The Universal Life Church (ULC) is the largest online church in the world, best known for providing simple, legal ordination to anyone who feels called to become ordained. The ULC welcomes people from all walks of life, regardless of belief system, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other aspect of identity – a reflection of our guiding motto that "we are all children of the same universe."
More than 20 million people worldwide have been ordained as Universal Life Church ministers. Our members are empowered to practice their faith in whatever way best aligns with their own conscience and goals – whether that means officiating weddings, presiding over baptisms or funerals, leading spiritual work in their communities, or following another type of calling.
The Universal Life Church proudly champions its open, online ordination model and believes that performing spiritual duties is a sacred right that all should share. We will always stand up for our minister-members in that regard. Also key to this mission are the ideals of religious freedom, spiritual expression, and social justice. Our goal is to spread these freedoms far and wide, empowering people of all walks of life to take up the work of ministry on their own terms, and in ways that make the most sense for them.
Whether you worship one God or many gods, or none at all; whether you choose to perform one spiritual ceremony a year or twenty – we stand with you. In short: the ULC welcomes you just as you are, whoever you are, and hopes to empower you to explore your faith however you see fit.
The ULC believes that every individual is equal, and each member should be free to captain their own spiritual ship. This means welcoming members from across the spectrum of spiritual beliefs, whether Jewish or Atheist, Christian or Hindu, Muslim or Pagan.
Unlike other large religious organizations, we do not require our ministers or congregants to show deference to any central leadership. The ULC very intentionally has no hierarchy, nor does it ask its members to follow arbitrary demands for the sake of tradition, such as taking religious tests.
Woven into this guiding belief is the wider battle for equality and justice the ULC has been proud to spearhead. The Church has secured crucial wins for religious freedom by standing up for its members and demanding the rights bestowed upon them are fully recognized.
ULC ministers were also closely involved with the movement for marriage equality and were proud to officiate some of the first same-sex weddings following that important victory.
You can learn even more about the Universal Life Church's philosophy and beliefs here.
Absolutely! ULC ordinations are recognized nearly everywhere in the U.S. and our ministers perform thousands of successful ceremonies, including legal wedding ceremonies, each year. Under our online ordination system, ULC ministers are granted the exact same legal rights and privileges as any other member of the clergy.
While online ordination might seem unconventional to some, our philosophy is simple: that anyone who feels called to become ordained should have the ability to do so.
For centuries, the path to ordination was not accessible to most people. Historically, becoming a clergy member required years of expensive study and a strict set of rules and beliefs to live by. With few exceptions, it also required being male. Little room was allowed for free thought; those who dared to question specific tenets of their church or denomination were often shown the door.
Tearing down those institutional barriers to ordination is a key part of our mission – and that's why we make the online process so easy to complete. Every religious organization has the power to design its own ordination process for its members, structured however it sees best fit – which is what we've done.
Here's what our ministers are saying about the ULC:
I became an ordained minister through the Universal Life Church in 2012. Since then, I have officiated weddings and unions, been honored to oversee Celebrations of Life, written and read Eulogies for loved ones, and comforted those in times of grief and joy. This organization is incredibly helpful.
Gerlinde Gentzke
I have been ordained for 7 years now and I love every minute of it. I have officiated 6 wedding ceremonies, one commitment ceremony and one funeral. Some of my best memories are the joy I see on the couples faces after the "I do's."
Kristin Davis
Six years ago I received my official blessing from ULC to be a minister. Great experience as a wedding officiant. But, I have also presided over a few blessings and end of life ceremonies. Quite the experience. Their materials to get you going are a perfect addition to starting off. Thank you ULC.
KC Fockler
Love these guys. Quick and to the point, but with in-depth options available in a variety of areas if you want on their website. My friends pastor canceled the day before the ceremony and because of the ULC I was able to step up and take his place. I'm glad these people exist.
Christopher Erdie
Getting ordained was a fantastic decision. I got to perform the marriage of my best friend. Which I would highly recommend to anyone. Who better than to wish and commemorate the new couple than somebody who knows them best?
