| Negative Bombardment from Mikey Cauley Hi All, Recently, I have been bombarded with negativity by a guy named Michael Cauley. He's part of the ulc monastery and has made his own little website 'seminary'. He has been slamming me on every forum he can find, including Facebook and (probably) MySpace as well. I already posted this on Facebook, but feel free to re-post it anywhere you think is appropriate. Instead of following the tenets of ULC, he has decided to go on a smear campaign of both me (personally) and the ULC Seminary in general, Headquarters in Modesto, and a few occasional swipes at ulc.net. He is saying all sorts of untrue things, as well as some technically 'true' things, but taken out of context and misrepresented. I'd like to believe that somewhere in his heart, he thinks he is doing something that's right. He keeps referencing a site that the monastery themselves put up, and assuming it's correct. Perhaps he is merely a pawn in a bigger game. Either way, I've chosen to keep my distance because ugliness and poison has a way of hurting everyone it touches. However, good information is always helpful. Sigh. Okay. Here we go. The ULC was started by Kirby Hensley in 1959 in Modesto, CA. Kirby fought very hard for people to have the right to be ordained. Without him and his struggles, none of us would be where we are, as far as being ordained. If there was ever anything he did that was legally inappropriate, I don't know anything about it and it would have had to have been a long time ago. Daniel Zimmerman started the ulc.org site, originally with the intention of doing it for headquarters. At one point, their ideas separated, so HQ made their own site (www.ulchq.com) They chugged along for several years, with Daniel accepting ordinations, which he forwarded to headquarters. About 7 years ago or so, I started helping Daniel with the site. I was not employed there, but did it to help and to sell my first book. Yes, Daniel had talked to me about selling me the site. We had no formal agreement of any kind. We had just talked about it as something to happen in the future. I found out that he had been lying the whole time in order to get me to do more work for him for free. He kept telling me it was 'sweat equity', while having no intention of ever selling the site to me or anyone. He wrote emails to someone on his board saying what a fool I was to keep working for him and was very pleased at how he was taking advantage of me. This, on top of the growing unease with how he thought of and referred to our ULC ministers, made me decide it was time to leave. I had been trying for some time to convince Daniel to add a seminary aspect to the site and he was resistant. He wanted to do his monk program, which I found offensive (due to the nature of the materials he presented, not monks in general.) I wanted a seminary to add credibility to people's ordination and to give them more training. I also wanted to increase the feeling of community. He didn't care about any of that. So I left and started my own site. When I was working with Daniel, I had urged him to re-design the site. He was resistant, but agreed if I was willing to pay to have it done. I agreed to pay for half, knowing it would help everything in the long run. I hired a programmer, who did it at a reduce price and worked with me to come up with the improved design. When I left to start my own site, I hired the same programmer (and paid him for the information) to create a similar template framework. There's nothing wrong with that. I re-wrote all of the text throughout the site and it has been evolving ever since. I have been accepting ordination requests and forwarding them to headquarters from the first day I went online. I have asked for authorization, but headquarters has denied it. Due to the legal issues going on, I believe they don't want to authorize anyone or step outside of what they are comfortable with. Perhaps, when the legal issues are resolved, Andre (Kirby's son) will talk to the board about authorizing me. I am fully in support of HQ in Modesto and will continue to remain so. Two years later, George Freeman (aka 'Br. Martin') used Daniel's poor behavior (and yes, it appears it was really odd behavior) as an excuse to stage a coup and take the site from Daniel. He claims it was all done legally, but that is in dispute. On my website, I made references to the ongoing legal battles and made outside references to them. When the site was taken, Daniel did what he could to take it down, but George had control over it the domain name. At that time, headquarters withdrew their authorization and support. George has since been buying up every domain name he can think of to spam the search engines and to mislead people into thinking that they are the 'real' ULC. Michael keeps 'pointing out' that I started the Seminary without the permission of the monastery board. He is absolutely correct. I also did it without the permission of the Baptists, the Catholics, the president of the United States, Taco Bell or anyone else. I believe this is also true of most of the websites on the internet. I did not need their permission. No ULC minister needs permission to start a ULC website. As for claims about my courses all being free on the internet. That's too ridiculous to address. The degrees are not accredited, nor have I claimed they were. They were, however, approved by the California Bureau of Post Secondary Education under the Religious Exemption Clause. Each course was reviewed and approved. That dept. closed a couple of years ago, but the approval still stands. Also, the Seminary is most definitely a church. We incorporated as a church in Aug. of 2004. Our paperwork is posted on the site. I'm not sure why he is saying we're not, when it's so clearly posted that we are. We incorporated two years before the 'monastery storehouse' did. Let's see, what else. Oh yeah, someone else said he's been talking about his poverty and my wealth. When it comes to great friends, a loving partner, fantastic kids, a vocation I love, and spiritual connection -- I am one of the wealthiest people I know. As for money -- I don't recall