Wiccaning Ceremony

Welcome new life Preparation: Walking east along the creek bank I gather signs of new life many new wildflowers present themselves to decorate the child's day, I thank them and carefully select a few above me a robin hatches and egg and the newly cast aside eggshell falls at my feet, I thank the mother robin and I contemplate a moment on the life of the new robin child, I head east. I set my gifts to the child on a rock and I enter the water in a still deep pool of to the side of the creek.Here I rest in the water, contemplating the child as it once existed before her birth,floating in the fluid of her mother's womb.  I emerge pickup the flowers and egg and head to a small clearing were the family awaits. Consecration: an earthen mound will be our alter suggesting the earth mother;s womb flowers will be our casting tool suggesting the gentleness of new life the egg will be our balance, balance meaning all of birth is not beautiful and easy ,birth also is marked by birthing pain and the mothers ability to bear the child.these symbols set on the mound now I bless them,"Oh earth mother who gives life to us all bless these symbols of our now special moment." Invocation : lifting the flowers I invite the mother and the child to draw near and I set a circle around us "I expel in the name of the Goddess and her son,all evil and negative influence .I expel you be gone as the Goddess desires to bless this child's arrival on Earth and May her Powers protect this space .Finally we invite all Familiar and sympathetics those who will treasure love and guide this child. and i this blessed and safe space will protect and guide the future of this child. Workings: then one by one I hand the flowers to the mother or lay the flowers at the child's feet and say,"May the sunrise of each day offer you a opportunity .May this second flower symbolize the deep abiding peace that you will hold ever in your heart. May this third flower symbolize a life of love and contentment always ever near and about you. may this forth and final flower symbolize the strength and courage you will have in all situations of your life. Thanks: I thank they of goddess mother and son all powers now present be you ancestors or others spirits of love and protection and guidance. I pick up the egg and hold it in my palm and say,And now I unmake this circle and let this egg be the symbol of our breaking into a new life a new day upon this earth. Handing then the egg to the mother and say,your child is now earth bound is your charge good mother may the mother of all mothers ever guide your hand as you raise her. Done by Pastor Diane L. Watkins ********************** Ordination with the Free Online Ordination button. 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 Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Four Gospels

