LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 108

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108

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

We rejoice in thousands of laymen and laywomen who serve,
care, give, pray, and engage in their congregation, ministry, and
community. It has been a great joy to meet them. Their labor is not
in vain!
A special group of men and women are the church workers who
serve in the NID. We are blessed with the following:
•

224 active pastors;

•

268 active commissioned workers;

•

567 active nonrostered workers;

•

100 ordained pastors, emeriti; and

•

295 commissioned workers, emeriti

Like every district, the NID recognizes the need for more workers in the harvest of our Lord. He helps us see what He always sees:
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matthew 9:37).
We pray, work, and encourage!
COVID-19 presented unique challenges for the NID and our
congregations, schools, ministries, and workers, both professional
and lay. It was a stressful time, especially with health concerns,
government restrictions, disagreements on how to handle the situations, our limited knowledge, and our sinful nature, which doesn’t
always “put the best construction on everything.” For all of us,
there were plenty of opportunities to “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
The Lord promises that all things work together for good for
those who love Him, and we rejoice in His abiding and faithful
love. We connected more deeply and regularly through Zoom calls
with laity, pastors, commissioned workers, and our emeriti. We
provided videos for encouragement, direction to Christ and His
Word, and opportunities to stay connected. What a blessing for the
three Illinois districts to be more deeply connected as we discussed,
pondered, and looked for responses to the state of Illinois mandates. The cooperation between our Illinois districts continues.
In the summer of 2022, the NID offices moved to the campus
of Concordia University Chicago (CUC) in River Forest, Illinois.
The facilities used for 42 years in Hillside, Illinois, were sold to a
local developer. We lease a house on campus and are blessed by
the welcome and community of CUC. There are many benefits,
including engaging with students in our daily work and engaging
with future church workers. Some of our NID board meetings are
held on CUC’s campus, while others are hosted by NID congregations, schools, and ministries. We regularly join the CUC community in chapel services. Over the past four years, congregational
and school visitations have been one of our priorities throughout
the week.
Before COVID-19, we began an intentional commitment to the
wellness of our professional church workers. (Little did we know
how the Lord provided what was needed.) We have a care team of
ordained and commissioned workers who are available for those
who have questions, concerns, and struggles with the work to
which they have been called or life in general. Individuals from this
group have made themselves available at our professional conferences and through one-on-one conversations by phone or in person.
This work does not replace professional Christian counseling and
pastoral care but remains valuable to our workers.
The NID is blessed to provide grants to congregations, schools,
and RSOs for special ministry projects with an emphasis on sharing the Gospel with those outside the church and those who do not
2023 Convention Workbook

know Jesus as Lord and Savior. That grant pool grew through the
vision and generosity of a congregation that closed and gave a large
portion of its assets to the ongoing Gospel work in northern Illinois.
We remember and thank God for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church,
Des Plaines, Illinois.
The NID has several urban centers that provide both challenges
and opportunities for the congregations, workers, and the Gospel
mission. We have some great lay leaders, workers, and ministry
partners. We have begun meetings in Chicago to discuss the struggles, partnerships, and work of the Holy Spirit. A special thanks to
our African American and Hispanic pastors who in so many cases
help us see that greater vision of Jesus and His passion for people of
“every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” (Revelation 7:9). We have held several urban and multicultural gatherings.
The 2021 NID convention was postponed and became the 2022
convention. It was held March 11–12, 2022, at CUC. The theme
was “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16).
The theme highlighted the blessing of the Word among us, one
which we too often take for granted and neglect. It was back to
basics for all of us so that in our present circumstances, we remain
the beautiful Church Christ redeemed us to be! The Word is where
the power is and remains. Worship was enriched by the preaching
of President Harrison and the music of several of our NID schools
participating with young voices. In addition, we were blessed with
the orchestra of Walther Christian Academy.
These are among the actions of the district convention:
•

NID adopted Word, Wellness, and Witness as the threefold
emphasis of the NID as we work and serve together under
Christ.

•

NID adopted Belize as the “ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8)
mission of the NID. With this action, the NID encourages
short-term mission teams from NID congregations. This encourages congregations of all sizes to participate together for
this mission endeavor. (NID Lutheran schools have made the
mission work in Belize their “Hearts for Jesus” project.) We
are partnering with LCMS International Mission and the Belize Mission Society.

•

NID formed a task force on ethnic ministry that has since
been titled “Northern Illinois District Task Force on MultiEthnic Mission and Ministry.” The task force is currently
working on a history of ethnic ministry in the NID and the
creation of Bible study materials and resources for future
discussion by congregations, schools, and individuals on
how we as Christ’s people proceed to His honor with our
diverse ethnic backgrounds.

•

NID encouraged individual Bible reading and gave thanks
for the 500th anniversary of Luther’s translation of the New
Testament into the language of the people.

•

NID asked the district president to continue the ministry of
visitation with his representatives to encourage congregational life, mission, and faithfulness in the administration of
the Lord’s gift of Holy Communion for the sake of greater
harmony among us.

•

The Rev. Dr. Allan R. Buss was elected to his second term.

Services of Installation were held on May 22, 2022, in two congregations of the NID: St. Andrews Lutheran Church, Park Ridge,
and Trinity Lutheran Church, Tinley Park. We were grateful for the
participation of Rev. Dr. Thomas Egger as preacher and Rev. Dr.