the ULC and Brother Kevin, my new given name is Brother Free!!! Do what is only right, and the Light will shine brightly!!! My confimations of this are many!!! Peace, Brother Free

[trader135]

i start a all people prayer group on yahoo .com

[visionary]

I chose to listen to the calling of the Holy Spirit and become

an Ordained Minister. Sadly many attacked my Ordination and called it bogus and ridiculous.

Many said it was a sin and I am quite sure you have heard all the negatives. I am quite devastated at the response negative to my wanting to serve Humanity as a ULC MInister.

I am in Perth Western Australia and feel somewhat disorientated now and lost and confused, and not sure now what to do and how to begin a Ministry and how to set up a church and Minister to the people noone else wants, the disenfranchised and most needy vulnerable in the Perth area.

I dont have money to buy vestments, dont have money to buy chalices and all the other things one would assume comes with Ministry including somewhere to Minister . I have no church, no fellowship and no flock.

am just so lost now. I truly wanted to serve Jesus, and Humanity.

All Perth churches seem so bigoted and claim it takes years to be ready to minister and be ordained and want doctorates and bachelors degrees in theology and divinity which costs thousands per yr. mNoone seems to want to allow me to Minister in their church.

Reverend Gabrielle

I hope your faith and acceptance of your fate and your true calling overcomes all of this. Mine has. Only you have to answer to you. Remember you don't need a church, the church is within you. Your flock will come trust me.

[visionary]

Greetings All:

I’m sure that my story will be the most “far fetched” or otherwise an (seemingly) unbelievable one posted on this forum – now and forever. I’m also sure that many who reads this post will probably ask themselves how someone “like me” could possibly have God in his life – let alone claim to be called to service by God.

My name is JJ Harper, Imperial Wizard of the American White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Inc.

Since childhood, I’ve believed in the Primitive Baptist doctrine (Hard Shell). For those of you unfamiliar with this doctrine, I will give a brief explanation. The main differences between us and other denominations (in the realm of Baptists) is basically two fold. First, we are firm believers in “foreordination” or “predestination,” which God speaks of throughout the bible. Secondly, we believe that no one (human beings) has the power to save him or herself. In other words, we don’t believe that anyone can “let God” do anything. I know you’ve all heard that in almost every “liberal” sermon. Most “Missionary Baptist” (commonly known as Southern Baptist) pastors preach: “Let God save you” or “Let God come into your life.” Instead we believe that God first “accepted” us. The only thing we as humans have the power to do is to admit that to ourselves. Not one drop of Christ’s precious blood was wasted on anyone that might choose not to “accept” him! Amen!

There I go – preaching again. Anyhow, I’ll move on. I first felt called to the ministry in 1984. I was going through basic training for the U.S. Army. After completing “Basic,” I dismissed that calling as nothing more than realizing that I truly needed God to get me through those difficult times. That feeling never left me, however I always found an excuse or reason to deny the facts. After serving 4 years in Military Intelligence, I quit the army and went back to finish my college degree in electronics engineering. I graduated from GA Southern University in 1990.

I fell in love in 1991. I married her in 1995. I’m still married to her today. We attended a Primitive Baptist church for several years after that. During that time, a friend of mine drove his car into a corn combine (unintentionally). Needless to say, he was hurt pretty badly. He survived after spending several months in the hospital. Soon after he recovered from that experience, he claimed that what he went through was a miracle – and that his life was spared by God for a higher purpose. He also knew God, but never felt this “calling.” I (as well as others) questioned his motive(s) for wanting to preach the Gospel. I figured that he was feeling the same way I did during my bout with basic training. He knew that God had given him another chance in life. He saw the power of prayer – not only his, but from others.

Soon he was ordained (first by God, so he claims) by the Elders which make up a division of the Primitive Baptist Association. Before long, our local church called him to pastor our church. He has been there now for about 6 years. After his first year as our pastor, I began to notice his lack (or desire) of interest concerning his duties in the pulpit. His studies weekend, therefore his sermons were shortened and almost confusing to us.

I told him of my experiences concerning being called to preach. I asked him (many times) if it was possible that he was really not called by God to preach but only a result of his renewed dedication to God after realizing His power through “troubled waters.” He’s always assured me that he feels that his calling was (is) genuine. Even so, his “works” (until this day) doesn’t fit with the faith he proclaims to have.