Matthew/Mark/Luke/John First let me start by saying that the word "Gospel "is both in its original Greek and our own Saxon –English signifies "good tidings" There could be no better tiding than our lord Jesus Christ coming into the world for the sinful man or woman. Coming into the world to seek and save that which is lost. The four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John Each represents a distinct character of Jesus Christ and they are as follows, Matthew represents Jesus as "lion", signifying a sovereign king. The gospel of Mark represents Jesus as the "ox", a servant. Also in the gospel of Mark you will never see Jesus called "Lord" until after his resurrection. Next we have the gospel of Luke which represents Jesus as "the Man", because of his intelligence, his insight and his understanding of life. Also this gospel is the gospel of the man who was perfect "Incarnate", the only truly perfect human being. Lastly, the gospel of John represents Jesus as" The Eagle", for his deity, meaning that Jesus became a human being, while at the same time soaring above as fully devine.The four symbols combinded together reflect the characters of Jesus Christ. That is why the four gospels should be "viewed together" (synopsis) in order to get a complete picture into the different characters of Jesus Christ, much like assembling a puzzle, one or ten pieces of the puzzle do not allow you to see the whole picture, you must complete the puzzle in its entirety in order to see the whole picture. So must you read all four gospels to get a good understanding of who Jesus Christ really is? What I have given you thus far is a short overview into the person of Jesus Christ, now I would like offer you a more detailed account as to the meaning of each gospel. Matthew begins his book by showing how Jesus Christ was a descendant of David. But Matthew goes on to show that God did not send Jesus to be an earthly king, but a heavenly king. His kingdom would be much greater than David's because it would never end. Even at Jesus' birth, many recognized him as a king.Herod, the ruler, as well as satan, were afraid of Jesus' kingship and tried to stop him. We must be willing to recognize Jesus for who he really is and worship him as king of our lives. In Matthew 5 verses 3-10 we have what is known as "THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT" because Jesus gave it on a hillside near Capernaum. This sermon probably covered several days of preaching. There are at least four ways to understand the beatitudes. (1)They are a code of ethics for the disciples and a standard of conduct for all believers. (2)They contrast kingdom values(what is eternal)with worldly values(what is temporary).(3) They contrast the superficial "faith "of the Pharisees with the real faith Christ wants.(4)They show how the old testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new kingdom. These beatitudes are not multiple choice-pick what you like and leave the rest. They must be taken as a whole. They describe what we should be like as Christ followers.  Despite opposition from the Pharisees and others in the religious establishment (chapters 12-15), Jesus continued to teach concerning the kingdom of heaven (chapters 16-20).During this time, Jesus spoke with his disciples about his imminent death and resurrection (16-21) and revealed his true identity to Peter, James, and John (17:1-5).But soon opposition mounted, and Jesus know that his death was near. He let the disciples know what to expect before his return (chapter 24) and how to live til then (chapter 25). In Matthew's finale (chapters 26-28),he focuses on Jesus' final days on earth- the last supper, his prayer in Gethsemane, the betrayal by Judas, the flight of the disciples, peter's denial, the trial before Caiaphas and Pilate, Jesus final words on the cross, and his burial in a borrowed tomb. Now moving on to the gospel of Mark, here I am going to explain to you as to why, out of the four gospels, this one is the shortest one. First of all, mark was much like a reporter today, who is at the scene of an event as it is happening and they generally keep us informed as the events occur. Well Mark was much the same way, he did not dwell on the biography of Jesus like Matthew or Luke, it does not speak of Jesus' family or carrer, the gospel of Mark is a record of Jesus' actions and achievements. On the first page it starts with John the Baptist's fiery preaching and the beginning of Jesus public ministry. Mark is interested in Christ work, not only his words. You can see this because Mark records eighteen of Jesus' miracles and only four of his parables. Another point to the short gospel is because Mark presents the events in the order they occurred but he gives little or no historical linkage between the events, in other words he simply sticks to the facts, (what happened).Also Mark felt that writing to a roman audience, he did not have to recite Jesus' genealogy or old testament prophecies because they had already been fulfilled and the Romans were the type of people who loved action so Mark presents Jesus to the Romans as a man of action. The Romans did not ask "where did he come from?" or "what did he say?" but "what has he done?" So in conclusion Mark felt that the gentiles did not need a Jewish history lesson, he felt they wanted a clear picture of Christ. Like I stated earlier, the Romans understood power and actions, so Mark saw to it that they (Romans) got exactly that, no nonsense, concise, action packed summary.          Now we enter into the gospel of Luke, Luke was chosen to be the writer of this gospel quite possibly because of his background as a physician. Men and woman in this practice make it their business to deal in facts and of course scientist belong in this category, they check data and conduct experiments, test theories and draw conclusions. Luke was a constant companion of the Apostle Paul, he met Paul in Macedonia (Acts 16:10). According to Paul, Luke employed himself in the practice and study of Physics, this is why Paul called him "Luke the beloved Physician" (col 4:14). Luke only sought his information from firsthand accounts as it states in Luke 1:2, which says "By those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word". Luke wrote this gospel to the gentile nation, rightly fitting, because Luke himself was a gentile Christian and he was the only gentile to write a gospel and also the book of Acts, as per our early church fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian. Also this can be verified in Luke 1:1 and Acts 1:1, in which Luke uses the name "THEOPHILUS" which means ("One who loves God") or ("Friend of God"). Some believe that the name does not refer to an actual person but rather, to all people who love God, and they also believe the name "THEOPHILUS", suggest a gentile. This falls in line with the contents of both Luke and Acts, which gives the appearance of being written to a predominately gentile audience. Furthermore, Luke avoided Jewish expressions such as "scribe" and "rabbi" and used in its' place words such as "lawyer" and "Master" (see and compare Luke 9:33; 11:52 with Mark 9:5; 12:28). Luke's purpose for writing is because he wanted to provide ,"THOSE WHO LOVE GOD" with a "carefully investigated" and "orderly account" of the life of Jesus (Luke 1:3) and this may be why God chose Luke to write this gospel.  