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

Online Ordination

Ordination Story -- Rev. Irene Bozich, Salt Lake City, UT

The reason why I became ordained stems from a long, interwoven history. I was born a Latter Day Saint (LDS) as was active most of my life, even though my parents were not very active. I went through a divorce in 1985 and was left to raise four children by myself, and I was a strong member of the church, held positions, and diligently took my children to church every Sunday.

In 1991, I took my children on a road trip down to St. George to support a couple of friends who were running in the St. George marathon. I allowed my 16-year-old daughter (Erika) to drive, as I was attempting to give her experience driving on the freeway. We were talking about the school dance coming up, and then the conversation lagged, and I noticed that she was slightly moving towards the shoulder of the road, and called her attention to it, and she over corrected twice, and we rolled four times and ended up on the other side of the freeway. 

After the car stopped rolling, I looked around, and my children were not longer in the back seat. My daughter and I were still in our seatbelts in the front seat, but could not get out of the car, because the tires were blown out and the doors wouldn’t open. She had blood dripping from her head, and asked ‘Was I driving?’ I had broken my clavicle and my elbow was out of the socket, but my other children were all over the road. Thank God I don’t have a memory of seeing them. My son was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital where he passed away the next day. My other children and myself were at the LDS Hospital. My little boy was my youngest child and only son, and I have mourned his death since, and miss him terribly. My oldest daughter, Karin, received the most injuries, and she is doing great now, but still suffers with residual affects. Her doctor told me that she would always remember that she was involved in a terrible accident because of her injuries. She had to have the orbital floor of her left eye rebuilt twice. She broke both femurs, her clavicle, knee, and she had a rock down her throat balancing on her wind pipe. She also had her forehead sanded. She has pain in her shoulder, and she doesn’t have muscle strength in her left arm because her muscles have atrophied because of nerve damage. Karin is now happily married, graduated from college, and has a great job. My other daughter, Kristin, had a closed head injury where she lost her short term memory, and she broke one femur and cracked her shoulder blade. It took a couple of years for her memory to restore and be back to normal. Kristin is now happily married with two children and expecting the third. She graduated from college and taught school for two years, and is currently substitute teaching several days a week. My daughter, Erika, who was driving is happily married with five children, which keeps her super busy. She loves getting creative with clothing she finds at thrift stores and making them unique for herself and her daughter. She seems to be doing fine, but I always wonder.

A miracle actually happened the day of the accident. There was an emergency room doctor right behind us, Dr. Brent Mabey. He immediately stopped with his family in the car and then even drove back to Nephi eight miles to help Karin at the Nephi hospital before she was flown to the LDS Hospital. Plus, there were EMT’s and RN’s who also stopped to help at the scene of the accident (twelve medical professionals). I could have lost all my children that day. I know the doctor saved Karin’s life that day and probably Kristin’s life as well, and I will be forever grateful. 

So, after I lost my son, I felt an intense need to find him or at least know where he was. So, I read Betty Edie’s first manuscript before her book came out, ‘Embraced by the Light’. It was very healing. I even called her on the phone and we had a discussion which I remember her saying, ‘This life is like a spit in the ocean. We are here to progress and learn. Don’t allow anything to hold you back” fear, doubt, worry, guilt. Our purpose is to move forward in life.’ She was very encouraging. So, I started attending the IANDS group meetings each month (International Association of Near Death Studies). These meetings helped me a lot as I listened to people’s stories of their NDE’s. I’ve learned so much about life through people’s NDE experiences. It gives you great perspective to learn about what is ahead of us in the next life experience. It offers wisdom. There was a man who stood up in one of the meetings, and this is something that I have always remembered. He said, ‘It’s important what you do in this life, but what’s more important is what you do about what you do.’ Quite the riddle! Think about it! We all make mistakes, but what makes the real difference, is what we do about the mistake after we realize we made a mistake. Do we have courage to make amends? It’s all about character. 

