Newsletters / ULC Newsletter - December, 2011

Hello ULC Ministers, welcome to the ULC Monastery's Newsletter for the month of December.

We all know what December means, it's time again to gather your friends and family and celebrate the holidays! If you're still tracking down the perfect item for the Star Wars enthusiast in your family then be sure to check out December's featured item, the Jedi Knight Certificate. We've also filled this month's newsletter with word of the ULC Monastery's recent contributions to a local Homeless shelter. Be sure to read the recent blog entries discussing current Religious Extremism in the US as well as how comedian and ULC Minister, Russell Brand, is using his comedy to perform marriages all across the country. No matter your personal beliefs, we hope you enjoy this month's newsletter and would love to hear all the ways our ministers will be spending their own holidays! Let us hear your feedback by joining us on our blog, Twitter, and our Facebook page.

Jedi Knight Certificate

As everyone knows, becoming a Jedi requires a profound commitment and astute mind. The life of a Jedi is one of personal sacrifice. To train they live a life of simplicity and adhere to the Jedi Code which forbids material possession and emotional attachments. A Jedi is expected to obey this strict Code that includes concepts such as rational thought, patience, and benevolence. Training is done by a respected Jedi until the individual is proficient enough to start their own journey as a Jedi. This beautiful certificate brings you all the rights, privileges, and benefits the Rank of Jedi receives. This certificate bestows upon you the Rank of JEDI KNIGHT! You can view this product at The Universal Life Church Monastery Catalog

The Season of Giving

In the spirit of the holiday season, we here at the Universal Life Church Monastery want to share with our ordained ministers an update on our charitable gifts. We recently had the privilege of receiving a letter from the St. John the Almsgiver Society, announcing that our donation would be put to good use at the St. Martin de Porres shelter in Seattle. Much needed food and supplies for hundreds will be purchased to reach out to the needy and elderly to whom this great organization helps support.

This is just one such institution that needs our help, and we must answer the call. As an ordained minister of the church, your support is appreciated as well, whether you donate by extension through the Monastery, or directly to a worthy cause.

For a list of charities and organizations to which the ULC Monastery regularly donates, you may view our list.

What's the Best Answer to Evangelical Extremism?

How should Americans respond to evangelical extremism in the United States? Some liberal commentators have suggested that evangelicals need to start showing as much commitment to their nation's interests as they show to their religious faith. But is it really a good idea to tell evangelicals, "You should place greater priority on nationalistic fervor than on religious fervor"? After all, both religion and nationalism, in their more extreme forms, constitute a type of bigotry. Replacing one type of bigotry with another seems a little counterproductive if our goal is to participate fully in the global and human communities. To read this discussion of current religious extremes in the United States, visit: ULC Monastery Blog

Russell Brand Brings Ministry to New Comic Heights

Recently on the ULC Monastery blog we wrote about Russell Brand's online ordination in the Universal Life Church and his subsequent role officiating weddings on-stage alongside his often shockingly irreverent, "I-know-you-didn't-just-go-there" comedy routine. Brand once again took his art of uniting hearts and igniting laughs to the stage, this time in the Mullins Center at the University of Massachusetts. This time, however, the comedian married not one, but two couples, integrating humor with the solemnity of marriage for an overall off-the-wall evening. To read more about the outrageous ordained comedian, visit: ULC Monastery Blog