I’m proud to be a second generation minister of the Universal Life Church of Modesto, California. For those not familiar with this denomination, the ULC believes that every member has the right to believe what ever he wants, as long as doesn’t infringe on the rights of others to believe what they want. Now that’s some dogma I can get my teeth into. They also believe that everyone has the right to be ordained as minister (or as a pope for that matter).
In 1973, as a lark, my dad, Bill and my Uncle Rich were ordained as ministers of the ULC. I don’t believe my father ever thought he would ever utilize this position.
That would all change in the early morning hours of April 20, 1974.
Now it’s often said it is never a good idea to have a bachelor party the night before the wedding. Throwing caution to the wind my brother Greg held his bachelor party just hours before getting married to his beloved Donna Cooperider. The venue was Straw Hat Pizza in Redding, California where Greg was a loyal employee. Much pizza and beer was consumed during the course of this sodden soiree.
Around closing time, after a somewhat inebriated consultation between father and son, Greg announced to well wishers that he would be firing his minister and that his dad would now be officiating his upcoming nuptials.
The next morning my father awoke in a panic, hoping that his offer had just been forgotten. Alas it was to late, Greg had already given his original minister his walking papers.
Sitting around the kitchen table, a nervous and acutely hungover father and son penned the sacred words that would be shared with hundreds of family and friends in just a few hours.
Having survived the war-torn jungles of the South Pacific during World War II, my dad still states that officiating this wedding, while one of his happiest moments, was one of the hardest things he ever had to endure.
Greg and Donna recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. My 85 year old father went on to perform more weddings, but always stayed sober the night before.
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More to come. As I tell of the story of my following in my father’s footsteps as the Right Reverend Mike of Ocean Beach, California.
