Stewards of Creation - A Pastoral Letter

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. ” - Genesis 2:15

Dear siblings in Christ,
          I doubt at this point it will come as a surprise that I consider myself a bit of a tree hugger. Yes, part of this is probably due to the fact that I grew up not only in an area with such beautiful natural landscapes, but that even the yard of my childhood house was on a very wooded property that had a gentle babbling creak running through it. Where at night I would sleep with my windows open and be lulled to sleep by the sound of the creak, the reselling leaves, and the frogs and other creatures adding their voices to the night song. I also have vivid memories of enjoying going to the occasional outdoor worships in a wooded property that was gifted to my home church, where there was a salmon spawning stream running right along the worship area and during spawning season hearing the splish splashing of the fish. I grew up running through those woods, making forts, climbing trees, and playing hid and seek with my brothers and friends. This and the fact that my father spent much of his career in the field focused on ecological issues, particularly that of water conservation, I understandably grew up feeling very connected to the great outdoors and try to take the call to care for the earth and all of creation seriously.
          As I mentioned in a recent sermon, I recently went to a continuing education conference, the Institute of Liturgical Studies where this year's theme was “Creation Groans”. It was there at the Augsburg Fortress vendor table that I was drawn to and then bought the book Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees by Beth Norcross and Leah Rampy. In this book the authors encouraged their readers to take time outside as part of the spiritual practices while reading the book, they encouraged the reader to go out and find a “teacher tree” to spend time with, to observe, and to ask it questions and ponder the possible answers. As I was reading, I didn’t actively go out to a tree but I couldn’t help but think of a couple of my favorite trees from the backyard where I grew up. Throughout the book the authors shared various ways that the trees and all the other organisms including various animals work together and share their resources amongst each other helping aid in the health of the whole forest, and how we as humans who did not take time to learn from our indigenous neighbors how to be a part of and honor creation, we have had a way of thinking we know best for what the forest needs, when in reality our best efforts have turned out to harm the forest, when at times it might have been better for the forest if we just got out of the way and let nature do what it does best, it finds a way to survive and thrive and continue being in relationship with all others in the forest. Trees thrive best when they are surrounded by other trees and organisms, a lonely tree just like a lonely person is not good for its overall health. We are meant to be in community not just with fellow humans but with all of creation, using creation as an example of this type of communal, coexistent, collaborative community, that God commanded us to not exploit and deplete but to care for, “to till and to keep it.”
          Another topic that came up in conversations throughout the conference, was that of the legislation what was currently being discussed by the Senate while I attended the conference. This particular legislation would make it easier to dismantle the protections in place for federal lands that had been previously protected from mining, like that of the Superior National Forest that would impact the watersheds that flow into places like the Boundary Waters up in northeastern Minnesota. I personally have yet to visit the Boundary Waters but I have heard of it’s majestic beauty and know I would love to spend some time up there one day, but I can’t help but think what this legislation taking away protections from federal lands such as national forests and such, will do to not only the health of the forests, but the overall health of the earth and it’s environment and ultimately to the health of our fellow humans. It’s no secret that Iowa is one of the states with the highest rise in diagnoses of cancer, and I have seen articles cite that this is partially due to the pollutants from our industries of factories and farming getting into our soil and water systems, so we can see first hand in our local neighbors just how when our environment is impacted, it effects us. As I was reminded in the book I mentioned earlier, trees and plants have a way of helping to trap harmful pollutants before they can get into our water systems but the more we allow for the destruction of the forests the less natural protection from pollutants we will have.
          I really don’t want to imagine a world where forests and the wonder of the natural beauty of creation is harder to find and come by. So I guess, this kind of became a love letter to the beautiful world that God created and called good, the earth that God so loved and commanded us humans to be caretakers and stewards of, where we over history have not done a great job in doing just that, but that I have hope that we might still have hope to work for the preservation of what we still have before it is too late, so our young ones may also know and experience the beauty all around us well into the future. Will you join me in affirming our call as fellow created beings to take care of, “to till it and keep it”, and to live into the relationship with all of creation that God originally intended us to have? I hope you each can find some time to get out and enjoy the beauty of creation all around us as well.
God’s Peace,
​Pastor Tamara Siburg