reviewing my taxes with him. Yes, I do get paid for the products we sell, but I'd hardly say I'm wealthy. As a matter of fact, in addition to doing the website 40hrs. a week, I teach karate, officiate at weddings, work as a mobile DJ, occasionally do mystery shopping, and get child support in order to make ends meet. I'm like the rest of you in that I do what I do because I love it. I'm trying to remember what other silly things he has said. I didn't read much of what he wrote, but I did get a lot of phone calls and emails about it. As far as Kevin at ulc.net. He's an honest and kind man. His site is a bookstore. He has never claimed otherwise. He and I have a good relationship and we refer people back and forth as appropriate. I always wish him good things. Headquarters (the real one in Modesto) is run by Andre Hensley. As far as I have ever seen, he does a great job and is an honest man. They get a ton of ordinations that they have to put in by hand every day. They do letters of authorization and hand-type the credentials and other items. They aren't perfect, but none of us are. I haven't seen any dishonesty from them and they've always been fair with me. Someone must have hurt or neglected Mr. Cauley badly when he was a child. Physically or emotionally. I don't know what. He has made it a habit of calling our ministers and yelling at them, calling them names and more. He does this with anyone who disagrees with him. I find people like that to be exhausting to be around and I choose to stay away from them. Many of you have already 'unfriended' him and have found that he continues to pester you for a friend-add. Consider what kind of energy you want in your life before deciding how you wish to proceed. I greatly appreciate all the loving support I've received from so many of you. This is why I love what I do. :) Hugs, --Amy ******************************* The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive and affordable online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, a beginning course on Wicca, as well as a beginning course on Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is a free and lifetime ordination, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. We also make available many free wedding ceremonies for your use, as well as funeral ceremonies and other types of ceremonies. The ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program where you can earn the coveted title of Chaplain. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church materials to help you with your professionalism and confidence. I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and an amazed by the frequent upgrades and new functions of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar |
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Universal Life Church
Friday, June 4, 2010
Universal Life Church
The Reason to Keep Standing
When the Lesser Part does its Part
I was walking through the house when my wife showed my on the computer screen a video of a plane flying through the air. She explained to me that it was a Jet Blue passenger plane that had been flying around in the air for a number of hours because of a malfunctioning landing gear. A short time later she called me in as we watched it slowly land with back tires first and slowly dropping the front tire gently down on the tarmac. On first glance you could see that the tires were positioned sideways, so the momentum of the plane was going across the tire.
Almost immediately the tire started smoking and a few moments later the tire began to ignite in a bright flame.
My wife and eye held our breath and prayed that the front tire assembly would hold. When the planed finally came to a stop, a great relief and celebration for the safety of the plane and over one hundred and fifty occupants. My wife said, "If I was on that plane, I would be shouting!"
As I reflected on this event, it occurred to me that the life and fortune of all these rested on a part of the plane that gets very little attention. On some yesterday someone in a airplane plant gave special care to assemble this important part. In the meantime, maintenance crews made sure it was strong, so when trouble came, the assembly held together. When the smoke cleared and the
fire was extinguished, all of these exited the plane because a small piece of the plane played its unique role and passed the test it was designed for.
No matter your function or skill, you also play an important part.
When the pressure is on and it seems the easy thing would be to give in and give up, remember there are others who are trusting in you to stand, even when you have done all to stand, continue to stand.
You are important and you can handle it. Don't buy the lie that it is more than you can bear, you can bear it, and you can hold up, you have a special reservoir designed in you that will uphold you.
Keep Standing, no matter how insignificant you feel.
In Him, By Him, Through Him,
Scott Phillips
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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 , 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
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Universal Life Church
Welcome to our weekly sermon. We have created this feature to allow you to get regular weekly sermons sent straight to you. These sermons are on a variety of topics and we are neither promoting nor insisting on any particular point of view. We are merely sharing what has been sent to us. If you don't agree with the weekly topic or point of view, please just delete it and wait for next weeks.
Universal Life Church Seminary
#1 - What is the secret of life?
Rev. Linda Anne Spicer
Spiceonian@bresnan.net
(music in background…live guitar, piano…soft recorded instrumental)
Welcome all,
It is a blessing and a gift to be together with everyone this day /evening in the spirit of love and understanding. We are grateful for the freedom to be congregated in body and heart, to give strength, joy and support to each other and the experience of our Creator’s love. Let us take a few moments to look about us, greet your neighbor and feel the presence of life.
