Church Operations Business

My Dearest Kennykins,

I sat here two days and no one said anything remotely associated with the topic. I asked for input, thoughts, whatever, nothing. Yet, there were 3 to 4 ppl here staring at the wall.

Like you Kenny, I have a lot on my plate. I'm juggling three or four priorities all the time.

I posted a page about what it requires to be a church and asked for feedback.. nothing for two days, no one had anything to say. I figured no one was that interested to read it and comment bc no one did.

I'm just trying to get a flow of some sort going here. Actually have a conversation about what we are trying to accomplish and what it is going to take.

Kenny it's not about paying for the 'papers' I can pay for my part.

I did read Everything on the IRS requirements. And that is the purpose for this meeting, to decide which venue we are going to approach this through.

We are a bit divided as to who we affiliate ourselves with and weather or not we need a paper from a credited theology school or use "life experience' as our credentials.

That is the only thing I couldn't get past on the form ( 501c3) the rest of the questions on the form are just formalities for 'the record'.

So, we need to decide which way we go. Are we our own church or are we under the ULC umbrella.

So, I found this while searching for answers

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_degree_is_required_to_be_a_Pastor_of_a_church

 

In our 'papers' from the state, it said nothing about degrees and whatnot. I don't know for sure, but from what I am reading it sounds like we don't have to have paper just, 'the calling'.

 

Martin Luther was ordained as a Catholic and then founded the Lutheran Church in no way under the Catholic Church.

 

I'm incline to think that we are an established church already, since we have an official document stating that we are in fact The Church Of The Good Earth. Feb. 6th, 2013. I was ordained 2-8-12.

 

Y'all know what I think. And I have been watching and commenting right along, Mary.

 

You're right Mark you did comment.. thank you

 

I wish I had gotten here sooner. This woulda made a dandy fight. However, Ranger told me you wanted quick and easy. I have to agree that getting into a pissin match with the irs would make it anything but. Still it would strike a blow for freedom. Sigh, old too soon, smart too late.

 

Good Morning Cakes. I got to go to sleep. Love to all.

 

Good Mornin,

I should go back to bed myself..tired

 

Luther only had the pope to deal with. A pussycat compared to the irs.

 

That's what I think too Mark, no need to provoke them into denying us.It's been six months since we became legit, as in, on paper. So I do not see where I am pushing things too fast. It's only taken us 9 yrs. so far.

 

To whom it may concern:

We are (and should write down and define ourselves to the I.R.S. as) a small church in Eastern Texas, which has a small Fellowship and Community that has been together on the Internet for the past 9 years. In ways similar to the big televised churches, we are and Internet church. We nurture and support each other, and discuss theology together and worship together. We believe that each person has the right to believe in anything that they each choose to believe in. We are a nonprofit incorporation as a church with the State of Texas. We minister unto each other, and we each except each others' ministry. This church will be the center and the headquarters for any possible future offshoot or sub churches of our faith. The main people of our church are old retirees, who are poor. we are far too poor to pay for any fancy seminary schools. We do not believe that anyone should be discriminated against just for being poor. That is not the American way.

The Church of the Good Earth.

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We would of course delete the part that is in the Parenthesis.

What do you think of that as a write up explanation, to be mailed in with our application?

Bad // Good ?

 

I correct myself, we started in 1970, so that would be 43 yrs and not 9 yrs., but yeah, I can see where ya'd think I was moving too fast

I'm just kidding. I know how I can be. I'm the type of person who likes to get things done while it fresh. The sooner it's done the more time we have to do fun things.

 

It's sounds good to me Kenny.

I think maybe we might add that we have life experience and have a calling to minister, and not bound to a select order.. or something to that afffectl

 

Well if we all old retirees, that should be a different way of saying the same thing but we can add that if we want.

Sure.

 

It sounds a little better than 'old' retirees...lol

 

Old retirees sounds redundant. The church was founded in 68 ,I thought.

 

The Church was born in prison in 68, when They got out in 70 that's when it formally became a church.

You will have to check with Mike when he comes in, about the time frame, he was one of the founding fathers, there in prison, with Stacey and one or two others.

Stacey hasn't been in for a while and I haven't heard from him for a while.

( just a side note, for The Book, we really need that part to open the book with. The birth of The Church Of The Good Earth. We need Mike and Stacey's stories as an intro.)

Here is what I have found about when the Church was initially put on paper.

http://california.14thstory.com/the-church-of-the-good-earth.html

 

Good Morning, Friends, Family and Associates.

Wishing you all a Beautiful Day.

I'm thinking that we are making progress. Mark has made himself clear as to what he believes about what a Minister is.I think Ranger has also states the same? What I have read in so many sites that, you don't need to have a degree to be a Minister.

Then again there are some that say you do.

The ULC's statement is what ours is very similar to. Only Do What Is Right. It also includes non-denominational, each to their own beliefs. It is non-political, as in, supports no particular candidate or contributes to any political party. As individuals we are free to support whom we wish, but not as The Church.

Now that we are a Church we are separate from the ULC. We are our own Church and set our own doctrine. We should be able to ordain others as well and have all the rights and benefits of every other Church.

 

Would still need to be written down at least to be valid.