That ordeal made me question myself and God’s calling for me to preach His word even more. I didn’t (don’t) want to enter into the ministry as anything less than a personal command from God. Besides that fact, I’ve never felt worthy of such a position in the least! I still feel unworthy.

So what made me “change my mind?” God changed it for me. In other words, I finally realized that the ministry wasn’t going to be something I desired to do – it was something I was TOLD to do!

I joined the Klan a few years ago. When I did, I realized that (for the most part) the Klan had turned into nothing more than “good-ole-boy” groups in America who need (needed) their own back yards cleaned up before they spewed venom at our adversaries. And… I’m sure that most who read this post will probably feel the same about the American White Knights and myself. Be that as it may, I quickly began making enemies with members of most popular Klan organizations (unintentionally). They didn’t like my way of doing things, and they surely didn’t care what I thought spiritually. I began questioning some of the higher echelon members about their religious beliefs, and not one could offer any scriptural reasoning or justification for membership within the KKK.

This bothered me greatly. Soon, I found myself answering scriptural questions of many. Before long, my mind was spending more time in scripture than it had ever been exposed to! People wanted answers. I didn’t have them. It wasn’t long before questions from others made me realize my calling.

I will never know “all the answers” as long as I’m still on this earth, but with God’s continued support – I will continue to learn more and more each day.

I’m no longer a member of the Primitive Baptist church – I spoke of earlier. Most churches (people) have become too liberal minded (spiritually) to really understand anything God would have them to know. Instead, most go to church (today) for reasons other than those of God.

Thank you for listening.

In Christ’s Name, and for His sake – alone,

Elder JJ Harper, IW

AWKKKK, Inc.

Dear JJ: Did you know that there is a famous person with your name. many books written about him. He was J. J. Harper. he was an American Native Indian Leader. He was murdered in 1988. Just FYI

[Dasecrus]

I found God not too long ago and I've been wanting to do something to better serve him. As a debt to pay for some bad experiences in the past.

[Rev.Fred]

Don't know if I already posted but...I joined because I felt that's what She wanted from me.....

[Henri the Noachide]

Why I joined? I love ULC idea! That's why I joined! Peace and Unity on earth, who doesn't want that?

Amen!

Shalom,

"Rabbi" Henri

[MikeD134]

Ok here goes....

Why I wanted to become ordained? Well rather simply I knew of no Wiccan ministers at all. And I felt moved to minister to my Sisters and Brothers. Then as my faith grew, and I matured I noticed that many religious groups shared my core beliefs.

[Henri the Noachide]

Ok here goes....

Why I wanted to become ordained? Well rather simply I knew of no Wiccan ministers at all. And I felt moved to minister to my Sisters and Brothers. Then as my faith grew, and I matured I noticed that many religious groups shared my core beliefs.

Wow you really have a very noble endeavour! G-d be with you... :-)

[Phoenix UFO]

I did it because I have what people call a strange music ministry.

[Rev. Borum]

I became an ordained minister because I've known for many years that I have a calling on my life. I ran from that calling many years ago. A large part of the problem was the fact that the church body I was affiliated with, did not allow women to become ordained. A woman was not even allowed on the pulpit at the time except under extraordinary circumstances. When I told the pastor that I was called, he basically dismissed me in a nice way, of course. I had so much difficulty getting my music ministry off of the ground, that I eventually abandoned it. Now I am studying my music again, as I have never studied it before. I'm enjoying it more each day. I can't bring back the time I've lost, but I can certainly pick up from where I left off.

If I had known about the ULC back then, there's no telling where I would be today. I don't expect the people I have known all of my life to accept the fact that I am now an ordained minister. I have to believe in myself and my ministry. I also believe in the ULC and the philosophy that is espoused by the church.

I look forward to serving others as their spiritual leader.

[Redoak]

Because I know of no church willing to admit, train, and ordain a 50 year old poor crippled lesbian who is too much a mystic for Unitarians, too liberal for everyone else, and who already comes with her own followers (I didn't recruit them, they just accreted). That's "too old", "too poor to pay for seminary", "too disabled and looks too funny", "wrong gender", "wrong orientation", "theologically way too weird", and "looks like a prepackaged schism" all wrapped up in one.

