Universal Life Church

Birth of the Song 'Precious Lord' - By Tommy Dorsey

Back in 1932 I was 32 years old and a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's south side. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis, where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis.

I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66. However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back. I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music. The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again.

When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED. People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home. All I could hear on the other end was "Nettie is dead. Nettie is dead."

When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart. For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him any more or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well.

But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died. From that day on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in grief.

Everyone was kind to me, especially a friend, Professor Fry, who seemed to know what I needed. On the following Saturday evening he took me up to Malone's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows. I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, one into my head-they just seemed to fall into place:

Precious Lord, take my hand,

lead me on, let me stand!

I am tired, I am weak,

I am worn, Through the storm,

through the night lead me on to the light,

Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me

home.

The Lord gave me these words and melody,

He also healed my spirit. I learned that when

we are in our deepest grief, when we feel

farthest from God, this is when He is closest,

and when we are most open to His restoring

power. And so I go on living for God willingly

and joyfully, until that day comes when He

will take me and gently lead me home.

Tommy Dorsey

Did you know that Tommy Dorsey wrote this

song? I sure didn't. What a wonderful story

of how God CAN heal the brokenhearted.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Universal Life Church

Power in Numbers by Ariannaha Sky

Sending Our Collective Light To The World 

Like tiny ripples that merge to form great waves, combined human intent is worth more than the sum of its parts. A single individual can initiate worldwide improvement by emitting conscious frequencies of love, beauty, goodness, and wisdom. A group of people focusing their energy on sending out light to the world can set the stage for positive global transformation. All of us possess the ability to channel love energy, to heal, to be a conduit for white light, and to positively influence our fellow humans from afar. Yet one person can only do so much. Imagine if each one of us took a few moments at the start of each day to send out light to the world from our hearts. Mother Earth would be quickly eased and the planet, as well as every organism and being on it, would be bathed in loving light. The world would be an infinitely beautiful place.

You can help bring about an earth where love triumphs over violence, air and water are nourishing in their purity, and people take pleasure in simply being alive. Alone, the light you emit is a wonderful healing tool, but when you join with others who share your intent to shine compassion and positive energy over the world, a powerful force is created. Your collective consciousness and collective light will wash over the planet, enveloping people, communities, cities, countries, and continents. Inviting others to send light with you can be a daunting task. People may question the benefits of sending light to an already broken world. You will likely need to explain that each person's light joins with every other, and through the joining all are strengthened. Assure them that what matters is not technique or what religion or beliefs you hold but intent.

As more people come in mindfulness to send their collective light to the world, the power of their planetary gift will increase exponentially. You may already be affiliated with groups that would gladly participate in such a noble project. Children, who often feel incapable of influencing their world yet are reservoirs of innate power are usually enthusiastic about sharing their collective light. As you gather together willing people, your individual intent will become a great and powerful wave, and you will see results in your fellow humans, in the news, and in your daily life.

Ariannah Skye de Avalon

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the , is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.


 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.  
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Universal Life Church

Does A Spiritual Person?

By

Rev. Ronald L. Koch

Does a spiritual person curse and swear?  I say NO!

Does a spiritual person kill? I say NO!

Does a spiritual person ridicule and belittle another person? I say NO!

Does a spiritual person commit adultery? I say NO!

Does a spiritual person laugh at another person who is injured? I say NO!

Does a spiritual person bear false witness? I say NO!

Does a spiritual person destroy the building of another? I say no for a building is not only an edifice but also a life of love, hope and joy.

Do spiritual people really do all the things in their life that represents love, joy and happiness, or are they just pretending to do so?  We are human beings who have been taught from birth that “life is the pits” and we are caught up in it.  We need to understand that being spiritual is more than just not doing certain things, but doing what is right in the eyes of our God.  We know that there are millions of people in this world who are lost in the jungles of life and need to be rescued from it.  We as spiritual people need to understand what we mean by being spiritual in order to help others.  Life has more good in it than bad and we need to emphasize the good always.

