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  • Welcome
  • Worship
    • What to Expect
    • Worship Video
    • Sermon Podcast
    • Return to In Person Worship
  • Good News
    • Worship video
    • Pastor's Reflections & Various Sermons
    • Contemplative Sit
    • Bible study
  • Facebook Page
  • This Month
    • This Week
    • Subscribe
  • Give
    • Give Now
    • Listen, God is Calling
    • Thank you!
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Pastor's Reflections & Various Sermons

Monthly faith reflections and other ponderings and sermons from the pastor.

A Journey Through Holy Week

4/1/2025

 
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Dear siblings in Christ,
         As we continue our journey through Lent, heading towards Holy Week, we are reminded of the profound love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The events of Holy Week has a way of encompassing the heart of the Christian faith, from the jubilant entry of Psalm Sunday, to the call of servanthood on Maundy Thursday, to the sorrow of Good Friday all the way to the joy of Easter which altogether calls us to live out the love of Christ in the world today. In our world today, where so much of it is marked by pain, division, and injustice, Holy Week offers us a powerful invitation to  embody and share God’s love and grace in tangible ways. 
        Palm Sunday is a call to justice and peace. As we wave our palm branches and celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we are reminded that Jesus’ kingdom is not one of power and domination, but of justice, peace, and compassion. In a time when it seems that the cries for justice and peace are so often drowned out by the noise of partisan political polarization, narrow sighted nationalistic ways of thinking and conflict in general, Palm Sunday invites us to stand with the oppressed, the marginalized, the voiceless, and the dehumanized in our communities. We are called to be peacemakers, to speak out against injustice, and to live as advocates for all God’s people, particularly those suffering from systemic inequalities. After all, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was a form of nonviolent protest against the earthly powers that be of his time.  
        Maundy Thursday is a command to serve. On Maundy Thursday, Jesus models servant leadership by washing his disciples’ feet and instituting the commandment to love one another. “Love one another as I have loved you,” he said (John 13:34). In this act of love, Jesus calls us to humble ourselves in service to others. In today’s world, this means not only serving those who are physically or spiritually in need but also addressing the various and deep divides that separate us from one another. Whether through local outreach programs, acts of kindness, or advocacy for the    vulnerable, Maundy Thursday challenges us to go beyond ourselves and to serve others in the most humble and     compassionate ways, to not just give of our money but to also give of our time and bodies, out of the love that God first gave us through Jesus. 
        Good Friday is a call to stand in solidarity with suffering. Good Friday is a stark reminder of the suffering and pain that Jesus endured on the cross. He truly knew the human experience of suffering and we know suffering is still all too present in our world. From ongoing conflicts around the globe to the struggles within our own communities, Good Friday calls us to stand with those who are hurting. It calls us to acknowledge the deep wounds of injustice, violence, and poverty that continue to permeate within the systems in place impacting so many. As a community, we are invited to walk alongside those who are suffering, offering a presence of love, comfort, and solidarity. Let us  remember that as we carry the cross with Christ not to suffer for the sake of suffering but for the sake of our neighbors, we are called to enter into those moments and spaces to help carry and lighten the burdens of others. 
        Easter is a call to hope and resurrection in a Hurting World. Easter brings with it the hope of resurrection and the promise that even in the darkest moments, God is at work bringing new life and transformation. In the face of the tragedies and heartaches we encounter, the Easter message reminds us that love, grace, and hope will have the final word. We are a resurrection people, called to bring light into the darkness, to share hope with the hopeless, and to work toward healing and renewal for all people, no if’s and’s or but’s, throughout our communities and the world. As we celebrate Easter this year, let us consider how we too can be bearers of this resurrection hope. Whether it’s through speaking out against injustice, providing care for those in need, working for systemic change in our communities, or just by sitting with someone going through a hard time. The hope of the resurrection challenges us to live with boldness, sharing and showing God’s love near and far, trusting that God’s love transforms the world. 
        Let us live lives with a Holy Week kind of faith. In a world where fear, hatred, division, and violence dominate the headlines, the message of Holy Week remains as radical and relevant as ever. It calls us to act out of love, to seek justice, to be in solidarity with those most often pushed to the margins and overlooked, and to work for peace and  healing in our world. Whether through small acts of kindness or larger attentiveness to social justice issues, we are   invited to live in ways that reflect the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we enter Holy Week this year, let us renew our commitment to sharing and showing God’s love throughout our community and the world. Let us offer compassion where there is cruelty, justice where there is oppression, and hope where there is despair. Together, we can be witnesses to the power of God’s love through Christ, bringing hope, light, and love to a world in need.
God’s Peace, 
Pastor Tamara Siburg

Our Lenten Journey

3/1/2025

 
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“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly.”
~ Isaiah 58:6-8

 
Dear siblings in Christ,
              Lent, though often thought of as a somber time, is a time to reflect, repent, and renew our hearts and minds in the light of God’s grace and unconditional love. Lent invites us into a 40-day journey that mirrors the time Jesus spent in the wilderness before beginning his earthly ministry. As we journey through Lent, I invite you to join me in considering how the state of our world today invites us deeper into this journey of repentance and renewal. When the world around us seems to grow more uncertain and fractured each day while the news is full of stories of war, division, injustice, and a longing for peace and healing. The weight of the global and local crises, from poverty and hunger to climate change and people being displaced, can make our hearts heavy. Even in our own communities, we encounter the struggles of those who feel lost, unseen, and/or unheard. And yet, in the midst of this turmoil, we are called to remember that Lent is not only about mourning the brokenness of the world but also about responding to it with the love and hope of God that Christ has shown us. 
            Lent is a time that invites us not to give things up just for the sake of giving up things, but it is a time to give up what distracts us from the realities of the world, to humble ourselves before God, and to deepen our commitment to following the example of Christ to share and show God’s love near and far. It is a season of repentance, but it is also a season of hope, because through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are promised new life. Our response to the brokenness of the world must be rooted in this hope, hope that is grounded in Christ’s enduring love, and hope that calls us to action. I encourage each of us to take time to reflect on the ways in which we as individuals, and we as a congregation can be part of God’s transformative work in the world. How can we share and show God and Jesus’ love out in the world in the face of such divisions? How can we extend mercy and justice to those who are suffering the most? In what ways can our Lenten practices help to heal and renew not just our own souls but the world around us?
           As we journey through this season, I invite each of us to find moments to try some spiritual practices, whether it be daily prayer, acts of service, times of speaking up against injustice, or moments of quiet reflection, let this time be a moment where we each reconnect with God’s vision for the world. A vision where justice, mercy, and peace flow like a river. And as we do so, let us also remember the promise of Easter that awaits us: that the love of God is stronger than all the forces of darkness in this world. May this Lenten season be a time of deep renewal and transformation for each of us. May we approach it with open hearts, ready to receive God’s grace, and ready to be sent into the world to be instruments of God’s peace and love to all people and all of creation. As we journey through these 40 days, let us do so with the knowledge that God through the Holy Spirit is with us, guiding us, and empowering us to bring light into the darkness.
God’s Peace, 
Pastor Tamara Siburg

A Pastoral Letter for Such a Time as This

1/30/2025

 
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Dear siblings in Christ, 

          Unless you have been living under a rock, I’m sure many of you have seen or at least heard about the sermon that The Right Reverend Marianna Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington preached at the inaugural prayer service the other week, and have heard the wide variety of reactions that it sparked. It is astounding just how many and vast the responses this one sermon has garnered. We have seen public outcry from those in power, demonizing her sermon, claiming it was an ugly and political attack against the newly installed administration. And we have seen many coming to her defense, expressing the fact that her message was that of the message of Jesus, who came to bring good news to the poor and liberation to the oppressed and marginalized, and to again lift up the message of Jesus’ message of mercy and love for all people. Many praised her for her courage for preaching Jesus’ message boldly yet calmly in the presence of those gathered. Among those were that of many from denominations such as our own and those that we as ELCA Lutherans are in full communion participation with (which means that an ELCA pastor could be called to be the minister in their churches and any of their ordained ministers can be called to lead in ELCA congregations). These denominations include that of the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church USA, the United Methodist Church, and the United Church of Christ. 
           It wasn’t just those from the ELCA or our partners that were among those praising Bishop Budde for her sermon, but I saw many people who are atheist or unchurched express their praise as well as make comments about if the churches they grew up in, preached this kind of Jesus, they may still be attending church or that they may now be interested in checking out one of these Christian churches that they did not realize existed because this is not the type of Christianity that is shown most often in mainstream media. Among much of the praise, people often made mention of how brave Bishop Budde was to preach so boldly and courageously in that moment and as I was scrolling through social media later that day, I came across another female pastor who was speaking about, yes what she did was fantastic but it really wasn’t as drastic of a move as it might seem because for women preachers, it continually takes courage to step into any pulpit because we, as female clergy, continually face ridicule and questions of our authority and are often called things like false prophets or sinful to have the audacity to believe that we, woman could be ordained by God to lead faith communities and to preach and teach about God and Jesus. And I can say honestly that I have also faced some of this ridicule, not here within the walls of St. Paul’s but at time by others out in the community, and more often faced this kind of behavior on various social media platforms and post when I have shared thoughts about faith, God, Jesus, and how I feel Christians are called to live out in the world for the sake of all our neighbors both near and far, sharing and showing God’s love to all people no matter what, because that is what Jesus taught and called us to do as his followers.  
         Since Bishop Budde’s sermon, we have seen executive order after executive order be signed, and I doubt it would come as a surprise to many of you as to where I stand and how I feel about many of these orders. And I would like you all to know that from this past week or so, I feel a renewed call to speak up and act for justice for my fellow children of God. I feel it is important to also state that this doesn’t stem from party politics but from the political stances that Jesus so often took throughout his life calling others to notice and care for the marginalized which often made those in power angry at him, so much so, they called for him to be put to death on the cross. It is of note that no matter who happens to be the president, I have always tried my best to speak up against injustices, it’s just that the current administration seems to be perpetuating so much injustice that I cannot sit idly by. As I am writing this, I have heard from my brother who is an assistant to the bishop in the Nebraska Synod Office, that there is an active ICE raid in the Omaha area, which directly impacts many of the congregations in which he works with and I know this is not a stand alone event, because this has been happening all over the nation. I personally can not condone the inhuman way in which our government is allowing beloved children of God to be rounded up, and detained in inhospitable conditions. I also, cannot condone the inhuman way that the government is going after individuals of the LGBTQIA+ community, trying to paint people as invalid and question their existence just for living as best as they can as the complex and beloved children of God that God had created them to be in God’s own expansively diverse divine image. Our trans and non-binary siblings in Christ are just as beloved as any one of us and I will never stop affirming their humanity and belovedness no matter what! And I know that I am not alone in these sentiments. I am grateful to be a part of the ELCA which has put out various social statements that address many of these issues to help “guide the life of the church as an institution and inform the conscience of its members in the spirit of Christian liberty” (check out the various social statements at elca.org/faith/faith-and-society/social-statements) as well as the fact that a few years back we became a Sanctuary Denomination making a public commitment to walk alongside immigrants and refugees because it is a matter of faith as Jesus had called on his followers to welcome and care for the poor and the stranger (read more about this at elca.org/our-work/relief-and-development/ammparo/sanctuarychurch). 
​          I also want to say that I am eternally grateful to have been called to be your pastor at this time, because I know so many of you feel similarly on much of this, and it helps to give me the strength and courage to keep me going in seeking and speaking up for justice for all our fellow children of God. And I feel you have the right to know that if I witness another's human rights be brought into question, I hope and pray that I will have the strength to step up in that moment to do the right thing, even if it means putting myself in harms way of being arrested or worse. This is not the time for myself to assume others will do what I feel God calling me to do, and I ask you each to consider ways in which during this time that God might be calling you to do to join in this work of speaking up for the human rights and justice for your fellow children of God both near and far. I am open to conversations about any of what I have shared here if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, but know that you will not be able to talk me out of continuing to follow God’s call to care for the marginalized, the poor, and the vulnerable of our society. 

God’s peace,
Pastor Tamara Siburg

Epiphany Ponderings

1/1/2025

 
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“Herod sent the magi to Bethlehem, saying, ’Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the start had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. ” Matthew 2:8-12

Dear siblings in Christ,

      Here we are starting another new year, as we near the end of the Christmas season and about to head into the time after Epiphany. Every year, Epiphany falls on January 6th, the day after the 12th and last day of Christmas. Epiphany is the celebration of when the magi, the wisemen or as we often say, the three kings, visit Jesus and his family. This is a celebration of the revelation of the truth and knowledge of who Jesus is to people who were probably not expected to come to know it, since they were such outsiders to Jesus’ community. Through the revelation to the magi, we celebrate the light being revealed to the greater world. Through the light of that star, the Christ child was made known to the magi, who journeyed on their way to meet him, bringing gifts of great honor, and followed the warning they received from God in a dream.
     The magi seem to be great examples of following their God given calls, whether they realized it or not. First they used their gifts and talents of astronomy to notice the appearance of the star of Bethlehem and to nav-
igate their way towards it, where they must have known some of the lore of the prophecies of old, knowing that the star was leading them to the child who was foretold to be born to be the Prince of Peace. They were lead to where the child was predicted be born, in Bethlehem, and brought from their wealth, expensive gifts to pay their homage to this long foretold child even though they themselves were not said to be Jews, something compelled them to pay such respect. And even though King Herod requested that they report back to him where the child
could be found and who he was, they listened to their dream to not do that since he saw this child as a threat to his own power. The magi, these men who may or may not have been religious, still followed the call of God along their journey to find this child who had been born and whom they knew to be an important and special child, and helped to make known to more people that this child has been born and just how special he must be that God would be willing to use the gifts of outsiders like these magi to make Jesus known.
     Even though we ourselves may not be magi with star charting abilities, or the means to give such precious gifts, we each are called to give what we can, and to follow God’s calls for each of us along the way, not only as individuals but also as a community of believers. The story of the magi seem very applicable as we look ahead towards the end of the month when we gather together for our Annual Meeting, where we have the opportunity to prayerfully consider where and how God through the Holy Spirit is at work in and through our congregation as we look towards the future of how best to use our own gifts and talents within our congregation and out in the community of Clinton that we inhabit and are called to participate within to share and show God’s and Jesus’ love to all our neighbors. How do you feel God’s call leading you and us as the congregation of Saint Paul Lutheran into the future? How might we best share our gifts with others to continue to share and show and make God’s love known out in the world?
​
God’s Peace,
Pastor Tamara Siburg

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St. Paul is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Southeastern Iowa Synod.
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at the foot of the south bridge
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