Also throughout the entire gospel of Luke, you can see that Luke wanted to leave us with this message, that Jesus is the unique Son of God, humanity's perfect leader, and only savior. He offers forgiveness to all who will accept him as Lord of their lives and who believe that what he says is true. Christians know this profound truth, that Christ has changed our lives forever. He also wants to tell us that we have a great responsibility to share the good news with others. We know that the world is lost, with millions on a collision course with " ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD" or as Charles H. Spurgeon used to Quote in his sermon "THOSE WHO BELIEVE,SHALL BE SAVED, THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE SHALL BE DAMMED". These men and woman need to meet and know the savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. Luke shared the truth with us in his gospel, what are you doing to share the gospel with others.  Here we have the final of the four gospels, the gospel of John. The gospel in which Jesus goes out in full force to prove that he is "THE SON OF GOD" and that he is "GOD THE SON". To write this gospel, God chose the apostle John, because John wrote what he saw with his own eyes, unlike Mark and Luke, who wrote eyewitness accounts. The gospel of John represents Jesus Christ as the deity, THE SON OF GOD, God the Son and John wrote everything that needed to be written to prove this point. First let me start by giving you a breakdown of the gospel of John and you'll be able to see how Jesus Christ when about to prove who he truly was. First we start with "THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD (John 1: 1-18). Secondly, we have "THE SON OF GOD IS PRESENTED TO THE WORLD" (John 1:19 to 4:54). Thirdly,"THE SON OF GOD FACES OPPOSITION" (John 5:1 to 12:50). Fourth is "THE DEATH OF THE SON OF GOD APPROACHES" (John 13-17). Fifth and final one is "THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION OF THE SON OF GOD" (John 18-21). Let me share with you a little background information into the term" Son of God". To the Hebrews, to call someone "the son of God" was to say that he is identical with that person. So when the Hebrews heard Jesus refer to himself as the "Son of God", to them this meant that Jesus was saying he is "God". That is why the Scribes and Pharisees angrily challenged Jesus, because Jesus was making himself out to be equal with God. They used the term "that's blasphemy!", but the fact of the matter is that it was not blasphemy, it was the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but. Another point John brought out concerning Jesus' deity, is found in Luke 4, in which Jesus preached in the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 in which he said " THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD  HAS  ANOINTED ME".  Let's and look at these words for one second, first, what does "MESSIAH" mean? Well "MESSIAH" means "The Anointed One", so by saying this Jesus fulfilled the first half of his mission-which was to come and preach  the good news to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, set the captives free( first coming). The second half- to proclaim the day of God's vengeance (his second coming). To further demonstrate that Jesus was God, John gives you seven marks of a Messiah which are: 1.     The changing of water into wine  (John 2:1-11) 2.     The healing of the royal officer's son  (John 4: 46-54)        3. The healing of the paralyzed man who lay at the pool of Bethesda.                       (John 5:1-9)    4. The feeding of the five thousand                     (John 6: 1-14)   5. Walking on water.                   (John 6:20)   6. The healing of the blind man.                  (John 9: 1-12)  7. The raising of Lazarus.                (John 11:1-44). Also in his gospel, John uses five great words of our lord that would further prove his claim that Jesus is the Son of God. They were the words which God spoke to Moses to identify himself at the burning bush. God spoke and said "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). That is Gods' expression of his very nature. Now Jesus uses these words to establish his claim to be God. Listen to these words which come from the lips of Jesus. "I AM" the bread of life. (John 6:35) or you could say "I AM GOD", THE BREAD OF LIFE, and so on. Next he says "I AM" The light of the world, (John 8:12). "I AM" The Gate (John 10:7), "I AM" The good Shepherd (John 10:11), "I AM" The resurrection and the life (John 14:6).And lastly, "I AM" The Vine, apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). Seven times Jesus uses the revealing name of God from the Old Testament and linking it with New Testament symbols as you have just seen. John 1:4 says "The word becomes flesh and made his dwelling among us". Look at these words very carefully, the GREAT " I AM" came down from the safety of his kingdom, manifested the person of Jesus Christ, TO HEAL,TO SERVE, TO BLESS, TO DIE AND RISE AGAIN, all this was done so that we may not perish, but have everlasting life. Please, for the sake of your life, take a moment and read the gospel of John, read and think about what I've written to you. Let not all the writings of the Apostles and the Prophets be in vain. Think for a moment and look at all that God has done for us so that we don't suffer eternal separation but that we may have eternal life. Eternal separation can't be good if he did all this so that you may be where he is, In a place filled with life and glory. Remember these words and let them be forever in your mind in hopes that someday you will give your life to "THE GREAT I AM". THE LOSS OF GOLD IS GREAT THE LOSS OF HEALTH IS MORE, BUT THE LOSS OF CHRIST IS SUCH A LOSS, AS NO MAN CAN RESTORE. That is the message of the Gospel of John.                       Gilbert Paul Moreno                                Pastor                                  ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Religious Philosophy

