Exploring Ordainment

Dearest J,

Well, I’m considering to become a Minister!

This post will be split into two sections:

Part 1: Exploring ULC Ordainment
Part 2: Exploring Christian Leaders Ordainment

Part 1: Exploring ULC Ordainment
Here’s my original note, that I originally wanted to send to my family, but did not:

“Also. I’m going to become an ordained minister (for free) online. Therefore, I will be able to start my own online ministry, even a church if I want to. Technically I could also do wedding and funerals etc. also help people as a chaplain in prisons and nursing homes, a spiritual advisor, etc. And yes this is completely legal! Only in America!!! I’m gonna do it on 9-11-24, as a [insert state] resident. Whereby after you can refer to me as a Reverend (yes, legally!) — and no theology degree required though for all my YEARS of research I feel I do deserve an “honorary but non accredited” doctorate degree, which I will also obtain online. So Lilla and I can have a little online ministry competition!!! Except I won’t go to seminary. But I will be a legal minister!”

Reactions from Others:

Told RfR group:
- “That’s so spiteful, I love it”
- Ritual of ___
Told my 12 step sponsor:
- “Be careful to discern. I know people who did that and it bit them in the ass later. The roots of it were not Christian, and goes against everything the Church actually believes in.”

Something I was pondering, however, was, do I need to become ordained to feel “official” about this site, and this online ministry (which I’m still figuring out what exact ministry it IS) as well as to feel “official” in doing online sermons and all the things I intend to do in terms of teaching? In a sense, yes and no. In one sense, I’d like to know I’m an actual minister, and have the same rights as Clergy. I’d love to be able to say I’m an actual REVEREND, that is a Minister in my own right, with my own opinions, and be able to say things the way I want to say them in the name of religious liberty. This is why I was indeed called, in a way to ULC. Not just because it’s a bit of a “middle finger” to the un-acknowledgement of all the theological training that went into theological understanding due to my spiritual trauma (as in, my de and reconstruction ad nauseum, the decade plus of daily research and practice, and intense religious and spiritual discernment and research) but also because I don’t know that I really FALL in line with a few of the denomination requests. For example, I’d love to attend church and lead one, but my idea of having a BOSS or being LOCATION DEPENDENT or even causing more religious trauma to someone due to my community or congregants doing something I’m not aware of is fearful. Though I know I should not have fear, as that is not of God, it’s still something I’m really trying to process. Though my sponsor’s words of “be careful to discern so it doesn’t bite you in the ass”, my sponsor failed to ask me why I’d be interested in becoming ordained in the first place. Which is kind of frustrating, because rather than curiosity, I mean I did ask her straight up if she’s familiar and what she thinks, she didn’t really ask me why I’d be asking. I think it’s important to ask these questions.

In any case, here was a great answer I found below more in a legal sense if this is necessary:

From Universal Life Church Case Law:
https://ulccaselaw.com/start-your-own-church/
Fulfill Your Dream – Start A Ministry
How Many ULC Ministers Start Their Own Churches?
“Please note that it is not necessary to become ordained through an online ministry in order to start a legally-recognized church. This is exactly what the presiding chaplain of the Universal Life Church Monastery did when he founded our organization. Brother G. Martin Freeman was a layperson, and not ordained through any church, when he founded the ULC, but this did not stop him from being able to start his own ministry. The Free Exercise Clause of the US Constitution gives citizens like you, like G. Martin Freeman, the ability to found your own religion and/or church; you do not need the blessings of a currently-existing legally-recognized church or the government to start either.”

Part 2: Exploring Christian Leaders Ordainment

So, due to a little more discernment and confusion and just clarification on all of this, I’ve been doing some more research. I feel I could continue to do more, but then I also came across this option (which is also pretty free / affordable / maybe a little money, but not a whole lot) that’s more down the “Christian Route” through Christian Leaders Institute / Alliance:

Well, I signed up to the Christian Leaders Alliance! Though I’m open to non-deism as well, and the IRONY of all of it, I will say that the Christian Leaders Alliance got created after (and because of) 9/11. So somehow, I felt a little bit of a sign (HELLO HOLY SPIRIT)!

So far, I feel a little confused about the website. I could do a bachelors on the site, and it could transfer into a Masters later. But then again, do I need any of that? I really don’t know. In any case — I’ll do what I can. My goal is to get some kind of ordainment on 9/11.

Then again, I read this … “If you're passionate about traditional church or community ministry and feel the calling to become a fully ordained pastor or minister, the Ordained Minister Program offers a comprehensive and affordable alternative to traditional seminary education. This program prepares you for part-time or full-time ministry roles, including church planting and pastoring. Completion typically takes between 9 to 16 months, depending on your pace. Note: You must gain level three endorsement into membership with the Christian Leaders Alliance” …

Well — if it takes between 9-16 months, that’s definitely NOT going to get me to my 9/11 ordained ministry goal. ugh.

In addition, I’m still deciding if I’m New Thought, Christian, Spiritual, or even NON-THEIST. All this puts me basically in this thought:

I want to be able to share advice on this website, and have it be helpful and concise.
I might not need to be ordained at all.
I might not even be a specific denomination, because I’d rather create my own ideology and opinion.
So that means, I might just still get ordained through ULC. And continue my studies to figure out what I want to do.
If I want to continue through online ordainment (rather than a traditional Masters of Divinity or PhD):
- “DIY”: Universal Life Church
- All Beliefs: Unitarian Universalist
- Metaphysical: Unity Church
- Christian: Christian Leaders
- Non-Theist: The Satanic Temple

Until then, thanks for reading <3