How can I officiate a wedding?

[rebecca]

Hi everyone,

I have two friends who are getting married this summer, and they've asked me to officiate the wedding. They gave me a link to the Universal Life Church Monastary (www.ulc.org), where I can get ordained for free.

Only problem is, I'm an atheist, and even though this is "non-denominational" and all, it's still a religion, there are Jesus quotes on the site, and it totally rubs me the wrong way.

Does anyone here know of a way I can get some credentials without giving up my mailing address to Jesus?

Thanks for your help!

[Beleth]

Originally posted by rebecca
Does anyone here know of a way I can get some credentials without giving up my mailing address to Jesus?Why do you need credentials? I went to a wedding a couple weekends ago where the person officiating was the groom's brother. I'm pretty sure he wasn't an ordained anything.

All they really need is two witnesses and a filing fee at the courthouse. At least that's all they need here in California. It's almost as easy as running for Governor.

[reprise]

You'd really need to check the requirements in your state for legally marrying a couple. You may find that in your state while anyone can "officiate" at a wedding, only certain classes of people are empowered on behalf of the state to declare that marriage legally valid.

[evildave]

There are MANY On-Line Ordination sites.

Basically, when you go to the county, you fill out some paperwork, and give a contact. They call it, the "church" answers, looks you up on the list, and you're in. That's all the verification the county is legally entitled to do.

For instance http://www.apatheticagnostic.com/membership.html will sign you up and send you a very nice degree and certificate of ordination as PDF files that you can print yourself.

Yes, I could wed people. All I need to do is get around to going to the county and filling out the paperwork and getting their certificate and paperwork for doing marriages.

There's also this source for ordination:
http://www.spiritualhumanism.org/ordained.php

There are many others, especially Christian ordinations that can be obtained within 24 hours.

Do the google search for On-Line Ordination, pick a site, and follow the instructions. You'll get email confirmation and printable certificate.
http://www.google.com/search?num=30&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=On-Line+Ordination&btnG=Search

[reprise]

How difficult is it to become a marriage celebrant in the US without becoming an ordained minister?

[evildave]

The ordained minister is the absolutely simplest way to go. 30 seconds to fill out the online form and get into the database, get your email back, done.

The specific requirements vary by state and county. You have to look it up for your own state/county.

Here's a site with global details...
http://usmarriagelaws.com/search/united_states/license_to_perform_marriages/index.shtml

For California:

Solemnization Authority : Marriage may be solemnized by any of the following who is of the age of 18 years or older:

1. A Priest, minister, or rabbi of any religious denomination.
2. A judge or retired judge, commissioner of civil marriages or retired commissioner of civil marriages, commissioner or retired commissioner, or assistant commissioner of a court of record in this state.
3. A judge or magistrate who has resigned from office.
4. Any of the following judges or magistrates of the United States:
1. A justice or retired justice of the United States Supreme Court.
2. A judge or retired judge of a court of appeals, a district court, or a court created by an act of Congress the Judges of which are entitled to hold office during good behavior.
3. A judge or retired judge of a bankruptcy court or a tax court.
4. A United States magistrate or retired magistrate.
5. A legislator or constitutional officer of this state or a member of Congress who represents a district within this state, while that person holds office.

Each county offers civil ceremonies performed by a judge or commissioner. The cost is approximately $40.00. For additional information call your County Clerk's office.

[rebecca]

The couple is getting hitched in Massachusetts (gay couple, so I expect everything to be about as difficult as possible), which I noticed has a few more regulations than other states. I'll try apatheticagnostic.com, as that sounds more "me," and I do love fancy certificates.

Thanks guys!

[Mercutio]

here a Justice of the Peace can marry folks...My wife is one, and she is atheist... no requirement from any church at all, it is a state position....and not much to applying, either.

[crimresearch]

You can also declare yourself a minister in Frank Zappa's old church...the Church of American Secular Humanity...( all checks made out to C.A.S.H. )

Paul

[EdipisReks]

Originally posted by crimresearch
You can also declare yourself a minister in Frank Zappa's old church...the Church of American Secular Humanity...( all checks made out to C.A.S.H. )

Paul

that's awesome!

[rebecca]

Originally posted by crimresearch
You can also declare yourself a minister in Frank Zappa's old church...the Church of American Secular Humanity...( all checks made out to C.A.S.H. )

Paul

That's hilarious. I'm proud to announce that I am now "Reverand Rebecca" with the Universal Church Triumphant of the Apathetic Agnostic. But you can still write a check out to CASH for me.

[reprise]

Does Massachusetts recognise either your ordination or gay marriage?

[rebecca]

Originally posted by reprise
Does Massachusetts recognise either your ordination or gay marriage?

The way things are going, Massachusetts is set to recognize gay marriage in the coming months, provided that the Fundies are unsuccessful in their war on rationality. According to usmarriagelaws.com, Massachusetts allows any "ordained minister of the gospel." My new "church" insists that we do in fact have a gospel and therefore we are eligible. I feel that if I'm rejected, it's bigotry and I could go to court over it.

In any event, I'll be contacting the Secretary of State to ensure that this bash will go off without a hitch.