A few months after the accident, I had a grief counselor call me, Jackie Sharp. She worked for Memorial Estates, and she was adamant that she could help me. So, I made an appointment. We met at the mortuary where I last saw my son, so I was difficult to walk into the building. In fact, I had a friend go with me for the first visit. As I was getting counseling through Jackie, I heard an actual voice in my head ‘She is your mentor’. I was shocked! I had never heard a voice in my head ever before, and I pushed it out. I heard it again during the same counseling session. I couldn’t figure out how she could mentor me. And, then a few years later, Jackie established a school for hypnosis training, and she encouraged me to take the course. I wasn’t working at the time, so I decided to learn hypnosis and earned my certificate. As I would learn techniques, I would practice the techniques on my children. I was able to take the pain out of my daughter’s shoulder with one of the techniques. I was amazed, and so was she! I thought, ‘What power do I possess?’ I didn’t know what I was going to do with my certificate, and then Positive Changes Hypnosis of Utah opened an office, I went down and applied, and got the job. I worked with ten clients a day for about two years, and then the office closed down after 911. So, I have been conducting sessions out of my home since then. Jackie called me one day, and said, ‘You need to be ordained’. I resisted at first, but then remembered that she was my mentor, and I better listen to her advice. So, she ordained me as a Universal Life Minister. 

I went to work the next day at a recreational center where I was the secretary to the director, and told everyone that I was a minister. One of my co-workers came into my office and asked me if I would perform her wedding, and I accepted! I remember being so nervous before the actual ceremony. It was outside at a campsite. My cousin went with me, and as I got into the ceremony, I absolutely loved every minute of it! I took their marriage license down to the county recorder’s office, marriage division, and asked them, ‘How can I get more of these opportunities?’ It was so uplifting! And, ever since then, my wedding ministry has grown each year. Last year I performed 35 weddings! It has been a wonderful experience, and I look forward and treasure every wedding I have the opportunity to perform!

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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

Online Sermons

By Scott Phillips

Evening and Morning

In Him By Him Through Him

Gen 1:1-5 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ..

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And

the evening and the morning were the first day.

The progression of events on God's Calendar is simply this, it gets

better and better.

No matter how bad it may seem, the end result is that we can rest in

the fact that there is a great punch line. From our Human

Perspective is summed up in statements like…

It's all down hill from here,

Over the Hill.

It don't get any better than that, The Good Ole Days.

We live in a mindset that the past was Glorious and the Future is

Gloomy.

Why do we feel that way? Because that is what we see. That is what

many of you have experienced. In fact we can look in the mirror and

see some evidence that this may be true. Just let me clue you in,

that that is Stinking Thinking

God's View is Evening and Morning. No matter the darkness that

approaches there is a New Day Coming.

In the Last Supper Jesus warned them that dark days approached. I

can see the overcast sky and the night quickly approaching as they

entered into that Fateful Garden for the Last time. This place that

was the common place of prayer in the Life of Christ, we find it to

be the place of an origination of a sequence of events that would

catapult the world into the Darkest of Times.

As his Disciples slept, Jesus Prayed. He prayed like a man with a

death sentence. As he finished praying one of his trusted followers

approached him, kissed him and in that action betrayed him. As his

disciples melted into the darkness to escape the obvious trouble,

Jesus was led forth. In that darkness of that Night, one of his Bold

Disciples denied him. No sooner had this dark moment came, the sun

broke over the horizon in that the Rooster began to crow.

Jesus is passed around the thrones of power like a hot potato; no

one wanting to be responsible for what they knew must be done. Even

the Jewish High priest prophesied that a Man would die for the Jews.

When given an opportunity to give their King a crown of acceptance

they with one voice rejected him and damned him to die a death of

unspeakable cruelty.

As Pilate washed his hands of Jesus, Jesus began to endure an

amazing example of what love he had for you. As the day waned, we

find Jesus struggling under the load of a cruel tree. When he

finally is nailed on and lifted up, and his death rapidly

approaches, Jesus forgives his persecutors and promises paradise to

a thief.

The Darkness of death is so great; we cannot even perceive what it

is. No one wants to die. No one wants someone they Love to die.

Imagine when the Man that represented all your Faith, and that Man

died a Humiliating and Shameful Death.

Darkness.

We must Remind ourselves, It is Evening and Morning.

We spend our time in the middle of Evening and Morning. In that

unsettled place of Darkness. To truly appreciate the Light, you must

experience the darkness of Night.

Truly Jesus Rose from the Dead. After 40 Days walking, talking and

showing himself, he went away. He left. He was taken up and his

promise was. I am coming back.

