Comfort from God

“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.”  Isaiah 66:13

In a few days, we will honor our mothers. Some are still with us here on earth and others are celebrating life eternal with Jesus in heaven. My mom went to heaven 12 and a half years ago. The emptiness I feel in my heart is filled with the knowledge that she is well, strong, and living in the presence of our Savior. What great comfort I take in that.

I share this picture not to show off my brother’s silly grin, but to show the image of peace as I rest in my mother’s arms. The helpless baby with not a care in the world being held and protected by Mom. 

Just as our mothers comforted us when we were children (maybe she still does) and provided for our needs, so we know that God holds and comforts us daily out of great love and care. His love never waivers or weakens. He is ever present and holding us. Be reassured that, in all things, He holds you and provides for all of our needs. When you face trials and decisions, allow Him to be the warm, loving arms you rest in.

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,

We Celebrate Schools Together

It was a joy when four of our NID schools gathered at Immanuel, Elmhurst on April 19, 2023. Immanuel, Elmhurst, St. Paul on Menard, Chicago, St. John’s, Elgin, and Trinity, Roselle joined in praise to God as they participated in a handbell seminar day led by Amy Moeller. The students also participated in the NID SHINE! event by making blankets to bless people through Phil’s Friends. Thank you to teachers and school staffs who made this event possible. 

Announcing

The theme for the 2023-2024 school year has been shared. It is based on John 15:1-5. Watch for more information such as Chapel Talks, Lutheran Schools Week Resources, etc.

School Administrators

The Spring Administrators meeting was held on May 1, 2023 at Concordia University Chicago. It was a great morning of fellowship and learning. We were blessed to gather for chapel with the student body and faculty.

Early Childhood Directors

You should have received the information for the food allergy training. Here is the link again if you need that.  

Hearts for Jesus

We are thankful for all of the schools that supported the Mercy House “Hearts for Jesus” project this year. If you have contributions to send in yet, please do so by June 15, 2023. You may mail those contributions to:

LCMS Northern Illinois District

1107 Monroe Ave.

River Forest, IL 60305

Attention: Lois Stewart

Hearts for Jesus 2023-2024

In your planning for the coming school year, please remember our focus to support the mission of the Belize Mission Society as they serve. Here is a little note that talks about the new project for 2023-2024.

Principal Ramirez is so thankful for the opportunity to pilot a feeding program at Richard Quinn Elementary School in Georgetown. He shared these words:

This note is intended to officially convey our deep gratitude for supporting the pilot feeding program for our dear students. Student attendance has increased. We are grateful for this program since it guarantees that our pupils will always have food while they are learning. Additionally, we noticed that the beneficiaries are now forming a number of moral principles and are doing well in class as a result of their contentment. May God richly bless your entire team and thank you very much for your continuing assistance.

Save the Date for Back-to-School Worship - August 9, 2023

Plan ahead for the 2023-2024 school year. All administrators are highly encouraged to put this date (August 9, 2023) on their 2023-2024 calendars so members of your faculty and staff have it. What a fantastic way to start the school year (worship, fellowship, and a lot of energy) together with fellow workers in the NID. We are excited to share that the host congregation will be St. Peter, Arlington Heights. We will be uplifted and energized by our keynote speaker Mychal Thom, the Chief Diversity Officer from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota. Watch for details in the future.

Educator Conference - October 6, 2023

Save the date of Friday, October 6, 2023 for the next NID Educator Conference. We are really looking forward to bringing educators together for a day of worship, learning, and fellowship. It has been a long time since we have gathered in conference. All NID teachers, administrators, and Parish Professionals will receive registration information in the future. We would also love to have pastors join us for the day. We are thankful to St. Peter Lutheran Church and School in Arlington Heights for welcoming the NID onto their campus for the day.

Illinois State Administrator Conference

We are very excited to announce that the Illinois LCMS State Administrator’s Conference is being revived! Administrators from the three Districts will join together for a conference from July 17-18, 2023. It will be hosted here in the NID, and we are looking forward to welcoming fellow principals to this event. Please keep this in prayer as the planning continues.

TEC21

In TEC21 news this month!

Brent Dieckhoff, founder and executive director of TEC21, assures us that our Lutheran schools can continue to register here for Season 15 over the next few months. Register as soon as possible, however, to secure your seats as some cohorts will begin to reach capacity. If you don’t know which teachers you will send, register with your (principal) name. The 2023/2024 season begins September 2023 and workshop dates will be set in June.

There is much in the news today about advancements in technology and the dizzying speed of change. This raises questions and concerns among our Lutheran school teachers and parents. There is no better time to register your teachers for the TEC21 Workshop Program to equip them to answer these questions and we wholeheartedly encourage your participation. TEC21 meets all the benchmarks of effective teacher professional development and is firmly rooted in discipleship and principles of adult learning. 

We encourage you to reach out to Brent here to schedule a video or telephone call to get simple questions answered, explore funding, or learn more about how master teachers from our Lutheran school family approach the workshop sessions.

“Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens the other.” Proverbs 27:17

 Pictured above (left to right) are workshop facilitators Scott Akerson, Chelsea Speers, Brett  

 Meyer, Kelli Ongman, and Mark Hess as they prepare for another year to support their teachers.