§1503
23 Pa.C.S. Marriage Law
67
Pennsylvania Counties
49 yrs
Continuous Standing
3-5 wks
Credentialing
Pennsylvania Ordination Through AEGA
Recognized credentials, file the return after the ceremony.
Pennsylvania does not require ministers to register with the state before officiating. Under 23 Pa.C.S. §1503, a minister, priest, or rabbi of any regularly established church or congregation may officiate. After the ceremony, the minister and parties complete the marriage certificate, and the minister returns the certificate of return to the marriage license bureau in the county that issued the license. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient as the underlying clergy authority.
Pennsylvania is AEGA territory. Rev. Dr. Michael Atunrase serves as Presiding Bishop of AEGA Ministries International from Pennsylvania, anchoring the fellowship inside the state. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials in Pennsylvania name the holder as an ordained minister of a Spirit-filled covenant fellowship chartered as a 501(c)(3) since 1976, sufficient under 23 Pa.C.S. §1503 to officiate in any of the 67 counties. AEGA is not a denomination; it is a covenant fellowship of ministers credentialing ministers.
Who AEGA Credentials in Pennsylvania
Six common Pennsylvania ordination pathways.
Pennsylvania hosts the seat of the AEGA Presiding Bishop. The state carries one of the strongest concentrations of AEGA-credentialed ministry across the Eastern U.S.
Senior pastors of Pennsylvania congregations.
Lead pastors carrying ordination through AEGA across Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown, Lancaster, Erie, and the Commonwealth communities that have grown under Bishop Atunrase's covering.
Ministers under Bishop Atunrase's direct covering.
Pennsylvania ministers benefit from the proximity of AEGA's Presiding Bishop. Rev. Dr. Michael Atunrase carries direct fellowship with credentialed PA ministers in regular session.
Pennsylvania church planters and bivocational pastors.
Ministers starting new works inside Pennsylvania cities and towns. AEGA does not require denominational membership; the covenant fellowship covering is available to planters from any background.
Ministers transferring credentials into AEGA.
Pastors and ministers moving from another fellowship or unaffiliated standing into AEGA. The credential review honors prior ordination while bringing the minister into AEGA covering.
Pennsylvania chaplains needing the ordination prerequisite.
Hospital, hospice, federal-prison, state-corrections, and law-enforcement chaplain candidates whose endorsing body requires denominational or fellowship ordination before endorsement.
Wedding officiants across Pennsylvania.
Ministers whose call includes officiating weddings across Pennsylvania counties. AEGA ordination is sufficient under 23 Pa.C.S. §1503 in every county marriage license bureau in the Commonwealth.
Credential Pathways for Pennsylvania Ministers
Four credentialing tracks under one Spirit-filled fellowship.
AEGA carries four ministerial tiers. Begin at the tier that matches your call.
Ministerial Apprentice.
The formation tier for ministers preparing for Licensed or Ordained credential. 12-24 months under a local pastor. Pennsylvania applicants begin here if no prior ministerial standing.
Christian Worker.
For those called to lay ministry roles: Sunday school teacher, jail or street ministry, house-to-house visitation. $50 application + $50 annual renewal. Open to ministers in any Pennsylvania city.
Licensed Minister.
For ministers in part-time or full-time ministry with limited experience. Authorizes preaching, marriage officiation under 23 Pa.C.S. §1503, baptism, and all sacerdotal duties.
Ordained Minister.
The highest credentialing tier. Required for chaplain endorsement, charter pastorship of an AEGA congregation, and the most formal forms of Pennsylvania ministerial standing.
Why AEGA in Pennsylvania
The Presiding Bishop's home state. A covenant fellowship for the long career of Pennsylvania ministry.
AEGA-credentialed Pennsylvania ministers receive recognition under 23 Pa.C.S. §1503, direct covering through Presiding Bishop Rev. Dr. Michael Atunrase based in Pennsylvania, and the standing of a Spirit-filled fellowship that has carried ministers since 1976.
23 Pa.C.S. §1503.
The statute that authorizes AEGA-ordained Pennsylvania ministers to officiate marriage ceremonies across all 67 counties. File the certificate of return after the ceremony; no state pre-registration.
Presiding Bishop Atunrase in PA.
Rev. Dr. Michael Atunrase, Presiding Bishop of AEGA Ministries International, is based in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania-credentialed ministers carry direct fellowship with the seated senior leader of the body.
Spirit-filled fellowship covering.
AEGA-credentialed ministers in Pennsylvania stand inside a covenant fellowship. The covering is relational, doctrinal, and accountable, not a piece of paper.
49 years of standing.
AEGA has carried Spirit-filled ministers since 1976. Pennsylvania county marriage bureaus, chaplain boards, and charter agencies recognize the credential on file.
Get Ordained · By State or Nation
Become an ordained minister wherever you serve.
Every state has its own requirements for officiating weddings, performing chaplaincy, and operating a church. We’ve mapped the path for the states most of our applicants come from.
Frequently Asked
Getting ordained in Pennsylvania, answered.
Do I need to register with Pennsylvania to officiate weddings as an ordained minister?
No. 23 Pa.C.S. §1503 authorizes a minister, priest, or rabbi of any regularly established church or congregation to officiate marriages without state pre-registration. After the ceremony, the minister files the certificate of return with the marriage license bureau of the county that issued the license. The AEGA ordination credential is sufficient in all 67 Pennsylvania counties.
Is the AEGA Presiding Bishop really based in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Rev. Dr. Michael Atunrase serves as Presiding Bishop of AEGA Ministries International from Pennsylvania. PA-credentialed ministers carry direct fellowship with the senior leader of the body, and the Commonwealth hosts a strong concentration of AEGA ministry.
How long does AEGA ordination take in Pennsylvania?
Most AEGA credentials, including ordination, are issued within three to five weeks of a complete application. The timeline is the same in Pennsylvania as in any U.S. state. The Credential Committee review covers doctrinal alignment with the historic Spirit-filled stream AEGA has carried since 1976, references, and ministry experience.
Can a Pennsylvania-ordained AEGA minister also become a chaplain?
Yes. AEGA Ordained Minister credentials are the prerequisite for chaplain endorsement. Pennsylvania hosts major military installations, federal prison facilities, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, and large medical systems including UPMC, Penn Medicine, and Geisinger where AEGA-ordained Pennsylvania chaplains serve.
How does AEGA ordination compare to online ordination services in Pennsylvania?
AEGA ordination is a sacred setting-apart act inside a covenant fellowship, not a same-day certificate. AEGA requires an application, doctrinal review by the Credential Committee under the oversight of Bishop Atunrase's leadership, references, and ministry experience, and a monthly giving commitment for Licensed and Ordained tiers. Both produce a credential a Pennsylvania marriage bureau will accept under §1503; only one places the minister inside ongoing covering under the Presiding Bishop.
Learn more about ordination through AEGA.
Spirit-filled covenant fellowship led by Rev. Dr. Michael Atunrase from Pennsylvania. 49 years of continuous standing. Recognized under 23 Pa.C.S. §1503 across all 67 counties. AEGA credentialing is the pathway for Pennsylvania ministers, chaplains, and church planters.