Master of Religious Philosophy, Lesson 15 - Religious Functionality - Religious Nature Q.) 1)      What is your perspective on this "great problem"?  How do you view your relationship with Reality?  Are you entirely material, entirely spiritual, a mixture of the two, or a spiritual being trapped in a material prison? A.)  My perspective on this "great problem" is along the lines of John O'Riordain who comments that "For the Christian, even more than for the pre-Christian Celt, there is no impassable boundary between the material world and the spirit world. They overlap. It is simply that one is visible and the other normally invisible.....Love of nature and harmony with the environment are strong elements in the Celtic tradition emanating from this sense of the unity and connectedness of all things. At times the Christian Celts have been accused of pantheism...This line of argument fails to appreciate the refinement of Celtic thought and theology. For the Celts, God was certainly in all things but not identified or interchangeable with all things." Also, Ian Bradley agrees with Mr. O'Riordain that: "There was nothing remotely unorthodox about the Celts' sense of God's presence in their lives and in the world about them. It sprang from a real understanding of the central Christian doctrine of the Incarnation with its revelation of Immanuel, the God who is with us, and from a burning faith in the real presence of Jesus not just in the consecrated elements of the communion service but throughout his creation." When I think about my relationship with reality my view is simple, Life is short, life is around and in everything, and that the motto of America "in God we trust" should not be taken for granted, but mostly that as it has been said many times in our history life for me is "God, Country, Family. Looking at reality in this manor helps me to stay grounded and focused on things around me and the perspective involved to understand what is going on around me. At times because of the times we live in, I find myself a mix of spiritual and material, I believe that God gave mankind the gift of intelligence and creativity. As Christ and the Apostles used what technology was available to them to spread the message of the gospels, I find myself using modern forms of communication to carry Gods word to others and I find nothing personally or biblically wrong in doing so. Q.) 2)      How do you think that your view of your relationship with Reality impacts the way that you approach spirituality?  Does it make you more submissive, studious, prayerful, resigned, contemplative? A. ) I would have to say it would be different for each individual because of life experiences, for me it would be three of these. Contemplative, Prayerful, and Studious would most best describe my outlook on the reality by these choices as for how I look at the world around me. Q. )3)      Finally, how do you think that your view of your relationship with Reality impacts the way that you live your life?  Does it make you more moral, immoral, ethical, unethical, logical, independent, determined?  Does it impact your views on medicine,  charity, politics, employment, vegetarianism, taking risks? A. ) Moral, Ethical, Logical, Independent and Determined. Different circumstances require different tactic's in perspective to the impact a situation impacts what I perceive and what I do to change the environment around me. It does not matter if it is a small issue or one that could in effect change the course of mankind. Because, isn't it that very thing that we do in our lives with regards to spreading the word of God around the world. We are supposed to make a difference in our world and grow from our experiences we live. Rev.Fr.Andrew Manley ******************** The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Religious Philosophy

