September 2024 – Fall Ministry Update: Information from the Office of Mission & Ministry
Strengthening Our Faith Community
Our work together provides services to churches and church workers which encompass our three pillars: WORD+WELLNESS+WITNESS.
WORD: By focusing on the Word, we aim to deepen spiritual life, ensuring God’s people remain steadfast in Christ in both faith and practice. Some of the ways in which we support Word include:
- Providing Bible study resources.
- Offering guest preaching and leading chapel services.
WELLNESS: Our goal through Wellness is to foster a culture of physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness, enabling our church communities to thrive and serve more effectively using the gifts Jesus gives. Some of the ways in which we support Wellness include:
- Consulting with congregations and schools to help them build vision for their various ministries and assisting with the evaluation and self-study tools as part of call processes.
- Partnering with Concordia University Chicago to explore joint ministry efforts between our institutions.
- Supporting the wellness of workers through the Worker Care Team. We also are assisting in some emergency situations.
“It is a blessing to have District staff, led by our Bishop, who work so diligently to foster an environment where churches can grow in their ministry. I can personally say that our District staff always responds very quickly and provides whatever support it can. But there is more – our District staff provides opportunities for our churches to serve beyond our District…Belize. Also, our District staff does an excellent job of leveraging the wide range of Recognized Service Organizations who are a part of our District, each of whom provide so many discipleship opportunities for our members. We love hearing President Buss, Rev. Whitby, and Rev. Prohl preach/teach, every time they are with us.” – Rev. James Buckman, North Shore/Faith Lutheran Church, Lake Forest
WITNESS: We encourage personal witnessing and congregational engagement in sharing Jesus’ Gospel message within their local communities. Some of the ways we support Witness include:
- Meeting with LINC, CLEF, and other Recognized Services Organizations who hold a presence in the NID to support our work together – We are stronger together!
- Engaging through SHINE! where congregations, schools, and individuals build relationships with community for the sake of outreach.
“Vida y Fe Lutheran Church is grateful to the Northern Illinois District and their partnership. Thanks to the District’s unwavering support, our congregation’s ESL program has been restarted. Their support is a testament to the power of collective faith in action. Grants like the one we were awarded illustrate how God works through partnerships to bring about meaningful change. By investing in our ministry, the District has empowered us to serve our community more effectively, demonstrating the transformative impact of faith-driven initiatives. We are profoundly grateful for their belief in our mission and their commitment to making a lasting difference in people’s lives.” – Rev. Jorge Mazariegos, Vida y Fe/Life & Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church
International Mission Opportunity in Belize
At the Northern Illinois District’s 2022 Convention, Belize was adopted as the District’s
international mission focus.
Congregations and schools working together under the District’s international mission focus in Belize, can make a great impact for the sake of Christ as each ministry does its part.
We encourage congregations, schools, RSOs, and other ministry partners to join us in this opportunity for international missions.
“The Belize Mission Society (BMS) is doing an amazing job sharing Jesus’ love with the people of Seine Bight, Belize! We experienced one aspect of their outreach by participating in a mission trip coordinated by BMS. Matt was able to fill in for an absent teacher and is working with the school’s sports director to acquire needed uniforms for their sports teams. Medical outreach is a huge part of the Mission, with a high number of villagers living with chronic conditions and no easily accessible healthcare. Lisa was able to do over 30 home visits, helping and connecting with people. However, the highlight of our week was sharing Jesus’ love with the people of the village through the Bible studies that were held each afternoon. The Belize Mission Society provides a great way for the NID to share God’s love internationally.” -Matthew and Lisa Gutzler (NID BMS mission trip June 22-29, 2024)
