Rev. Vanessa Titang

Tag: church

  • 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!

  • Time for All Ages reading: And Tango Makes Three

    A recording of And Tango Makes Three that I narrated, for a Time for All Ages at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth.

  • But what does covenant mean; What does it mean to me?

    But what does covenant mean; What does it mean to me?

    Dear Ones,

    The last 5 months I have learned so much from my experience amongst the 3 church collaborative of Maine, as your ministerial intern. Currently, I am learning how to integrate pastoral care skills alongside worship to see the care of the individual and the congregation as a whole.

     In my time here and now in my final semester of divinity school I have come to appreciate the place and purpose of covenant in our faith spaces. When I first joined a Unitarian Universalist church in 2018 I found the emphasis on covenant new and a bit of a mystery.  I came to recognize the repetition of these covenants as part of a spiritual practice of joining and engaging in community.  It is in my final semester that I am really exploring and coming to understand what covenant means for and to us each.

    Oxford English dictionary defines covenant as follows,  

    1. an agreement.

    “there was a covenant between them that her name was never to be mentioned”

    • LAW

    a clause in a contract.

    • THEOLOGY

    an agreement which brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people. The Jewish faith is based on the biblical covenants made with Abraham, Moses, and David.

     

    But the definition provided here  did not inform what I know is at the heart of covenant in UU churches.  Synonyms of “promise”, “pledge”, “vow” included later with this definition expressed the emotional, spiritual component in this kind of agreement.

    From my experience, yes, covenant is an agreement between people, but in their rarest form–with feelings exposed; markers of testament to the purpose and need for such powerful and yet delicate negotiation between human beings.  Covenant is us being authentically human and through agreements upholding expectations and granting grace.  This is a divine human spiritual contract. From this I now  appreciate why covenant remains such an integral piece of this faith, in upholding each of its 7 UU principles.

     

    My hope is that this exploration of covenant has filled you with curiosity and reaffirmed the value of covenant in our shared faith, as it has for me.

    With greatest blessings,

    Vanessa

     

  • To Grow a Minister

    To Grow a Minister

    So far,
    In such a short duration,
    Growth measured in moments not meters
    Who will I be
    When I reach this my formation,
    I’ll learn in the words and faces,
    Nods of encouragement from the congregation,
    Ministerial poise,
    I am learning
    Growing the muscle of a human heart
    In ways I never knew possible,
    Stretching and strengthening the tissue and sinew
    To engulf the needs of others,
    The tears and fears,
    Joys and triumphs,
    Bittersweet memories

  • Pews

    Pews

    Hard wood,
    A stern reminder of penance,
    But a view of trees,
    Blowing,
    Serenaded by breeze
    Framed above my head,
    As patients pass,
    Bowed head,
    Convent for confusion,
    A sacred space to heal
    The mind, spirit, and
    Soul to first,
    Or once again find,
    Here on this pew,
    I see their dance
    And chants,
    A longing for belonging,
    A need to find self and security,
    And I am here,
    Upon my pew,
    Watching, waiting
    A patient,
    Listening, loving ear
    To not just observe,
    but to genuinely hear.

  • Formation

    Formation

    Formation is being the adult you always admired, but never thought you could be .

    It is developing figurative muscles you didn’t know lay under your skin.

    It is grasping a colleagues hand in solidarity,  knowing you are both invested in this same,  shared process.

    It is singing Woyaya and understanding the meaning,  despite not knowing the language. 

    Formation is bringing the you,  that was always meant to be into fruition.

    Baby steps that climb you up the mountain.

    One foot at a time.

    This is Formation,  left, right left.

  • Back in the Pulpit

    Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Castine

    Or I was, for a moment.

    After a year of it being zoom church only I finally had the honor of participating in and/or conducting service 3 times in person! (At Ferry Beach, in Belfast and Castine).

    Unfortunately though, the Covid-19 uptick with the Delta variant has us all concerned, And thus has us opting for virtual service again.

    C’est la vie.

    But before this there were some great in person moments…