Master of Religious Philosophy ~ Lesson 16 - Religious Functionality - Political Q.1. ) If your faith taught you that you were to "keep separate" from the secular world (assuming that it doesn't), what would you do if the government ordered you to participate at threat of jail time? What if the consequences included potential death (as it did for Jehovah's Witnesses in World War II Germany)? A.1. ) I would do time in jail! As an example I recently wrote a piece about Gay Marriage and drawing a line in the sand. My conclusion was that I, would do time in prison or even except death if I, as a minister would be legislated to perform a Marriage between Gay couples. I believe that if such a law were enforced upon religions that did not agree with the new policy that many religious leaders would be faced with this very moral dilemma. Thus, having to make a choice them selves. However, to me it is a play on words that could be negated if the parties involved were to consider the options. Ether exempt religious faiths that took a stand against this mandate and only require the local Justice of the Peace to perform these duties, or for them (the Gay Community), to consider not using the word marriage so as not to imply the union that is held sacred by many religious faiths as being between a man and a woman. Rather, calling it a union or even common law, or even a civil union, these are considered by many states as a common and legal solution already in place by local and state governments and would hold up in a court of law at any supreme court level. There is "NO need" to change or amend the constitutions on the federal or state levels if an agreement is the final consensus. Q.2. ) If your faith taught you that it was your religious duty to "get involved" in the secular world (assuming that it doesn't) to ensure that the secular world conforms to the teachings of God (as they understand them), what would you do when a different religious group complained that their religious freedom was being denied as a result? Would you exempt them? Would you punish them for not acquiescing? Would you decide that any negative consequences for them were brought about by their refusal to comply with the Will of God? A.2. ) Again, I would do the time in prison if forced to do something that went against my beliefs, Although, I might consider an common solution for other parties but only after much discourse on the matter. Punishment is not what I was taught as a solution to the problems that come by secular means. Diplomacy and Compromise if rendered fair between all parties seems to be a more preferred way of coming to a conclusion to any situation. However, if those negotiations break down as a result of one party not being willing to compromise, than as in many cases the majority rule is imposed by the other parties and made to happen, even if by force. Granted that with this option it would be a travesty for many involved or even indirectly involved not to mention that a great deal of unnecessary sufferings would be imposed on both parties. In the Christian Holy Bible Christ says, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's. (Luke ch.20. ver.25). The implantation here is the separation of Church and State but also that we are to do as the law requires unless it is against our beliefs, then we are to take a stand and get involved. In doing so we risk the suffering of many for the common good of all. There is only a problem if there is opposition to what ever cause be the issue of contention. We by faith and by direct communication are taught that we should, in prayer leave our request to the Lord God and have the faith that in doing so, it shall be granted by that measure of faith. So sitting back and doing nothing is to me not relevant but sitting back knowing that I could do something about what ever situation was at hand and then still choosing to do nothing would constitute a mortal sin for not complying an effort to render the situation to a conclusion that complied to the belief that Christ taught us and commanded us, which is to love thy neighbor as thy self. So in other words, if I don't want it to happen to me, then why would I want it to happen to someone else. In this case it is not an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. It is rather about Christian Love.  Fight when backed into a corner but only as a last result, justifying it to those same principles. Rev.Fr. Andrew R. M. Manley ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free  and lasts for life, so use the button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. Many have been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and can attest to its ongoing growth and change. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Christian History