We are living in the middle of Evening and Morning. The principle of

Christ, found in his teaching and his passion is that it gets better.

When the prophets of doom and gloom forecast that the worst is

coming, be of good cheer. WE must be able to see past the obvious

future and see the future that Faith brings.

Will we have trouble?

Will there be great controversy? Will we be tried and tempted? Will

we suffer in some manner?

Jesus is the ultimate object lesson for you and I. Consider him who

The answer to all of these questions is yes. However we must stretch

our faith to see the founder of all there is and know that God sees

beyond our Evening and night. You know what he sees? He sees morning.

Weeping may endure for the night, but Joy comes in the Morning.

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips

*******************************

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

Online Ordination

Dear Amy,

In 1998 I made a decision to do service with woman and help with self-esteem issues and many other issues facing woman today. At that time I also became a life coach and a certified Hypnotherapist. I have a website that is under construction and will be up and running in about a week. (Ihavethepower.us) and so do you. On the site you will see photos and events for woman coming up as well as one on one coaching.

Warm Regards,

Tamaya

*******************************

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

Universal Life Church

By Scott Phillips

God Loves to See You Smile

The other day my wife was rushing around the house helping someone get ready for a wedding that attends the church in Clinton. The couple did not have a lot of money and my wife just saw an opportunity to do something nice, because that is the way she is. For the next few days she was focused and motivated on the task at hand. Through out this process of hard work, I marveled at how thrilled she was doing something for someone else. Through this I had a "TADA" moment. She was demonstrating a characteristic of God.

God loves to see you smile.

He has/does and will go to great lengths to bring joy into your life. If you think of the history of God dealing with man, it is amazing to consider everything he has done had a single overriding purpose and that being for man to find that place of Joy and Completeness.

It started with the carefully planned habitat in Eden. Then his custom made companion for Adam. He then tailored clothing to cover the shame of their sin with clothes. And from there the list goes on and on.

I have heard it communicated that God did it all because he wants praise or love or some other thing. I however don't believe that is true.

I think God gets more glory when from a thankful heart a smile transforms a face, a heart is filled with love and words of sincere communication transpire. I don't think he does it for praise, I think that God does it simply because he loves to see you smile.

It is sort of like the Chicken or Egg debate. What does God want from you? Is it just to see you "serve him" and worship him or is it that God truly loves his children and wants to see them happy and fulfilled.

The answer is found in the picture of a parent. No doubt parents love for a child to get up publicly and tell how great they are. However I truly believe what is the greatest source of joy for a parent is to see their children happy and living purposeful, meaningful lives.

Your Heavenly Father loves to see you smile.

The natural outflow of the Goodness of our Father is for us love him. When we think of the great price God has paid to reconcile us back to him and redeem us from the curse of sin, it helps to know why. The purpose is not so he has someone to sing for him, testify for him or even give money for him. The purpose is to see his children experience true joy.

I did not say God wants you to be a spoiled brat. No good parent gives their children everything they want. No good parent is going to let everything come easy. However the overriding driving passion of God is see his children prosper and lead productive and meaningful lives.

The scripture says, "If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost to everyone that asketh."

Does he give the Holy Ghost to his children for "self serving" purposes or does he do it because he sincerely and deeply loves to see his children experience the joy that only the Holy Ghost can give.

I have heard so many preachers preach about praise and worship and they present it as God doing everything because he likes to be praised. I really don't think that is what God likes. I truly believe that what God likes is what produces true praise and worship.

When we recognize that every good and perfect thing in our life comes from one source, when we can see the tremendous price paid for the saving of our souls, when we get a glimpse at the vast reservoir of his love there is a natural by-product that will come flowing from us like a rain swollen river rushing, flowing toward the source of the rain.

When you smile at God, God smiles back at you. If you have anything you can smile about, it is because of the tender mercies of a savior that has spared no expense to see his child in that place of meaningful purpose. If you have a need and will sincerely and honestly seek his face, he will answer your prayer and meet your need. Why? He wants to see your life filled with purpose and meaning? Why? Because he loves to see you smile.

Smiling.

In Him, By Him, Through Him,

Scott Phillips

http://www.newbirth.us

*******************************

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 , 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