Joining the Order of Universal Interfaith
Those who pledge to The Order willingly serve all based on the faith path or spiritual preferences of the recipient. To do so requires a desire to serve and grow personally and professionally, a willingness to continuously learn about and experience the many paths of the world, and the self-confidence to set aside their own path and transcend to become inclusive when in the act of service so that they can support the needs of the recipient. Since the important thing is the vows of spiritual service that each person makes, The Order has no members, only "pledgers."
For more information on pledging to OUnI contact:
Rev. Thomas Fogarty OUnI cmh
314-704-8189
thomas_fogarty@charter.net
The core values asked of every member of The Order are:
Service Self improvement Humility
All pledgers commit to increase their level of training and certifications to the highest levels possible for the good of all of humanity. There are five classes of pledgers within The Order who receive their designations based on training and education. The Order will create training programs to help increase the impact of interfaith ministries.
Many clergy members ordained or co-ordained by The Order earn college and university-awarded education and professional degrees, or they are currently enrolled in these programs. Many clergy members participate in
professional organizations such as the Association of Professional Chaplains, the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy, the American Academy of Religion, A World Alliance of Interfaith Clergy, or the International Conference of Police Chaplains.
Both clergy and lay pledgers may affiliate with another religious body including a specific religion, however, many commit to the UnI community as their spiritual home and their authority to serve. The Order is expanding its work with laity with the creation of the Council of Interfaith Communities of the US (CIC-USA) which will create the ecclesiastic home for interfaith-multifaith interspiritual congregations and community ministers.
The Order is an independent 501(c)(3) spiritual community with regularly elected leadership-and every cleric member of the Order is expected to assume a leadership position within the organization at sometime during their lifetime if possible. On January 2, 2009, the Board of Directors of OUnI selected the Reverend Jean A.
Leone, RN, MS, OUnI, from New Jersey as its Secretary General to serve for the first two-year term of office. On December 16, 2011, the Board selected Rev. Dr. Joyce Liechenstein OUnI as the second Secretary General of The Order.
On October 25, 2009, the Peace House of Columbus, Ohio, became the first consecrated "house of The Order" where all members are welcome to stay, worship, work and participate in community activities. The second "house of The Order" came into OUnI in September 2010. The "Sanctuary of The Companions" is located in Sedona, Arizona. Many more are planned around the United States.