Update from District President Dan Gilbert - What Lutherans are doing in mission and outreach in northern Illinois. This issue: Exciting way to celebrate Reformation Anniversary.
March 2017
So, What's It Going to Be 
Just let things be. Let life happen. Let things work out on their own. You've heard such so-called advice mantras before, I'm sure. But, are they true? Are they faithful and God-honoring? Are they, perhaps, latent attitudes in your church?

Every congregation can do at least one new start in outreach , I keep saying. And, thank you to every congregation that has done so, or is working on it (you can catch up on a few as you scroll further down).

I'm amazed by the steady flow of requests received by our district mission facilitators for help to do outreach. I'm energized at the creative response to hurdles of all kinds that faithful pastors, church leaders and members struggle through and overcome to connect with more people in the community. I'm beyond joyful at the baptisms that result from the preaching of the Word in these churches (and especially the baptisms through the Lutheran preschools who are writing mission plans with their pastors in our NID Learning Communities this year - I have a soft spot for Lutheran schools at every level).

Why does new outreach matter? BECAUSE you can't be about the Lord's mission if you are not building relationships with people in the community, which is the very mission field where the Lord has placed you. You can't be faithful to the Lord's commission if you close your doors, sit inside and just let things be .

Sad to say, within the church, the result of letting things work out on their own  too often is holding a closing service and selling the building to some other church group more eager to be in the neighborhood.

Too harsh? Perhaps. I know it's possible to try faithfully, openly, fearlessly, prayerfully to connect in your community and still not see much fruit. There is such a thing as the Spirit's timing, since it is the Holy Spirit who makes new believers. If this is you, then I hope you keep asking the Spirit: What would you have us do?

But there are also those congregations that say we can't or we don't want to or let's just let things work out on their own. There's an old sacred song that was popular in America earlier in the last century. Perhaps you'd recognize it because it's based on John 9:4 - Work for the Night Is Coming. The night comes for each of us as saints when the Lord calls us home; then our mission is done. The night comes sooner for a congregation when it chooses "let it be" over "work!"

Work includes our prayers that the Lord would multiply new believers among us; it includes our offerings that enable local mission (thank you, Stakeholder donors!); it includes our leadership in our churches for the the Lord's mission purpose. I write to you because you are among the special people who understand. Thank you for being a part of the Lord's collective mission, together among us and through us, in northern Illinois.


Rev. Dan P. Gilbert, President
LCMS Northern Illinois District


Your online gift today helps the Northern Illinois District work with congregations to see and become equipped for opportunities the Lord gives them to be active in his mission, right beyond their church doors. Your generosity is appreciated.



Sunday nights at Trinity Galewood, the new start at the former Bethany, Chicago, on Narragansett, one block north of North Avenue, where the west side of Chicago and Oak Park meet.
New Starts Update 
Trinity Galewood

Weekly gatherings on Sundays at 5 p.m. are bringing together a group of millennials, neighbors (and others) from the west side of Chicago, Oak Park and surrounding areas to study Scripture together and share an evening meal. Pastor Dave McGinley is working with his leadership team at Trinity Galewood to plan for the future start of regular Sunday morning worship services and outreach ministries at this new multisite of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle. The location is the former Bethany Lutheran Church building on Narragansett, one block north of North Avenue, which was gifted to Trinity Lisle for a new start.

Additional Aurora Hispanic Service

A new Hispanic worship service began meeting at Hope Lutheran Church in Aurora on February 12. Rev. Angel Morales, pastor from St. Paul, Aurora, initiated the new service after making door-to-door visits in that neighborhood. The group grew from 5 to 30 in just the first couple weeks. The service at 1575 Reckinger Road is at 11:30 a.m., joining St. Paul's 9:30 a.m. Hispanic service at 55 S. Constitution Drive.

Rockford Hispanic Initiative

Your gifts, through an NID grant, are helping St. Paul Lutheran Church in Rockford, together with other circuit churches, engage a vicar to begin Spanish-language ministry in central Rockford. Much work with district ' s mission facilitator and Pastor Alex Merlo, plus visits by the potential vicar, have already gone into this. Now, the project is in the hands of the seminary and the April vicar placement decisions. Please ask for God ' s blessing and that he provide the right worker and a fertile field for this new mission work in northern Illinois.
 
1MPH in Aurora

" One Message-One Purpose-One Hour " is a new worship experience for families at St. Paul, Aurora, with accompanying website tools to provide weekly follow-up activities for families. With a start-up on March 5, the goal is to provide Sunday School, worship as a family, and a parent-specific message - all on the same theme - to equip and serve families who often struggle to find time for the family to attend church together. 1MPH meets 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Sundays at 55 S. Constitution Drive.
 
New Mission Initiative at San Pablo

Pastor Alex Merlo began a new mission initiative in January called " 500 for Christ " to engage laity from San Pablo's Missionary School and other church members in locally discipling a total of 500 new people during this year of the Reformation anniversary. Your gifts, through an NID grant, have been awarded to underwrite training and outreach expenses that will help the church members accomplish this.

Have a new start at your church? Hit reply to this email and let us know!
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New Starts...New Believers, a Mission Movement of the LCMS Northern Illinois District | nidlcms.org  | NIDnews.org for Northern Light Online


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