Rev. Chris Richard

Master of Christian History

This course work on Christian History was one of two courses I have been taking over the past twenty weeks, and I believe that I have learned a great deal of information; most of which I did not know beforehand. I found many things new and exciting and others new and disappointing.

I was really surprised in what I read in the first lesson of how the Roman Empire was the start of the spread of the Christian gospel; no other ancient empire has ever been able to unite with each other, until the rise of Rome. My heritage is Roman; it was fascinating to learn some of their history. I really enjoyed lesson two when the qualities, work, and character of Jesus Christ was discussed. His personality was not separated from all of the work that He did. He is the only one on earth that had nothing to hide and was always faithful and kind to humanity, even at the sacrifice of his own life. His ministry and everything He accomplished before He was crucified is extraordinary. All of the miracles that He did really revealed His glory and power. Jesus' greatness was especially shown when He was resurrected three days after dying on the cross. I also learned that Jesus gave the Christian message to the Jews first. He wanted them to spread the Good News all around the world and with them doing so He gave them the Holy Spirit to empower them while they spread the word of God. I have never realized that Judaism was the beginning of Christianity.

I was very disappointed when I read lesson seven in which it was discussed that the Romans persecuted the Christians because they thought that they were a secret society. The Romans destroyed all the Christian Churches, meetings were shut down, and those who confessed they were Christians were thrown into prison, and so many were killed. The Romans also stated that there was no such thing as private religion. It didn't seem fair to me that the Romans did not adopt a mindset regarding freedom of Religion. We are very privileged to live in a country today where such a freedom is granted. Many Societies have come so far since the Roman Empire ruled the "world."

I enjoyed reading about the best of the Church fathers. There were many Church fathers, but I think Augustine was the greatest. He was the creator of the Christian historiography that is still used today. Pope Gregory I played another major role in Christian History. While he was bishop of Rome, the greatest accomplishment he made was the expansion of papal power. He did this so that he could assert the spiritual supremacy of the Roman bishop, among other goals. Once this was accomplished, Christian Churches were transformed from being ancient to medieval. All bishops who came after Pope Gregory I followed in his foot steps. Pope Gregory's accomplishments shaped the Church into the middle ages.

I really enjoyed this course on Christian history. I like how the literature was explained in a detailed, yet a simple way. I'm looking forward to starting the next course.

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Master of Religion

Master of Religion

Master of Religion was an interesting course. I believe I learned a great deal about the history of our Bible and its authors, as well as other denominational religions.

I really enjoyed reading more about the Old Testament. I learned that it is the oldest and most original part of the Bible. It teaches of The Ten Commandments, which are the "house rules" for mankind. There is only a slight difference among other religions in the wording and order of the Commandments, but they are all the same in importance in each differing denomination. I do believe, personally, that we should try our best to live our lives following the "rules" of God. I also liked reading about how the Bible reflects God's Word in the first lesson. It shows us everything God stated has come true. All the stories and prophecies in the Old Testament are true about any situation that was recorded. Take "Noah and the Ark" for example; God spoke to Noah and told him to prepare for a massive flood which would come and destroy everything. Noah told everyone about the flood and no one believed him. There has been a great deal of historic and scientific proof of a great flood as well as proof of many other prophecies in the Old Testament. This only solidifies my belief in the Almighty.

I also found history of The New Testament quite astonishing. For me, it's much easier to read and understand than The Old Testament. It seems The New Testament is actually taught more in Christian Churches today than The Old Testament is. It was educational to read more about the authors of The New Testament and what roles they played in Christian History. I'm impressed at how many of the books Paul wrote. The other Apostles played a major role in the creation of The New Testament; however, Paul seems to have written the majority, in turn giving us the most information.

I am so thankful for fact that God will forgive us of our sins and that He was so very loving to have given His only Son so that we may live. We need only ask Him to forgive us and repent all wrong doing. I greatly enjoyed this course of Master of Religion program. I do believe that this is a great start to becoming a better Christian leader to others.

Rev. Chris Richard

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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.

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Spiritual Development

Dr. of Spiritual Development

Final Essay

Judith G. Wolf, Ph.D.

This is a dynamic course, one which should absolutely not be missed. As stated first and foremost by the author, the purpose of this course is to actualize our spiritual potential. He then proceeds to help us with this Quest; to meet and know the divine within and without. I love the metaphor of dialing in our spiritual radios to clearer stations or shining a cleaner light to achieve Mindful Living with focus on the Quest.

It stands to reason that if energy follows thought, we need to live mindfully with purpose and with focus to make any sort of progress. Clearer Light or clearer stations translate to FOCUS; that is, Mindful Living with a Focus on the Quest. The end of the Quest is the knowledge that in our core nature we are divine. According to the author we have forgotten that are divine. This course clears the way to remembrance.

There are so many positives, so many truths and exercises to reach these truths that I could not possibly cover them or even try in this essay. Instead I would rather comment on the two experiences that evolved from the course and it's exercises.

The first is the meditative method for meeting your soul. Called the Self Inquiry Method. This method requires that you ask the question, "Who Am I Really?" When the answer comes back, attend to it, appreciate it and then keep going deeper by saying, That's fine BUT "Who Am I Really." It is suggested that we do this nightly or whenever it occurs to us.

