The Universal Life Church Monastery believes in the un-infringed right of all people to exercise their beliefs, so long as they do not impose upon the rights of others, and they act within the law. Since its inception, the Universal Life Church has been viewed in a demeaning light because of the decision to ordain persons who are non-religious, even anti-religious. This is done out of necessity; to prevent the erosion of all religious civil rights. As the facts show, any ordination processed by another website may hold questionable legality. Please note that out of all the Universal Life Church entities, only the ULC Monastery fights for your rights as a fully ordained minister in the eyes of the law in all of these United States as accorded to all of us and guaranteed by the First Amendments promise of true freedom of religion.
ULC Modesto: the Hensley Family Enterprise
The image many people have of the Universal Life Church started by Kirby Hensley is far from what the Modesto church became in Rev. Hensley’s later years. Once an organization that stood for inclusion and freedom, Hensley’s successors in Modesto used the ULC’s good name to perpetrate multiple crimes. As a result, in 1984 the IRS revoked the tax exemptions for contributions to the Universal Life Church of Modesto.
ULC Seminary: Complicity with Fraud
Prior to the 2004 inception of UlcSeminary.org, Amy Long was responsible for the management of former ULC official Daniel Zimmerman’s business. Zimmerman and Long had entered into a private deal for the sale of ULC.org (a Non-Profit Organization.) for a large sum of money, despite it being illegal for private parties to sell or profit from nonprofit corporations. That deal soured, however, and Long copied ULC.org’s membership files and site design, and opened ULCSeminary.org..
The Monastery: A Beacon of Light in the Beginning
There are over 50 online ULCs’ operating independently from Modesto. In the Monastery’s last conversation with Modesto, we were reminded of Kirby Hensley’s brilliance and vision that anyone can get ordained to be a pastor or wedding officiant. In spite of Modesto’s track record in recent times, all Universal Life Churches owe them reverence and gratitude from the heart.
Zimmerman: The Zimmerman Years
Prior to August 2006, Daniel Zimmerman was the acting president of ULC.org and acted with Modesto to sell documents. On August 1, 2006 Zimmerman shut down the website claiming the Church was bankrupt. He refused to fulfill outstanding orders, issue refunds, or pay church employees. Following an extensive episode of Zimmerman’s instability (documented later in this report) the Monastery’s founding board members notified and removed Zimmerman and assumed control of the organization.