January 2026
“I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” With these words from Psalm 139:14, we confess the deep and
immeasurable truth that every human life—from conception to natural death—is the handiwork of God. His works are wonderful, intentional, and known intimately by Him. Because each person is created in God’s image, we hold fast to the unwavering conviction that all people are worthy of dignity, care, compassion, and prayer. This truth shapes how we speak, how we serve, and how we walk alongside others in every season of life.
This same conviction compels us to see Christ’s image reflected in those who are vulnerable or displaced, caught in the trauma of war, the isolated, the ill, and all who suffer injustice. Jesus came to redeem all by His life, death, and resurrection, and in His grace, given in Word and Sacrament, believers are being renewed in His image. (…”and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” Colossians 3:10-11).
How can we, as Lutheran Christians, support LIFE from conception through natural death? How can we affirm the value of EVERY human life?
When speaking of life issues, it seems obvious to mention the National March for Life held annually in January in Washington, D.C. (The 2026 March is scheduled for Friday, January 23, 2026.) Congregations throughout the LCMS Northern Illinois District acknowledge Sanctity of Life Sunday, which will be January 18, 2026. This year, the Illinois Pro-Life March will again be held in Springfield, Illinois on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Each year, several NID Lutherans make the journey to our state’s capital to stand together, demonstrating peacefully with voices raised together in singing and prayer to show united support.
Additionally, individuals and congregations support pregnancy resource centers in our local communities. Our LCMS Northern Illinois District continues a partnership with Redeeming Life Outreach Ministries, where women and babies are served in Christian love.
Human life is precious at any age and stage, and under any circumstance. Opportunities exist in our own families to live out
the privilege of caring for family members throughout and at the end of life, whether in your home, through hospice, or in helping to choose an adequate and safe living environment. We can each use practical means to support a family in our congregations who is experiencing a progressive or terminal diagnosis; providing meals, offering childcare, running errands, even simply offering prayers or sitting beside them and being a presence in their time of need. Our many NID pastors spend innumerable hours visiting the homebound, the sick, and the dying, bringing words of comfort and the promised hope of eternal life to bedside. We, too, can do some of the same.
In between the beginning and end of life is a whole span of ups and downs and periods of physical illness and health. Beyond physical health are mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial aspects of overall health and wellness. The support and fellowship of a community of believers can offer numerous benefits in each of these areas.
Our District’s Church Worker Care Team exists to support professional church workers in our District. It was formed to give our church workers currently serving congregations, schools, and ministries someone to whom they can speak who is a fellow church professional and serves as a safe and spiritually caring colleague in providing support during a challenging time. Their purpose is to provide support, prayer, and encouragement. The Church Worker Care Team was recently the subject of a story at NIDnews.org, found here.
While the Church Worker Care Team exists to specifically support professional church workers in our District, the LCMS Northern Illinois District has recently announced a part-time Wellness Officer position. This Wellness Officer will lead efforts to promote holistic wellness among the District’s many church workers, lay leaders, congregations, schools, and ministries. This person will develop and implement initiatives supporting physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual health, while fostering a culture of care. This position will work closely with the NID Wellness Committee, Church Worker Care Team, and others to coordinate programs, advocate for wellness, and provide resources aligned with Lutheran values. We look forward to sharing more about this position in the new year.
Promoting and protecting the sanctity of life isn’t always in huge gestures or big events. It’s in how we live our everyday lives in interactions with those God has placed before us. The sanctity of life is not an abstract principle, but a lived confession that God values every person and calls His people to do the same. As we encounter a world marked by conflict, fear, and division, we respond with steadfast hope, courageous love, and fervent prayer—trusting that the God who wonderfully made each life also redeems, protects, and walks with His people. In every age and circumstance, we proclaim this truth: all life is precious to Him.
Individually, there is much we can do in loving our friends, family, and those within our community. But, as we’ve discussed so many times before, when we work together, we find a strength that is greater than one serving alone. There are numerous organizations throughout northern Illinois which allow for partnerships with individuals, congregations, and our District as a whole to support life. Several have been mentioned above. Other examples are Phil’s Friends and Voice of Care, among many others. Additionally, there are a couple of Lutherans For Life – Life Chapters in the NID. Information about the Illinois Pro-Life March and other life resources can be found on the NID Life Task Force page.
Many congregations provide young mothers and their little ones with much needed supplies or opportunities for play and fellowship, host drives for food pantries, or collect items for food staple boxes for those right there in their neighborhoods. Other individuals and ministries throughout our District help the unhoused and work with immigrants. Still others provide services, opportunities, and respite for caregivers and those living with long- or short-term illness or others living with disabilities. In all these ways and more, we are called to shine the love and light of Christ in the lives of all around us. How will YOU serve your neighbor?
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