From Spring 2022 Ministry Update
Our upcoming 60th District Convention will be an exciting time of renewed hope and ambitious plans for the future of our church workers and ministries. “Workers of the Word” is an offering being taken before and during the convention that will financially help our next generation of workers as they receive their training from Concordia universities and seminaries of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
The LCMS is experiencing a sobering decline of ordained and commissioned workers, but we can work to turn that around with prayer, financial gifts, and focused efforts to recruit future workers. We need to intentionally talk to, inspire, and ignite passion in our youth, to motivate potential candidates to seek a vocation based on God’s Word.
“Teaching and serving in the Lutheran Church is not only a job to me, it’s an honor and privilege. Each day, I am filled with passion, purpose, and surrounded by a community of believers. This community, young and old, help to mentor me, develop me, and draw me closer to God.”
~Katie Pece
2nd Grade Teacher, Saint John’s Lutheran School, La Grange, IL
Our Lord calls for us to pray for laborers for the harvest field, that all might hear the Good News of Jesus. It is part of the Church’s work in every generation to encourage church workers to proclaim the Gospel to the next generation. However, research shows that only half of current pastors and church workers talk to the youth in their congregations about considering a vocation in the church.
“It’s awesome and humbling seeing real lives changed by Jesus. Team ministry is pretty fun, too!”
~Rev. Randy Rozelle
Associate Pastor, Saint Peter Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights, IL
Church workers are primary influencers in leading our youth toward full-time church work. We have untold opportunities to create and use curriculum in our schools that explains the roles available to future workers. Of course this begins with encouraging them to be involved in church regularly. Through conversations with young people and their parents, we can raise awareness of the opportunities available and encourage our young people to consider the blessing of serving in the church.
Encouraging workers to tell their personal stories is a meaningful way to engage youth. Storytelling is one of the most natural, relatable, and influential ways to speak with authenticity about the joys and challenges of life as a pastor or church worker. We have included comments from some of our church workers on what serving in ministry has meant to them.
“When I accepted my call to be a DCE at Saint John’s, I gained another group of people to call family as we connect to our Triune God, grow in our faith, and live life together. And the NID feels like an extension of this family as I make connections with other church workers that support and encourage me as I serve our gracious God.”
~Hannah Russell
Director of Christian Education, Saint John’s Lutheran Church, Union, IL
We encourage churches and individuals to contribute to the “Workers of the Word” offering. The proceeds from this crucial offering will be deposited into the NID Education Endowment Fund where each year, a distribution is made to eligible full-time church work students who attend Concordia universities and LCMS seminaries. Currently, 19 Concordia University students are supported by these scholarship funds and we hope to support many more in the future!
“The many blessings of our Synod continue to provide for all who desire to faithfully proclaim the Gospel of our Lord.”
~Rev. Walter Otten
Hope Lutheran Church, Countryside, IL
We want our children in future generations to know the love and forgiveness of Jesus. This is our opportunity to help raise up the next generation of church workers!
Along with the work we are doing in our District, “Set Apart to Serve” (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. The primary goal of SAS is to serve God in the proclamation of the Gospel. They seek to raise up pastors, teachers, Directors of Christian Education, and other workers of the highest character and talent to serve Christ’s Church for the sake of the kingdom of God.
As a retired (partially) parish pastor, I look back on the parish ministry and am in awe that God provided me the opportunity to serve Him and His people. Parish ministry is so full of opportunities to see how His Word works in the lives of people. As a parish pastor, I have had the privilege, and I do mean privilege, to walk with people during hard times and good times. We are invited into peoples’ lives to walk with them during heartache and sorrow, during challenging times and good times. The Good News of Jesus is life-changing. Over the years, God has given me the privilege to watch the power of the Gospel turn hard hearts to faith. It is always the power of His Word. But, the privilege of being the bringer of that Good News is humbling and amazing.
~ Rev. Richard A. Wagner
We invite your organization to join with our congregations in supporting the initiative for the convention offering – Raising Up: Workers of the Word. We’re all called to serve God, and to share our faith in Jesus, no matter how we earn our living. We’re bakers, homemakers, physicians, transportation experts. Some desire to serve God through full-time, professional ministry in our Lutheran churches and schools.
The body of Christ is made of many parts, with different gifts. The apostle Paul tells us the reason for this when he writes, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
Together as the body of Christ, through the district convention offering we can help to raise up workers in the Church. The goal of this offering is simple: to serve God and proclaim Jesus’ death and resurrection for the salvation of our children, our grandchildren, and generations to come.
WELLNESS: Promoting and encouraging health and vitality in congregations, schools, ministries, professional workers and lay-leaders.