Chuck Martin

Like many of you who've found your way to this site, I started out as a member of a mainstream Christian church. I've always had questions about the things that I was told to believe, but I never got good answers to those questions. In fact, I was often told that asking the question was in itself a sinful act. I couldn't ever reconcile myself to the idea of a kind, loving god that would condemn me for using the brain that He gave me. I followed a long path of searching, questioning and learning, from my original Catholicism through agnosticism, pantheism, and atheism. I now consider myself a Humanist.

I've been happily married to a wonderful lady for over twenty years. We have two strange and wonderful children that we're trying to help navigate into adulthood.

I have a niece, Jessie, to whom I'm very close (that's her in the photo). She was engaged and wanted a traditional wedding, but being non-theistic, she was having difficulty finding someone to perform a non-religious, personalized ceremony outside of a church. I did some research, became an Ordained Clergy Person in the Church of Spiritual Humanism, helped her create her wedding, and then officiated the ceremony for her. I realized that there was a need for someone willing to help humanists, agnostics, atheists and other freethinkers outside of mainstream religion to have the ritual and ceremony that we all need as markers for the turning points in our lives, without having to resort to cold, impersonal civil ceremonies. I also had nearly as much fun planning and conducting Jessie's wedding as I had at my own wedding, so I decided to start this website.

I am legally able to perform weddings in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. I'm also legally able to perform weddings in the US Virgin Islands, but so far I haven't been asked. I keep hoping.

This page, like the rest of the website, is constantly evolving. Please check back soon and see what changes I've made.