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As a non-denominational clergy person at large, I provide services to the community of those who are unaffiliated with a congregation or need something special in the way of a wedding or handfasting ceremony/rite in the Seattle/Tacoma/Everett/Greater Puget Sound area. With reference materials I can help you write the legal ceremony of your dreams from several denominations/religious traditions: interfaith marriages a specialty.
My fees are a direct $20 donation to the charity of your choice and sometimes help with transportation to the event. I do recommend three pre-wedding meetings: one to see if I am the clergy person you wish to officiate at the ceremony. Another to sit down and determine which type of ceremony (wedding, handfasting or betrothal) fits your emotional, spiritual, and other needs as a couple or extended/blended family and draft a rough copy of them. A third and final suggested meeting serves as a rehearsal before the ceremony to make certain the ceremony is exactly as you wish it to be. I willingly provide copies of the ceremony to relatives before the ceremony if desired (and in fact strongly suggest it in interfaith situations where there may be some reservations on the part of one or more parent.) I do not serve out of a church/synagogue/hall, but will travel to the site you have chosen, weddings in parks and gardens are favorites.
For reasons having to do with religious vows on my part I do not marry those under the age of 18. For further information, please contact me via e-mail at tinne@eskimo.com.
Susan L. Profit
Sincerely,
Rev. Adam Rideout
Minister & Ambassador - Universal Life Church
The Universal Life Church FAQ.
Please click here to link
to Rev. Rideout's homepage.
Q: What does the ULC believe?
A: The church has two basic tenets: That people have a right to freedom
of religion, and that people should do what they think is right. In general,
ULC
recognizes that an individual's rights extend up to the point where they
infringe upon those of another individual. Period. ULC has no set
dogma that it attempts to convert others to.
Q: ULC sounds like a very open kind of church. Are you sure it's
legal?
A: Yes. Rev. Hensley, the President and founder of ULC, has
seen the church through many court cases where ULC's legitimacy
was questioned. A federal court has ruled ULC a legal church.
Q: Is there an actual, physical, ULC church building?
A: ULC International Headquarters is located in Modesto, California.
A real church building exists there as well as offices for church business.
ULC
has various congregations all over the world as well.
Q: I've heard that ULC will ordain people as clergy. Is this true?
A: Yes. ULC will ordain anyone who asks no matter what the person's
gender, race, sexual preference, or spiritual belief might be.
Q: That sounds great. I've heard that it costs $15-$20 though, right?
A: No! There is absolutely *no* fee for becoming ordained in the Universal
Life Church. Many people believe that there is some sort of fee involved.
There is none. You need only contact ULC by mail or on their World
Wide Web page on the Internet to become ordained. If you mail them they
will send you a packet with an ordination credential. If you use the WWW
site you don't have to wait for the packet. Instead, you'll have access
to information via the site and a credential will display that you can
print out. If you send for the packet by mail, ULC does appreciate
donations (perhaps $1 or two) to defray the cost of sending you the information.
However, no one will harass you for any kind of money. Period.
Q: Now, wait a second. There's more to being a clergyperson than
possessing an ordination credential! Are you suggesting that a printed
piece of paper makes someone a legitimate Minister, Pastor, etc?
A: Absolutely not. ULC's ordination does not make you a Minister
or Pastor. You do. A clergyperson is expected to assume certain roles and
tasks in society such as caring for the needs of others and performing
clergy services such as marriages and funerals. ULC provides you
the potential to become a clergyperson by granting you an ordination. The
rest is up to you. You can put your ordination in a sock drawer or you
can use it and perform services for those who need them. It's completely
up to you.
Q: As ULC clergy, can I perform a wedding as other clergy do?
A: Generally, yes. ULC clergy can and do perform all of the
usual duties that other clergy do. Check with your local clerk of court
or other county official to see what the laws are in your state. They vary.
You should also check with ULC.
Q: What is my title once I become ordained by ULC? I've seen ULC
clergy with the title of Minister, Pastor, and even Priest!
A: When you become ordained you are by default a Minister of the church
and are entitled to place the Rev. abbreviation before your name to stand
for Reverend. Other clergy titles, however, are offered by ULC.
Q: Does ULC have materials that I can order to help me as a clergy
member?
A: Yes. ULC has many materials that it offers usually at very
low cost. Wedding certificates, window stickers, etc.
Q: I think I'd like to become ordained. How can I contact ULC?
A: There are several ways to contact ULC:
Address:
Universal Life ChurchPhone:
(209) 527-8111
(209) 527-8116 (FAX)
E-Mail: ulc@ulc.org
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