Rev. Vanessa Titang

Category: Uncategorized

  • Ordination Day

    Ordination Day

    On June 30th, 2024, I had the gift of being ordained as a Unitarian Universalist minister by the 3 church collaborative of Maine.  Held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth, I was joined by congregants, friends,  family, mentors,  and colleagues.

    The Rev. Ali KC Bell gave the sermon that was moving, powerful, and timely; reminding me of why I started this journey, and what efforts await me next.

    I am blessed to have had the gift of this day, with so many hands welcoming me into fellowship. I am blessed to now be tasked with what comes ahead, serving as Reverend Vanessa Titang.

    Blessed be!

  • W E L C O M E

    Welcome! I am Reverend Vanessa Titang

    — I am a Unitarian Universalist minister,

    a devoted mother,

    a social justice activist,

    and I am delighted that you have arrived here!

    Blessings to you!

  • Big News: Preliminary Fellowship

    It is with sweet relief and fulfillment that word has reached me from the Unitarian Universalist Association that I have now achieved Preliminary Fellowship.


    In March, I was both content and disappointed in receiving a 2 (passing, but with contingencies) from my Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) interview. Yet, I am appreciative that within me the MFC had seen my growing edges as well as my potential. I am grateful for this additional growth experience. Upon reading pieces on trauma (the book My Grandmother’s Hands, by Resmaa Menakem; and information from the UU Trauma Response Ministry (https://www.uutrm.org/), and taking 2 Renaissance Modules this summer (UU Theology and Teacher Development) my contingencies were fulfilled.


    In this time, the reprieve from direct ministerial practice and/or seminary study allowed me time and space for discernment of what ministry I am called to, and essentially, in answering “What comes next?” In these last months away from ministry (in an area unfortunately geographically isolated from UU settings) I have missed the community that UU faith creates. I am eager to dive back into this hard, beautiful, meaningful work of ministry. As such, at this time, with the wonderful news of entering Preliminary Fellowship, I am looking into contract ministry, with the intent to return to New England.


    Alas, through all of this, I am deeply appreciative of all who have supported and helped grow me to this point. Your love and wisdom are felt and recognized.
    In gratitude, I pray:

    May you, too, be held in gentle, wise hands
    that love, grow, and nurture you.
    May you too be continuously loved
    Into being.

    Amen.

  • Post MFC Meeting Reflection

    Post MFC Meeting Reflection

    Hello dear ones,

    Much has come to pass since I have updated on my ministerial journey here– I realize now I never updated on the decision of the MFC after my meeting!
    So I was “continued in candidacy”, with some contingencies to complete. Upon completion I can be granted preliminary fellowship. Some ministers I know who previously saw the MFC tell me the MFC used to call this “passing with contingencies”. So I passed. But, it was hard to feel that way after the decision was made. It was definitely a mix of emotions and hence probably why I never got around to posting here.

    Since then I have completed a number of my contingencies, with 2 remaining (UUA Renaissance Modules). I will take the modules this summer.
    Of the contingencies I completed I was asked to view the UU Trauma Response Ministry website, educate myself more on “Safe Congregations”, and to read My Grandmother’s Hands, by Resmaa Menakem.
    My Grandmother’s Hands was a challenge, but a necessary one. I had already had a copy of the book, but never got around to reading it until now. I HIGHLY recommend it, but also to be sure to have a support system in the process; it brings up a lot of difficult topics that can further be difficult based on your own personal story.

    After doing these things, and having time to process I am appreciative of the pause and discernment time the MFC enabled me, with their decision. I don’t think I could have written this well to inform immediately after their decision. Some things take time, and I have a habit of “taking the long way around.”

    Blessings,
    Vanessa

  • (Preparing for the MFC) With a Non-anxious Presence

    Dear Ones,

    This evening I will interview before the UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee.
    I have been preparing for this moment since the day I decided to apply to seminary. A successful interview would put me into preliminary fellowship in ministry.

    I am not anxious, as I thought I would be. Nerves are there, but I think this is what healthy confidence feels like, or just the realization of being READY.