(Greetings, hugs, handshakes)
Please join me in a moment of silence to reflect on our blessings. (Quiet reflection)
Prayer-
Blessed Creator and Source of our Heart,
Thank you for another day to live in your world. Guide our thoughts and open our hearts that we may be spend this time in harmony with your Being. May we learn to be Honest, Happy and Free.
Amen
How many times have we wondered “What is the secret of life?”. When life is difficult, confusing or the universe seems to be at a standstill, when we get despondent or afraid, do we wonder “why are we here?“ or “What‘s the use?”. Is there anyone who hasn’t wondered these things if so, come on up and give today’s talk and do you really have wings? (Grin)
Is the Secret of Life wealth, fame, security, good marriage, successful children, health, God of your Heart? Could be, might be.
I went online, typed in “secret of life“, and got 132 million results, so this probably is a big question. Groucho Marx says “The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made.” Musician James Taylor writes the secret of life is the passage of time. Other places read of the discovery of the DNA double helix, the breakdown of molecules, radiation of the sun, the workings of the mind, belief in God and overpowering fear. One cartoon shows the secret of life guru two levels down from the great golf tips guru. There were books, movies, mantras, endless articles, I finally got bored and pondered these things as I let the cats in from the snow.
For me, the secret of life is breathing, that’s right, breathing.
Genesis 2:7 in the Bible reads “…God formed man from the dust of the ground; and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being”
Humans cannot live without oxygen for more than a few minutes. The brain requires more oxygen than any other organ; studies show lack of proper oxygen is one of the major factors in most diseases including cancer. Low oxygen intake causes irritability and depression.
Have you noticed when one is upset, afraid, in extreme concentration, the breathing slows down or stops altogether? A good example is the anxiety or panic attack. (Demonstrate w/ frown, startled gasp etc…) Now think of laughter, a sweet kiss, song. (Demonstrate w/busting out with a favorite tune or something of the like) How does the breathing compare? What joys can be had by the smell of fresh baked bread, lemon blossoms, and the crisp morning air. What about dangers, gas, acids, fire?
The breath of life has many names, prana, chi, anima, mana to name a few, and is recognized as the main Force in most spiritual arenas. Does not the bible read all creation came from God in the words “Let there be…”? How can we have language without breath? In the past a “man’s word was his honor” An interesting word play, change one letter in “words” to get “sword”. How often have our words cut like a sword, or caused countless fights. How much destruction has been started by words either said in jest, spoken in anger, retaliation, jealousy, fear? Ahh...but then again, what about the encouraging word, the sigh of relief, the atta boys/girls, or the words “dinner’s on” yelled from the kitchen or better yet “I love you”? Yes, our breath dictates much of our daily life by how we choose to use it.
Stop now, close your eyes and take a few minutes to just breathe. Even if you are on oxygen, have allergies or a cold, still stop, enjoy your breathing and think of the gift of life. (Music playing softly in background, close eyes and pause as people adjust to breathing.)
Prayer-
Creator,
Thank you for the gift of life today. May we be aware of your gift and speak as you would have us speak, live as you would have us live and love as you would have us love.
Amen
Lets’ try an experiment this week, when the temptation to react unkindly to any situation, be it an irritating driver, the telephone, a persistent child, let’s try to stop and take that deep breath or two or four and remember the life we’ve been given and just what we're about to do with the “ secret of life”.
Note*
The homelitic guidelines suggest an Offeratory section of a sermon. It is my desire to not bring money into a homily, the mixing of masters you know. I do realize money is a necessity, ideally money will be gathered at a drop box at the door or some localized place. Should the need arise for more money than is available, that will be taken up at different meetings and newsletters/postings stating the need and amount needed.
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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 , 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
Spiritual Perspectives by Rev. Tom Stewart
Being forced into hard circumstances or situations gives us a new perspective on life. Things we once valued no longer hold the same value.
Things that were of lesser concern become very important, and what we once thought important no longer holds such importance.
These hard circumstances allow us to identify with the sufferings of others. They keeps us from having a shallow view of the hardships of others and allows us to truly identify with them. Those who speak of such trials from no experience, often judge others who have had such hardship. It is a superficiality of life experience that often permeates this shallow perspective.
Those who have walked in and through hard times immediately have a kinship with others who have walked there also. They do not need to explain; they merely look at one another with mutual respect and admiration for their common experience. They know that these trials/life experiences worked a special thing in them. This trials and lessons help perceive the life trials of others. It is impossible to appreciate any experience while you are in it.
However, once you have reached the top of the mountain, you are able to appreciate what terrain you have passed through. You marvel at what you were able to walk through. Troubled times have yielded more than you ever thought possible. You are able to appreciate the beauty of the experience and lay aside the sorrow and pain it may have produced.
