February 2024
On February 25, 2024, Rev. Dr. Vernon Wendt was installed as pastor of the newly formed dual parish between St. Paul’s Lutheran
Church in Chicago Heights, IL and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Steger, IL.
Pastor Wendt recently returned to the LCMS Northern Illinois District. He has served numerous congregations and ministries in Mississippi, Illinois, California, Michigan, Kentucky, Minnesota, and in Seoul, Korea throughout his 30-plus years of ministry.
He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia College in Ann Arbor, MI in 1986. He received a Master of Divinity degree in 1990 and a PhD in Missiology in 2000, both from Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN.
We are pleased to welcome Rev. Dr. Wendt and his wife, Miran, back to the NID!
What is a dual parish?
A dual parish congregational model is formed when two neighboring churches experiencing similar challenges (e.g., difficulty filling a vacancy) develop a partnership which enables them to support a pastor. They work together in order to be able to continue Word and Sacrament ministry in both locations. Good communication between the two parishes becomes paramount. This arrangement can help to keep a “Lutheran presence” in a community and increase awareness between the congregations about events and activities held at each location. The dual parish congregational model has been used for many years in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Wellness: Promoting and encouraging health and vitality in congregations, schools, ministries, professional workers, and lay leaders.