The Universal Life Church was started in 1959, in the town of Modesto, CA by Kirby Hensley.  In order for the freedom of religion to be protected, Kirby felt it has got to be asserted.  Kirby promised to ordain everyone who asked, free of charge, no questions asked.
There were ministers of much more traditional ‘Big Dog’ churches, who complained incessantly that to be a real clergy-member, 1 must attend years of training, be approved by a committee and adhere to strict doctrinal standards. Unsurprisingly, those same people had no answer when it was brought to their attention that Peter and Paul and the rest of the disciples had no seminary training.  Approval or traditional training matter a lot less when you come to look at the long list of abuse committed by so many ‘approved’ or ‘trained’ priests. Due to these types of headlines, a lot of very warm-hearted folks have hesitated to pursue their ministry. Regardless of the advances in society, there are still a lot of churches who will not allow women to preach.
According to Kirby, any real person should be able to become ordained without being forced to dance to anyone's tune, so with that in mind, he set out to establish a church that would enable this. His church, known as the Universal Life Church (ULC), has become known worldwide and has steadily grown in popularity and membership over the years.  The church has become well-known and established over the years, enough that many celebrities proudly proclaim their membership, as well as having the Universal Life Church be mentioned on numerous television programs. Modesto, the headquarters of the International Universal Life Church, where it all started, is the place individuals are thinking of whenever ULC comes to mind.
Sadly, this notoriety and popularity inevitably attracted the attention of scam artists and others who would look to boost their bank accounts by ’borrowing’ the well-established name of the church.  Employing the methods of the same people who would sell counterfeit Rolex watches (calling them ‘Romex’ or the like), these same rip-off artists created spin-offs making use of the title of ULC, but adding endings like ‘network’ or ‘monastery’ to misdirect individuals.   It never occurred to Kirby that people would do such dishonest things or how easily it could be done over the internet, so he never sought to trademark the name ‘Universal Life Church’ and even encouraged the use of the name by other congregations, expecting them to use it honestly. That left the field wide open for deceptions, and over the internet today, such falsehoods are occurring in rapidly increasing numbers.
Operating out of mail drops or trailer parks, these fake ULC groups began claiming not only that they're a part of Universal Life Church, but even suggesting that they are THE Universal Life Church. Â Â By making use of a fair share of black-hat tricks and/or by barfing spammy posts and such throughout the internet, a few have managed to fool Google into giving them undeserved search engine rankings. The issue that creates is that people believe they've been ordained by the ULC of Modesto, but who really were sucked into one of these other groups.
Making matters worse, the truth seems to have taken on a unusual meaning for these radical groups. One such lie told is that ministers must buy credentials to be legal. That, naturally, is only a partial truth. Only a small number of states require you to show a credential and that’s ONLY if you wish to conduct a marriage ceremony. Most states require nothing. Credentials are only necessary for weddings an nothing else.  In any case, there's no need to buy a package of things that they may not need or want.
One much-complained-about scammer pushes individuals to purchase credentials and letters of good standing as requirements both for ordination through his ‘Exclusive Christian-only’ site, and because he claims it is legally needed to perform ceremonies in every state.  The number of states that require the letter is very small and Modesto provides the letters free of charge. The only exceptions are for the few states which require a notarized letter â€" there is a fee for the notary.
Currently, the ULC has two ‘official’ websites. ULC.net is the oldest active web site of the church, established during 1997. This site, known affectionately as ‘the bookstore’ provides a host of services for ministers, including a forum, support desk, ordination, directory, and bookstore. In the event you want to confess online, there exists a place to do that. The head office of ULC Headquarters is still found in Modesto CA, as well as online at ulchq.com.  The only other website closely affiliated with the GENUINE ULC church in Modesto is the ULC Seminary, which offers online training courses, a chaplaincy program, a variety of free weekly mailings and a lot more It’s a well-established and respected site. With both the Bookstore and the Seminary, the advice is free and they are there to answer their phones and offer support.
Be cautious of any othe sites. There are a lot of good sites out there, created by upstanding ULC ministers, but anyone claiming they ARE the ‘real’ Universal Life Church, or claiming they are the only Christian 1 or any site you get a bad feeling from, do not be led astray.  If you are though, don't be disappointed. Many others have also been fooled before you, and it really is painfully simple to have it happen to you.
You are able to readily confirm the truth for yourself. Corporate records are open for the public so you can check on any which claim to BE the Universal Life Church. You can do this by looking at the Secretary of State for the state in which they are located.  If you look at the records in CA, you will find that the original Universal Life Church became incorporated in 1962 as being a non-profit. (The church began in 1959, but did not incorporate until 1962.)   In the legal state records, those of the other sites that you can find, will show to have only been open for business very recently. When you are told the legality of your ordination hinges on your spending money, run for hills and guard your wallet!
The Universal Life Church has opened the way for millions to become ordained and to seek out their dreams and are pleased that so many others have taken up the torch to assure that same freedom.  Hundreds of churches today have modeled their ordination processes after the ULC, which has been great to see. The honest churches establish a unique name for themselves then make an effort to distinguish their ministry or mission in other ways as well. Others, who do not believe in the idea of doing that which is right, will simply take the well-known name and warp it for their own means, knowing that many folks won’t check into the difference -- At least not until it's too late, and they've been separated from their funds!
Please take the time to check the sites out. You are important and your ordination matters so please find an honest ULC who offers you more than an opportunity to spend your cash.
Author Resource:
Kevin Andrews encourages individuals to become a minister through his authorized ULC website. Amy Long also runs a legitimate Universal Life Church site, which is affiliated with ULC Headquarters in Modesto, CA.
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