NID School Newsletter

Filled with living hope in Christ,

Confessing, Praising, and

Advancing His Kingdom.

School Newsletter: May 7, 2026

You Are Held Close

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-30

Throughout this school year, stresses, challenges, and doubts have risen. But, take heart! All guidance, comfort and peace comes from our Heavenly Father. As you serve where God has placed you, you have navigated with His guiding hand to touch the lives of others with the love of Christ. May we all turn our hearts and faces to Him each day. He is present and at work in ways you don’t ever know and some you do.

Our Bible reference says not even a sparrow will fall to the ground without God knowing. You are so precious to our Heavenly Father that He knows even the number of hairs on your head. That is evidence in itself that He cares for us so deeply and will never leave us. As we continue to travel through these days, let us always find rest knowing that God is always holding us. The Crucified and Risen Christ is leading us to joys and through challenges.

We have no need to fear what is happening around us. We are each worth so much more than the sparrows. We serve a big God! With faith in Him, we will continue to grow stronger and stronger. He grows us and holds us daily.

As we place our faith and trust in God, we can all be thankful that God holds us in the palm of His hand and gives us what He knows is best for us. So, as we walk through changes in our lives, step back and know God’s plan is perfect. Stay in the WORD. Take care of yourself to be WELL. Use your words and life as a WITNESS.

Serving the Master Teacher,

Lois Stewart

Mission Facilitator for Schools

Commissioned Minister Information Forms

As the school year winds down, please remember to access your CMIF (if you are a rostered/commissioned worker). Please help us out. Review and update anything that is necessary information. Everything has been migrated to the new portal. You should have received an email several months ago with how to access your form. If you do not have that information, please contact Rosters and Statistics at lcms.rsrs@lcms.org. They will be happy to assist. The NID does not have access to your user name and password.

Parish Professionals

Alex Brice serves as the group coordinator. Our final gathering of the year will be Thursday, May 21, 2026. We will meet at Trinity Lutheran Church in Burr Ridge (11500 German Church Road). Our book read for the year will also wrap up with discussion on Chapters 11 and 12. If you have any questions, please reach out to alex.brice@stmarkslife.org.

Careers for Christ

Concordia University Chicago is preparing to host the 2026 Careers for Christ weekend in October. Please see the attached flyer and watch for more information.

Careers for Christ Flyer

Save the Dates

As plans start unfolding for the 2026-2027 school year, please add these two dates to your calendar and then watch for details as the dates get closer:

Saturday, February 6, 2027 – NID Spelling Bee at Immanuel, Elmhurst

Saturday, February 20, 2027 – NID Knowledge Bowl at Immanuel, Batavia

These are both great events and we would love to have your school join us!

Early Childhood, Elementary and High School Administrators

It has been a great year of Early Childhood Educator events. Thank you to our NID Early Childhood Consultants (Cathy Gruenwald, Amy Cimarusti, and Doreen Peterson) for their faithful leading. Plans are being made for great events again next school year!

Save the following dates for our events during the 2026-2027 school year:

Saturday, September 12, 2026 - 9:00 a.m. gathering zoom

Friday, October 16, 2026 – NID Educator Conference at Concordia University Chicago

Saturday, February 27, 2026 – full day ‘Wheels on the Bus’

Saturday, April 10, 2026 – 9:00 a.m. zoom

We would love to have the NID Kindergarten teachers join us for events.

Wellness Corner

Supporting your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being—together.

We are grateful to introduce a new feature in our newsletter: Wellness Corner, provided by our Wellness Officer, Brandy McCoid. Through this space, Brandy will share practical insights, encouragement, and resources to support the well-being of church workers, lay leaders, and congregations across the LCMS Northern Illinois District.

You can expect simple, actionable ideas—grounded in care for the whole person—to help you grow in health and resilience as you serve.

There’s more to wellness than what you’ve been told.

In this Wellness Corner, we explore a fuller, biblically rooted picture of well-being. It’s one that goes beyond the physical to include emotional, financial, relational, vocational, and intellectual health. Grounded in the truth of who we are in Christ, this holistic approach invites you to see wellness as an interconnected gift from God, not a checklist to perfect.

Discover how each area shapes the others and how one small, intentional step can create meaningful change. You might be surprised which part of your wellness needs the most attention.

Download "Six Ways to be Well"

Hearts for Jesus

We are so very thankful again for the very generous offerings for the playground in Seine Bight. In the last visit down to see our friends, a beautiful sign was hung on the play structure reminding the children we love them and pray for them. Insert photos from the playground here.