[reprise]

If your legal jurisdiction recognizes your ordination (you have to resolve this issue locally - the only support the Church can give you is to validate your credentials if asked by your local authorities), then you may conduct legal marriage ceremonies.

It was this paragraph on the aa website which made me ask the question about whether Massachussets recognises your ordination.

FWIW, I just applied for ordination too, even though my ordination certificate won't be worth the paper I'm going to print it on here (I'll have to go to the US to be legally able to marry people).

[rebecca]

Yeah, you know, even if you can't perform marriages, it's still fun to say you're an ordained minister (priestess, rabbi, poobah, etc.).

I stand by the idea that if Massachusetts rejects the validity of my ordination by the beliefs (or non-beliefs) of the church, that's wrong and is truly lawsuit-worthy.

[Kopji]

Heyyyy... first cousins can marry in Arizona. Why am I not surprised?

(They have to be 65 or older, or show they cannot procreate)

[Dunstan]

Bumping this thread because an engaged couple that I'm friends with mentioned that I'm the backup choice to officiate their wedding. In the off chance that I am pressed into service on this, I'd rather not pose as a member of some fake religion.

Any options other than those mentioned above? And Rebecca, what ever came of this?

[Tricky]

Bumping this thread because an engaged couple that I'm friends with mentioned that I'm the backup choice to officiate their wedding. In the off chance that I am pressed into service on this, I'd rather not pose as a member of some fake religion.

Any options other than those mentioned above? And Rebecca, what ever came of this?
My wife and I were married by her friend who is unofficially a pagan priestess. When we bought the license, I asked the girl at the counter what requirements they had for officiating, she said, "You're supposed to be an official of some religion, but they never check. The license is the only thing that matters."

[kmortis]

Well, contrary to Rebecca's fears, the ULC doesn't actually require that you believe anythig that they say. They're very Universalist in that aspect. Yes, the guy who founded the Church was "Christian", but his prime tenant was that everyone had a right to worship the devine in their own way...even if it's not worshiping a devine at all.

Both Mama Mortis and I are ordained Ministers through the ULC. I even have the snazzy little "Clergy" card. I've personally performed three weddings (all in Illinois where an ordination is required for religious ceremonies) and I've never had an issue with it. One of the times, the Bride's Mother gave me the confuzed puppydog look when she asked me what religion I was and I replied "Agnostic". She desperatly wanted to ask how an Agnostic could get ordained, but thought better of it.

IIRC, MA requires a letter to the Sec of State stating your intention to perform weddings.

Dunstan, I'd suggest ULC.

[Beerina]

You'd really need to check the requirements in your state for legally marrying a couple. You may find that in your state while anyone can "officiate" at a wedding, only certain classes of people are empowered on behalf of the state to declare that marriage legally valid.

Yes, but would that result in a sitcom plot 10 years down the road, where it turns out the wedding didn't count because the priest didn't really believe the religion in which he was ordained?

[sphenisc]

Yes, but would that result in a sitcom plot 10 years down the road, where it turns out the wedding didn't count because the priest didn't really believe the religion in which he was ordained?

How many people has Ted Haggard married?:jaw-dropp

[HeyLeroy]

Well, contrary to Rebecca's fears, the ULC doesn't actually require that you believe anythig that they say. They're very Universalist in that aspect. Yes, the guy who founded the Church was "Christian", but his prime tenant was that everyone had a right to worship the devine in their own way...even if it's not worshiping a devine at all.

Both Mama Mortis and I are ordained Ministers through the ULC. I even have the snazzy little "Clergy" card. I've personally performed three weddings (all in Illinois where an ordination is required for religious ceremonies) and I've never had an issue with it. One of the times, the Bride's Mother gave me the confuzed puppydog look when she asked me what religion I was and I replied "Agnostic". She desperatly wanted to ask how an Agnostic could get ordained, but thought better of it.

IIRC, MA requires a letter to the Sec of State stating your intention to perform weddings.

Dunstan, I'd suggest ULC.

Hey, Brother Mortis. I'm also a ULC minister! The orange 'CLERGY' windshield sign means I never have to pay for parking at the hospital.:D

Seriously, when you sign up there they don't even ask you if you believe in any gods. If they did I wouldn't have signed up.

[Beerina]

How many people has Ted Haggard married?:jaw-dropp

:)

[Z]

In Florida, all you have to do is be a notary public. Or an ordained minister of whatever Church-O-Matic you come across.

In Ohio, you have to pay for your credentials to marry someone.

[Ossai]

Beerina
Yes, but would that result in a sitcom plot 10 years down the road, where it turns out the wedding didn't count because the priest didn't really believe the religion in which he was ordained? Then what would happen if the priest/rabbi/clergy de-converted after officiating a wedding? I don’t mean instantly but years later. Are all the weddings that the official performed then declared null?

Ossai

[Upchurch]

Mrs. Upchurch (ordained ULC priestest, retired) has married two couples in the great state of Missouri. The first was after losing a bet and the second was a couple who attended the first.

The greatest thing about the whole process is learning that ULC lets you pick your title. My favorite was something along the lines of "High Speaker of Ultimate Reality"