Onlline Sermons

We have posted a lot of sermons from our Universal Life Church ministers. Some are Christian and some are not. You are welcome to use them or just enjoy them as you like.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Becoming an ordained minister

Become an ordained minister
My journey started in 1982 when I was going through my first divorce and was very much down in the dumps with all that was going on in my life. I sought, and found, answers in the bible and have been a student of God’s Word ever since. In 1985 the United States Air Force sent me to Turkey and I ended up spending five years there and even married a Turk. My journey at that juncture took another turn and I felt that God was leading me to write the truth of my experiences and knowledge.

The first work was titled, God’s Forgotten Holy Land and was copyright in 1993 and I sent inquiries to literally a hundred different publishers. Receiving back about sixty five reject letters I felt the need to learn how to get into the new arena of the Internet and created my own website in 1995 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1998. I have continued to send inquiries to various publishers as my work has expanded and I continue to get reject letters. In many cases the letters provides enough information to indicate that I am an unknown entity with no credentials to prepare such work in the genre that I deal with. It became more of a game to try and figure out how I could get the recognition they desired that I have and I turned to the Internet. In 2000 I applied to ULC to become a minister and directly behind that I made submission for my Doctorate of Philosophy in Religion.

It now seems so long ago that all of this was done. I now look over my shoulder and wonder about society and mankind as a whole who must categorize others as being in such-and-such a state, position, station, etc. or have this title or that tile for them to know anything about a particular subject. Mankind seems so hell bent to remove God from any equation and that anything that pertains to God has to somehow be religious and wrong for the ordinary man. How foolish they really are and their foolishness will bring them to a very important question one day and I don’t think they are going to like the answer they will hear. One day these foolish people will stand before God Almighty and He will ask them if they would like to be in the smoking or non-smoking section and they will of course answer ‘non-smoking’ and God will tell them, “Sorry, but your actions do not qualify you for the non-smoking section!”

Please review my website for content. The address is http://www.VQPub.org . I said that I had just finished my last book, titled “The Hunters Are Here” and have enclosed a page from that book that you and others of the ULC Seminary may find interesting. I continue to seek a publisher who is serious about publishing my work and if you happen to know of an interested party please direct them toward my website and myself.

So, that (in a nutshell) is why I became a ULC minister.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Darnell

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 
The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.  
 
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Friday, May 12, 2006

Comparative Religion

Comparative Religion

My Name is Rev. Beverly F. H. Brown. I am a middle aged divorced woman with no children. Taking the Comparative Religion course was the stepping stone that helped me achieve the peace in my life I desperately needed!

I grew up in a very abusive family situation that left me confused about the rights and wrongs of life. In my dysfunctional family's view; right was wrong, and wrong was praised. This made me turn away from the church, but never, did I turn from God. Still, I needed answers to why I was so angry all the time. I carried hatred, distrust, contempt and violent thoughts with me everywhere I went. At the same time, I was compelled to help people stuck in similar situations (abusive, hateful, ect). On top of the anger I felt from my childhood, I fought Non-Hodgekins Lymphoma for 4 years. Going in and out of the hospital sometimes for months at a time.

Before I started this course, I had low self worth and battled constantly with my feelings of isolation (even in the middle of a crowd). To be openly honest, I was so angry, tired, hopeless, lost and in need of an outlet ... hurting someone else seemed like the right thing to do. Making others feel the pain that I myself was suffering from, seemed like fair play. This course showed me how wrong I was to feel that way. Rev. Kythera Ann's Comparative religion course taught me that I alone was responsible for my life. She showed me; that we are all on the same path even if we don't know it. There is suffering and martyrdom everywhere on earth. It's what we do amidst that suffering that matters. If we reach out to help our brother in need, we too will be helped.

This course gave me the tools I needed to see clearly. I now understand that we are all "truly one." The way the course is broken-down allowed me to cross-reference several religions at once which made it easy to see the similarities. Once I saw the common goals and beliefs of so many religions from every part of the world, I knew what I had to do to find peace within myself.

I learned that most religions teach "Forgiveness" similar to the way Jesus taught it. If God forgives our sins, who are we not to forgive others? Next I learned about Karma in each religion and the similarity in religious stories, ceremonies, scriptures, and principles. Then at the end she ties it altogether with a Religion Family Tree! That was great! That topped it off with the reality that we are all truly one. Coming from one Mother (God) and branching off to have children of our own (sub-religions) yet the fruit never falls far from the tree (God).


Now I am living my life as a spiritual being instead of a physical being. Physical beings are subject to ego, greed, lust, deceit and selfishness. Buddha taught, that which we give to others is returned to us tenfold, so if I wanted positive things in my life I had to first, give that which I desired to others.

Thanks to Rev. Kythera Ann I have gained a new awareness of life on this planet as a whole. I now understand my purpose in this life is the same as every person of every religion...To do Gods work. To be his eyes and ears. To learn and to teach his principles. Then, little by little, one soul at a time, we become closer to Him/Her (God)by understanding his ways.

I thoroughly enjoyed this course! Especially the unbiased way in which it was presented. The recommended reading and additional links were a plethora of information. My mind is now open to endless possibilities.

I only wish it went deeper into each religion with more detail and information. I guess that's in part 2 of the Comparative Religion course :)

I think that more information should be added on primary cults of today. Cults like Scientology, Seven day Adventist, Satan Worshipers, and even more on Wicca. I would like to understand these religions too.

Please include me in the next lessons available by Rev. Kythera Ann. I am also interested in Part Two of her Comparative Religion Course.

I thank you for your knowledge and unselfishness. My life is richer because of you!

Sincerely,

Rev. Beverly F. H. Brown

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.
Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 
The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar