How to Become Ordained in the UK

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Plus, what the couple needs to do to make the marriage official if you get ordained online
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There are two main paths that people choose to get ordained in the United Kingdom. If you just want to perform a friend or family member's wedding, you can get ordained online in minutes, but the couple will need a minister or registrar there when they sign their marriage license to make it legal. If you want to join the Church of England, you can become officially ordained as a priest , and any marriages you officiate will be legally binding. We'll explain the steps for each process and how to approach performing a wedding legally if you were ordained online.

How to Become Ordained in the UK

Become ordained online in the UK by filling out a free ordination form online from the Universal Life Church or Open Ministry . You won't be able to officiate legally binding marriages, but you can still speak during the ceremony. To authorize legal marriages, join a theological institution and get ordained by the Church of England.

Section 1 of 5:

How to Get Ordained Online in the UK

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  1. Go online to sites such as Universal Life Church (ULC) or Open Ministry that have an online ordination option. Click the button directing you to the page where you fill out your information. This button will often say something like, "Get Started" or "Begin Ordination Now."
    • It’s important to note that while you can go through the motions of becoming ordained online, any marriages you perform may not be legally binding everywhere in the UK . A minister or registrar will need to be present when the couple signs the marriage license to make their marriage official .
  2. When you click on the ordination button to start the process, it will take you to a page where you’ll fill out your personal information. This includes details such as your name, country of origin, and the state or region where you live, as well as an email address and a password for your account. Once you’re finished, click the button at the bottom of the page to submit the request.
    • You must be at least 18 years old to become ordained.
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  3. After you submit the form, you’ll receive an email that tells you more about your ordination, such as the ordination date and links to resources about officiating religious ceremonies (i.e., weddings, baptisms, and funerals). Once you get the email, your ordination has been processed.
    • If you become ordained through Open Ministry, you'll have to confirm your ordination after you receive the email. [1]
    • If you don't receive it right away, check the Spam folder in your inbox.
  4. Most ordination sites will recommend that you buy one of their ordination packages, which includes things like an ordination credential and certificates. These documents prove your ordination to marriage and state officials. They also give you something to show your friends and family so they know you've gone through an ordination process.
    • A typical ordination certificate costs £10- £15 ($13-$20 USD).
  5. Most ordination websites provide links to useful pages that make officiating a wedding easier for beginners, such as ULC's wedding ceremony script generator or their 3-step guide for performing a wedding ceremony . Read through all the site's resources to prepare you to officiate the wedding.
    • The wedding ceremony script generator helps you design the script you’ll use at the wedding, including things like the welcome statement, wedding sermon, and exchange of vows.
    • Does the couple need advice on writing wedding vows? Check out helpful tips from other wikiHow readers on our "Need help writing my own wedding vows!" forum !
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Get Officially Ordained Through the Church

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  1. If you’ve already become close with one of the leaders of your church, sit down with them to talk about your desire to become ordained. They’ll be able to help you choose the right path and answer any questions you might have about the process and length of time it takes. [2]
    • They’ll be able to give you advice about what type of ministry would be best for you.
    • If you’re not close with your chaplain, vicar, or other head of the church, visit a church and reach out to them in person. Ask if you could talk to them for a few minutes about what it takes to become ordained.
    • You might say something like, "I'm hoping to start on a path to ordination, and I'd really appreciate any advice you have for me."
  2. The most common two types are residential and non-residential, meaning you live at the institution while studying or you study away from the main campus most of the time. Decide which sort of training would be best for your lifestyle, then do an online search to find the best options in your area.
    • For example, if you want to be fully immersed in your training and can leave your current house and lifestyle to do it, you might look for full-time residential training at theological institutions near you.
    • Some theological institutions, like Trinity College Bristol , provide the option of doing your training part-time that's geared towards working people. Learning takes place just a couple of evenings a week.
    • If there aren’t many theological institutions near you, research non-residential options. You may be able to choose to complete part of your training online, meaning you would only need to commute to some of your classes.
  3. Your theological training will include things like participating in seminars, helping lead your local congregation, practicing spiritual discipline, and reflecting on the Bible. You’ll be expected to take your learning seriously, whether you’re learning on campus, off-campus, or online. [3]
    • Be aware that this could take roughly three years if you're studying part-time, while a full-time student could finish in about half that time.
    • The cost of your education (including tuition fees and cost of living) is usually covered by your diocese and grants from the Church of England. [4]
  4. After you’ve finished your education at a theological institution, you’ll be ordained as a deacon by your bishop. You’ll work with the vicar to help serve the people by holding religious services like weekly worship and offering assistance or guidance to the members of the congregation. This helps you practice the things you’ve learned and gain real experience. [5]
    • A deacon is one level below a priest.
    • Think of this time as a shadowing period where you learn as much from the vicar as possible.
    • The time commitment will depend on the specific parish in which you're serving and how involved the vicar wants you to be.
  5. Spend a year working with your vicar before becoming a priest . Once you’ve gained experience and knowledge through your curacy in a parish, your bishop will likely make you an ordained priest. While you’ll now be an official priest, you’ll continue training to learn and practice more before starting your own post at a different church. [6]
    • Once you’re a priest, you’ll be able to officiate weddings and baptisms.
    • It should take you roughly a year after starting your curacy as a deacon before becoming a priest, depending on the specific sort of ministry you’ve chosen
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Section 3 of 5:

Performing a Wedding Legally If You Were Ordained Online

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  1. Find the local register office where the couple lives and have them officially give notice of their union. After giving notice, they have 12 months to hold a religious or civil ceremony. They'll receive a marriage schedule or marriage document that an authorized person, like a religious minister or a registrar, must sign. The couple must also add their signatures to the document after the wedding ceremony. [7]
    • The notice is a document the couple signs to declare their intention to marry or form a civil partnership. They must give it at least 29 days before their ceremony. [8]
    • If the couple lives at separate addresses, they must each go to their local register office to complete this step.
  2. In the UK, most marriage authorities (which include register offices) typically don't recognize officiants who were ordained online. But some online sources suggest it doesn't hurt to ask, as the laws differ from region to region. If they do allow you to legally oversee the wedding, they may ask to see your official ordination certificate, so have that on hand just in case.
    • If you don't qualify as an authorized minister, you can still speak at the ceremony. However, an authorized minister or registrar must be present to witness the wedding and sign the marriage document to make it legal. [9]
    • Booking a registrar costs £56 ($72 USD) at a register office or £104 ($134.36 USD) at a venue.
  3. If the ceremony is a religious one, you may include verses and hymns from the couple's preferred spiritual belief system. If it's civil, you can still have readings or songs, but they can't be religious. [10] You may also need to step aside to allow the registrar or authorized minister to declare that the couple is married.
    • Wedding Officiant and Ordained Non-Denominational Minister Hope Mirlis has some advice for officiating weddings. She says, “If you're a friend or a family member that's been asked to officiate, you could get everything to prepare a ceremony online, as well as to get the information you need for the legal side or the administrative side; but I highly recommend reaching out to a professional officiant just for those pieces of advice, or just to look at the ceremony and make sure that you're not forgetting anything.”
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Section 4 of 5:

What's the marriage law in the UK?

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  1. Authorized ministers include bishops, priests, and rabbis. Registrars can be found at local register offices or venues approved by the local council. [11] This means anyone ordained online isn't legally able to certify marriages in the UK unless the register office where the wedding is set to take place lets them apply for a license.
    • People who get ordained online can still speak at wedding ceremonies – they just can't make the marriage legal. An authorized minister or registrar must be present to complete that step of the process.
Section 5 of 5:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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  1. 1
    If I get ordained online, can I perform weddings in the UK? Yes, you can perform wedding ceremonies in the UK. However, they're usually not considered legally binding. The couple must have a registrar or an authorized minister present to sign their marriage document. [12]
  2. 2
    How long does it take to get ordained in the UK? If you're getting ordained online, it can take only a few minutes. If you're getting ordained through the Church of England, it can take up to 2.5-4 years to train at a theological institution and rise to the level of a priest.
  3. 3
    How much does it cost to get ordained in the UK? Typically, it's free to get ordained online, although you may have to pay £10- £15 if you want an official ordination certificate. If you're getting ordained as a priest in the Church of England, your tuition and living expenses are usually paid for by your diocese and church grants. [13]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.oministry.com/get-ordained/
      2. ↑ https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations/preparing-ordained-ministry/understanding-selection
      3. ↑ https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations/preparing-ordained-ministry
      4. ↑ https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations/preparing-ordained-ministry/financial-support-ordinands
      5. ↑ https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations/preparing-ordained-ministry
      6. ↑ https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations/preparing-ordained-ministry
      7. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/plan-your-ceremony
      8. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/give-notice
      9. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/plan-your-ceremony
      1. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/plan-your-ceremony
      2. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/plan-your-ceremony
      3. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/plan-your-ceremony
      4. ↑ https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations/preparing-ordained-ministry/financial-support-ordinands

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