As we enter the season of Advent we begin with something so central to the human experience, hope. There is such anticipation, even excitement in hope. Each of us hopes for something on a daily basis. We hope for steady employment, for success in our endeavors, and…
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December is the month when Christians worldwide celebrate the birth of Christ, one of the most holy events of the Christian year. Different denominations of Christianity prepare for Christmas in different ways. The two most celebrated pre-Christmas traditions are t…
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Being asked to perform a funeral is an honor and a challenge, but something that is likely to happen if you chose to get ordained in the Universal Life Church. The time immediately after a death is one of the most emotionally-charged times a family or community wil…
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Some would consider the Baha’i religion to be somewhat interfaith in nature. This does not at all mean it shares the same approach as the Universal Life Church or the church of Unitarian Universalism.
Born and developed in Iran and mostly confined to Persia a…
The exact origin of All Saints Day is unclear, since different places in the east and west along with pagans all had their own specific traditions. When one gets ordained as an interfaith minister of the Universal Life Church it can be beneficial to look at some of…
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Mabon is the pagan holiday of the autumnal equinox, a time both to celebrate and to stop and reflect. It’s a time to be thankful for the present, and also to take stock of it.
Mabon is a harvest festival that dates back to the ancient Celts. Their Druids hono…
Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, is a very holy day for Jews. Its purpose is to recognize the wrongs one has done, and make amends for them.
Judaism, and other religions as well, have ways of expressing remorse and seeking reconciliation with God. On the day of…
A man lives out in the wilderness. He survives on a diet of bugs and honey. He fashions his clothes out of the hair of animals and claims to speak the word of God. By any standards, we might consider this man to be crazy, but this is a description of Saint John the…
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Members of Jainism emphasize the importance of all life, including plants and micro-organisms. This informs their beliefs of non-violence and self-control. While older members embrace the importance of spiritual traditions such as prayer to idols and honoring of mo…
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The Islamic observance of Ramadan is a time of sacrifice, devotional activities, worship, and reflection for Muslims worldwide. The lunar month of Ramadan is an annual marking of when Mohammed received revelations that would become the Qur’an. During the mont…
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