|
Frequently Asked
Questions
NOTICE:
The Kituwa Society First Nation Church
has terminated its cooperation agreement with the
American Council of Wedding Officiants (ACWO), effective
on 1 April 2013. If you obtained your ordination license
through the Kituwa Society First Nation Church and ACWO,
they have agreed to support all First nation Officiants
without interruption. Please contact them directly. If
you are a legacy Kituwa Society First Nation
practitioner who received ordination directly through
the Kituwa Society academy, you may inquire through the
academy office for further information.
Kituwa Society First Nation Church is a
traditions-based Native American religious organization.
Our faith is based upon respect for one another and for Nature. We do not believe in
forcing specific political,
religious or social beliefs or doctrines upon anyone.
We welcome each and every person to worship, respect and
be in awe of the remarkable world that surrounds us. To become a member of our church,
you are not required to undergo any religious training,
be subjected to any rituals, swear any oaths or
allegiances, or claim any beliefs other than those you
feel in your own heart and soul.
Due to the nature of marriage as a legal
contract, you may not be entitled to any additional
benefits, including (but not limited to) health care,
insurance, alimony or child support. As such, you should
consider your marriage license from Kituwa Society First Nation Church
to be symbolic of your commitment and love for each
other, rather than an instrument for obtaining financial
or social benefits.
Due to political agendas, fundamentalist
beliefs or unenlightened thinking, many states do not
recognize church-based marriages. If this is the case in the state where you
reside, it is in your best interest to obtain a marriage
license or civil union registration from your local
authority. (Generally, your local County Clerk issues
such documents.) If your state does not recognize
marriage between two consenting adults as something that
is based on love, not law, then we encourage you to obtain your marriage license
through the church.
While we are a religious organization
headquartered in the United States, we do offer to
sanction marriages between adults residing anywhere in
the world. As noted elsewhere on
this page, your marriage may not be legally
recognized in the nation you reside in, and you may not be entitled to any specific
benefits that other married couples may receive.
However, your marriage is considered to be a sacred and
consecrated covenant between you and your spouse, and
your marriage license, issued by the church, is a
lasting symbol of your commitment to each other.
The act of renewing your wedding vows
does not generally involve the re-issuing of a marriage
license; it is traditionally a way for you and your
spouse to publicly reaffirm your love and commitment to
each other. If you and your spouse are planning to renew
your wedding vows and wish to acquire a symbolic
marriage document to commemorate the occasion, you may
obtain one for a nominal fee through ACWO.net/cert.
There is no specific, standardized
wedding ceremony within the church and, in fact, we
encourage you to design your own ceremony and write your
own vows. Remember: your wedding ceremony is a
celebration of your love, and the public declaration of
your commitment to each other! It can be as fun,
dignified, solemn or wild as you wish -- as long as each
of you announce your intention to accept the other as
your married spouse in the presence of a
licensed
Officiant and at least two adult witnesses.
Wedding ministers and ceremonial Officiants
licensed by the American
Council of Wedding Officiants (or via
www.ACWO.net) are given basic samples of vows that
may be used to solemnize your marriage. You may also
search the Internet (using, for example,
Google or
Yahoo!) to find variations on the term "wedding
vows."
A proxy marriage is one where someone
stands in for the absent party, or where the absent
party participates via telephone or video conference
(including Skype). Under the bylaws of First Nation
Church, if one of the parties to the marriage is unable
to attend for any reason, including military service,
incarceration in jail or prison or inability to travel,
the couple may designate another person to stand in for
the absent person. The standard marriage license is
acceptable for proxy marriages.
For a proxy marriage to be legally
recognized, the signature of each party to the marriage
must be witnessed by two adults who must be present. The
proxy (person standing in for the absent party) and the
Officiant may not sign as witnesses.
I'm Not A Cherokee. Can I Join?
The overwhelming majority of our members are either not Native American, or they do not carry a
sufficient bloodline to be considered a member of a federally-recognized tribe. You do not have to be born Cherokee (or
any other tribe) to become a member of our community, to be married under our laws, or to be recognized as a ceremonial
Officiant.
Always remember that you can convert to Judaism, Catholicism or Buddhism, and you can convert to the traditions
of Cherokee spiritualism as well.
Many of our brothers and sisters from Texas, Oklahoma and the southwestern United States broke away from
their original tribes during the forced "Trail of Tears" relocation, and so cannot today claim tribal
membership. Others have been denied tribal recognition despite family or community ties to tribes, including the
descendants of former slaves who accompanied Cherokees during relocation. We warmly and openly welcome each of you into
our community!
I Believe In Jesus Christ. Will This Violate My Beliefs?
We have countless members who also follow the teachings of Jesus, or of Buddha or other spiritual
guides. Your belief in other teachings are not compromised or violated in any way. There is an old Cherokee saying:
"Two things can be equally true." You can believe in Jesus and his philosophy, and also respect
other traditions and culture.
Copyright © 2000-2013 by Kituwa Society First Nation Church. All rights reserved.
Affiliated with the
United Red River Cherokee Nation of Texas.
|