My experience has been marvelous. In no time I had penetrated layers and was floating in the cosmos; part of ALL THAT IS. After several days I had the distinct feeling that I AM divine. It is a wonderful place to return to over and over. I feel lucky because it took so little time to achieve this, I feel I have a marvelous place to go to and a new tool to use. Putting these experiences into words is not easy and I would not want anyone to think my responses diminish the divine in any. The experience is tremendously expansive and joyful, one for which to be grateful.

The second major plus is Generative Visualization – when you ask your inner wisdom for answers. I have been doing this for years talking to my Spirit Guide and Teachers. BUT as a result of this course I know I am not "crazy." I can now use this skill attentively and joyfully.

Again I cannot recommend this course highly enough. A real winner.

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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.

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Metaphysical Healing

I learned overall that there is a far deeper connection between those in the healing profession than I had previously known of or thought about, both past and present and that both have had a significant impact on each other. I also learned that I can use parts of the lessons to harness and fine tune parts of my own abilities that still need the rough edges smoothed. I learned that the abilities I have in terms of healing can be fine tuned with a little effort and practice. I like the fact that I can re visit some of the lessons to hone and fine tune some parts of my abilities. I don't really think there was very much to dislike about this course, except reading on and on about the African Healers was a slight bit tedious. I have more connection to Native American Healers. Overall, the course was fascinating. What I can relate to in terms of this course, is that I have already been doing healing for others for several years, with a great deal of success. Although what I do is quite a bit different, as most of my work is distance instead of hands on, as per being a shut in and recluse, I don't do anything to bring on these abilities, except to be able to do deep visualization, sending that energy from my heart chakra. For example; When my Grandmother broke her arm, I felt it in my own arm. I was able to go to her at night, as she slept, as my Astral or Higher Self, placing a "White Light Cast" over her arm, allowing it to heal more quickly, much to the surprise of her doctors. They were stunned with the rate of speed at which her arm healed. All it requires now, is just a brace. I think I would like to know more about seeing Auras, although I will likely go back and try to re study that lesson again, to see if I can fine tune that. I will also see if I can try to complete the lessons that I was not able to or complete to any degree. Rev. Bryan ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Buddhist Studies

The Buddhism course gave me an appreciation for the universal truth of the Dharma.  I personally see the Dharma as a living entity that exists beyond the boundaries of remembered teaching and as a common reality between potentially opposing philosophies and beliefs.  It is the way of practice and not theory and speculation.  It is the way things are.  I can find it in most of the worlds religions and spiritual teachings as well as in art, poetry, music and works of compassion.  Buddha's journey appears free from attachment to dogmatic views and shows the importance of a personal approach and the avoidance of a non-authoritian perspective.  Some say that because the Buddha found it necessary to leave home and seek enlightenment, his message is that it is only possible to be enlightened if your are a monk.  I disagree!  I see everyone's journey to enlightenment as a personal and autonomous endeavor.  Buddhism is far from external forms.  You don't have to study long and involved scriptures, eat only special kind of food, wear any special clothes, attend a church, chant or even meditate.  Buddha's realistic statements as to the realities of life are explained well in the Four Noble Truths.  Many people appear to advocate a personal existential approach with the attraction being permanent bliss free from suffering.  But the Buddha emphasized that both happy and sad times come to an end and that we suffer by worrying about what we might lose or gain.  This advocates an attitude in me that is open to experience including the awareness of personal attachments that perpetuate suffering.  We all crave sensations of various kinds and if they are pleasurable, we crave their repetition.  What appealed most to me about the course is Zen and it's emphasis on clearing the mind.  As the Buddha put it in the Dhammapada, "everything is based on the mind, is led by the mind, is fashioned by the mind".  In other words, if you speak and act with a polluted mind, suffering will follow you as the wheels of ox cart follow the footsteps of the ox.  If you speak and act with a pure mind, happiness will follow you as a shadow clings to form.  I find that the Zen idea of a polluted mind is quite different from the traditional Christian perspective, which dictates that "impure" thoughts be rooted out and eliminated.  What pollutes the mind in Buddhist view is our desire to get life to conform to our peculiar notion of how things should be as opposed to how they really are.  The point of Zen practice is to make you aware of the thoughts that run your life and diminish their power over you.  One of the fundamental tools for doing that is a form of sitting called "Zazen".  In Zazen practice, concentration comes not from trying hard to focus on something, but from keeping your mind open and directing it at nothing.  Sitting zazen, I learned to trust the moment - to be as mindfully as possible so I could react spontaneously to whatever was taking place. Another aspect of Zen that intruged me was it's emphasis on compassion.  The goal of Zen is not just to clear the mind, but to open the heart as well.  The two are interrelated and I would say that awareness is the seed of compassion.  As we begin to notice ourselves and others, just as we are, without judgment, compassion flows naturally.  When I was a boy, I was caught up in the mental aspects of worship, sort of building a wall in my mind with prayer and quotations from the Bible, that I lost track of the essence of Christianity.  By practicing Zen, I was able to clear my mind of all that interference and look upon my heart again. It is also clear to me that the Buddha recognized the Dharma would be subject to change as all things are.  The teachings of Siddhartha changed as they traveled.  As aspects of the Dharma were emphasized and developed within separate sangas, new schools of were encouraged. As a result of this development, sects were created holding opposing beliefs, some which separated the ordained monks and nuns from the lay people.  Because influences and teachings come from a variety of traditions and countries, it appears to me that we do not have a coherent Western sanga.  In my opinion, what we have instead is a number of sanga's held together with the label "Buddhism".  From this, I'm inspired to think of Western Buddhism as an objective Buddhism developed by observing the many fractions as a whole.  By Rev. Stephen Satonick ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Online Sermons

