I was able to be home today worshipping at Salem Lutheran. That means that I was also able to help out a bit for worship on piano. Our organist had the idea to play and sing “God Bless America” as the postlude today acknowledging Independence Day in the United States on Tuesday. She invited me to join and help lead the song on piano while … Continue reading The rain falls & the thunder shakes
I was invited to lead worship and preach today at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Tekamah, Nebraska by Pastor Tyler Gubsch. Thank you Pastor Tyler for the invitation, and to the whole congregation for the warm welcome. I shared some words of gratitude about mission share and greetings within the announcements earlier in worship, and therefore, omitted them in the sermon that follows. The message was … Continue reading Life as a Disciple, is Life as a Steward- a joyful one, but not always easy!
Tuesday on the blog means that it is time to share some links to things that I have read and found interesting over the past week. To help make sense of the links, I have grouped them in the following categories: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Leadership Thought & Practice; Stewardship; and Vocation. I hope you enjoy this edition of the links. Church and … Continue reading This Week’s Links
On Sunday April 2, 2017, I was invited to visit, preach, and meet with the council at First Lutheran Church in Wilber, Nebraska by Pastor Travis Panning. I had a wonderful morning with the congregation. Worship included parts of Marty Haugen’s “Now the Feast and Celebration” liturgy originally dedicated for the University Congregation at my alma mater, Pacific Lutheran University, which on a slightly drizzly … Continue reading Responding to a God who sees us and helps us see- A sermon on Luke 18:31-19:10
As part of my Lenten journey this year, I will be blogging daily using the themes or words created by the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin in partnership with other ELCA synods for “Lent Photo a Day.” The word for today, March 8th, is “Instruct.” I am doing something different today. Instead of a theological or biblical devotion, I am simply going to stand in solidarity … Continue reading International Women’s Day #Instruct
It’s already late February. My birthday has come and gone, a big one actually this year in terms of milestones. (Yay for a new decade… I think.) Where has the year gone? I haven’t blogged as often as I like. I have been still figuring out what life is like in a new place, Nebraska, and in a new capacity, as the Nebraska Synod Director … Continue reading Honest Reflections of the Heart
This past weekend, I was consecrated as a deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It was a wonderful day, full of celebrating the work of the Holy Spirit. I was excited to write all about it and share my joy this week here on the blog. That will have to come in a later post. Because today, I am about as a joyless … Continue reading Building Bridges, Not Walls
Tuesday means that it is time to share some links to things that I have found thought provoking. To help navigate the different themes, I have grouped them by the following categories: Church and Ministry Thought & Practice; Cross-Sector Collaboration; Leadership Thought & Practice; Millennials; Neighbor Love; Stewardship; Vocation; and Miscellaneous. I hope you enjoy these links! Church and Ministry Thought & Practice For those of … Continue reading This Week’s Links
Earlier this week the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) released a 19-page “consultation paper on future directions of the ELCA,” entitled, “Called Forward Together in Christ for the sake of the world.” According to the title page, “This directions paper shares the key messages harvested through conversations across the ELCA. We invite you to comment on the directions and priorities that have emerged.” If you … Continue reading Called Forward Together in Christ for the sake of the world
There’s been a great deal of discussion over the past couple of years online, in teaching, leading, and writing, about the the distinction between a “Yes, and” and a “Yes, but,” culture and approach. This morning it hit me, that I feel called to serve a “Yes, and” Church, and not a “Yes, but” Church. I believe I am part of a “Yes, and” church … Continue reading The “Yes, And” Church
Timothy Siburg 