On January 14, 2024, I took my first “real” step into the world of ministry by becoming ordained through the Universal Life Church (ULC). Given that Virginia was strict on qualified wedding officiants, I determined that my Church of the Latter-day Saints ordainment wouldn’t hold up. Founded in the 1960s on the inclusive principle that “we are all children of the same universe,” the ULC has long been the pioneer for independent ordination, existing decades before the internet made divine paperwork a digital download away.
For me, this wasn’t just about getting a certificate; it was the start of a serious inquiry. I pursued this ordination with genuine curiosity, wondering how the intersection of faith and the law actually functions here in Virginia. I’ve secured my Certificate of Ordination and a Letter of Good Standing, both of which represent a tradition of religious freedom that has been legally recognized to perform weddings in nearly every state in the Union.
The Virginia Challenge
However, I’m walking into this with my eyes open. Virginia is a “brick-and-mortar” state, often preferring its ministers to have a physical ZIP code and a local congregation rather than a digital calling. There is an ongoing tension here—a test of whether the state can act as a referee over which belief systems are “legitimate” and which are not.
This ULC ordination marks the official beginning of my “Experiment in Authority.” It is a sincere attempt to see if the “Old Dominion” is ready to embrace a modern understanding of community and ministry. I’m eager to see how the local courts will view these credentials. Will they see the sincerity of the calling, or will they see a bureaucratic hurdle?
Paperwork may not move mountains, but it is the first step in navigating the legal landscape. I look forward to bringing these credentials to the Warren County Clerk and seeing exactly where the line between faith and bureaucracy is drawn.
