Let Your Light Shine
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
It is a very dreary afternoon as I write this devotion. Sometimes, the weather can make us feel the same way inside. I encourage you to let your light shine in all of your daily tasks and activities. Let the people you come into contact with see the love of Jesus shine through your words and actions. Because we are the redeemed children of God, we have the blessing to let the light shine in everything we do.
As sinners, we grow self-centered and want to be inward focused. We strive to look out for ourselves. Jesus went to the cross to redeem us from our sins and make us outward and upward focused. The washing of rebirth and renewal each day makes us focus not on ourselves, but on the people God has put in our lives. The light we receive is the light we give. In the washing of rebirth and renewal given in Baptism we daily die to self and live in Christ for God and neighbor. The One who has saved us gets the glory. Is it a preschooler who needs their shoes tied? Is it a middle schooler who needs someone to listen? Maybe it is a retired church member that needs a friend to smile at them and spend five or ten minutes in conversation.
Because we are dearly loved children of God, let others see your good deeds and praise God for your love of Jesus…….Give all glory to God!
Serving the Master Teacher,
Lois
|
|
|
Here are the latest opportunities to strengthen your faith, connect
with the community, and flourish in our life together.
|
|
CONFERENCES - MEETINGS - EVENTS
|
|
|
|
Education Scholarship Meeting Planned
|
An information meeting for school administrators, school community liaisons, school fundraisers and business managers will be held Monday, February 11, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Christopher Center, Room 200, Concordia University Chicago, 7400 Augusta Street, River Forest.
|
|
|
|
|
Early Childhood Meetings Focus on Referring Students to Special Education Programs
|
The next Early Childhood meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, February 20 and Thursday, February 28.
|
|
|
On February 20, the East Region will meet at Trinity Lutheran Early Childhood Center in Naperville. On February 28, the West Region will meet at Grace Lutheran Preschool in Loves Park. Both events begin at 4:30pm.
|
|
|
|
2019 Illinois Essay Contest
|
Any Lutheran student or student in a Lutheran school, grades 6 through 12, is eligible to participate in LFL's Essay Contest. Essays and the Teacher/Pastor information should be submitted digitally using Microsoft Word to
|
|
|
Hearts for Jesus - Rebecca's Garden of Hope
Hearts for Jesus is an annual opportunity in the LCMS Northern Illinois District to support a mission outreach. We are excited to partner with ‘Rebecca’s Garden of Hope’ this year. ‘Rebecca’s Garden of Hope’ is a RSO of the LCMS.
Listen to how you can help.
|
|
Your church or school can help by sending donations directly to LCMS Northern Illinois District, 2301 S. Wolf Road, Hillside, IL 60162, Attn: Lois Stewart or through our secure website page at
bit.ly/CongOffering
. For information about this RSO visit
rebeccasgardenofhope.com
. Maybe, through prayer, your congregation would like to start a tutoring center for the children of your community. What a great way to share the love of Jesus!
|
|
Let Us Be in Mission Together
You may have seen this video shared, but it is worth putting out there to assist in reminding us to be about relationship building. Consider showing this to your middle school students and discuss the positive impact they can have in serving and being a good neighbor as Jesus instructs us.
|
|
Leadership Meeting
We thank Dr. Arfsten for sharing the call process of new graduates with us at the Feb. 4 Leadership meeting. It was informative and helpful if your school is calling a new grad.
Thank you also to Dr. Mullaney and Dr. Pate for their presentation on School Viability. We will do a follow up on this presentation in the fall so keep track of the things you did at your school to plan for the future. Don’t forget to
email questions to Lois. Answers and/or suggestions from Drs. Mullaney and Pate will be shared through the school newsletter.
|
|
|
|
A black cord and white adapter were left behind at CUC on Monday after the Leadership Meeting. You may contact Lois Stewart at 708-223-3110 if it is yours.
|
|
|
|
|
National Lutheran Schools Week Celebrations
|
It looked like many schools had a great celebration of National Lutheran Schools Week for the days they were in school.
|
|
|
Hopefully, many of the activities scheduled on the days schools were closed can be rescheduled. Watch for a picture video to be presented soon showing the great things happening in our NID schools during NLSW. To God be the glory for our schools.
|
|
National Lutheran Schools Accreditation
Please remember that you should be starting to prepare your Cumulative Annual Report (CAR). The new due date for 2019 is April 15. This new due date supersedes that date on your report form. The CAR must be emailed to Keith Wilharm, NLSA Consultant by April 15. Also, watch for an invoice for the $125 NIS accreditation fee which is also due April 15.
The invoice will be attached to the next three school newsletters.
|
|
Articles and Podcasts from LEA
We are thankful for the support from LEA with excellent articles and podcasts. Here is a list of some suggested items you may want to explore.
Some articles that inspired me are:
- ‘The Importance of the Teacher’s Worldview’ by Michelle Holland for ACSI.
- ‘God in the Space Between the Stars’ by John Stonestreet and G. Shane Morris in BreakPoint.
- ‘Preparing Kids for the Real World’ by Dale Hudson in Relevant Children’s Ministry.
- ‘Play Around’ by Ali Hale in Daily Writing Tips.
- ‘Two Religions That Claim to be Christian’ by Sheri Bell in ‘ChurchLeaders’.
Visit
www.LEA.org to find the following Podcasts at Resources>LEA Podcasts & Webinars>Podcasts & Archived Webinars:
- ‘A Child’s Brain on Poverty or Trauma’ by Kim Marxhausen, PH.D.
- ‘Recruitment & Retention’ by Mary Schuldheisz (Concordia University, Portland, Oregon)
- ‘Power Tools for Teaching Religion’ by Jared Stiek, Asst. Prof. of Lutheran Education (Concordia University, Chicago)
|
|
School Support Fund Invoice
Please consider contributing at least $1.00 per student to the NID School Support Fund. This fund helps offset the many services which cost the district, but are provided free or at a greatly reduced cost to schools. Some have asked for an ‘invoice’ to provide for accounting purposes.
You may print that from here.
|
|
A Resource for Youth Leaders
Please share this website with your youth workers, DCEs, etc…. if they need some resources as they serve. Ideas and resources may be found at
www.
lutheranyouthroom.org
|
|
Update CMIF Information
We are heading into the time of year when schools begin searching to fill vacancies they will have for the coming school year. Please encourage your Rostered workers to update their CMIFs so search time might be reduced for schools looking to extend calls.
|
|
Reporting Retirements
If you have a Rostered Worker retiring at the end of the school year, please have them contact Keith Wilharm at 708-223-3112 or
keith.wilharm@nidlcms.org. We will need to know the worker’s name and retirement date.
If there is a Rostered Administrator retiring at the end of this school year, please contact Lois Stewart at 708-223-3110 or
lois.stewart@nidlcms.org
. PLEASE let Lois know about this retirement by FEBRUARY 28, 2019.
|
|
Upcoming Vacancies
If you will have a vacancy to fill for the 2019-2020 school year, please contact Lois Stewart (See entry above) with information so it can be posted in the NID website.
|
|
Church Workers:
Update Your Contact Information Online
.
All rostered and non-rostered church workers are asked to please update their NID contact information when there is a change of email, address, phone, etc., or if new in the district.
|
|
LCMS Northern Illinois District
2301 S. Wolf Road, Hillside, IL 60162
Phone 888-708-LCMS
|
|
|
Wish to stop receiving the School Newsletter? WAIT!
Don't unsubscribe below!
Click here
and tell us to remove "School Newsletter"
from your preferences but still remain on other NID lists.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
