American Marriage Ministries VS Universal Life Church are different non-denominational churches that ordained their ministers online.
Their ordination processes are similar, and anyone who was to become ordained online can apply to any of the churches mentioned above.
American Marriage Ministries VS Universal life church
Both American Marriage Ministries (AMM) and Universal Life Church (ULC) are online organizations that, among other things, perform weddings and give ordination to become a minister.
Based in Seattle, Washington, AMM was established in 2009. It is a nonprofit organization seeking to give people the authority to officiate weddings for friends and family. Together with resources and assistance for its ministers, AMM offers free online ordination.
ULC, on the other hand, was founded in 1959 and is based in Modesto, California. It is also a non-profit organization and offers online ordination for free. ULC claims to have ordained millions of ministers worldwide and offers resources and support for its ministers.
While both AMM and ULC offer similar services, they have some differences. For example, AMM focuses specifically on empowering people to officiate weddings, whereas ULC offers a broader range of services, including ordination for religious and spiritual purposes.
Additionally, AMM requires its ministers to complete a brief online course before they can perform weddings, while ULC does not have any formal requirements beyond the ordination process.
Ultimately, the choice between AMM and ULC may depend on personal preference and the specific needs of the individual seeking ordination. Both organizations offer free and accessible options for those interested in becoming ordained ministers.
Universal Life Church
The Universal Life Church (ULC) is a non-denominational religious organization founded in 1962 by Kirby J. Hensley.
The Universal Life Church advocates for religious freedom, offering legal ordination to become a minister for a small fee, and in many cases free of charge, to anyone who wishes to join.
The ULC has ordained ministers from various backgrounds and beliefs, including Christians, atheists, Wiccans, pagans, Jews, and people of many other faiths.
The Universal Life Church (ULC) is a non-denominational religious organization with millions of members worldwide.
Over the decades, the ULC has garnered global recognition for promoting universal togetherness and religious expression worldwide.
Becoming an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church will grant you all the rights and privileges afforded to clergy members of other faiths, including the ability to perform legal wedding ceremonies.
Ordination also allows you to start a personal ministry, preside over other religious and spiritual ceremonies, and much more.
Membership is open to anyone who feels called to join. The ULC is multi-denominational, welcoming individuals of all backgrounds and belief systems into the fold.
Unlike traditional religious organizations, UCL does not require years of training or expensive courses to become a clergy member. Becoming ordained is free and can be done entirely online.
How To Become A Minister At The Universal Life Church
The Universal Life Church believes that all people are naturally endowed with the right to control their own spiritual life, and thus that all those who feel so-called should have access to ordination.
Minister Training At The Universal Life Church
They support a fast-growing community of ministers in all of their endeavors. To that end, they have created a collection of minister training materials on their site.
These helpful resources go in-depth to provide advice and instruction on ministerial duties. They also operate a blog to keep their ministers up-to-date on relevant events and offer interesting discussion topics.
While ULC ordinations can serve various purposes, many ministers use their ordinations to perform wedding ceremonies.
Not to fear, solemnizing a marriage is not as complicated as it might sound. They have created a simple guide, found on their website.
Official Website
www.theucl.org
American Marriage Ministries
American Marriage Ministries is a non-denominational Internet church based in Seattle.
The church was founded by Glen Yoshioka in 2009 and ordained and trained people to officiate at weddings.
The church is a secular non-denominational organization that does not promote any specific religious ideologies, instead allowing its ministers to define their practice and faith.
This allows ceremonies to be tailored to the beliefs of the couple. The church had operated entirely online until June 2019, when its ministers began performing in-person ordinations in response to Tennessee passing and disallowing ministers ordained online from solemnizing weddings in the state.
According to Executive Director Lewis King, by June 2017, the church had ordained more than 715,000 people in the United States, including over 13,400 active ministers in Tennessee.
The church performed mass ordinations in several cities in Tennessee, with the majority of attendees being those who had already been ordained online but needed to update their status to comply with the new law.
Official website
www.theamm.org
As an AMM marriage officiant, you can perform a marriage anywhere in the US. The list below highlights the States where officiant registration is required and what government office registers officiants.
Alabama
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Alaska
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Arizona
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Arkansas
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: County Clerk
Approximate Cost: $50
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Up To 30 Days
California
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Colorado
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Connecticut
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Delaware
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Clerk of the Peace
Approximate Cost: $50
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Up To 30 Days
District of Columbia
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Marriage Bureau
Approximate Cost: $45
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Up To 30 Days
Florida
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Georgia
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Hawaii
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Department of Health Vital Records Office
Approximate Cost: $10
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Up To 14 Days
Idaho
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Illinois
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Indiana
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Iowa
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Kansas
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Kentucky
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Louisiana
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Parish Clerk of Court
Approximate Cost: $50
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Up To 30 Days
Maine
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Maryland
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Massachusetts
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Secretary of the Commonwealth
Approximate Cost: $50
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: 2 – 4 Weeks
Michigan
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Minnesota
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Local County Registrar
Approximate Cost: $50
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Up To 30 Days
Mississippi
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Missouri
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Montana
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Nebraska
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Nevada
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: County Clerk
Approximate Cost: $25 – $100
Registration Difficulty: Difficult
Processing Time: 4 – 6 Weeks
New Hampshire
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Secretary of State
Approximate Cost: $25
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Up To 14 Days
New Jersey
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
New Mexico
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
New York
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: New York City Clerk Marriage Bureau
Approximate Cost: $15
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Same Day
North Carolina
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
North Dakota
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Ohio
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Secretary of State
Approximate Cost: $10
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: 2 – 3 Days
Oklahoma
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Oregon
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Pennsylvania
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Puerto Rico
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Demographic Registry Office
Approximate Cost: $25
Registration Difficulty: Difficult
Processing Time: Same Day
Rhode Island
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
South Carolina
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
South Dakota
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Tennessee
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Texas
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
US Virgin Islands
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Utah
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Vermont
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Vermont Judiciary
Approximate Cost: $100
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Up To 7 Days
Virginia
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Superior Court
Approximate Cost: $50
Registration Difficulty: Difficult
Processing Time: Depends on County
Washington
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
West Virginia
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? Yes
Registration Office: Secretary of State
Approximate Cost: $25
Registration Difficulty: Easy
Processing Time: Up To 7 Days
Wisconsin
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Wyoming
Is Online Ordination Legal? Yes
Is Officiant Registration Required? No
Similarities Between The Universal Life Church And American Marriage Ministries
The ULC’s and AMM’s popularity stems partly from a rising interest in having friends or loved ones officiate weddings. This trend has attracted various celebrities to become ordained at both organizations.
The two non-denominational churches ordain ministers from an extensive range of different religions.
Ordination is free and can be done online.
Conclusion
Ordination at the Universal Life Church and the American Marriage Ministries is entirely legal, cost-free, and not complicated.
You can take your first step today by completing and submitting your online ordination application. Additionally, you can delve into more ordination information from their websites.
References
