A New Day is Dawned
My faith has been a paramount focus in my life for as long as I can remember. I was so curious about the Bible and God that it got me removed from my parochial school as a child. My questioning and curiosity were seen as insubordination. Instead, my early interest, questions and my natural inclination towards helping others, were the first signs of my deep love of God. This would eventually lead me to ministry.
My call to ministry was not one which occurred in a dramatic fashion. It was more of a gradual process, which grew and evolved over time. I have been a person of service for as long as I can remember. As a child, I participated in the choir, tutored others in math and science, read for adults at a home for the blind and volunteered for my church in Bible studies. When I entered university, I continued engaging in the community through my involvement with the church and other local organizations. I taught religious instruction to children, assisted with our food bank and clothing donations and assisted the ministers before service. I sought counsel from the elders in my church during this time because I wanted to strengthen my relationship with God. I didn’t understand or know what that might look like. I did understand that sharing my gifts of teaching, communication and leadership were a way of deepening my relationship with God. I studied the Bible and scripture in-depth and took theology classes offered at the church whenever possible. I went on silent retreats, increased and varied my prayer practices, and devoted time to personal reflection and journaling in order to show reverence and my commitment to God. Eventually, I traveled to other countries and continents and immersed myself into their cultures and belief systems in order to work with diverse populations. This eventually led to my career in teaching underserved and marginalized students who often needed assistance beyond the subjects I taught.
About four years ago, feeling frustrated and disconnected with the church in which I worshiped, I began to attend First Congregational in Kennebunkport. The sense of warmth, kindness and community I experienced within these walls, led me to grow in my faith and desire to serve God. After two decades of teaching, I followed the call I felt to God and entered an interfaith chaplaincy program where I could further my spiritual and personal development. It started slowly with volunteering for church events, sharing my faith and love of God with others, to making visitations to fellow congregates in need of assistance or relationship with another. Without seeking it intentionally, through hands on experiences with many of you and being called to the pulpit, I felt called by God to minister at First Congregational.
March-April 2026
Easter fosters community and unity among Christians as we celebrate our shared faith of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He lived among us, encouraging us to live lives of forgiveness, love, compassion and generosity. The Lenten Season provides a time of reflection and prayer. We often pledge to give up something pleasurable or abstain from some vice. Rev. Tina shared the following excerpt from Pope Leo’s Lenten address: “I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor. Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace.”
May it be so…and Amen!
Pick up your copy of this Salt publication that offers hymns, reflections, prayers, and activities for this important time in the Christian calendar.
“To sing is to pray twice,” St. Augustine, the 4 th century North African bishop is said to have once remarked—that is, first praying though the song’s words, and the second through its music.
Lift Up Your Voice
Sing Through Lent and Easter
God’s greatest commandment is for us to go out and be his disciples. Formation of a ministry, for me, is helping others to know of God’s love. My hope is that I can continue to grow in ministry through the relationships, fellowship and community offered here.
I recently saw a quote in a church bulletin which resonates with me. “Wake, now, my vision of ministry clear, brighten my pathway with radiance here; mingle my calling with all who will share;
work towards a planet transformed by our care.”
E A S T E R
I am honored that you have placed your trust and care in me.
