Featured In This Issue / Kingdom of God Christian Ministry

Kingdom of God Christian Ministry
by R. Joseph Owles

Kingdom of God Christian Ministry provides ministry to those who may not have access to a pastor or church ministry. They may be people who are Christian, but have no particular church affiliation or church home. They may be Catholics who have been denied the Sacraments of the Church because of some situation such as divorce. They may be non-Christians who are looking for pastoral care, or traditional services such as weddings, funerals, and baptism. They may be people just like you.

Kingdom of God Christian Ministry provides traditional, pastoral services to those in need, regardless of affiliation, or lack thereof; regardless of economic condition; regardless of circumstance. If you need pastoral care, pastoral services, someone to officiate a wedding, someone to baptize you or your child, someone to administer the Sacraments, someone to officiate a funeral, someone to pray with you and for you, someone to hear your confession, or any other need, want or desire that only ordained clergy can provide, then Kingdom of God Christian Ministry exists for you.

In life, we typically get what we pay for and when it comes to hiring an officiant for your special occasion, there is no exception to this rule. Therefore, know who you are calling for ministry. Formally educated, well trained and experienced officiants charge more for their services because the investment they have made in their profession is greater than those who are untrained, Internet ordained, or state officials working for the courts. It is important to ask the right questions when interviewing officiants.

• What are your credentials? You may be surprised. With a click of the mouse, anyone can become an ordained minister over the Internet.
• Ask where they were ordained and how many years of formal ministerial education they received.
• How much training have you had? Training is very important. The officiant you choose for your ceremony must know the state laws particularly those pertaining to marriage.
• Your officiant should be able to explain the marriage license procedure to you and what their responsibility is regarding completing and filing the legal documents.
• A trained clergy will know how to structure a ceremony properly, create and perform it with confidence as well as follow through, in a timely fashion, on any questions or concerns you may have.
• How much experience have you had performing ceremonies? Officiants who have been formally educated and trained in the administration of the sacraments find it easy to convert their classroom experiences into the real thing.

Father R. Joseph Owles
I am an Independent Catholic Priest, of the Independent Old Catholic Church, who is available to officiate at Catholic or Christian weddings in southern New Jersey and surrounding regions. I accommodate those who do not belong to a specific church or denomination, but wish to have a traditional wedding ceremony.

While I believe in the sanctity of marriage, I also understand that some marriages end in divorce. Therefore, I will gladly marry anyone who has been previously married, provided they are legally divorced.

I offer ceremonies that range from a basic Christian marriage ceremony to a full Catholic Mass, with exchange of vows. I am very flexible regarding the wording and style of the wedding, but as a Christian priest, it will have a modicum of Christian language. I officiate your wedding, "On-Site," such as a banquet hall, restaurant, garden or park settings, your home, or another place of your choice. In addition to weddings, I also officiate at:

• Baptisms
• Sacraments
• Funerals
• Blessings
• Confessions
• Healing and Anointing
• Pet Blessings