Special Convention March 11, 2017
A district Board of Director's resolution for Circuit Realignment will come to voting delegates for approval in a special district convention on March 11. Included here are the materials needed. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. and the opening devotion begins at 9:30 a.m. The convention is expected to conclude no later than noon. Coffee will be served upon arrival, but no lunch is provided. The half-day convention is open to delegates and guests. No advance registration is required.

View here or download for printing:
Resolution for Circuit Realignment
Region summary: 4-page PDF with maps; Interactive online maps (click on icon for church information)  North, West, East, South
Tentative Schedule
Standing Rules - Revised 1/11/2017
List of Certified Voting Delegates
Directions to Concordia University Chicago
Any questions related to the convention should be directed via email to Ronda Wilmot in the district president's office or by calling 708-223-3101 or toll-free at 708-888-LCMS(5267), ext. 3101.

Please use in your church bulletin

Anniversary Concert in Oak Lawn
St. Paul Lutheran Church, 4660 W. 94th Street, Oak Lawn, will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the installation and dedication of its Berghaus pipe organ with a special concert on Sunday, January 22, at 3 p.m. St. Paul's minister of music and organist, Tim Degen, will perform works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Franck, Walton, Albinoni, and Buxtehude. The concert will conclude with some robust hymn singing!  A freewill offering will be received to support the music ministry at St. Paul. For more information, please call the church at 708-423-1040 or email tdegen@stpauloaklawn.org.

All past and present students, families, staff, and all those who have supported Immanuel Lutheran  Church and Student Center, 511 Russell Road, DeKalb, are invited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Little Lambs Preschool of Immanuel Lutheran Church Serving Families on Sunday, January 29, beginning with worship at 10:30 a.m. to be followed by a light reception in the church narthex.  Print invitation

Leadership Ministry Workshop
The NID school administrators' Leadership Conference invites all church and school leaders -- pastors, DCEs, preschool directors, principals, admissions directors -- to participate in two presentations by ministry teams, Monday, January 30, at Concordia University Chicago. There is no cost, but you do need to register all of your team. Questions, contact Mike Zimmer. Email Matt Kamien by Friday, January 27, to reserve your spot for lunch. Print invitation

Stewardship Workshops
The NID is having two stewardship workshops for pastors and leaders involved in congregational stewardship. Presenter Rev. Mark Bussert will help pastors and lay leaders learn how to biblically teach and ask members to give. Choose from two locations and dates:

• Thursday, February 9, 2017 - Northern Illinois District Office, 2310 S. Wolf Road, Hillside
• Saturday, February 11, 2017 - St. Paul Lutheran Church, 55 S. Constitution Drive (adjacent church), Aurora

8:30 a.m. Doors open for registration/refreshments
9:00 a.m. Program begins
4:00 p.m. Closing

Please RSVP 708-449-3020 or email office@nidlcms.org.  Print flyer

On February 10, 2017, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 330 Highland Drive, Chicago Heights, will host Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, with funding from the LCMS Stand With Your Community Grant. Night to Shine is a prom night experience, centered on God's love, for people with special needs. Hope is that our LCMS churches can work together to make that possible. Please share this event with members in your church who qualify to be guests and would enjoy this night out. Also, with members who are able to volunteer, make donations, or contribute in any way making this night truly memorable for the special needs community of Chicago Heights. Print information sheet. To register and for more information visit acswebnetworks.com/splch/nighttoshine

Please use in your church bulletin

An Evening with Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln
St. John's Lutheran Church, 215 S. Lincoln Street, Lombard, presents an original two-person play dramatizing the final evening of President Lincoln's life, as the couple prepares to attend a play at Ford's Theatre. The performance, on Sunday, February 12, will take place in the church sanctuary at 3 p.m. An informal reception with refreshments will follow. While admission to all events is free, a free-will offering will be received.

Invitation for Parish Communicators
All parish communicators are invited to attend the Communicators Network Meeting, Thursday, January 19, 10 a.m., at the Northern Illinois District Office, 2301 S. Wolf Road, Hillside.  The topic will be Communication resolutions - Planning ahead/creating and managing a communication calendar. RSVP to Mary Bahn. To receive email updates, email office@nidlcms.org. 

Connect at the NID Communicators Facebook Group.

Please use in your church bulletin

Hymnfest
St. Andrews Lutheran Church and School, 260 N Northwest Highway, Park Ridge, cordially invites everyone to its annual Hymnfest, Sunday, February 26, prelude beginning at 3:30 p.m.  This year's Hymnfest, titled "Soli Deo Gloria," features readings by various Christian writers and a variety of Lutheran hymns and songs in settings for congregation, choirs, instrumentalists, soloists, a Contemporary Praise Team, and St. Andrews' Dobson organ. 

Better Than a Box of Chocolate
When considering what you will be doing for Valentine's Day think of the thousands of veterans who have exited homelessness but are in need of the basic household essentials most people take for granted. No matter how large or small the donation of new household items, everything you deliver to a VA facility will go to a qualified veteran in need. Don't know what to collect? Please refer to this simple guide. Contact Military Outreach USA at info@militaryoutreachusa.org for further details. The LCMS Northern Illinois District is a Military Caring Organization.

It's the Obvious That Gets Missed
What should be on the home page of your church website that is so obvious it frequently gets missed? Your church address and service times. Your church website is viewed by more non-members than members. Your website is where people meet you for the first time. People like these:

• Churched people new to your community who want to find a church.
• Non-churched people (seekers) who feel the tug of the Spirit to seek out answers.

They want to know WHERE you are (full address, including city/state because they might be looking at you from anywhere in the world) and WHEN your doors are open for strangers (they want to know when the public can walk in).
 
So quick, right now. Go to your church website. How easily viewed are these two critical elements? If they're not there, please consider doing something about that today.

• Email extensions match both website URLs - (first name.last name @nidlcms.org or @ni.lcms.org). Both will work.