The ULC is about the only taker for that combination.

[Madcatz1]

I wish to share why I became ordained by the ULC, first I believe we are all called and ordained by God when each of us decide to serve our fellow brothern in the world. I come from a religious back ground,raise in the back of my grandmother's Pentecostal church. My grandfather on the other side of the family was a Baptist so there was some discourse in growing up. I believe that if God is using your now for anything that HE has a plan for you and your life. So to my calling, I have been involved in many organizations of religion and I have found many real christians in all churches and a lot not even in a church, so I decided to try to reach other's who have been disfellowshiped or deflocked or thrown out or simply walked away from their churches. I want to give them a place to come and to express their views and write poems or faith articles that gives all a chance to help other's. I have been down the road that leads to destruction and back by the mercy of God and brought out to serve. So I asked myself how do I go about serving God? I got an answer when one day a friend of mine asked if I would like to go with him to a public TV class,well I got a chance to do a TV show . I asked God what should I call this show? I want to keep it simple and try to reach other's without preaching to them to let them know that receiving salvation is a simple thing to do if you truly want to be with the Lord Jesus. Bingo the name Simple Salvation came to me ,so I used it as the title of the TV show which numbered only four. Soon people who I knew stated asking me which church I belonged to and how long had I been a minister? I was afraid to do more as I was not ordained by a man's church but by God's calling as decribed in the book of John. A young friend of my son who I did a Bible study with told me he was an ordained minister,so I asked how someone as young as himself had become ordained and by which church? He then informed me about the ULC church in Modesto Ca. so I went to the site and became ordained by them in Oct.1999 I have received a lot of respect since being ordained by a recognized church. I think you ULC though there are a lot of thing's I disagree with the whole thing of letting anyone become ordained,I do respect the idea to do Good to all and respect their beliefs. God will straighten us all out on His return. I encourage All who wish to serve as a minister to become ordained and I have a link on my site to come to ULC and become ordained them selves. Thank you Jesus for all who wish to be with you and be in the kingdom of God. For any who wish to write an article or poem and see it appear on the internet please come to our site at simplesalvation.org and contribute your time an effort to help other's Amen

I chose to Become a Minister because the apostle paul told us we are " all ministers" in christ Jesus which the "holy spirit" directs our path , on christmas before I even considered ordination , I had told my mother whos also "Born again" that I have been having communion with several friends , and they all look up to me spiritually , and even before I was ordained my mother just sent me a box in the mail , in it is anointing oil , so I know the lord is with me and I shall be his servant to the poor and downtrodden in the city where I am living now , I desire to grow as a Minister and in such try and teach them who need it as well as point people onto the road of salvation , If I can rob Satan of one soul that will make my lifetime of suffering worthwhile . The road to salvation is easy , but the path of Christ Jesus is a narrow way and few will enter , but if we as ministers can show people the path to rightiousness then we have done our duty to the Kingdom of heavin .

Rev Timothy

[rev.daniel]

I became ordained by the UlC because I am a Catholic, but have some views that are for the most part, outside of the church: 1. I wanted to be a minister, and am married with children, 2. I believe women have the right to be called to ministry equally as men are, 3. I wanted to view uncannonized books as possible fact also (some reject the idea of big church and focus more on self enlightenment through your personal relationship with God), and 4. Acceptance of peoples outside Christianity as brothers and sisters as people of God who have taken a different path.

[Rev. B. Mitchell]

I became ordained to officiate my uncles wedding. I cant wait for it.

[lifeslittleuturns]

Short answer:

I have a bad habit of marrying 19 year olds (twice). I decided it is too expensive to continue the practice so why not be the officiant of the wedding instead. That way I can "marry" all the 19 year olds I want without all the headaches.

I will post the more in-depth, spiritual reasons in a later post.

[Southern Star]

I am new to ULC, I have searched for and thru religeons most of my life. I am not sure what sat me down in front of my computer and even what gave me the direction to be ordained. I have a lot of faith and I pray quit often. I just want to help other people to believe. I am waiting for a double lung and heart transplant and I will never give up. I am happy that I have found ULC.