Get Ordained
Recent polls show that 16% of the U.S. population doesn’t affiliate with any religion. Unfortunately, the choice of persons to conduct ceremonies for marriages, memorials and other rites of passage is usually between religious clergy and civil officials.
For nonreligious people this can be a traumatic experience. They may be required to go through religious counseling and/or have religious references in their ceremony. They may be prevented from having their choice of music or readings as part of the ceremony. The local minister called on to conduct a funeral/memorial may preach a “come to Jesus” sermon or otherwise use religious references that are not in keeping with the worldview of the person being memorialized. Many of us have seen this done.
Wedding ceremonies, memorials and other life passages are extremely important events – they are life’s milestones – and people should be able to have these ceremonies conducted in a manner and by a person of their choosing.
CFI has created a Secular Celebrant Program to train and certify secular celebrants to perform weddings, memorials, and other “milestones of life” ceremonies.
With the First Church of Atheism you can become ordained quickly, easily, and at no cost. As a legally ordained minister, you will be able to perform weddings, funerals, commitment ceremonies, and other functions that are reserved for members of clergy. The First Church of Atheism wants you to pursue and cherish your realistic beliefs without interference from any outside agency, including government or church authority. We provide our service for free, as we believe it is every atheists right to perform these clergy functions.
Since its inception, the First Church of Atheism has amassed quite a following around the world. FCA ministers come from all walks of life. They are every race, ethnicity, age, and creed. The one thing binding every FCA minister is his or her belief in science, reason, and reality. You may become a legally ordained minister for life, without cost, and without question.
The Universal Life Church ordains clergy for life for free. The Universal Life Church is the only religious and spiritual denomination in the world that opens its door to all and welcomes all who ask to get ordained, granting ordination without questions as to religious and spiritual beliefs. Over 20 million ministers have become ordained online throughout the world by ULC. Their online church services offer everything from fellowship and outreach opportunities to help you become a priest, rabbi, minister or pastor. As an online ordained minister, you will fully possess the legal status to officiate marriages and perform baptisms, as well as to officiate funerals and burials. Their website says "At the ULC Monastery, we believe that ordination should be available to all who seek and ask. That's why we make it possible for you to become a priest, minister or pastor through our online church services!"
A Humanist Celebrant plays a role similar to that of a traditional clergyperson with one difference: Humanist ceremonies express Humanism instead of traditional faith. Humanist Celebrants conduct Humanist, nonreligious, and interreligious weddings, commitment/same-sex unions, memorials, baby namings, and other life cycle ceremonies. Humanist Minister, and Humanist Chaplain are also accepted titles. Humanist Celebrants are legally recognized in all states and worldwide, being accorded the same rights and privileges granted by law to traditional clergy. Since Humanist Celebrants serve as special representatives for the American Humanist Association, applicants must be a dues-paying member of the AHA for a minimum of one year.
If you are a legally empowered ceremony Officiant (which includes: Wedding Officiant, Minister, Priest, Rabbi, Imam, Holy Leader, Monk, Pandit, Bishop, Reverend, Christian Science Reader, Practitioner, Guru, Chaplain, Celebrant, Justice of the Peace, and in some states, Notary Publics, etc.), you can join Interfaith Officiants.com! Interfaith Officiants is a referral service for legally ordained, Interfaith and nondenominational Clergy and Marriage Officiants. Each Officiant listed practices his/her own ministry or business independently, and has his/her own theology, but we all share the same basic principles of respect and tolerance. Interfaith Officiants members agree to a strict code of interfaith respect, and agree to not proseletize their own set of beliefs or practices to other Officiants within the group, or to clients who do not already share their beliefs.