Four Gospels

Four Gospels Final Essay:                                         This Gospels study course has helped to open my eyes to more of the history of the Bible and hints to the differences of the early world. This study has a lot of references of early times which elude to the life of Christ both as a Man and a Religious Figure for those that choose that particular path.  This study also has many references to modern day events such as Courts proceedings, Organizations Foundational building etc. as many of these seem to use Bible material or similar to maintain their respective orders. This has caused a bit of friction among the Minions of the World as sometimes there may be a "if you don't believe as I believe" mentality going on however it is an important building block none the less.  I suggest that the Four Gospels course (five, including the information about the Gospel of Thomas)  and historical events put into place to begin to explain modern world, is a really simple way for someone to be able to understand both Old and New World History and also to be able to make sense of ones own existence.  This was and shall be a wonderful study for myself and I would Highly recommend it to others weather in the Seminary Degree program or not as it gives Great references to read.  Many different styles of writing have been used here as well from poetic to straight talk to very old world. These styles have lead us upon a path of many different genres as well. As stated before a lot of history has been discussed in these books and they are not all completely merely fictional religious books as some folks believe the Bible to be a great work of fiction, there are factual references to the world as we know it from a Geographical standpoint at the least within the pages of these works.  There is also some references to works such as belief that what you see is what you get type of stories as well as many different works of interest to many folks out there.  I suggest that one should just pick up a Bible and read as well as get the study guide of The Unvarnished Gospels then they themselves see or experience rather a neat chapter of our lives.  Thanks for reading this final Essay and I look forward to the Degree Card as well as the other courses I'm taking.  As Ever I bid you all to Please Take Care and Be Well,                                                                                  Blessings,                                                                                                   Pastor LeoMerchant ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Online Sermons

By F. James Barker

Certainty

Good morning!!!

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glade in it.

Opening prayer

Our dear Heavenly Father. You have brought us together and made us into one family, teaching all of us to love one another in Christ. We are Your church. We are different in many ways. In many ways we are more different than we are alike but Your love for us knows no human boundaries. We are family. We are one. We are Your church. Amen.

Message

The stumbling block

Open your Bibles to Matthew 16: 18-19.

You are Peter, and I can guarantee that on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Now go to Matthew 16: 21-23

From that time on Jesus began to inform his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem. There he would have to suffer a lot because of the leaders, chief priests, and scribes. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be brought back to life. Peter took Him aside and objected to this. He said, Heaven forbid, Lord! This must never happen to You! But Jesus turned and said to Peter, Get out of My way, Satan! You are tempting me to sin. You aren't thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think.

Jesus blessed Peter and noted his exceptional leadership potential, but then turned to scold Peter as Satan's tool; Jesus great asset quickly became his great liability. Why this rapid turn of events? The cross cast its shadow over Jesus, showing that Peter had no clue to God's ways and thoughts.

The easy church. A cartoon in a church bulletin board announcing, "The light Church", with 24% fewer commitments, 10 minute sermons, 45 minute worship services and only eight commandments: Everything you've wanted in a church and less!

We think giving into temptation means doing something evil and immoral. When Jesus was confronted by Satan in the wilderness and by Peter, the temptation was to avoid the cross. Choose an easier way.

In Matthew 16:20 Jesus warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. Why did Jesus insist they tell no one he was the Christ? People sought a militant, conquering, warrior Christ (Messiah) to destroy their enemies. But God sent a Christ who said, Love your enemies. Matthew 5:44 and who died on a cross. Man's ways and thoughts are so unlike God's! The easy way of conflict looks more attractive than the difficult way of the cross.

Humans seek certainty. Having the answers. Conflict arises as people claim certainty for their answers. Christianity's true power comes not in the type of certainty but in a certainty of God's sacrificial, self giving love expressed in Christ's death and resurrection. God's way is to admit how little we know and to show how much we trust in Him. To live with less certainty and more love!

Concluding prayer

Dear Lord. You are our perfect Father, but we are Your imperfect children full of human failings. We try to go our own way. Be patient with us because we cannot live without Your love. Help us to realize that doing Your will should come first no matter what the present situation is. Give us the strength, the wisdom and the love to be your servants. Amen.

Benediction

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you; make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; lift His face unto you and give you peace. In His Name. Amen

F. James Barker

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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.

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

Religious Philosophy

RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY FINAL ESSAY   This was a great and very interesting course.  It was unbiased and well thought out.  I would like to thank Robert Chamberlain for all his hard work.             This was definitely one of the favorite courses that I've taken.  I learned a lot and had fun doing it.  It will definitely help me as a minister to understand other faiths.  I feel that anyone who wants to become a minister, or someone who just wants to learn more about faith, should take this course.             This course defines what people believe, why they believe, and how those beliefs differ.   It covers that religion requires a God on which to focus, to worship, to give devotion and service to, and one to whom we must remain faithful.  Conversely, an Ethical System has no such requirement.  That is a system relating to moral action, motive or character.  The Ethical System is organized based on principals of behavior, right and wrong.  Some people have a hard time distinguishing between these terms.  For example, many consider the Ten Commandments are based on morality.  There are those religions that believe you must involve God, but there are other religions that see just the morality issue without a god, such as Buddhism and Jainism.  Then there is a small group of religions that fall into the religio-ethical trap.  This course, for all intents and purposes, considers no difference between these terms.  Any system of devotion could be by a single person or by a group.  It is said, and I agree, that no two people on earth believe exactly the same way.  That still leaves us with over 5,000 different organized religious bodies.  Many religions believe that if you don't belong to their religion, then you must belong to a cult.             The Religious Philosophy course covers four distinct forms generally recognized by human religiosity.  These are:  Individual faith, Communal faith, Shamanalistic faith and Ecclesiastical faith.  These four "systems of worship" were designated by anthropologists.  This course also covers the field of religion by four other methods.  These methods are specifically tailored for the field of religion.  They are:  evolutionary, multiplicity, theistically and problematically.             This course did a remarkable job of covering forty eight religions.  Studying religion is important to be able to assess, evaluate and understand the bias that might be present.  It covers the purpose and function of religion.  This course covered religion is so many different ways.              It was exciting to see so much information presented in so many ways.  It was a well written class that I'll definitely reread many times.  I do love the courses from the ULC Seminary and I do reread them all.  They are very good references that I keep near my desk to give me easy access.  I feel this course is a must for everyone.   Peace to All, Rev. Nancy Rutledge             ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Clergy Ordination

The Universal Life Church ordained me on March 27th, 2000. I didn't start actually performing ceremonies/rituals for anyone other than family and friends until 2002, as I felt I needed more time to become proficient at it.

Looking back, I think being a member of the clergy has always been my calling. I remember, as a small child going to Catholic school, wanting to be a priest when I grew up. I could never get a straight answer from any of the adults as to why I couldn't. Just that girls could be nuns, but only boys could be priests. Never any explanation! That was just the way it was. Later, during my "atheist phase", During one of those career placement tests, Clergy kept coming up as the thing I was best suited for. What a laugh I got out of that! (I guess the joke was on me.) Over the years, I explored many different organized religions, atheism and a couple of cults.

What I finally discovered is that there is no one "right" path, but that everyone has a specific path that is right for them. What's more, a person's path can contain spirituality, wisdom and philosophy from any number of different sources, and that it is no less valid as a belief system than a specific religion. Since then, I have encountered numerous people who have spirituality, but do not subscribe to any set religion, many of whom have mentored me in my spiritual path.

In searching for actual clergy members who were not affiliated with a particular sect or religion, however, I came up conspicuiously empty handed. I found plenty who were more tolerant of different beliefs, but in the end, it seemed that all of them wanted to conduct things according to a set tradition. It had been suggested to me by friends and family members that I become that clergy member that I couldn't find; that I start my own church. I laughed it off, thinking that I couldn't do it, even though that inner voice that we all have had been telling me the same thing for some time by that point. I still didn't listen to that voice even when I started having recurring dreams about being some sort of "spiritual leader".

It wasn't until things kept on coming up in my medicine card reading and one of my mentors suggested I may want to do this that I really took a serious look at the option. I am very grateful for being led to this, as this work is fulfilling in a way that no other has ever been.

I have counseled others for as long as I can remember. I have always been one

of those people who strangers would walk up to and pour their heart out to. Although I sometimes questioned the reasons for this, I always accepted that this was simply what was meant to be for me and followed my heart in passing on the words or actions given to me. Now that I have fully embraced the path set for me and resolved to follow it wherever it takes me, rather than resisting on the basis of, "I can't do that" or, "But I want to do it" I have been given opportunities far beyond anything I could have imagined.

Becoming ordained and building an outreach ministry has enabled me to obtain access to far more resources for those in need as my clients than what could be done as friends or acquaintances. The feeling of being able to help another person discover or define his or her path is indescribable, as is the intense emotion in being a part of someone's most intimate life moments, such as birth, marriage/commitment, death and entry into the next world or life. These are momentous occasions and each time I have the privilege of sharing one of these with another, I am reminded that these are rewards for following the direction of my Higher Power and am filled anew with gratitude.

Blessed Be.

In love and light, -Rev. K.M. Hutchison

Wolf Den Ministries

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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