Caleb Watson
I became Ordained in 2014. I am very proud to be a Minister with Universal Life Church because my own beliefs are what define me. There is no judgement, doctrine or teaching that is not acceptable. I am able to be the kind of leader that lets me share my own knowledge of Faith, Hope and Eternity.
Dee Foley
I became ordained through ULC and the experience has been amazing. I have married one of my sons and his beautiful bride. I have had friends reach out and ask me to marry them as well. The website has everything you need and even more, available 24/7.
Ken Helmbright
Through Universal Life Church I have had the great honor of officiating the marriage of my daughter & son-in-law, beloved friends during the pandemic, and the marriages of those who have now become friends. The support that ULC offers is tremendous!
Nancy Hart
I had a phenomenal experience being ordained by ULC ministries. I've done dozens of weddings, joined in glorious celebrations, and had a whole phase of my life open up. ULC is an amazing and inspirational organization. Thank you for what you do!
Jon Croft
The Universal Life Church is philosophically descended from some of the ideas of the initial Modesto Universal Life Church, founded in the 1950s by Kirby Hensley. What began as an attempt to offer an alternative to traditional organized religion soon grew into an organization with nationwide membership. Toward the end of the century, however, that original Modesto branch of the ULC was accused of some unethical practices.
The modern Universal Life Church we operate has no links to that earlier organization, and instead is focused on upholding positive values and promoting justice and equality worldwide.
The ULC supports many organizations that work for oppressed or underrepresented individuals. We are very proud of the work and victories that we've helped to win in areas such as religious freedom and the legalization of same-sex marriage. We are proud to donate to these causes and help be a force for change. In line with our motto that “we are all children of the same universe,” the ULC supports a range of charitable organizations that strive to make the world freer and more equal for all of Earth's citizens.
Learn More
Order official credentials, clergy apparel, and any other items you might need for your ministry
Minister Store
Explore our in-depth guides covering every aspect of officiating a legal wedding ceremony
Wedding Training
Learn how to organize a funeral service and perform a ceremony to honor someone's passing
Funeral Training
The Universal Life Church is proud to regularly publish The Visionary, a newsletter covering important topics, developments, and debates from across the world of faith.
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We are proud of our past achievements, such as fighting for religious freedom and the legalization of same-sex marriage.
We plan to continue to ordain ministers to empower people to take control of their own spiritual life. The ULC also fights for the rights of its ordained ministers to ensure that everyone has the right to religious freedom. The battle to ensure that people in all 50 states are allowed to become ministers never ends under the United States' antiquated legal system.
Our ministry will also continue to support marriage equality and fight for the rights of people to marry any individual they choose. Obergefell v Hodges was a major victory, but those freedoms won should not be taken for granted.
Celebrating love is a great way to keep this top of mind. For example, the Universal Life Church hosted a first-of-its-kind mass wedding event for members and ordained ministers of the ULC. At this "December to Remember", 20 couples — both gay and straight — were joined together in matrimony in front of their universal family.
The event was initially planned to celebrate the legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington State, but — like the ULC — was open to people of any sexual orientation or specific ideology. The chain of weddings started at 10 AM and the celebrations carried on throughout the day and into the night! The event was a testimony to the power of love and the triumph of our universal brother and sisterhood over all else.
And those are all efforts we plan to continue! We will not rest until all of our brothers and sisters around the world have the right to worship and love as they see fit. Looking forward, we are also concerned about the future of the planet, particularly the impacts of issues like climate change and societal shifts.
In a broader sense, we believe that humanity is facing critical challenges such as mass migration, starvation, and global pandemics, and that we must work together to address these problems through global initiatives. One interesting idea is a worldwide United Nations Planetary Defense System to guard the Earth from threats like asteroid and comet strikes.
The Presiding Chaplain of the ULC Monastery is George Freeman, who has been practicing since 1977. Chaplain Freeman believes that as explorers by nature, humans should focus their efforts on searching for God in the universe.
We are all children of the same universe.
