May 2023
After many months of discussion and work, the three congregations in Beecher, Illinois are merging into one. The new name for their ministry will be Peace Lutheran Church with the Charter Service to be held on May 21, 2023 at 3:30 p.m. The service will be held at what was Zion’s church building, 540 Oak Park Ave., Beecher, IL 60401. Rev. Dr. Allan R. Buss, President, LCMS Northern Illinois District, will preach. A light reception will be held after the service. All are invited to attend this celebration.
This is not just a celebratory event, but a cumulation of months of conversations, work, and prayer together by the three congregations. St. Paul Lutheran Church, Zion Lutheran Church, and St. John Lutheran Church have been working together since September 2021. Their Circuit (19) was one of the first circuits in the LCMS Northern Illinois District where lay and pastoral leadership were brought together by the District office to discuss challenges and opportunities for the common community.
The purpose of these circuit partnership gatherings is to provide congregational leadership with the opportunity for learning, fellowship, and mutual edification. And, Circuit 19 has had both unique challenges and opportunities presented to them, especially in the Beecher community.
Specific events have brought the Beecher congregations together. Pastor Julian LaMie, St. John Lutheran Church (ordained in 2019), and Pastor Michael Stein, St. Paul Lutheran Church (ordained in 2020), could not have known what God had planned for them on their first calls to Beecher, Illinois.
At Zion Lutheran Church, the school closed and there is currently a pastor vacancy due to a retirement. Across the country, LCMS congregations are facing a shortage of pastors and so Zion is not alone in this challenge.
St. Paul Lutheran Church did however face a unique challenge. On the afternoon of September 19, 2021, their church was destroyed by fire. “The building is gone, but the church remains. The building served the church of St. Paul’s well for our first 150 years. The church, the people of St. Paul’s still stand. We proclaim the comfort, the forgiveness, the peace, and the joy of Jesus. We are reminded that even when things seem darkest, Christ’s light shines brighter,” said Rev. Michael Stein.
The Beecher congregations are also connecting with each other to share resources, to be better stewards of resources, and work together as the Church. Such things blessed their congregations and laid groundwork for the future partnership. Together, and working with Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF), they could clarify how their work together could utilize their combined resources.
They knew they could do more by working together in partnership with one another. Together they could bring energy and combine resources, bringing forward the most important from all three and generating greater impact in their community.
From President Allan R. Buss: “One holy work we have is to encourage each other in the Gospel as together we rely on the Word, look to Jesus always, and witness the great and saving acts of God among us.”
Praise to God for a Living Hope – 1 Peter
We are here to build up people vs. buildings. We are not alone in this. And one of our purposes is to strengthen others. This chartering [combining three separate congregations] sends a message to the entire community in that we are all unified in Christ.
And YES, there are changes. But not solely for the sake of change. Most importantly Word and Sacrament will remain – keeping the main thing the main thing.
These three congregations, now one, have a new charge: to broaden connections with their surrounding community and preach Christ, and Him crucified for salvation. These partnerships are succeeding in their purpose as a positive blessing to the Church. They can help congregations thrive in their work, refocus on what it means to be the Church, and remain in place with the presence of Word and Sacrament ministry.
We are stronger together!
WELLNESS: Promoting and encouraging health and vitality in congregations, schools, ministries, professional workers and lay-leaders.