May 2025
On Sunday, April 27, 2025, St. James Lutheran Church and School in Chicago celebrated a school expansion project, which has been years in the making, with a dedication service for the new space.
The school has a rich history of faithfully serving Chicago since 1857, when a group of German
immigrants formed a School Society committed to teaching children the Word of God. St. James was originally known as St. Jacobi and occupied five different buildings before settling at its currently location at Dickens and Fremont in 1905.
As with many other schools, St. James has certainly seen both growth and decline through the years. Enrollment peaked in 1920 at 325, and in 1970, they were at a low of 109. Currently, there are 215 students enrolled. Through those many years, St. James has demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a strong commitment to Christian education.
St. James serves preschool through 8th grade students, has six early childhood classrooms, a departmentalized middle school, and a 95 percent first-choice high school acceptance rate. Principal Sheri Meyer shared, “I have served as principal for 8 years and have been blessed to witness how our mission continues to shape students who are spiritually grounded and academically strong.”
The April dedication service was a celebration of growth, gratitude, and mission. Three eighth grade students were awarded the honor of cutting the ceremonial ribbon. As part of the days’ program, the gym was also dedicated in honor of Otto Teske, a lifelong member of St. James Lutheran Church, founder of the athletic department, and coach at the school.
Several guests, including members of the Teske family, were present. The service included
reflections from Pastor Joel Hess, who serves at St. James, Warren Gast, Matt Runge, and Principal Sheri Meyer. Lois Stewart, who serves as the Education Executive for the LCMS Northern Illinois District, was also in attendance for the celebratory day. Principal Sheri Meyer commented on District support for our Lutheran Schools, “Lois Stewart’s presence at our dedication was a reminder of the important role the District plays in supporting Lutheran schools… The partnership helps ensure we provide excellent education rooted in Scripture and faithful to our Lutheran identity… support through the expansion process reflected the shared commitment we have to bring Christ to children and families across the region… we are part of a larger family of Lutheran educators and ministries working together.”
Tyler Lowell currently serves as the Church Council President at St. James. He and his wife, Kelly, are members of the congregation and will soon have three children attending St. James Lutheran School (their youngest begins preschool this fall).
He commented that this expansion required, and achieved, input and cooperation from many
sources. “As I shared with our leadership team at the outset of our launch, it was critical we had alignment across the board to take on a large initiative such as this: our church council, our four governing boards, our congregation, our local alderman office, city council, LCEF, CLEF, and of course, our District. Each and every person/team played a vital role in bringing this to fruition…”
The completion of this particular project allows for some much needed educational space, as enrollment has steadily increased. The addition on the fourth floor of the building includes two new classrooms, locker rooms, a concession stand, and restrooms. Through this expansion, current students can be better served, while also allowing for future growth. St. James hopes to increase enrollment to 250 students for the 2025-2026 school year.
Although there is obvious direct educational benefit to this project’s completion, the overall vision is for much more than that. Principal Meyer explained, “More importantly, this project is a tool for ministry. It supports our mission to educate, equip, and encourage students in the light of Christ and to prepare them to love compassionately, learn confidently, and lead courageously in today’s world.”
Tyler shared, “We have a growing community who see the value in what St. James delivers, both from a church standpoint (bringing those in Chicago closer to Jesus), as well as across the street at the school, where our school leadership and staff do a phenomenal job in developing confident, strong, Christian leaders of tomorrow.”
This expansion is part of a larger vision for St. James: Building on Christ – Impacting Lives.
Tyler also commented, “We’re in phase two of a three-phase strategic plan. Phase one kicked off in the fall of 2021, and focused much more on core infrastructure moves (for example, tuck pointing, security measures, etc.) we needed to make. Phase two launched in the fall of 2024 (the current expansion that came to life this past month), and our plan is to dive into phase three in the fall of 2027.”
Principal Meyer shared,“Yes, this expansion is part of a much larger vision. Through the Building on Christ campaign, we are working not only to improve our facilities, but also to deepen our ministry. We aim to grow our small group and music ministries, improve accessibility and support for families, and expand outreach to college students and the wider neighborhood. St. James exists to educate, equip, and encourage students in the light of Christ so they can love, learn, and lead with purpose.”
She summarized it well: “Sunday’s dedication was a moment to honor the past, celebrate the present, and boldly step into the future. It was a reminder that our mission is alive and active, and that God is continuing to work through St. James in amazing ways.”
We pray for God’s richest blessings on the ministry at St. James Lutheran Church and School. We celebrate with them as they continue to look forward in faith, trusting in the Lord’s provision!
WITNESS: Encouraging personal witnessing, congregational engagement with their community, support of our NID partnerships and missions, and sharing in a world mission field together.