Rev. Vanessa Titang

Tag: Interconnected web of life

  • My UU Elevator Speech

    My UU Elevator Speech

    I am attending a family gathering.  A memorial/ independence day gathering of my maternal side. Of all the things running through my mind,  one that has  popped up a number of times is how to describe my UU faith and ministry to my largely Lutheran family.

    I need an elevator speech of sorts. I’ve been saying that I’ll get to coming up with one for some time now,  but never get around to doing it.

    I’ve been in the car for hours and hours on the road trip from Maine to Ohio and now to western Pennsylvania. I’m a passenger,  and I see no time but now to do it!

    I think first about all the things that I believe…..

    I believe in a universal, neutral force that one might call God,  or my preferred  “Spirit”.

    I believe in panentheism,  this Spirit is, is in, and is greater than all.

    I believe in God’s love for all.

    I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all.

    I believe in the interconnection of all things.

    I believe in an interwoven web of life.

    I believe God’s intervening force in our lives,  but not that all is preordained.

    I believe in the continuation of spirit after death,  in a cycle as part of the Divine Spirit.

    I believe…

    I believe a lot things that are a lot to explain.  I believe things that not all Unitarian Universalists believe. But my faith has belief that we can hold these views and seek out truth and meaning.

    I struggle with how to describe this all succinctly.

    Then I saw a description someone else did,  that was a one liner. I can’t even recall what it was, but it made sense. And suddenly I came up with it:

    “I believe in 1 God that connects and fills all, and in which all are saved.”

    From this description, Unitarian and Universalists views are both expressed. Unitarian: all in one God. Universalist: Never mind the name given,  the language or faith praised with,  all for this one whole God.

     

    There is much more that could be expressed about my faith,  and own spirituality. But this short statement captures the crux of the faith.  I can then expand, and talk about the non-creedal nature,  the 7 (8) Principles that help to guide and explain our beliefs.

    I’m sure I will tweak my elevator statement over time and with use.  But for now I’m satisfied with this.  I think being able to come up with such a statement is a Testament to how much I’ve grown in my faith and ministry.

    I also think I’m ready for the family….

     

  • Asking (a Prayer)

    Asking (a Prayer)

    I am here and humbled
    By my small body,
    By my tiny imprint on the fingerprint of the divine plan,
    I am hard of bringing myself to bent knees,
    To folded hands,
    To ask,
    For anything,
    For who am I to ask?
    Who am I to expect?

    then I am reminded,
    I am
    inherently worthy,

    Worthy
    As any other being,
    And I am part of this web,
    Interconnected by nature,
    And my part is too important,
    In ways I’ll may never know,
    May never understand

    And so,
    Humble, worthy, interconnected
    I fall to knees with fingers clasped:

    Dear spirit,  great being of existence,
    That in, of, around and composing us,
    I ask for your help,
    Influence in my favor,
    To make and show me
    the best path forth,

    I ask you to make it be,
    That which includes the greatest good
    Even that I might not understand
    Now
    The greatest good
    For me and family
    That our place in this web be filled with peace
    And the good of your divine presence,
    So humbly for this I pray.
    Amen.