I could go on for many pages asking you about the negative things people do in this world and if a spiritual person does those things and the answer would always be no.  However, if I ask you if a spiritual person reads his/her Bible, or Koran or other spiritual scriptures that pertain to the spiritual, the answer should be yes.  If I ask if a spiritual person goes to church, Sunday school, Temple, or synagogue, you would say yes.  Those are good things for a person to do, but if they do not practice the teachings and principles of their church, etc. would the answer still be yes?  Maybe yes, maybe no…

We walk through this life with all the teachings of the masters to call on, and yet, we don’t pay them any real attention.  We believe that the teachings are for those who live with them in the past and not for today.  The question is why?  Why do we disregard the teachings of the masters?  Did they say or do things so different than we do today, I say no.

The teachings of the masters were for us, people of all ages, sex and life situations. They studied life and made determinations that were good and uplifting for those who received their teachings.  We need to read the teachings of Plato, Socrates, Buddha and Christ.  We need to pay attention

to the meaning behind their words.  We far too often take things out of context and that is when we get into trouble.

The great philosophers of old had more knowledge of life than all the physiologists who have ever lived.  Those masters knew what life was really all about and tried to give their knowledge to others, even us today.  Can we learn from them?  Yes we can.  We can learn from the best and teach our new spiritual knowledge to our children today.  Maybe then people would have a little love and understanding one for the other.  I hope so….

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the , is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.




 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Universal Life Church

Big Bang Vs. Creation Rev. Samantha Phonix I chose this topic based on a rather unexpected 4 day vision quest in which this was the first of 2 visions given to me on the 3rd day. My personal theory based on my current understanding and knowledge, is the big bang theory and creationism are one and the same. The conflicts in science and theology is only in understanding and not, in my opinion, due to conflicts of events. Advocates for both sides continue to try and prove the other to be wrong. I say, they are both right, merely two different perspectives of the same event. Most of all, it is the linier time frames that cause the greatest confusion. Without going into another theory, take a perspective of an infinity preceding the creation of human flesh, Adam & Eve (Gen.2), and the Gregorian time frame around the time of the flood.(Gen.4&5) With this perception, it is logically possible for both to be truth. Shortly before the vision, I was contemplating and conversing on some aspects of creationism with another party in the vision quest. As we spoke I paused with the images of the vision. ...I looked out over what appeared to be a never ending sea of slowly swirling fog. The fog was filled with an innumerable amount of glistening sparks. The fog had a conscience about it, one, yet many as one. The conscience understood its chaos and thought to create form by balancing its energies. [we will label those masculine(positive) and feminine (negative) ] In the moment of this thought, there was an immense explosion, much like a nuclear division of a single cell. After the flash of the ignition cleared, the scene had changed. To one side a brilliant light radiated (pure positive energy), on the other side, there was a void of darkness (Pure negative energy), and in the middle was a spark kindled from the explosion, existing of a perfectly balanced union of positive and negative energy, the birth of one pure neutral essence in harmony with all existence ( the Christ energy). This spark had a radiance that illuminated the expanse between the two energies,creating a shimmering vale around the central realm that was once in chaos. This area now had form, physical matter was birthed into the midst with orbs of many different types and characteristics, all unique in their creation..... In asking for understanding in the interpretation of this vision, I connected with the positive energy, or the masculine conscience. It had only one basic emotion in its knowledge and understanding which was Love, the truest sense of unconditional love I've ever felt. I also received its most basic truth, even separated by individual form, it remained one. The connection had a vibrant energizing essence. I then connected with the negative energy, or feminine conscience. In its purity, it was just as peaceful as the positive energy, however, it had a draining effect on the positive energy that came into contact with it. It felt only the separation, and though it retained all the knowledge of its partnered energy, it lacked the understanding created by the sense of love, being void of emotion without the love of the positive energy permeating through it. In this deceptive perception of separation, the second most powerful emotion was birthed, and it was Fear. From this fear, was birthed all deception throughout the now physical realm of chaos. Even now in our realm of chaos, the two greatest powers in effect are Love and Fear. In these, our world is manifest through the positive and negative energies utilized by all of creation, physical and metaphysical. Rev. Samantha Phenix ******************************* The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. Ordination with the , is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.   The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.   Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar