According to Michigan law (and the laws of most other States) only certain individuals are authorized to legally  
perform, or “solemnize” marriages.  In general, these people are referred to as wedding officiants, wedding celebrants,
or wedding officials.  They may be government employees such as a mayor, judge or county clerk, or they may be
members of the clergy such as a Minister, Priest, Rabbi or Imam.  We have our own full time Minister, and we can
suggest others if he is already committed.  

Reverend Ronald J. Heilner (“Reverend Ron”) has been an ordained minister for more than 20 years.  
But during his life, he’s also done many things you might not expect of a typical minister.  He served in
the military, worked in the business world  both in the U.S. and abroad, and started a web-based
"church" on the internet!  [Okay, so maybe that last part you would expect from a minister!]

Reverend Ron is a non-denominational, interfaith minister. He was originally ordained by the Universal Life
Church, which has more than five million members and places a special emphasis on respect for all faiths. He
has also earned a formal ordination from the Church of Interfaith Christians, and in 2005 was ordained as a
member of the clergy of the  Church of Spiritual Humanism.  He is a member of several professional organiz-
ations  including The Interfaith Alliance, the American Association of Wedding Officiants, the National
Association of Wedding Ministers, and the St. Benedict Interfaith Christian Fellowship.  As a wedding officiant,
he welcomes and works with people of many faiths, and people who have no religious ties at all.  “I think people
with strong beliefs sometimes get so used to the customs and teachings of one religion that they forget how
similar they may be to the beliefs of other religions.  I also know people who are not members of any organized
religion, but they have a strong moral compass and live their lives in a way any faith would be happy to see!”  

At a special time, like the occasion of a wedding, Rev. Ron tries to focus on the many things we share.  We all
believe in love, we believe in the hope and shared commitment of marriage, and we gather with all the friends
and family members who want the best for the bride and groom—whether they are Catholic, Hindu,  Protestant,
Jewish, Muslim, or whatever faith.  We don’t concentrate on our differences;  we join together in celebrating a
very special event!

In that spirit, Ron tailors each wedding ceremony to the individual couple.  He is very comfortable performing a
deeply religious ceremony including any of the traditional elements of a particular faith, if that is what the couple
wishes. [He is familiar with the ceremonies of many religions and has an extensive library of rituals for various
faiths.]   If you prefer a secular (non-religious) ceremony he can substitute poetry or quotations for prayers,  and
speak of faith in Love and shared commitment, rather than your religious beliefs.  If you wish to emphasize your
nationality or heritage, these can also be woven into the ceremony.  It’s your day, and the ceremony should reflect
your preferences.

More than anything, Ron loves people!  “Performing a wedding is a big deal!  It's not just writing and coordinating
a ceremony—It's an event the bride and groom, parents, and friends are going to remember forever! It’s a time of
great love (and usually some anxiety) and it’s the ‘official event’ that begins a new chapter in people’s lives. That’s
an awesome responsibility and you can’t let people down!  I want your ceremony to be just as close as possible
to the way you dreamed it would be!”

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