    Blessings to you all!
    Graciously,
    Vanessa

  • SPIRIT is LOVE: Visiting My Process Theology

    SPIRIT is LOVE: Visiting My Process Theology

    February 6th, 2023

    My theology is of

    Panentheism
    ” (“all in God”, from the Greek πᾶν, pân, ‘all’, ἐν, en, ‘in’ and Θεός, Theós, ‘God’)[1] is the belief that the divine intersects every part of the universe and also extends beyond space and time. ” (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panentheism)

    *SPIRIT/God[ess]/Olorun/Allah/YHWH… (different names/ “languages”, but all the same ultimate source in reference, perceived from different angles of the same divine prism).
    –Here I will refer to as “SPIRIT”

    SPIRIT…
    *… is love
    *…is a force/energy and entity
    *…is creativity/creation
    *…is change
    *…is in all, and all the universe is inside, and yet there is still more SPIRIT outside of this, in infinite capacity
    *… loves ALL creation
    *…is omnibenevolent
    *… is omnipresent (in all and around all), but NOT omnipotent in the way most assume:
    As a good parent, SPIRIT cares for but also gives free will and room for their children to be independent and find the residual and unending presence of SPIRIT within themselves. This is imperfect in action on the part of the child, but that is perfect and was meant to be. All that comes to pass is a learning moment, not for when SPIRIT is gone, but for when WE lose our way to SPIRIT. That separation is where what we know as “evil” may take seed, and unlearned from and unrecognized can take over. That too is a lesson, once we can WAKE to it and seek again the TRUTH of an unconditional, selfless, universal LOVE.)

    *SPIRIT LOVES.

    *THE MEANING, PURPOSE, AND FUEL OF EXISTENCE IS LOVE.

    1 John 4:16
    “So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.

    God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.”

  • Chimes

    2.1.2023

    I hear the windchimes
    The wind it calls
    Reminds it is not lifeless
    But imbued with life itself
    Breath
    And breathing ancestors
    Still
    Chimes are their song
    Listen
    And know
    It is sung for you.

  • Porous

    April 27, 2022

    Ministerial formation is a unique and significant process of understanding self, and through this growing wiser and closer to others. As a racial minority in this faith,  this region,  this country how this manifests for me is in many ways different that the experience of many of my peers. In formation both unnecessary and the needed protective layers of self are removed in the process, to grow anew. This poem is a reflection of the experience of vulnerability and growth in the formation process, particularly for members of minority and/or marginalized groups.

    Vulnerable;

    Stripped down to the root,

    The wick of my personhood,

    Bark removed,

    The damp core of wood exposed,

    Formation is just this

    –Formation;

    Here from a ready made structure

    It requires this stripping,

    For the careful identification of scars

    And gnarled roots;

    Grow anew

    New bark, new buds,

    And blooms will form,

    This regrowth is slow,

    Unperceivable without a microscope,

    Without awareness,

    But it occurs nonetheless,

    New growth forms skin,

    A new skin,

    A different skin,

    Not only providing protection,

    But also allowing breath;

    Porous,

    Not just a barrier,

    But filtering in

    The good.

  • This is Your Life

    This is Your Life

    Welcome to this moment
    Welcome to this now
    Welcome to your only
    In hours, minutes,  seconds
    Welcome to the never to be again,
    As time passes
    By
    This is your now,
    This is your life.

    ***

    Reflection:
    In formation I am learning to be vigilant to what I feel,  think,  and experience in a way I never have before. I regularly take consult in a therapist (something I think everyone should do). In a recent session I confided that I’m done letting fear and what could possibly happen dominate my life  and the associated decision making in the process. If I had let fear take the wheel entirely I would not be in seminary right now; for fear over student loans. This is my one known life. It would be a sin not to live it to the fullest.

  • WorshipWeb: “Dear Divine Spirit”

    I received exciting news earlier this week that a piece I wrote for CPE (clinical pastoral education) was selected to be posted on the Unitarian Universalist Association’s WorshipWeb. (This site is a great resource for UUs to share their writing/music/art for worship and to just connect with what others are doing in worship.

    It had to be edited a teeny bit to remove some ableist wording (glad this was brought to my attention!)

    Anyway, I’m sharing the piece as a link here, enjoy!:

    “Dear Divine Spirit”