These hard circumstances and lessons work in us for a greater purpose. . . to be able to recognize what others are going through . . . to have compassion and understanding for them. . . to comfort and help them as a fellow human being.
(One cannot truly understand another until they have walked in the other's shoes.)
Loving our fellow brothers and sisters . . . as we love ourselves. Where have we heard this before? We serve . . . they later serve . . . everybody serves . . . a very simple WIN/WIN equation.
Shalom
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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 , 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
Unanswered Questions by Rev. Laura A. Alles
Two weeks ago when I found and made the commitment to the ULC Ministry I have been contemplating a sermon. Something has been bothering me for the last 7 months, I would like to put into my very first sermon.
Today as I cleaned up some of the files in my computer I revisited a letter I wrote May 14, 2005. It wasn't a friendly warm letter, it was a letter of pent up anger and just plain old frustration. It started with years of unsaid words and ended with a prayer.
Back to the letter I wrote. Being a mother and one quite involved in the school, and being vested in my community I have met many of the people around me. I have had the opportunity to interact on many levels. About 7 years ago I met, Donna. Donna was a single mom in the community, she had it hard. She was disabled, but mostly because of choices she made - though not all. Donna had grown up "rough" and it showed in her demeanor. She made many adversaries from sometimes honest, sometimes unneeded and hurtful words. A little ADHD was added to the mix also. I held my tongue.
Donna had a lot of life lessons to share with the world, and could have been very beneficial with the right manner of speaking. For years Donna and I watched our daughters be best friends and grow together. As typical best friends, they loved, laughed and fought. During the times of fighting Donna, would get involved in the agruements. She had this way of letting you know she always had it worse than those around her. I held my tongue.
February 12, 2005 my daughter was raped. In an attempt to make sense of the tragedy my daughter went to Donna for advice. The attitude my daughter got was not what I would have expected from a grown adult. Donna had been raped 30 years ago and it was, of course, worse than what happened to my 17 year old daughter so needed to buck up and deal with it. I held my tongue.
The girls had a fight, and Donna got into the middle of the argument. Here is where my unsettled feelings come from, and now 7 months after May 14, 2005 I am still feeling the effects of the letter. I wrote a letter to Donna, expressing all of the years of pent up frustrations that I had held back. In my growing I have been blessed by the Heavens above with patience, I thought it was a gift. The letter started with the hard truth because after all Donna sure dealt a lot of that in her lifetime without regard for who she hurt. I didn't hold my tongue.
I held onto the letter for two weeks, I wanted to make sure it was what I really wanted to say before I sent it. Our girls were graduating, I had bought a gift for her daughter, asked her to stop by pick up the gift and give the letter to her mother. Donna got the letter and freaked out, in a very Donna style - stormed over to my house, with a response that wasn't very friendly. Three days later - Donna killed herself.
Donna's daughter didn't have a mother at graduation. Donna's daughter had to move within 2 days of her death out of her home and out into the world of life. Donna's daughter was left with no immediate family because of Donna's hard life and harsh words. Donna's daughter found crack pipes in her mother things as she packed. Donna's daughter is struggling.
Should I have held my tongue? All of the things I held for so many years and pride myself in got the best of me. All the things I hated in Donna came out in me. What could be learned here? We all still answer for everything we do and say. We all still have to live with what is dealt to us.
Hold strong to your convictions, you have them for a reason.
In Peace
~Laura A. Alles ~
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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 , 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
Birth of the Song 'Precious Lord' - By Tommy Dorsey
Back in 1932 I was 32 years old and a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's south side. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis, where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis.
I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66. However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back. I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music. The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again.
When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED. People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home. All I could hear on the other end was "Nettie is dead. Nettie is dead."
When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart. For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him any more or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well.
But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died. From that day on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in grief.
Everyone was kind to me, especially a friend, Professor Fry, who seemed to know what I needed. On the following Saturday evening he took me up to Malone's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows. I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, one into my head-they just seemed to fall into place:
Precious Lord, take my hand,
lead me on, let me stand!
I am tired, I am weak,
I am worn, Through the storm,
through the night lead me on to the light,
Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me
home.
The Lord gave me these words and melody,
He also healed my spirit. I learned that when
we are in our deepest grief, when we feel
farthest from God, this is when He is closest,
and when we are most open to His restoring
power. And so I go on living for God willingly
and joyfully, until that day comes when He
will take me and gently lead me home.
Tommy Dorsey
Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this
song? I sure didn't. What a wonderful story
of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted.
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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 , 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
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Universal Life Church
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