August 2024
We are the Northern Illinois District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. What is our mission? Filled with living hope in Christ, Confessing, Praising, and Advancing His Kingdom
As LCMS Lutherans in northern Illinois, we carry out this mission by upholding three pillars. These pillars direct our work together in the vision laid out for us.
- WORD: Helping congregations be more centered on a rich life of Word and Sacrament, with congregational support in transitions, as well as time of joys and sorrows.
- WELLNESS: Promoting and encouraging health and vitality in congregations, schools, ministries, professional workers, and lay-leaders.
- WITNESS: Encouraging personal witnessing, congregational engagement with their community, support of our NID partnerships and missions, and sharing in a world mission field together.
Everything the District does aims to serve the congregations, schools, and people of God in these places throughout the 24 counties of northern Illinois. As part of that service to His people, the LCMS Northern Illinois District gathers together in convention every three years. The 61st Convention of the Northern Illinois District is scheduled to be held March 7 and 8, 2025.
Behind-the-scenes preparations for the two-day event require months of work from District staff and others. The “business” of the District is a big part of the convention, as is time for worship, study, and fellowship. Well before the convention itself is held, congregations select lay delegates to participate in the proceedings, make nominations and recommendations for circuit visitors, District President and Vice Presidents, and the Board of Regents, among others, and submit overtures to be considered for adoption by the delegate group.
All of these preparations culminate in a gathering of representatives who serve congregations of all sizes, from urban and suburban to small-town and rural communities. Called and commissioned workers team with laypeople from all walks of life to elect District leaders for the next triennium, discuss the current and future state of the LCMS Northern Illinois District, and pass resolutions with the intent to better the District’s service to God’s people entrusted to her, with District staff and volunteers working and serving right alongside throughout the process.
This month’s “District Convention” theme led to the question, “What is the BEST THING the District convention can do for the Body of Christ?”
“The convention serves to unify and build up the body of Christ. The greatest blessing is to worship with the gathered convention, together receiving our Lord’s gifts in His Supper! It is my fervent prayer that the 2025 convention reinforces both the confessional foundation of the LCMS and the gifts which our Lord bestows through His Word and Sacraments. Even now, our congregation and leaders are praying for the elections and for the overtures which will be received. ” – Pastor Chuck Sampson, Lord of Life in Millbrook, Illinois
“The convention serves to allow networking and discussion regarding the future of our Synod. The best thing the District convention can do for the Body of Christ is to bring the congregations together to learn from each other, from the District, and from the Synod (and vice versa) to develop a unity of vision and purpose and to share best practices for spreading the Word.” – Howard Hamilton, Chairman of the Elders, Our Savior in Joliet, Illinois
“Conventions, whether for District or Synod, serve a number of important purposes in our life together as the body of Christ. First, by bringing together pastoral and lay leaders from across the NID, a convention is a fantastic opportunity to build up the body of Christ with the gifts of Christ in Word and Sacrament through worship, study, prayer, and devotion.
“Second, in allowing for prayerful consideration and thoughtful discussion of, and celebration and thanksgiving for, theological and practical issues faced by God’s people, we live out what good, healthy, transparent, and attentive churchmanship should embody.
“Third, a convention is a wonderful opportunity for a wide swath of Recognized Service Organization (RSO) efforts through the generous giving of NID congregations to be seen, acknowledged, and encouraged.
“Fourth, the convention offers a time for church leaders to meet others who share the same challenges, joys, and hopes and see how we might learn from, lean on, and love one another as God is at work in our NID congregations during times of great change and opportunity.” – Pastor Michael Brown, St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Barrington, Illinois
Although all three gentlemen each said it in a bit of a different way, the District convention serves as a gathering together of the people of Christ, which allows them to work toward a building up of the body of Christ and a unity of purpose. That purpose is to bring the gospel of Jesus to all of those in the Northern Illinois District and beyond and to support the congregations and people of God through those pillars mentioned above: Word, Wellness, and Witness.
And, what would The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod be without our church workers? The Lord of the Church cares for these workers, and He chooses to do that through the saints within His churches. We are grateful for our current church workers and have the privilege of caring for them. With our financial gifts, we can support them in times of need.
We are also grateful for our future church workers. Their energy and enthusiasm for Kingdom work is inspiring. Scholarships help ease the financial burden of higher education as they prepare for professional church work.
Please prayerfully consider a gift to Workers of the Word in support of our church workers serving today and those serving in the future. Donate now
We continue to pray for God’s blessings upon the deliberations of individual congregations in selecting delegates and recommending and nominating future leaders of our District. We also pray for all of the myriad preparations leading up to our time in convention together in March 2025.
Soli Deo Gloria!