This is the continuation of my essay on the Master of Religion series.  The lost scriptures.  Not being a theologian it is hard for me to get into huge detail about this lesson.  Several years ago I picked up a copy of the Apocrypha which is the old testament books that were left out for whatever reason.  Probably due to lack of proof it was scripture.  What I noticed about the common denominators between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that they both share promises of Christs first and second coming and both sides of the Bible are invitations for lost man to return to God.  However when I read this lesson I was kind of annoyed. It is no different than the media censoring what news we do and do not see.  The biblical scholars and theologians in all of their wisdom have decided for us what is and is not worthy of cannonizing as scripture.  I believe the scriptures that are not included in the bible should be readily available in book stores and churches so we can make our own informed decisions on  what God has to say to us.  I am however confident that God has the ability to protect and preserve his word. It is after all what many prophets have lived and died for and even one book in the bible is enough information by itself for a church to thrive on.  I have heard it said in some countries where the church is persecuted that the members have a bible with all the books pulled apart and each home takes a turn with one or two of the books. So Gods word is powerful and efficient in even small doses if we pray for Gods wisdom.  The Trinity.   This is a huge subject and I am glad this lesson covered it.  I have noticed a lot of churches are scared off by this topic and even a lot of my friends think it is off limits to debate.   The thing is that the word trinity does not exist in the bible and if the issue of the 3 aspects of God described in the Bible must be addressed then this is how I see it. "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one," found in Deuteronomy 6:4.   We are dealing with one God with 3 aspects he has revealed to us. He is a Father to us and his holy spirit would be his driving force or his will.   In the bible such as in Judges when it says the spirit of God stirred in Samson the very will of God came on him to do Gods work.   When mary conceived of the Spirit of God she conceived of the will/the purpose/the driving force of God. A part of God came into this world to take away from men what we could not do through the law (as good as it was it was imperfect in our hands) and God took over the sacrifice through  Jesus which is Gods word made flesh.   How many parts or dimensions of God are there? I believe there is much more to God than we have been shown, but God has shown us enough to love him and  to come to him. Anything beyond that would probably not be conducive to producing the salvation God desires.   But this lesson was still good in showing the history of the trinity and how it got started. This is one of the lessons I plan on going into further.     As for the other lessons I will have to continue on them later.  Thank you. Colin Burgess. ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for Free, for Life, right now, use the Free Online Ordination, button -- Click the link! As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  As an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've enjoyed watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar