I had the great privilege and joy to be with God’s people gathered as St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Gilead, Nebraska on Sunday May 5, 2024. I was invited to come first of all and speak about mission share. The congregation had some questions about that come up at their annual meeting and in council meetings, and they wanted to come and share about that, so I was grateful for that invitation and opportunity. In addition to sharing that as a Temple Talk, I was also invited to come and lead worship and preach and then enjoy wonderful conversation over a tasty potluck following worship.

Gilead might be a small village of 39 people, but it is a faithful and vital community between Hebron and Fairbury. Part of St. Paul’s story is that 28 years ago, a tornado came through town and destroyed the church building, except really for the altar, baptismal fount, pulpit, and lectern which were all hand-crafted as part of a set. After some discernment and definitely many God moments, the congregation was able to move into an empty old Catholic Church building, and has been worshiping there ever since. I hadn’t intended to connect my sermon with that story, but given recent events in Nebraska it seemed to fit well, especially given the texts for the Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year B): John 15:9-17; Acts 10:44-48; Psalm 98; and 1 John 5:1-6. What follows is first the message of greeting and Temple Talk about Mission Share, and then the manuscript I generally preached from for the sermon. Thank you to the whole congregation for the invitation and for the warm welcome. It was a beautiful day to join God’s people gathered together in Gilead.

Greetings, and a Mission Share Temple Talk as Requested
Good Morning St., Paul’s Lutheran! It’s so good to be with you today. Again, I am Deacon Timothy Siburg, your partner in ministry on the Nebraska Synod staff for mission, innovation, and stewardship. Thank you so much for the invitation and for the warm welcome. In being with you today, I bring greetings from Bishop Scott Johnson, from all of my colleagues and your partners in ministry on the synod staff, as well as from your 90,000 siblings in Christ who with you are the Nebraska Synod.

In being with you, I have been invited to share a little about Mission Share and to respond to some questions you had about it. I’m grateful for that opportunity as well, and to also to share the Good News today. I’ll save a lot of this for the sermon time, but right up front, please hear this from me- thank you! Thank you for all of the ministry that you do and make possible here in Gilead, all across Nebraska, and around the world. I know this most clearly through your participation in mission share. To start to unpack the questions you might have about it, Mission Share is the undesignated offering that your congregation shares with the larger Nebraska Synod and ELCA, through which you do ministry that spans the globe and changes lives. And today it is my privilege to say thank you for all that you do and make possible.

Through your mission share you help raise up new leaders, pastors, deacons, and parish ministry associates, who are trained to follow Jesus and help others join in and follow Jesus too. Through it you help youth and young adults know of God’s deep love for them, in part through supporting Nebraska Lutheran Campus Ministry, and through Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministry including Camp Carol Joy Holling. Through your mission share you “Go and” with God’s people together, through supporting new and renewing ministries right here all across the Big Red State like Emmaus: Lifelong Learning and the Vitality Initiative for Congregations, and through telling the story and sharing the Good News by accompanying God’s people all across the globe. And through your mission share you see your neighbors and meet them where they are at through the many serving arm partners of the church, like Lutheran Family Services, Immanuel, Lutheran Disaster Response and so many more. All of this and more is made possible because of you and your congregation’s participation in Mission Share.

There is so much that you do and make possible by being part of this church together. You matter and make a difference, St. Paul’s! If you hear nothing else from me today, please hear this, on behalf of your siblings in Christ near and far: Thank you, thank you, thank you! Ok. That’s enough for now. I’ll save the rest for the sermon and I look forward to conversation following worship too over a wonderful potluck together. Thank you again for having me join you today.

Go and Love and Be the Church- a sermon for the Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year B)

Grace and peace from God in Christ, who is with you, for you, and who loves you always. Amen.

Being God’s People Amid the Storms
The May theme that the Nebraska Synod is sharing together this month is “Go and Be the Church.” In thinking about this week’s stories we just heard read, I think I might want us to think about it with one tweak, “Go and Love and Be the Church.”

As you know, just over a week ago Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa had another round of severe storms and tornados move through. The forecast for the day had been front and center on the news for days prior, so it wasn’t a surprise. But the magnitude and size of the outbreak was still something a little hard to believe. As the day went along, it became clear that storms were brewing. So much so that by just about lunch time, most of Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa at least were under Tornado Watches. What you may not know about me, is that my wife and I are also parents to our two young girls. And as the sky darkened to the west and south just a little before school was to let out for the day, it became clear we might want to go and get them just a little early. So off to the school we went, and we weren’t alone. It seemed every family was there early, and the teachers were dismissing kids to their families about 10-15 minutes early that day. That extra time made all the difference. We were able to all get home, and just as we did and like so many others, we turned on the TV to watch the news and weather reports, only to see signs of a tornado forming shortly thereafter just west of Omaha. I am grateful to report that our kids, house, the church where my wife serves as pastor are all fine. And if you watched the news, you likely know the rest of story of the destruction and impact that occurred.

I start there because everyone did what they were trained to do. Teachers, school staff, meteorologists, first responders, neighbors. Everyone looked out for each other. Everyone took cover as the storms came near. And what seems like everyone has checked in with one another since. This is what it means to be neighbor, but it also is what it means to go and love and be the church. As soon as the tornados had passed, congregations were already stepping up. Communities were responding. My phone was ringing constantly as I checked in with area congregations and leaders. What could have been so much worse as tornados hit just outside of Lincoln, in Elkhorn, Bennington, Blair, Wolbach, Minden, Iowa and other communities. Amazingly, as of today only one person has died from their injuries related to those storms. And the response of people helping people has been constant. There is much work to do to provide housing and to rebuild, but people are safe and being cared for. And that I have seen first-hand through my role on synod staff and as part of the synod’s Disaster Response Team. And that you know deeply, because finding new life in spite of a tornado is part of your congregation’s story too. In the past week, I have seen God’s people live out Jesus’ command to love one another.

I have seen the church do what it is called to do. I have seen the generosity and response of congregations through their mission share and other gifts, time, and talents say through word and deed to their neighbors near and far, we are here. We are in this together. And this is what it means to be God’s people.

Grounding us in the Gospel
It’s fitting then that the gospel brings us back to the events of Holy Week today. We find ourselves again in the upper room. Jesus has washed the disciples’ feet. He has told of his impending betrayal and given a new commandment. And has talked about what it is to be a true vine as we heard again last week. At the heart of the idea of the true vine, is being connected. Being connected to God and neighbor. Being in relationship with God and neighbor. Being the church, God’s people,  together. Being connected, grounded, and knit together in the love that surpasses all love and understanding.

Jesus shares this message because he knows the hour is near. He’s running out of time to impart his most important lessons with his disciples, and he wants to make every moment count. So it’s no surprise that he repeats himself here in John’s version of the story. Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.”[1] He is grounding relationship in love. We are God’s. We are Children of God. And we are called to love, by keeping Jesus’ command to do just that. As he says again, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”[2] This love will lead us down onto our knees to wash our neighbor’s feet. This love will lead us to stoop down and meet our neighbor when they need a hand up. This love will call us to see our neighbors in need because of storms, tornados, blizzards, and not just see them but meet them where they are at as signs of God’s gracious love, presence, and promise today. This love will overcome death and the grave, bringing new resurrected and abundant life for one and for all.

Jesus makes the point again, that this love will transcend human relationships. It will be a transformational love, not a transactional one. And the world will change because of this love. Relationships will change. The ways we show up and engage in the world will change. And this happens because Jesus invites us into this life of love. He says, “I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.”[3] We are Children of God. We are friends of our Lord and Savior. And we are neighbors, disciples, and stewards of God’s love, with and for each other.

The love that Jesus talks about is one grounded in relationship. But it’s also one that comes with responsibility. By being part of the true vine that Jesus is teaching about, he says that he chooses you and me.[4] And in choosing us, Jesus says, “I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.”[5] We are called, equipped, and empowered to go and as God’s people.

To go and meet our neighbors where they are at. To go and tell the story of God’s love made real for you and for me. To go and be the church- showing up with and for all of God’s beloved. And we do this because it is exactly what Jesus calls and commands us to do. As Jesus concludes, “I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”[6]

Connecting the Dots of God’s Story
This love of God shows up through all of the stories we hear today. In Acts, we hear about the love of God blowing through the Spirit. The people witnessing God up to something through Peter are “astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.”[7] Early on, it’s becoming clear that God’s love isn’t exclusive. It’s not meant for just one people or for a few, but for many, and really all of God’s children, God’s beloved of every time and place. The writer of 1^st John picks up on this theme too, writing, “For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments.”[8] The commandments that Jesus sums up with to love God and neighbor, and ultimately gives with his new commandment, “to love one another.”

This love is what makes everything possible. It’s the why behind our identity as disciples and stewards. It’s what grounds us as the church together. And it’s the promise and gift that we are called to share and never tire of sharing. In fact it’s such an abundant gift, that like grace which is also a gift, we can’t help but give thanks and praise for it. To join with the psalmist “to sing a new song,”[9] and to “make a joyful noise to the Lord,” and “break forth into joyous song and sing praises.”[10] To give our thanks and praise, and be so swept up in such deep gratitude and joy, that we can’t help but join in with God in some of God’s on-going work today through living out Jesus’ command to love one another.

Go and Love and Be the Church
We do this as God’s people. We do this as we go and love and be the church together. Cultivating love, as will be this year’s synod assembly theme next month. Showing up with and for one another. Being willing to ask the hard questions. To experiment and explore and discern what the Holy Spirit might be up to and inviting next. And being willing to follow the Spirit’s invitation to even do and be church in new ways. Through partnerships between and across congregations. Through experiments and new opportunities such as through the Nebraska Synod’s Vitality Initiative for Congregations where congregations together in a cohort reflect, explore, and experiment as they respond to big questions like: “Who are we?” “Who are our neighbors?” And “What might God be up to and inviting us to be a part of next?” Through diving in deep as disciples, committing to continue to learn and grow and taking advantage of opportunities for further growth through intentional Bible study, and even synod Emmaus: Lifelong Learning course opportunities which are open to everyone and anyone.

We do this as we play to the unique strengths of each beautiful individual Child of God that is created in God’s own image, and the unique strengths of each of the 230 congregations who are the Nebraska Synod. Through tapping people’s gifts, and being open to naming and saying, “hey, I see these gifts in you…” I know I am not naming anything knew to all of you. But we have a lot less pastors and seminary trained leaders in the church than we used to. This is a challenge, but also an opportunity.

It’s a challenge because it means we can’t do and be the church necessarily in the same ways we may be used to. But it’s also an opportunity to live out our baptismal promises in relationship with one another, and even together to raise up leaders. To all, be in this work as the Body of Christ and through our unique vocations together. To recognize gifts in one another and have intentional conversations to explore what God might be inviting. Things might look and feel a bit differently in the congregation, but God is just as present and active as ever, and so are God’s people as the church.

Like I started with, I have seen it in the way congregations have responded already to the storms and tornados from a week ago. I have seen it through the faithfulness of congregations just like you St. Paul’s, through your continued participation in mission share. And I have seen it, experienced it, and heard it, through the genuine love of God’s people by being in relationship together, asking questions, and really practicing what Jesus preached to those first disciples, just as he preaches to us today, to love one another. We go and love and be the church together. And that might look differently at times than we might like or be used to, but it is no less faithful as God is active, up to something and with you, me, and all of God’s beloved every moment of every day.

St. Paul’s you are doing this. You make a difference. You matter. Through your partner congregations and your neighbors in Daykin. Through your creative ways of inviting all of you to step up and lead in worship, Sunday School, and in serving and sharing tasty and delicious smelling potlucks like I can’t ignore now. Through asking the questions like what is mission share, and what does this mean? Through showing up for your neighbors and responding to whatever their needs might be and helping in whatever ways you can. Through your on-going story, being reborn in an old catholic church building, continuing to be God’s people faithfully serving, gathering, worshiping, and growing here in Gilead, 28 years after a tornado came through. God is active and up to something with, through, and for you!

Putting it altogether
People of God, keep going. Keep doing this. Keep responding faithfully. Keep living out your lives as Jesus’ disciples here in Gilead, Hebron, Daykin, Fairbury, Western, Diller, and wherever else you might call home, work, or go to school. Keep showing and sharing Jesus’ love is real through your very presence. Keep being the church that you are. Faithful. Grounded. Hopeful. Encouraging. Present. All of this and more, because it is after all, not your church, but Christ’s church. And as such we all keep going because we know that it is God who is with us, for us, and who loves us Always. Making all of this and more possible. So together we can all say, Thanks be to God. Amen.

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Citations and References:
[1] John 15:9, NRSV.
[2] John 15:12, NRSV.
[3] John 15:15, NRSV.
[4] John 15:16.
[5] John 15:16, NRSV.
[6] John 15:17, NRSV.
[7] Acts 10:45, NRSV.
[8] 1 John 5:3, NRSV.
[9] Psalm 98:1, NRSV.
[10] Psalm 98:4, NRSV.